Warner Brothers Pitch

[Bennytown]

I went in with the DOD from a production company who has a first look deal with WB. The pitch lasted 15 minutes, and we chatted about it for another 45 minutes afterwards. He wanted me to retool a few things (nothing major) and then said come back in next week, because this is what we're looking for....we'll see.

It's an R rated comedy which they tend to shy away from, however, because of the recent success of Wedding Crashers and 40 yr old Virgin, they're interested.

I've been told not to be surprised if they buy the pitch, give me story credit, and have someone else write it...once again....we'll see.

Anyone ever been asked back for another meeting from a studio?

-Me

[butte123]

I've never had that problem. Although, I've never been able to partner with a DOD from a prodco, either.

Sorry, no help here. Although, if you don't mind, how did you pair up with the production company?

[Bennytown]

My manager sent me around to a few places to pitch an idea. They loved it, and we've been getting it ready for WB for the past few months.

-Me

[Nordic]

Well that's promising.

Keep at it, stay enthused, but if it suddenly goes nowhere, don't take it personally.

I've been in the same situation with projects and had them suddenly drop dead. Usually because another film that's close enough to it in concept is announced.

[Minibrain]

Who said not to be surprised if they buy the project, but hire somebody else to write it?

Is that your producing partner?

Because -- dude, that should only be if you accept that position.

A lot of us never would.

Unless you want to be in the business of selling an idea, and not in the business of being a writer.

[vig]

wow, mini, it's easy to want personal integrity from someone you don't know, i'm all for your theory that the reason why writers are looked at as non-entities is because they take anything.

i think eventually, within the next ten years the writers guild will make huge headways, much like baseballs profit sharing and the bitter writer will be an old ghost story.

i do agree with what your saying mini, but i just think it's not realistic to think people can pass it up.

vig

[Bennytown]

You wouldn't accept that? I highly doubt if you were in the position to get story credit and some dough over no deal at all, you'd walk....

[billythrilly7]

Many years ago...

I walked away from a deal from reputable good producers, or so I thought, that basically said "IF the WGA gives you the story credit, then you'll get your story money."

So basically they wanted me to sign a contract saying yeah, they can have everything and after they bring a writer in, if there's enough of my story left the WGA may agree that I'll get story credit and money.

But if they don't, I get nothing.

I said "no, thank you."

If you get a solid "Story By YOU no matter what" and "This much$$$ no matter what deal," then go for it.

But be careful.

[Minibrain]

Dudes, I was in EXACTLY that situation several times before my first sale.

And I ALWAYS walked.

Because I'm not in the business of pitching ideas for other people to work on.

I'm in the business of writing for a living.

And I was never, ever desperate. Even when things were -- desperate.

If you let yourself be thrown off your own project -- and yes, that's what it is when they buy the idea and talk about "story credit," that's you being thrown off -- then you're starting off telling them you're not a writer.

You're just some guy they need to get rid of before they go ahead with your project.

And yes, as several here have pointed out, NOBODY CAN PROMISE YOU ANY WRITING CREDIT AT ALL on a deal covered by the WGA.

I know that, too, from having been an arbiter on many a WGA credit arbitration.

I want to emphasize that last part -- on a WGA project, nobody can guarantee you a story credit.

Not by contract, not any which way.

That's a bedrock clause of the WGA's contract with the signatory studios.