Language issue...

Sour Lemon Pie · Jan 26, 2007

Spanish is my first language. Although i can speak english, my level is pretty basic. At least i feel it's not good enough to start a screenplay... and most contests and stuff are in english.

I can express myself pretty good in Spanish, and i can try to do it in English... still, my language's bareer is what stops me from writing.
And well, that's kind of... sad. I wish there was the perfect spelling corrector, damnit.

What can i do?

(HOLY MACARONY SORRY THIS SHOULD GO TO SCREENWRITING's FORUM)

helga · Jan 27, 2007

Hi,
English is not my first language, either. That's why I do understand how you feel. The only solution is - learn, learn, learn and write. It's quite possible to succeed, though you'll spend much more time on editing (I do!) than those for whom English is their mother tongue.
I signed a contract with a publisher for my non-fiction WIP last December - so it's possible.

On the other hand, when I want some reassurance - I visit PA boards - and feel much better about my English

)

dpaterso · Jan 27, 2007

How about watching something like Buffy the Vampire Slayer on DVD (in English) while reading the transcripts at the same time -- or whatever TV series or films you happen to like most? Take a peek at the screenwriting tips thread for links to sites with scripts and transcripts. See how the words translate into action, and the action translates into words. Soak up English dialogue by hearing it and reading it at the same time.

-Derek

JIMBOS · Jan 27, 2007

Good luck...You can do it!

I will pervail...I will prevale...I will...aw screw It. I'm gonna win no matter what it takes!

dpaterso · Jan 27, 2007

J, that was subtext for "keep your word choices and sentence structure simple," wasn't it?

-Derek

scripter1 · Jan 27, 2007

Actually Sour,

your post wasn't bad so maybe you are not as disadvantaged as you believe.

You have several options and I suggest you do all three.

Take more English courses. Read in English.
Study scripts.
As D suggested, watch American films and TV and try to study the scripts as you watch.

Buddy up with someone for whom English is their Native Language.
Have them proof read your scripts and mark anything that is wrong or seems wierd.

Post ten pages here and ask for feedback on your English mistakes.
We'll be able to point out some of your most common errors and show you you to correct them.

Sour Lemon Pie · Jan 27, 2007

Thnaks for the advices, guys. Ill try to follow them all.

Daydreamer · Jan 27, 2007

It's probably not so much your spelling mistakes but rather your sentence structure that gives it away.
Still, it is amazing how bad some native speakers' grammer can be (this board is no exception). So hang in there (you're in good company

) and with just enough effort your grammar will become good enough.
Good luck.

Sour Lemon Pie · Jan 28, 2007

It's probably not so much your spelling mistakes but rather your sentence structure that gives it away.

I think that's the real problem too.

scripter1 · Jan 28, 2007

Hey Sour,

where are you currently located?
Are you in the US or another country?
I'm curious what your reasoning is for not writing in your native language?

Sour Lemon Pie · Jan 28, 2007

I am peruvian.

My country is awesome. But it has zero screenwriting industry, if i can put it in this way.

I know other markets are growing up a little, in Latin America: Argentina, Mexico..... and well, Spain, even if it's not Latin America.... so i am dubious about what i am supposed to do.

scripter1 · Jan 28, 2007

Thanks for answering

my questions. I hope you don't feel like I was being nosey.
I wanted the answers so I could judge better how to help you out.

I don't know much at all about foreign films BUT I do know they exist.
SO, I guess what I'm saying is,
while working on your English do some research into the Spainish film industry and see what is out there.
And also there may be some studios here that do smaller films in Spainish.

So, just don't assume and stress yourself over the script having to be written in English. There might be other markets for you to explore.

Daydreamer · Jan 29, 2007

Yesterday evening, Television Espanol broadcast the Goya Awards, which is the Spanish pendant to the Oscars (but they are only open to films that were shot in Spanish). "El laberinto del fauno" won quite a lot. I'm just mentioning this because in there were also international stars present and hoping to win. I don't just mean stars from the Spanish speaking community such as Penelope Cruz. Viggo Mortensen was there too because he starred in a movie in Spanish, and also Daniel Brühl, the German actor who has done films in England too. (He didn't win and therefore didn't have to give an acceptance speech, but the host wanted to find out if he spoke Spanish well enough and went into the audience and asked him a few questions.)
All I'm saying is: Especially the Spanish speaking community has a strong film industry (I think stronger than even France because there are also so many films from Latin America).
My advice is to write in Spanish unless your English is absolutely flawless. The chances of getting ahead are so much better for you. And once you have a reputation, you might find it much easier to break into the American market (US market, that is).

Penguin Queen · Jan 29, 2007

Writing in an acquired language

Hey Sour Lemon Pie,

from your posts, I would not have immediately concluded that you're not a native English speaking (had you not said so :tongue

). Lots of ppl write in an acquited language. I do - my native language is German, I grew up in Germany & learnt English at school.

Recently, an literary e-journal devoted a whole issue to new writing by ppl who write in English-as-a-foreign-language (it's fiction rather than script writing, but even so). Have a look, it's quite inspiring!

InPosse Review - [URL="http://webdelsol.com/InPosse/fall06/IPR_Charbonneau.htm"]Second Language Issue [/URL]

zeprosnepsid · Jan 29, 2007

The Spanish-speaking film industry is booming. Alfonso Cuaron was personally nominated for 3 Oscars this year (he came to acclaim with Y Tu Mama Tambien), Pan's Labyrinth got like 5(?) nominations and that's in Spanish. The winner of Sundance this year was in Spanish (the winner of Sundance last year was half in Spanish). The Golden Globe winner Babel was made by a Spanish-speaking director and contains Spanish among the handful of languages the movie is in. Other Spanish speaking films have done well too -- Motorcycle Diaries, Volver...

It's a growing market and it's producing results. I'm sure there are plenty of American production companies who would consider Spanish screenplays.

scripter1 · Jan 30, 2007

Motorcycle diaries

was one I was thinking of.

Sounds like there is quite a bit going on in the Spainish script market.

Sour Lemon Pie · Jan 30, 2007

my questions. I hope you don't feel like I was being nosey.

Not at all! I like questions!

My advice is to write in Spanish unless your English is absolutely flawless. The chances of getting ahead are so much better for you. And once you have a reputation, you might find it much easier to break into the American market (US market, that is).

Thanks for your advice. I so appreciate it.

When i write in spanish... maybe cause i don't have to worry permanently about my grammar or how will it look, it comes out spontaneously. I don't know how to describe it.... but it's like... i "Mechanize" myself when i have to write in English, maybe cause it's not that good.

And i think Daniel Brühl's "Good Bye Lenin" was quite cool, btw.

<A href="http://webdelsol.com/InPosse/fall06/IPR_Charbonneau.htm" target=_blank>InPosse Review - Second Language Issue

Danke schön, mein freundinen.

I bet that was awful.

But you know what i mean.

I will take a look at it!

Hillgate · Feb 1, 2007

Best film

Best film I saw last year was Pan's Labyrinth in Spanish with English and French subtitles (in Cannes). I do speak a bit of Spanish and I didn't bother with the subtitles because I didn't need to: the film was so amazingly amazingly amazing it transcended language. I cried, so did the rest of the audience and we gave the actors and director a standing ovation (it was Cannes, they were there). I ran to the Martinez afterwards and sat and chatted to them. In Spanish. Poorly. None of that mattered. The language didn't matter. It's going to win an Oscar.

You may be from Peru, but so can you. In spanish if you want, or English. Or Quechua, even (apologies if I've got wrong country).

Sour Lemon Pie · Aug 8, 2007

Yeah. I am trying to decide what's the best. I am not really informed and i don't know where to start, so i am kind of lost.

stormy · Aug 8, 2007

Everyone here claiming to not have a grasp of the English language has a better understanding and usage of it than I do and I grew up speaking English!

NikeeGoddess · Aug 8, 2007

here's one good contest that allows scripts in different languages.
http://moviebytes.com/ContestDetail.cfm?contestnumber=324
and their site - http://www.writemovies.com

icerose · Aug 8, 2007

I would write them in Spanish if I was you. The market is a lot more open and accepting than it used to be and that way you can focus more on the story than stressing about the words themselves.

talkwrite · Aug 9, 2007

Oye Sour;
You don't have to learn English to market your script to US markets.
I have translated scripts into English on spec to prospective producers and even in that format they funded 2 documentaries and one short feature all produced in the original Spanish. One of the documentaries ( translated script) did get picked up by PBS. A good literary translator is not only trained to work with the creative work of a scriptwriter or author but will work with you to ensure that you are happy with the copy.
Para que sepas.....

Boo_Radley · Aug 10, 2007

These last two posts mirror what I was going to suggest, as well. You seem very capable of writing in English, but just in case...

Escribir en tu lengua materna. Puedes hacerla traducir después. Y si necesitas ayuda con formato o reglas, puedes preguntarnos aquí.

And if that sounds too mechanical, it's because Spanish isn't my native language.

Language issue...

Sour Lemon Pie

helga

dpaterso

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JIMBOS

dpaterso

Also in our Discord and IRC chat channels

scripter1

Article Queen

Sour Lemon Pie

Daydreamer

Sour Lemon Pie

scripter1

Article Queen

Sour Lemon Pie

scripter1

Article Queen

Daydreamer

Penguin Queen

Break the rules.

zeprosnepsid

scripter1

Article Queen

Sour Lemon Pie

Hillgate

On location

Sour Lemon Pie

stormy

NikeeGoddess

icerose

Lost in School Work

talkwrite

Passion in full bloom

Boo_Radley

100% Death Proof