literary values or salability?

[ferds]

which one do you strive for primarily?

do the first few pages of your screenplay indicate a literary approach or, instantly, a high concept?

this is one of the issues that have confronted me and my indecision has cost me countless times of restructuring and revising each and every aspect of my first screenplay. and, of course, a reason to procrastinate.

mine is more of a character-driven material but i'm worried lack of movement and dramatic twists lessens it's salability.

i need your enlightened opinion. thanks!

[kingscross]

"which one do you strive for primarily?"

Depends on the type of story one's writing and whom one has a real chance of pitching it to. For indie's I'd go for the former, otherwise, the latter.

"do the first few pages of your screenplay indicate a literary approach or, instantly, a high concept?"

I'm a fan of The Hudsucker Proxy and The Imposters, so I don't think that the two are mutually exclusive.

"this is one of the issues that have confronted me and my indecision has cost me countless times of restructuring and revising each and every aspect of my first screenplay. and, of course, a reason to procrastinate."

We all procrastinate, and eventually, we all go on a "burn" and knock out a lot of pages in short order. Go easier on yourself, since the Readers won't.

"mine is more of a character-driven material but i'm worried lack of movement and dramatic twists lessens it's salability."

Sounds like a play for the theater. You might consider formatting it as a play and pitching it to your local actors' reperatory company. No need to force everything you write into the mold of a film. The Big Kahuna (with K. Spacey and D. Devito) was a play before it was a film. All dialogue, primarily character-driven. Good stuff.

[Muckraker]

I have what I write that I hope will make me millions ( my "market-savvy" stuff), and then I have what I hope might get me commited to a reputable mental institution (my artsy, cathartic stuff). While never the twain may meet, I started writing because I'm driven to put stories which are important to me on paper and will continue to do so; the rest just derives from my observation that I might as well try to make a little money on the side that doesn't involve a loincloth and a bathtub full of cole slaw.

[RyRy]

Commercial, literary...who cares. Just don't write dreck.

[Steve]

"Commercial" = A story that makes money.

"Literary" = a high concept film that didn't make money.

Don't worry about it. If anyone really knew what was commercial we'd have a lot more $500 million movies.

[wcmartell]

I have no idea what "literary values" are.

We're telling stories, right? We're trying to give the audience an emotional experience, right? If you write a broad comedy like LIAR LIAR and you engage the audience emotionally, you have a good script. If you adapt all seven volumes of REMEMBRANCES OF THINGS PAST but can't make the audience feel anything (or engage them intellectually) it's crap.

If you can make the audience feel like they're riding the bicycle through the sky in E.T. that's great writing... so E.T. would have "literary values" in my book. So would HALLOWEEN!

A script that creates an emotional experience for the audience is salable. A script that just sits there - maybe the characters feel something, but the story isn't designed to transfer those emotions to the audience - is crap.

Stortellers are telling a story TO SOMEONE (the audience). We are in a partnership with the audience.

If you tell a story that excludes the audience you are talking to yourself - that's what crazy people do.

- Bill

[kingscross]

In other words, Ferds, take the literary stuff to the Bad Kitty Films Contest.

PS: WCM, you've been away too long. :) Especially after making a "Halloween" referrence. ;)

[gdover]

Bill,

That's the best definition I've ever read about what screenwriters do. I just hit my print key...I got to keep that over my computer. You hit the nail dead center.

I know I will never be a true writer in the sense of an Ernest Hemingway....but if I can write a story that entertains for 90 to 120 minutes and a guy & gal walk out of the theatre and someone asks them, "how was the movie? and they respond by saying,..."great" I've done my job.

gdover

[ferds]

thanks for your reassuring insights.

if,when any screenplay of mine will have been produced, i sure hope i wouldn't find myself wanting of any kind of validation as a writer.

SO, WHAT'S ALL THE FUSS ABOUT DAMON AND AFFLECK'S G-W-H? :rolleyes

[wcmartell]

Then I was at AFM.
Last week I had a bunch of meetings.
I've just been darned busy!

When I go to the movies I want to laugh, or cry, or sit on the edge of my seat, or fall in love, or feel joy, or feel pain (not from a broken theater seat), or be amazed. When they run across the top of the water, or scramble up a wall, or stand on the swaying trees in CROUCHING/HIDDEN I felt like a kid again - Like I could do those things!

That doesn't mean every film, has to be a zany comedy - SCHINDLER'S LIST puts me in the story, too.

Some smart guy said it doesn't matter if the character cries, what matters is if the audience cries.

Now I have to get back to work!

- Bill

[English Bob]

I only ever write high concept action films because they are my favourite type of movies. I guess I write for salability.

[ferds]

like what Mr. Martell said, a script that creates an emotional experience for the audience is salable. That will be my guide from now on.

I don't why I'm confusing myself in the first place. I know I have a richly-emotional and salable material but I'm just intimidated and scared to touch it again.

thanks for bearing with me.

[Couchguy]

Don't think of your screenplay as literature. It isn't. It's a blueprint showing a huge group of people how to make an entertaining story.

Your work will NOT be read in history classes in the future.

If you're very very very lucky, someone may throw you a bone when you're 90 and give you a standing ovation right before you die. Mister Lehman.

Screenplays aren't literary...they are filmic. Yes, WE all love to read a good screenplay, but we're in the vast vast vast minority. (Is it possible to be part of a vast vast vast minority?)

If you're worried about "touching" your perfect work, don't, because before your screenplay is produced, hundreds of people will touch it...ew, gross.

In short, if you want to make a literary statement that no one can alter, write a book. If you want to make movies, write a screenplay.

Your pal,
Couchguy