*We Hold These Truths To Be Self Evident*

[Joe Eszterhas Jr.]

The writer's more important than anybody else. Until a writer writes, nobody works.

You can have the best agents in the world, the best managers, the best directors, the best producers, the best actors, the best craft service, the best editors, the best cinematographers.

AND THEY WILL ALL STAND AROUND WITH NOTHING TO DO UNTIL THEY HAVE A SCRIPT TO SELL, A SCRIPT TO PRODUCE, A SCRIPT TO FILM.

It's therefore a FACT THAT THE WRITER'S KING.

We as writers need to embrace this fact. Instead of sucking c**k and kissing *ss and saying thank you when we get put down, mistreated, and ignored.

Man up brothers and sisters.

The change you want to see, starts with yourself!

[catcon]

I understand your sentiment, but it's a buyer's market, has been, and will be, for a long time.

There are only a certain number of "positions that can be filled" (movies that can be made) and yet tens of thousands of scripts show up every year, with thousands more (good ones) sitting on the shelf.

Does that mean we should just give up? Nope. We just have to get smarter.

So don't all chase the same thing: Don't all rush out and enter the same contests. Don't all follow the same gurus and axioms. Don't all write the same type of story. Don't all query the same people.

Why? For one thing, we're all competing for the extremely limited attention span of those guys in power. But we're also competing against the same people (other writers, like us), and most of them have been around longer than we have, have more material, more experience pitching, and maybe write a lot better, etc.

Why would we expect to snatch even a small piece of that pie?

Certainly, if we ignore these "don'ts" we're playing right into the hands of those with all the power and nothing's ever going to change.

[Joe Eszterhas Jr.]

Competition doesn't negate the fact until a script exists NOBODY WORKS.

[scripto80]

kissing *ss and saying thank you when we get put down, mistreated, and ignored

Agreed. Writers, especially aspiring ones, tend to always take bare minimum, always settle, and always be thankful when thrown a tiny, salmonella tainted bone. It's disgusting and it holds all writers back.

I always say ASK QUESTIONS, MAKE BIG DEMANDS (via a rep obviously), and THEN if all fails, take what you can get. But either way, have respect for yourself and the rest of us and don't ever allow yourself to be run over, nor bent over.

[DavidK]

AND THEY WILL ALL STAND AROUND WITH NOTHING TO DO UNTIL THEY HAVE A SCRIPT TO SELL, A SCRIPT TO PRODUCE, A SCRIPT TO FILM.

It's therefore a FACT THAT THE WRITER'S KING.


There are at least a thousand scripts competing for every place in the market so those other movie people don't do too much standing around waiting for one to appear. Sadly, the laws of supply and demand undermine your conclusion. But I share your sentiments that writers should stick up for themselves.

[Greenwood]

There are at least a thousand scripts competing for every place in the market so those other movie people don't do too much standing around waiting for one to appear. Sadly, the laws of supply and demand undermine your conclusion. But I share your sentiments that writers should stick up for themselves.

I also agree that writers have to do a better job of stickin up for themselves.

But I don't see it happening anytime soon.

You see, very few *aspiring* types around this industry are sold on the importance of talent. And why should they? Look at the overall quality of films right now. For every inception, there's 10 Paranah/Step-Up 3-Ds.

Therefore, they/we develop a "house-slave" mentality.

For those not familiar with the term -- you had two types of slaves in both American slavery and as far back as Hebrew slavery -- The slaves that did the hardest, dirtiest work out in the fields and pits, and then those that worked in the house or kingdom.

The field slaves were literally and figuratively on the outside looking in so they had a good, clear view of what the slave master was and what he wasn't.

Whereas the house slave felt he was somehow "different" because he dressed similar to the master, had a decent roof over his head (usually a seedy basement at a far end of the house), and was sometimes *allowed* to eat the scraps of the very same meals he/she cooked for the master.

The field slave took every chance they could get to bad-mouth the master, run away, and sometimes flat out revolt.

Whereas the house slave defended the honor of the slave-master at every turn as if the Master felt the same about them. And refused to believe there was a better life than being a house slave. Even at times going so far as to defend the concept of slavery itself.

Sound familiar?

BTW, just an analogy to spark thought.*





*For the inevitable retard who'll respond: "So movie execs are slave masters now??"

[Joe Eszterhas Jr.]

The field slaves were literally and figuratively on the outside looking in so they had a good, clear view of what the slave master was and what he wasn't.

Whereas the house slave felt he was somehow "different" because he dressed similar to the master, had a decent roof over his head (usually a seedy basement at a far end of the house), and was sometimes *allowed* to eat the scraps of the very same meals he/she cooked for the master.

The field slave took every chance they could get to bad-mouth the master, run away, and sometimes flat out revolt.

Whereas the house slave defended the honor of the slave-master at every turn as if the Master felt the same about them. And refused to believe there was a better life than being a house slave. Even at times going so far as to defend the concept of slavery itself.

Sound familiar?

BTW, just an analogy to spark thought.*


And a pretty effing incredible one at that. Well put.

[artisone]

Become a TV showrunner, that's one writer with real power.

[Greenwood]

Become a TV showrunner, that's one writer with real power.

Until the ratings come back weak. ;)

But yeah, I've become more interested in the TV realm lately, not so much for the power, but the influx of quality original cable programs.

Quite honestly, cable original programming is the best thing coming out of hollywood right now. About 60% of it seems to be high quality as opposed to 15-20% in features.

And most of it would NEVER fly as a feature (if it were being shopped by a unknown writer of course.)

And the vast opportunity for character and story development in cable TV should make any true writer worth his/her salt salivate.

[jimjimgrande]

I recommend that all of you who subscribe to this mindset go on strike to get your terms.

Striking means no querying, no writing, no submitting to contests.

You could even go out and picket somewhere. Just do four hour shifts.

For one hundred days, pencils down.

[Hamboogul]

I recommend that all of you who subscribe to this mindset go on strike to get your terms.

Striking means no querying, no writing, no submitting to contests.

You could even go out and picket somewhere. Just do four hour shifts.

For one hundred days, pencils down.

why stop at 100 days? i say they keep at it until they get everything they want and deserve.

[jimjimgrande]

why stop at 100 days? i say they keep at it until they get everything they want and deserve.

Maybe, but us house slaves only did it for one hundred days, so that's all I think I should ask for...

But I guess I'm too much of an ass kissing **** sucker to ask for more...

Nothing's stopping them from going longer if that's what they need to do.

[NikeeGoddess]

i'm a field slave with my face pressed up against the window of the plantation singing, "i can do that. i can do that." like the chorus line [musical] boy watching his sister in ballet class.
and my back is breakin' from pickin' cotton!

[Fortean]

Sounds treasonable to me, and epistemologically ridiculous.

What next? All writers are created equal, I'd suppose.

As a syndicalist anarchist, I don't mind a bit of treason; but: "Show me the proofs!"

In a capitalist economic system, any film requires capital to get any enterprise into production. If the writer doesn't have that capital, a producer is the most likely person who can either provide that capital. Thus, if the writer is only a wage-slave with notions of grandeur, it's time that it was realized that the producer is king in the film industry.

Silly rebel Yanks! Refuse to pay a tax on your tea, turn your backs on good King George III, and pray to become house-slaves to the lesser kings in Hollywood.

Here in the frozen wastelands of Canada, some of us have gathered up enough beaver pelts to finance our own film productions; but, if you see someone clubbing furry animals on the ice floes, you're witnessing the frustration of a screenwriter who's failed to get the seal of approval from a film funding agency, (providing tax credits and grants to film production companies, from all those taxes collected upon imported tea).

"Self evident"!

Do you know how that writer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Jefferson) of that document (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence) treated one of his house-slaves (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sally_Hemings)?

Or, in that matter, would you demand some more proof?

[falcon18]

Cash is king.

[catcon]

Sounds treasonable to me, and epistemologically ridiculous.

What next? All writers are created equal, I'd suppose.

As a syndicalist anarchist, I don't mind a bit of treason; but: "Show me the proofs!"

In a capitalist economic system, any film requires capital to get any enterprise into production. If the writer doesn't have that capital, a producer is the most likely person who can either provide that capital. Thus, if the writer is only a wage-slave with notions of grandeur, it's time that it was realized that the producer is king in the film industry.

Silly rebel Yanks! Refuse to pay a tax on your tea, turn your backs on good King George III, and pray to become house-slaves to the lesser kings in Hollywood.

Here in the frozen wastelands of Canada, some of us have gathered up enough beaver pelts to finance our own film productions; but, if you see someone clubbing furry animals on the ice floes, you're witnessing the frustration of a screenwriter who's failed to get the seal of approval from a film funding agency, (providing tax credits and grants to film production companies, from all those taxes collected upon imported tea).

"Self evident"!

Do you know how that writer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Jefferson) of that document (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence) treated one of his house-slaves (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sally_Hemings)?

Or, in that matter, would you demand some more proof?

Cash is king.

Doesn't it drive you crazy when all that effort is followed up with a 3-worder?

[Joe Eszterhas Jr.]

The system is broken. It's totally backwards. Actors serve the written word. That is their job.

Writers need to pull down 10 million dollar paydays.

The actors can take the 500K and 750K deals for their 3-4 weeks of work.

[Patrick Sweeney]

The system is broken. It's totally backwards. Actors serve the written word. That is their job.

Writers need to pull down 10 million dollar paydays.

The actors can take the 500K and 750K deals for their 3-4 weeks of work.

What's your plan for bringing this glorious day about?

[emily blake]

Do you realize that the number of actors who command million dollar paydays is roughly proportional to the number of writers who make million dollar paydays? Most working actors aren't swimming in money any more than we are.

[Fortean]

Doesn't it drive you crazy when all that effort is followed up with a 3-worder?

Not really. Accuse me of solopsism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solopism), if you think that's self evident.

Cash may have his fans, but wasn't Elvis supposed to be the "king" of something?

Not my style of music (http://messageboard.donedealpro.com/boards/showthread.php?p=671086#post671086).

[NikeeGoddess]

Do you realize that the number of actors who command million dollar paydays is roughly proportional to the number of writers who make million dollar paydays? Most working actors aren't swimming in money any more than we are.most actors aren't working or making a living at acting... so much like writers.

but the movie making business is an ensemble piece of work. all the major players are equally important for success to be achieved.
or
screenwriters are to nurses and actors are to doctors

[Fortean]

most actors aren't working or making a living at acting... so much like writers.

but the movie making business is an ensemble piece of work. all the major players are equally important for success to be achieved.
or
screenwriters are to nurses and actors are to doctors

Then, I'd be a Christian Scientist (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Scientist).

[hscope]

As a writer I may be king, but unfortunately there's nothing in my treasury.

[Mac H.]

The writer's more important than anybody else. Until a writer writes, nobody works.Really ?

On any normal assignment the writer won't write until the lawyer has written up a contract - does that mean that the lawyer is more important than the writer?

Because until the lawyer has written up the contracts - nobody works?

Ergo - lawyers are more important than everybody else.

It's good that you hold this truth to be 'self-evident' - because if you had to rely on logic or evidence you would have to find something new to believe in.

Mac

[asjah8]

As a writer I may be king, but unfortunately there's nothing in my treasury.

:rolling:

[instant_karma]

Why do self evident truths need to be pointed out?

[doubler83]

Ergo - lawyers are more important than everybody else.

Wrong.

The tutors who teach the students to become lawyers are the most important.

[NoNeckJoe]

Please don't feed the troll!

[Joe Eszterhas Jr.]

What's your plan for bringing this glorious day about?

I'm working on it, Kid. One day at a time!