Types of films that get made

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  • Types of films that get made

    I've been working on an idea for a while now and it only occurred to me yesterday that it doesn't fit into any of the categories of films that get made today. I figure it would be a good idea if we could draft up a list of types of films that get produced today so we know what we are shooting for with our scripts.

    Of course, it is possible to write something that doesn't fit into any category and start a new trend of your own and that should be kept in mind, but let's systematize what gets made today.

    I'm not saying one master list, each person post their own.

    I'll start.

    I was listening to an interview with a manager on Scripts and Scribes recently and he put it like this:

    1) the studio picture

    Example: Snow White and the Huntsman

    - has to be big budget

    - they're looking for a franchise starter

    2) under $10 million (supernatural) thriller

    Examples: It Follows

    3) blacklist script

    - probably doesn't get produced, but serves as a calling card

  • #2
    Re: Types of films that get made

    Anything that the auteurs want to do (from Nolan to Gilliam to Tarantino et al). They'll always find a way, and investors, if even from those who are happy with an award over remuneration.

    (You know that the definitive list you wish to see here will eventually include anything, right?)

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    • #3
      Re: Types of films that get made

      Originally posted by catcon View Post
      (You know that the definitive list you wish to see here will eventually include anything, right?)
      Well, that's not true, there's a whole range of things it won't include. Won't include Westerns, those largely don't get made these days, I think probably big budget movies not made from a preexisting IP are outta the picture, mid budget movies, stuff like that.

      What I want to do is let's look at what's come out of American cinema (whether studio or indie) for the last 10 years and let's abstract it into categories.

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      • #4
        Re: Types of films that get made

        The only qualification I'd make to what I wrote is "... anything THAT'S GOOD."

        Otherwise, everybody carry on with the list then.

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        • #5
          Re: Types of films that get made

          Originally posted by Dimitri001 View Post
          Well, that's not true, there's a whole range of things it won't include. Won't include Westerns, those largely don't get made these days,
          Hell or High Water was a Western a year ago that got rave reviews and an Oscar nom. Hostiles just came out this year.

          Horror always does well, on low budgets, franchise or not.

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          • #6
            Re: Types of films that get made

            My career and creative choices are governed by one simple truth I've learned over the years. Here it is...

            Nobody's looking to make X type of movie until they suddenly are.

            Don't chase trends, you'll always be a step behind. Write the best movie you can in whatever genre shows off your skills the best. Period. The script that changed my life was an unproduceable 1950's road movie through Asia. Never got made, but I've been working off of it pretty much nonstop since.

            So yes, there are certain budgets/genres that make something more likely to be produced. But that shouldn't dictate what you write.
            https://twitter.com/DavidCoggeshall
            http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1548597/

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            • #7
              Re: Types of films that get made

              ProfessorChomp is absolutely right.

              That said OP, I would suggest that one of the easier ways to get your foot in the door these days, besides the tried-and-true creative horror spec, is biopics (or true stories). They have two key attractors for producers:

              1) They're based on a pre-existing property (someone's life), which Hollywood is obsessed with these days, in any genre.

              2) They are among the likeliest movies to receive awards consideration. Which Hollywood is also obsessed with.

              They are also easier for writers to tackle because the story is already there (you just have to find a compelling way to tell it). The great thing is there are tons of fascinating true stories out there yet to be told. You look at Old Hollywood alone, and there are numerous tales of young starlets who arrived from small towns, received a quick burst of acclaim/fame, then ended up dying of drug overdoses/committing suicides/getting murdered (I'm not being dramatic -- just check "Crazy Days and Nights.") And considering female biopics will probably be the next big thing, that's not a bad place to start.

              So, there is a wealth of material out there for good stories that will also attract attention.
              "I love being a writer. What I can't stand is the paperwork.-- Peter De Vries

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              • #8
                Re: Types of films that get made

                Originally posted by Dimitri001 View Post
                I figure it would be a good idea if we could draft up a list of types of films that get produced today so we know what we are shooting for with our scripts.
                Originally posted by catcon View Post
                "... anything THAT'S GOOD."
                Originally posted by ProfessorChomp View Post
                Write the best movie you can in whatever genre shows off your skills the best. Period.
                The types of films that are produced: A screenplay well written, a good story well told.
                Last edited by Clint Hill; 03-26-2018, 03:00 PM.
                “Nothing is what rocks dream about” ― Aristotle

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