Backlash against the pros

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  • Re: Backlash against the pros

    I think what's even funnier about this entire thread and others like it are the people rallying around the pros, up-in-arms about treating the pros badly. I don't see it at all. I see a couple people having a contrary opinion, and let's face it there is always another opinion.

    Pretty much everybody is alligning with the pros. Do I see something that's not there? Pros can do anything because they're pros, right? No, pros are pros because what they do is better than everybody else. They try to convey the story in a way that will reach the reader. They make choices, those choices work. They continue making those choices, it continues to work. Rinse and repeat.

    It's phenominal to have real life stars on this board with hands on realities. Thanks you guys, keep having your opinions and expressing because the community will benefit. We are all trying for the same thing, it helps to listen to people who have achieved it so we can emulate them with our own 'voice'.

    SALUD
    Last edited by belac; 02-06-2011, 04:13 PM.
    "A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others."
    AYN RAND

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    • Re: Backlash against the pros

      Originally posted by belac View Post
      It's phenominal to have real life stars on this board with hands on realities. Thanks you guys, keep having your opinions and expressing because the community will benefit. We are all trying for the same thing, it helps to listen to people who have achieved it so we can emulate them with our own 'voice'.

      SALUD
      +1

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      • Re: Backlash against the pros

        Listen, I just rolled a fatty and flipped in Gerry Rafferty, baker street and I'm preparing to write a scene. Everybody else should find their happy spot, light up, or do whatever and start whittling your fingers to your knuckles and jump up during the guitar solo and be silly.
        "A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others."
        AYN RAND

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        • Re: Backlash against the pros

          Originally posted by asjah8 View Post
          it's superbowl sunday in america, nic.

          men sitting around drinking beers, getting all feisty as they wait for the game to begin; happens every year in dd. as you'll see, the flame rate has already dropped off significantly - we've had kick-off.
          I should have guessed. My husband is home from work watching it as we speak. (He's American, bless him.)

          Point is, keep it civil and on topic.
          sigpic

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          • Re: Backlash against the pros

            I love DDP !!!

            I was trying to get away from here for a while to concentrate on life priorities, and then all these pros suddenly joined and things got a hell of a lot more interesting.

            And now I find myself reading through these endless but fascinating threads instead of agonizing over a bitch of a translation assignment where super technical military lingo has to be translated into French.

            (thread hijack: if anybody here has ever served in the French Foreign Legion or otherwise knows anything about the subject matter, please lend a desperate chick a helping hand so she can feel all Jacques Bauer-like and also pay her rent and feed her dog)

            But seriously, I hope the new pro members stick around, this is all great stuff --especially when it leads to spirited debate. If everybody always agreed on everything, life would be boring indeed and there would be nothing to ever write about.

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            • Re: Backlash against the pros

              Originally posted by Derek Haas View Post
              Projects in development are always mentioned in the trades as they come together. If you land financing and even have a d-list talent in the movie, it's there in the trades.
              This is not true - there needs to be a publicist (or someone making a phone call) for anything to get into the trades. I have THR and Variety pages about COURTING DEATH at Paramount from 20 years ago - but often nothing about any of the stuff I wrote that actually got made.

              Here is the first public announcement: in 2009 I wrote the remake of the comedy-horror film HOUSE. We have had a couple of stars attached (since dropped out) - but none of that showed up in the press... nor has the existence of this project. I am probably not supposed to mention it (and have kept it secret for almost 2 years, now... though I did blog about being at the F13 remake premiere and sitting next to Amanda Righetti).

              Often, secrecy is part of a project until the decision is made to publicize it. Sometimes making the film is more important than making the press phione call. Though I have had "fake posters" in the trades before the films were made, there was never any news items for most of my films - even when I was one of the people interviewed in the Writers Article special issue of THR!

              A lot of stuff is off radar... including my career.

              - Bill
              Free Script Tips:
              http://www.scriptsecrets.net

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              • Re: Backlash against the pros

                Originally posted by nic.h View Post
                I should have guessed. My husband is home from work watching it as we speak. (He's American, bless him.)
                lol. 'bout an hour ago, i was afraid my roommate would tear down the wallpaper with his teeth, he was so impatient for the game to start. he had playoff debates going on his cell-phone, facebook and twitter all at the same time. i couldn't keep up with who he was yelling at.
                ____

                it really is great to have so many voices of experience here. from our embattled member pros to the new pros who have joined us here at dd. it's amazing and i think most of us are sincerely grateful for any information you may choose to post.
                Last edited by asjah8; 02-06-2011, 08:41 PM.
                life happens
                despite a few cracked pots-
                and random sunlight

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                • Re: Backlash against the pros

                  Originally posted by Rantanplan View Post
                  (thread hijack: if anybody here has ever served in the French Foreign Legion or otherwise knows anything about the subject matter, please lend a desperate chick a helping hand so she can feel all Jacques Bauer-like and also pay her rent and feed her dog)
                  For what it's worth, just PM'd you.
                  I'm a product of everything I've ever experienced ... I need to get out more!

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                  • Re: Backlash against the pros

                    I appreciate the contributions of the pros here and take what they say to heart. But I think it's important to keep in mind that you will find opinions from professional writers that run the gamut on certain subjects even if the big leaguers posting here all share the same point of view.

                    One area in particular is on the topic of the "gurus." There seems to be a distinct, if not unanimous anti-guru stance by the big leaguers posting here. But over the years I have come across information from other big leaguers who have acknowledged they'd taken seminars, some of whom have publicly endorsed McKee, Truby, Field, et. al. or who have sung the praises of a particular script consultant.

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                    • Re: Backlash against the pros

                      Screenplay Savant,

                      I can't find it now, but I saw a post of yours earlier that suggested story analysts use terms like "consider" and "consider with reservations" to help the writer know where their script stands in terms of being ready to submit.

                      Andrew explained that to him, a full consider means the movie is ready to be produced.

                      I'm still not clear on what "consider with reservations" means. Do you happen to know? Thanks.

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                      • Re: Backlash against the pros

                        Originally posted by mariot View Post
                        Screenplay Savant,

                        I can't find it now, but I saw a post of yours earlier that suggested story analysts use terms like "consider" and "consider with reservations" to help the writer know where their script stands in terms of being ready to submit.

                        Andrew explained that to him, a full consider means the movie is ready to be produced.

                        I'm still not clear on what "consider with reservations" means. Do you happen to know? Thanks.
                        I'm not familiar with Andrew's ratings and I've never heard the term "consider with reservations" before, so you should probably get clarification from him.

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                        • Re: Backlash against the pros

                          Originally posted by Screenplay Savant View Post
                          I'm not familiar with Andrew's ratings and I've never heard the term "consider with reservations" before, so you should probably get clarification from him.
                          Okay, thanks. Did you have any sort of ratings that you used that might represent degrees of readiness?

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                          • Re: Backlash against the pros

                            Originally posted by mariot View Post
                            Okay, thanks. Did you have any sort of ratings that you used that might represent degrees of readiness?
                            I'd rate the individual components (character, theme, etc.) on a excellent to poor scale. I discussed overall readiness in the body of the evaluation. The vast majority of the clients I've had were somewhat green and really didn't understand the craft yet, so they were quite a ways away from being submission ready. Therefore, my evaluations often focus as much on craft education as the problems in the script.

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                            • Re: Backlash against the pros

                              Originally posted by Todd Karate View Post
                              Plenty of people (I'm sure a couple on this board) have payed money to listen to whatever idiot wrote whatever book or go to a pitchfest or boot camp or any other number of things, but living, breathing screenwriters are offering you free advice and you're pushing them away?

                              I'm not suggesting you take everything the pros say as gospel... but come on.
                              A-facking-men

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                              • Re: Backlash against the pros

                                Originally posted by mariot View Post
                                Every person is different. This is how it affects me.

                                1%

                                No professional screenwriter wants to read the work of unknown writers because they assume it will suck.

                                Every time a studio/agency reader opens a script from an unknown they assume it will suck.

                                God, am I one of the delusional people who think they might one day have a real chance at making a living as a screenwriter?

                                Wait, if the 99% of bad scripts are bad because people are writing about little deaf girls and I don't write about little deaf girls maybe I really could be in that 1%.

                                Approximately 20%

                                Before knowing it was approximately 20%:

                                Wow, this guy reads a lot of scripts and look at all these positive things he has to say. I keep hearing how the majority of scripts by new writers suck. Doesn't sound like this guy thinks I suck. Maybe I could really have a shot at this career.

                                Wait, this seems too positive. Look at all these positive adjectives. Does this really mean anything or is this just sugar coating. Maybe everyone gets lots of positive adjectives so they don't get discouraged.

                                Wait, maybe I am really close, maybe it really does just need a little more work.

                                Wait, I think it needs a lot more work than he does. How can that be?

                                After knowing it was approximately 20%

                                ****, now I have no idea at all where this really stands. My script isn't one of the 1% that doesn't completely suck. 20% got some kind of consider. What were the other 80% like? Were they really, really bad scripts about little deaf girls?

                                Should I even be pursuing this as a profession?
                                It is <1%. That shouldn't be discouraging, just the truth. At the same time, the numbers are equally as difficult for actually making it in the industry on the business side.

                                If 200 people get internships, maybe 100 will get a job in a mailroom. Of those 100, 70 will leave the business before they are promoted. Of the 30 left, 15 will go on and get promoted. Of those 15, 10 will be let go and not be able to get a new job as an executive. Of the remaining 5, 2 will leave because they want a family and the hours are too much for them to handle.

                                I'm not making this up, the business is tough. You make it work on that side of the business because you love it. You do it because the drug of choice is WORK. And even of this side of the business, you won't make it if you don't have talent.

                                As a writer all you can do is hope you have the talent, work hard, read all you can, listen to those in the business that offer good advice, and most of all, before you write a script, please think of a good idea first. If someone sends me EAGLE EYE meets THE BREAKFAST CLUB one more time............

                                -Michael
                                twitter.com/mbotti

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