The Whammo Chart (aka the Eleven-Minute Commandment) A formula invented by producer Larry Gordon for action films. The formula calls for an action sequence every 11 minutes. Time Joel Silver films like Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, and Predator and you'll see how religiously Joel believes in Larry Gordon's 11-minute commandment.

POWs Past Oscar-Winners "Audience-attuned" If you write movies that make $100m each, you're audience-attuned.

Otherwise, you're just another dumb schmuck writer.

To do an Eric Red. . .

To flip out and lose it suddenly. Red, the talented screenwriter of The Hitcher and other actionnoir movies, drove his car one day into a bar full of people in Westwood.

The War Zone Beverly Hills, Bel Air, the Palisades, north to Malibu and Point Dume and Carbon Beach. . . where most of the industry's wealthiest and most powerful 'players' live.

Spiegelese A line of BS that sounds terrific and is designed to take advantage of you, it was originated by Sam Spiegel, producer, but perfected by David Begelman, who spoke perfect Spiegelese and became a topranked agent and then a studio head and then (flat broke) a suicide. "How cheesy, " wags said, "to commit suicide at the Century Plaza, of all places, not at the Bel Air, the Chateau Marmont, or a bungalow at the Beverly Hills Hotel."

Pukeheads A studio exec's term for those screenwriters who are nervous doing a pitch.

Oscarosis A disease whose main symptom is that the victim is willing to do anything - anything - to win an Oscar.

A black shirt A major character that you know will die.

High concept The best high-concept definition of a film I've ever heard is producer Robert Evans's description of his film The Cotton Club: "Gangsters, music, pussy."

Dirt Sandwich Popularised by Sharon Stone's reference to a boyfriend as such, it's an old Hollywood term for someone who rips you off, someone who leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

Life-affirming New Age studio exec-speak for "Will it make $100m?" It began to be used extensively after the success of Forrest Gump. Dreamworks chieftain Jeff Katzenberg begins each pitch meeting with a writer by saying: "Tell me how this movie you're about to pitch will be life-affirming."