Ego vs. Paycheck

[Bill Marquardt]

No, not a WWF match. Like most of us here, I am trying to break in. My question to those more seasoned than I is:

At what point in a career does a writer's ego overtake his desire to simply make a sale? I am not using the word "ego" in a negative sense, only to imply a concern for seeing one's "baby" produced in the manner it was originally intended when written.

In other words, I am sure most guys in my situation would jump through hoops for a producer who was asking for changes in a script. If I had a feature film or two under my belt, would it then be appropriate to start making demands? Has anyone had a positive or negative experience in this regard?

WC (Bill) Martell describes a similar dilemma in another thread, and I would have supposed he would have some clout. Am I being naive here, Bill?

Bill Marquardt

[Steve]

I think it's not so much "ego" as "power." You can have all the concern in the world for your baby but it depends on your standing with the director and producer how much they will listen to you. I had an experience with a TV episode I wrote where they turned it into a really offensive story. It basically went from being a story about a girl standing up to an overly aggressive boy to a story about an attempted date rape story where it was all the girl's fault and the boys got off scott free. (and oh yeah, this was supposed to be a comedy. haha!) I pissed and moaned and complained and didn't sleep and no one would do anything. Finally I just wrote a new ending and gave it to the exec. producer. They shot it with my new ending pretty much intact. Moral of the story -- it's a lot easier to throw your weight around when you give them something to work with. Instead of just saying "that really sucks," say "if you really want to make this change then we also need to do x,y and z and here's how the scene should go. And then you calmly point out all the other problems caused by their changes.

And before you freak out (and this is really hard for us writers to accept) you consider that the change they are asking for might actually be a good idea.

[lilybet]

Steve - please keep hanging around. Your inside story info is interesting and valuable. I also like your nice, cool practical approach. Thank you again for sharing.

lilybet

[RatWriter]

First of all, a script is never the end-product. The end-product is an audio-visual creation that uses an original screenplay as its foundation.

The buyer is an audio-visual expert. He does not read a screenplay for what it is. He reads a screenplay and visualizes what can be created from it. His objective is to produce audio-visual scenes that entertain and stir the emotions of a audience. That is what he does.

Screenplay writers provide a service to film-makers. And like any service oriented job, you work to satisfy the customer.

If the customer wants to put mustard on his omelet, do you take the omelet away or do you get him mustard? It's his omelet and he's the customer, right?

[Nemesis Unbound]

My ego in the sense you mention carries priority over my desire to make a sale, probably in large part because I am not in it for the money and because I would rather never sell then sell my script so someone else make the film (as I have mentioned before, I want to direct as well). That said I'm not the sort of snobbish "artiste" who would accuse people of "selling out" because they are willing to take the money and sell their work in order to earn themselves a credit and in spite of the risk that it may not turn out how they intended. Everyone has to choose their own approach and I respect the decisions other people make in this matter.

[Bill Marquardt]

Rat man: I agree with your analogy up to a point, but we are talking art here, and also the potential for a "blockbuster" to be turned into a loser at the box office. See WC's thread on "When They're Wrong" for another take on it. If I have just sold my first spec and it goes into production, I know I would tend to lay low and not rock the boat for fear of getting a bad reputation or even fired from the production. At some point in my career I would be more likely to speak up and fight to keep my ideas expressed as I originally intended.

I was sort of hoping someone who has gone though this process could enlighten us on the good and bad of sticking up for your own artistic vision.

As a side note, I once purchased a beautiful Chinese pastel painting for my wife for $240. She decided the colors were too pale and repainted over the pastels with bright ink crayons, and then added a large red sun in the corner. I'll leave the image up to your own imagination.

Bill

[lilybet]

Sweet Bill,

Send big check immediately, or I'm going to tell her what you said.

lil

[Bill Marquardt]

Lil, don't cross me or I'll tell Craig you're back on the board.

Bill

[RatWriter]

Let me try again.

A painting is the end-product of a canvas, paints, thinners, brushes, a subject, and the artist's imagination. How the artist captures the subject on his medium is his talent.

A film is the end-product of settings, special effects, actors & actresses, filming equipment, a subject (script), and the producer's imagination. How the producer captures the subject on his medium is his talent.

The "art" is the end product, not one of the ingredients.
A screenplay is not "art" but just one of the ingredients.

I'm not saying a producer/director doesn't take good screenplay writing a hack it up. As the artist he creates his vision; as it should be.

If one wants his/her screenplay to be "art" then write it into a book or produce it yourself. The end product is the "art"!

[Bill Marquardt]

I understand your POV, RatWriter, and I'm not really disagreeing with you. I hope someday to be in the position to actually produce one of my own screenplays, and complete that "work of art" in my own style and with my own vision. Until then I'll just collect the checks :D and be happy sipping on a mint julep.

Thanks for the response.

Bill

p.s. Based on your screen name, I have this nagging sensation that you are a person I know of, who has directed a couple of feature films. Am I possibly correct?

[hang em high]

If he's not you're setting him up for a big,

"no I'm not, but thank you for those kind words."

Either way in his mind he's one of them already. Isin't that what being 'right there' is all about.

On the edge of 'destiny's door', had to pull that out.

[PteranoDon]

Paycheck.

[hang em high]

Pass the check please, i'll pay for THAT.

Hang em when they don't see you looking.

[RatWriter]

Wish that I were. I'm just another wanna-be writer. Rat was a nickname I was tagged with after a 70's movie.

Think in terms of a writing assignment rather than selling a spec-script.

I'm just pointing out that a writer works for the producer just like the actor does. As "employees," we are obligated (committed) to follow the boss' direction whether we think he's right or not. A good employer will consider his subordinates' opinions but he is ultimately responsible for the final product and therefore makes the final decisions.

Don't get me wrong; it's obvious to me that lousy scripts have been produced into good movies and good scripts have been produced into crap. Sh_t happens. Nobody: writers, producers, directors, actors, etc., always make the right decisions.

Think of plunking $20M on a production and having a writer, actor, editor, stagehand, etc., who you're paying by the way, insist on making the final decisions. Not on your dime. The decision making and accountability need to belong to the same person.

[ksk2]

Salutations Bill, and here's my spin...

When I get paid via work for hire agreements to "make things happen" for their "vision"/int. property, and they pay me well/on time, I don't get to say squat (even if they ask me to write or draw a couple boinking in a graveyard; I've had to do that).

If the payments are less/late, I get to say a wee bit o' squat.

No fee/advance? I can say what I damn well please.

No contract? I say goodbye.

In the toon, I was asked to add a scene that specifically dealt with something that I considered "tacky" at best. We're talking "Benny Hill/American Pie" here. Not my style. That (IMO) diminished the effect of the other scenes/dialogue/action. But for the rest of the script, I had carte blanche (aside from maybe 30 words worth of alterations out of 16 pages). However...

I first asked myself, "Can I write what was requested in a way that gives The Man what he wants, but minimize the tacky elements?" Answer: yes.

Next, "Considering the fact that the Pie-Porking scene in American Pie (or many scenes in Scarey Movie, or any of the dog-crap in Something About Mary) got big laughs from the audience, might The Man be seeing something I can't? That might end up serving my career if it's presented in the proper cinematic context?"

Answer: probably. Many parts of this scene are a gamble.

And if the scene he wanted helps (or merely doesn't hinder) the toon getting picked-up (I designed it as a series, to be collected into a feature), I can't complain. If that leads to bigger, better work, I owe The Man a case of whatever libation he prefers.

I mean, Jim Cameron got to do Titanic. But he had to do Piranha #2 first. Look at him now...

May your agents be fast and your rise to success be faster,

kosk