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Nate Federman @natefederman.bsky.social · 6h

Hi! I’m a TV writer.

Nate Federman @natefederman.bsky.social · 1d

CA folks, I voted YES ON PROP 50.

Gerrymandering is objectively anti-democratic, but if Red and Purple states are going to do it (and they are), then the only way to ultimately put a stop to it is for Blue states to respond in-kind. Having the moral high ground won’t save Democracy.

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Nate Federman @natefederman.bsky.social · 3d

#Bortles

two men are standing next to each other and one is saying oh dip

Alt: two men are standing next to each other and one is saying oh dip

media.tenor.com

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Nate Federman @natefederman.bsky.social · 3d

I don’t care about the NFL, but I just saw Jacksonville score a pick-six and started thinking about how happy Jason from The Good Place would be. And that made me happy.

a man wearing a hat and a blue shirt is standing in front of a speaker .

Alt: a man wearing a Jacksonville hat and a blue shirt is standing in front of a speaker .

media.tenor.com

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Nate Federman @natefederman.bsky.social · 3d

A big ol’ orb weaver caught a monarch butterfly in its web, in our yard. #Nature is hardcore.

A large brown spider examines its prey - a big orange and black butterfly, caught in its web.

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Nate Federman @natefederman.bsky.social · 4d

Please, Democrats, I’m begging you to run Wizard Frog in 2028!

competentposter @competentposter.bsky.social · 5d

wizard frog is insane

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Nate Federman @natefederman.bsky.social · 4d

Oregonians were already furious about the number of Californians in their state.

Olga Nesterova @onestpress.onestnetwork.com · 4d

NYT: Trump Sends California National Guard to Portland, Ore.

The move came less than a day after a judge blocked the Trump admin attempt to deploy the Oregon National Guard there. Gov. Gavin Newsom of California denounced the move as a “breathtaking abuse of power” and said California would sue.

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Nate Federman @natefederman.bsky.social · 4d

I like it when people make cool art.

Jonathan Slater @jonathanslater.bsky.social · 5d

Awesome talent :
Guillermo Galetti

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Nate Federman @natefederman.bsky.social · 4d

My daughters had a friend sleep over last night and she brought a Kamishabai (Japanese story box). The kids spent hours drawing, writing, and performing stories.

It was a good reminder of why most of us make art & tell stories: we like making art & telling stories.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamishi...

Kamishibai - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

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Reposted by Nate Federman

Vincent L. Anthony @vincent-l-anthony.bsky.social · 5d

Great 🧵 about nailing the hook early. I used to write grants and a VP at Bank of America told me that if he doesn't know what you want within the first 2 sentences he tosses the grant app. Sell me on the first page or GTFO. It's a huge pile, stand out!!!
#booksky #scriptsky #screenwriting

Nate Federman @natefederman.bsky.social · 5d

In Adaptation, a fictionalized Robert McKee says, “The last act makes a film. Wow them in the end, and you got a hit. You can have flaws, problems, but wow them in the end, and you've got a hit.”

Bull. Shit.

Nobody’s making it to Act 3 if your Act 1 sucks.
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#Scriptsky #Screenwriting #Filmsky

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Nate Federman @natefederman.bsky.social · 5d

PS - I’ve been doing these #Scriptsky #Screenwriting #WritingCommunity threads every Saturday. If you enjoy them, please help me get some more followers. I’ve been doing them, because book publishers care way too much about my follower count, and I’m trying to get a book published. Thanks!

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Nate Federman @natefederman.bsky.social · 5d

It’s not easy to do ALL of these things in the first 5 pages, but you need to do some of them. Make the reader lean in and ask, “Ooh, what happens next?”

If you can do that early, they’ll keep reading. And if you can have them asking that in Act 2, THEN you can wow them with your ending.
🧵7/7

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Nate Federman @natefederman.bsky.social · 5d

-STAKES. You’d be surprised how often the answer to the question, “What happens if they don’t succeed?” is “Not much.”

-NOVELTY. You don’t have to invent a new race of aliens or give me the world of Severance, but give the characters/world/dialogue dimension and make it feel unique.
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Nate Federman @natefederman.bsky.social · 5d

-A reason to invest in the protagonist. They don’t have to save the cat but find a way to make me care what happens to them. Make them charming or funny or clever; just make them interesting and unique.

-A clear WANT. If your protagonist doesn’t care, neither will I. Give them a goal/aspiration.
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Nate Federman @natefederman.bsky.social · 5d

Things I’m looking for when I start reading a script:

-My spidey sense tingles if it’s not properly formatted or if it’s full of typos.

-At least one killer joke in the first few pages if it’s a comedy. Make me laugh out loud, and I’ll keep reading your script. If it’s full of clams, I won’t.
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Nate Federman @natefederman.bsky.social · 5d

You might get 5 pages, 10 pages, maybe even until the Act 1 Break, but if you haven’t given the reader a good reason to continue, they probably won’t.

All your Act 2 fun & games? Your killer midpoint twist? Your epic climax and clever resolution? They won’t matter if you don’t nail the set-up.
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Nate Federman @natefederman.bsky.social · 5d

I had a boss who said he gave a script submission 5 pages to impress him. If he wasn’t into it by then, he moved onto the next script in his stack.

Brutal, right?

But if someone’s reading 50+ submissions, they don’t have time to read them all, all the way through. So you need to hook ‘em early!
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Nate Federman @natefederman.bsky.social · 5d

In Adaptation, a fictionalized Robert McKee says, “The last act makes a film. Wow them in the end, and you got a hit. You can have flaws, problems, but wow them in the end, and you've got a hit.”

Bull. Shit.

Nobody’s making it to Act 3 if your Act 1 sucks.
🧵1
#Scriptsky #Screenwriting #Filmsky

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Nate Federman @natefederman.bsky.social · 6d

The world’s greatest fourth-tier jamband is making their West Side debut!

Lick the toad and enjoy the ride.

Taper’s Choice @taperschoice.bsky.social · 6d

This is not a drill. All tickets on sale now ! Grab em at Taperschoice.com

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Nate Federman @natefederman.bsky.social · 9d

I misread this at first and thought, don’t lump me in with those assholes.

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Reposted by Nate Federman

David Roberts @volts.wtf · 9d

This is amazing: @ladwp.com, the Los Angeles utility, has launched a program that will install solar+battery systems on qualifying low-to-moderate-income households, *for free*.

Yes: free.

If you know someone eligible, tell them to apply!

Self-Generation Incentive Program

The Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) helps qualified LADWP residential customers install solar and battery storage systems by providing financial incentives. This program supports clean energy...

www.ladwp.com

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Nate Federman @natefederman.bsky.social · 12d

My AYSO soccer team is full of bad-ass young ladies brimming with confidence. But there’s one girl on the team whose body language can best be characterized as “nervous.”

My coaching goal is to build up her confidence. I think we unlocked something today and she was all smiles afterwards!

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Nate Federman @natefederman.bsky.social · 12d

Loglines are hard. I struggle with them. Most people do. But if you can nail the logline, you’re well on your way to getting people interested in your story. Prime that pump!

PS - If you have questions, feel free to ask. And if you found this helpful, please share it.
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Nate Federman @natefederman.bsky.social · 12d

Last but not least - your logline is always paired with the name of your book/script. The two should complement each other. Title helps sell tone. Don’t name it something silly if your story is serious. Compare “Jurassic Park” with “Billy and the Cloneasaurus.”
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Nate Federman @natefederman.bsky.social · 12d

What about "it's X show/movie meets Y show/movie"? It’s not a replacement for a good logline, but it can supplement one. When I helped out with the Duck Tales pilot, the co-creator pitched it to me as, "Indiana Jones meets Arrested Development." I immediately understood what he was going for.
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