How to Make it in Hollywood

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  • Re: How to Make it in Hollywood

    Wassup, Todd.

    Welcome to the internet.

    Answer your phone when I call you.

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    • Re: How to Make it in Hollywood

      There is amazing New York style pizza in West LA at a little place called The Coop. Slices, delivery and pick-up only. Legit pizzas, meatball sandwiches and calzones. Plus there's a dispensary right next door. God I loved my three years in LA. Miss the beaches and parties often. But there's no good skiing down there...

      SMASH TO:

      BLACK

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      • Re: How to Make it in Hollywood

        If I wanted to be a stock broker, I'd move to New York.

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        • Re: How to Make it in Hollywood

          Originally posted by BattleDolphinZero View Post
          Nothing matters as long as you're not insane or retarded.
          What if you're somewhere in the middle?

          Like me.
          @TerranceMulloy

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          • Re: How to Make it in Hollywood

            Originally posted by nuvuefilms View Post
            If I wanted to be a stock broker, I'd move to New York.
            Or Boston. Or Chicago. Or anywhere that has an Internet connection.

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            • Re: How to Make it in Hollywood

              -trust your writer's instinct, trust your inspiration - it's what's makes you UNIQUE and that is IMPORTANT.

              -work harder then hard.

              -read other scripts and learn the basics so they go by themselves when your're writing.

              -networking.

              -having the luck J.K. Rowlings had when that Bloomsbury guy discovered her already slightly dusted first Harry Potter novel in a book store...

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              • Re: How to Make it in Hollywood

                Do what Simon Moore did--write spec scripts that sell. He wrote 'The Quick and The Dead'. An English bloke wrote a Western! His agent in L.A hung fire until he agreed $1 million and then he took a flight to L.A.
                That's the way to make it in Hollywood--write your way there.
                Good luck for 2011 guys.
                Chris.
                www.chrischance.co.uk
                http://www.amazon.co.uk/Christopher-...ntt_dp_epwbk_0

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                • Re: How to Make it in Hollywood

                  Originally posted by chrischance View Post
                  Do what Simon Moore did--write spec scripts that sell. He wrote 'The Quick and The Dead'. An English bloke wrote a Western! His agent in L.A hung fire until he agreed $1 million and then he took a flight to L.A.
                  That was a Brit? Cool story. I really dug that film and the cast was superb. It wouldn't exactly suck to have a first sale / first film story like that to tell.

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                  • Re: How to Make it in Hollywood

                    Originally posted by JeffLowell View Post
                    But honestly, my question to anyone who's thinking about going all in on a move to L.A. is... will anything else make you happy? If so, it's a hell of a lot safer to just do that.
                    My answer is "no". And I'd hope most of us realize it's a huge risk to pursue screenwriting instead of chasing a career with a more established route of entry. I do. It's scary. But I can't be an old man who thinks "what if?".
                    Looking to take the "Bono" off my screenname.

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                    • Re: How to Make it in Hollywood

                      Originally posted by JeffLowell View Post
                      I like hanging out with writers because they're the most interesting people I know. Most of them had interesting experiences before they became writers, and most of them have lives and interests outside of writing once they've broken in.

                      And I'm not sure about your examples - Hemingway, I think you're forgetting his time in Paris, hanging out with Joyce, Pound, Stein, Fitzgerald... It was only after meeting Fitzgerald and reading Gatsby that he decided to write a novel instead of just short stories.

                      Henry Miller - my favorite writer - worked in Paris also, as a proofreader. He had a relationship with Anaïs Nin, who supported him, and all of his friends were writers..
                      Cool. It's been a while since I've heard anyone say Miller was their favorite writer. He's in my top five.

                      Hanging out with writers is inspiring. I used to when I still lived in NYC. And also musicians. And also fine artists. Many explored all three disciplines.

                      But I'm in the burbs now, in another state, and it's difficult to find others interested in writing. That's why I come here...


                      Originally posted by JeffLowell View Post
                      All of that said... I get the heebie jeebies when Derek tells people to move to L.A. Derek's a force of nature - when he decides to do something, he does it and makes it work. But he's also an extremely gifted writer. It's not like I can pluck anyone off the street and send them to L.A. and tell them to write ten scripts and they'll be Derek Haas. ..
                      I was thinking the same thing as I read the thread. Even if I were in different circumstances, no responsibilities to others, able to up and move right this minute, I would still wait till I developed my skills to the next level. And I think I'm pretty good at screenwriting now. Much better than I was a couple years ago. But I know I can be better, still. I'd wait till I reached the next level before I moved. And I would definitely have a Plan B for a career. Perhaps its best to take inventory of one's skills, learning curve, before making the move.
                      Advice from writer, Kelly Sue DeConnick. "Try this: if you can replace your female character with a sexy lamp and the story still basically works, maybe you need another draft.-

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                      • Re: How to Make it in Hollywood

                        Originally posted by Jeff Lowell View Post
                        But honestly, my question to anyone who's thinking about going all in on a move to L.A. is... will anything else make you happy? If so, it's a hell of a lot safer to just do that.
                        My answer is maybe. I love LA. I love writers, but half the time I don't know whether I'm a writer or a deluded dilettante. So, I stay here, accept my pay, raise my children, live my not so bad life, write when I can, even though my heart is often in LA (which is a great and diverse city. Don't like it? Drive several blocks and try again).

                        It's safe. I feel a good puke coming on.
                        Standing on a hill in my mountain of dreams telling myself it's not as hard, hard, hard as it seems.

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                        • Re: How to Make it in Hollywood

                          Originally posted by sarajb View Post
                          My answer is maybe. I love LA. I love writers, but half the time I don't know whether I'm a writer or a deluded dilettante.
                          I think a lot of writers feel that way at times. And sometimes we may even feel like frauds. But I think if we can ask ourselves, "Are my scripts sellable products?" And come up with an honest answer, either yes or no, we can better understand where we fall on the ladder to potential screenwriting success.

                          One of my writing professors in college, after weeding some students out of his class, was asked by another student, upset to see a couple friends go, what the professor's criteria was for bouncing people out of the writing concentration courses.

                          I think he expected some esoteric response about "voice" or technique. Professor said bluntly, "I look at each student's portfolio at the end of the term and ask myself, "Can this kid earn a living writing?"
                          Advice from writer, Kelly Sue DeConnick. "Try this: if you can replace your female character with a sexy lamp and the story still basically works, maybe you need another draft.-

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                          • Re: How to Make it in Hollywood

                            For some reason I missed Jeff's post about Miller, Hemingway and others, which seemed to be in response to what I said.

                            I too love hanging with writers and other creative types, it's one of my favorite things. At my former job I was an artistic attache for the French Embassy, and much of my time was spent over long dinners and late night drinking bouts with French writers, filmmakers, musicians, painters etc. If there is just one thing to say about the French, it's that they enjoy conversation as an art, and these experiences were honestly some of the very best in my life. When these conversations took place on the terrace of a Paris cafe, they were even more enjoyable.

                            But I think a lot of creative energy also goes into a conversation, a lot of words, and sometimes that might mean that you don't have any words left for your own writing at the end of the day.

                            Anyway, I don't know what I was trying to say anymore Maybe that the writer should try to experience life on a wide palette or something to that effect.

                            And yes, those writers also hung out with other writers, how many times have I envied them, lord. But Miller also hung out with the losers and it infused a lot of his writing.

                            On some level I regret not being as focused when I was 20 years old as I am today, when it comes to screenwriting, but then again I'd have missed out on some pretty cool experiences along the way. Some of which have definitely found a way into what I write.

                            Meh. Who knows. Anyway, if I ever make any serious progress in this venture, I too will flock to L.A. Although the dream life would be more along the lines of, write a new spec for three months every year in Paris, Spain or Morocco, then fly back to L.A. How sweet would that be ???

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                            • Re: How to Make it in Hollywood

                              Originally posted by Rantanplan View Post
                              the writer should try to experience life on a wide palette
                              Completely agree. Glad I didn't move to LA straight out of high school. Amassing life experience is essential for a writer, IMO.

                              Originally posted by Rantanplan View Post
                              Although the dream life would be more along the lines of, write a new spec for three months every year in Paris, Spain or Morocco, then fly back to L.A. How sweet would that be ???
                              Freakin'. That's how sweet.
                              Looking to take the "Bono" off my screenname.

                              Comment


                              • Re: How to Make it in Hollywood

                                Originally posted by TheCleaner View Post
                                Or Boston. Or Chicago. Or anywhere that has an Internet connection.
                                Last time I checked, Wall Street was still in New York.

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