Ask Steve Perry

[The PredBen]

Dachande's rule of thumb is what people usually cite, and it is pretty close. Action plays faster, dialog slower. (Not in animation, which is faster overall, but in live-action.) From a practical standpoint, if your script runs more than a hundred and ten or -fifteen pages, it's probably too long. The ideal commercial movie length is 105 minutes, and that based on getting people into and out of the theater with time to get popcorn and all, in a two-hour slot. Easier to sell a shorter script, one that long scares readers. If you are doing the next Star Trek or have a bunch of credits, it's different.

I don't care if people argue with me. I didn't come here to get my ass kissed -- if you don't agree, that's your right -- call it like you see and so will I. I just get a little amused when it sounds as if somebody is trying to give me writing lessons and I don't see that they have the wherewithal to do so.

Opinions, they say, are like assholes -- we all have them, and most of them stink ...


True , and thanks my script was just 37 pages long , so it must equal about 39 minutes , do to my dialogue , thanks!

[The PredBen]

Screwed up ... yeah though thanks.

[Corporal Hicks]

Welcome, Stephani. My first question is...

Your real name? I can never remember.

[The PredBen]

Welcome, Stephani. My first question is...

Your real name? I can never remember.

you don't , either do I , welcome though to the avd site of the world , where everything is almost all avp and the avp fans ... are avp fans.

[Corporal Hicks]

I can never remember which is her authors name (S.D or Stephani?) or which is her actual name.

[The PredBen]

that's nice ... LOL.

[Cetanu]

I can never remember which is her authors name (S.D or Stephani?) or which is her actual name.

All the books I have say she is "SD Perry", which, if I'm not mistaken, is Stephani Danielle Perry.

[steveperry]

She goes by "Danelle," which is pronounced "Dan-yelle." Needs a tilde over the "n."

[stephen]

Welcome Danelle.

It would be great if you could stay around and answer some questions if you're not too busy.  And thank you for being a part and adding to the great Aliens/predator franchise.

1. Whats it like working with your dad?

2. Whats your favourite Aliens/Predator film and why?

3. Out of the books you've written/co-written - do you have a favourite?

4. Which kind of scenes do you find are the most difficult to write?

5. Which kind of scenes do you find the easiest to write?

I hope you can stay and hang around.

[sdp]

Welcome Danelle.

It would be great if you could stay around and answer some questions if you're not too busy.  And thank you for being a part and adding to the great Aliens/predator franchise.

Thank you! I'll happily answer a couple of questions, but since this is my dad's board, I'll likely just lurk around occasionally. By the by, my friends and family call me Danelle, and I write under S.D., except for the first couple of books. Stephani Danelle Perry is my full name.

1. Whats it like working with your dad?

Daunting at first, but primarily awesome. I think he's an excellent writer, and he's always treated me/my work respectfully.

2. Whats your favourite Aliens/Predator film and why?

Hmm... Having read most of the posts here, I'm hesitant to respond without a bunch of disclaimers. Obviously, it's a matter of personal taste. That said, you should know that I'm a horror fan, big time. So, Alien, for sheer creepiness.

3. Out of the books you've written/co-written - do you have a favourite?

A favorite? I dunno... Honestly, I really liked working on Criminal Enterprise, although I've taken some flack for using the aliens as guard dogs, rather than major "characters". I concede the point, but still thought the story was good. I liked AvP War... and the graphic novel for AvP Prey was top-notch. It's always more fun to adapt something well-written.

4. Which kind of scenes do you find are the most difficult to write?

Never thought about it. The first chapter of anything, I suppose, since I have an obnoxious, natural tendency towards exposition.

5. Which kind of scenes do you find the easiest to write?

The ones I like. That sounds dumb, maybe, but there you go--I like scary scenes, I like action and dialogue 'cause it fills up pages quickly.

I hope you can stay and hang around.

Thank you again!

[RakaiThwei]

Dear SDP,

Welcome to AvPGalaxy.net, I really hope that you enjoy your stay here!

I just wanted to say thank you and Steve both for writing AvP: Prey and AvP: War, as I believe that both had given me many years of excellent reading and something to occupy my time with. Both are some of the best books which I hold very dear to me since childhood when I started reading it around the summer of 2001.

I really loved the concept of the Yautja culture which you and your father, Steve, have developed and seeing the concept of the warrior culture used in the Alien vs Predator films definately made me happy.

I also want to say thank you for both giving me the inspiration to create my own Yautja characters based on the culture which you have developed in your novels.

Again, thank you for the good years of reading and introducing me to such a admirable and honorable warrior race.

-Rakai'Thwei

[SiL]

I'd like to say thanks to SDP for writing Labyrinth and Berserker, my favourite novels of the series. Labyrinth does a great job of adding to an already amazing comic and the Berserker novel is much better than the comic itself.

[El Pistolero]

Hi Steve,

hi Stephani,

I reviewed your first book of AvP here in germany and I were very impressed. It is not the first work read from your Pen. So Shadows of the Empire is still one of the greatest extendet SW Stories, you adapted the greatest Alien Trilogy from Dark Horse (Here is was very faszinated. I have written the Second Book first and than the Comic Book. And everything I saw was, thx to the great Artist Ben Beauvais, exactly that I thougt when I read that Book.) Im a big Fan of that Franchese and this Book was a very good adaption of the greatest Comic Crossover ever.

Here my questions:

All Books from you and your Daughter of that franchese are adaptions of the Dark Horse Comics. Did you thaught about an own story? The writing about the Aliens and Predators are so great, I think you are the chosen one, to expand this Universe

Ok this question was answered by these two Pics:

 

That is very cruel, the Aliens and Predator Books from Dark Horse were never releazed in germany till now. I think I have to read them in your words, but my english is not very good. But Im trying hard 

What are you think about the AVP Movie by Paul Anderson. I saw it again, yesterday and must say, Anderson used lots of Elemts from the Dark Horse Comic.

And my 3rd question. Im a Artist and I work on my own comic book. It is a direct sequel to Andersons AVP Movie. It is a 10 Year later Expedition to Mars. Where the big Predator Mothership crashed. Wayland Yutani are fusioned and got that signal from the Predship and Alexa Woods is one of the crew members.
What you want to have in a possible direct Sequel to Andersons AVP? can you give me a little idea? Just to say, "this was one idea from from the great writer Steve Perry"

Thank you
and greatings from germany,
Michael

[Hell-Scorpion]

Hmm, I pronounce as Yaut-Ya or even Yat-Ya.

I'm more than likely wrong, I pronoucne it Yat-Ja or Yaut-Ja.

[EEV2650]

Hmm, I pronounce as Yaut-Ya or even Yat-Ya.

I'm more than likely wrong, I pronoucne it Yat-Ja or Yaut-Ja.

Yaut-Ja

same