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  • Sample Only

    Now I'm not a newbie, so I know the answer in a way, but I'd like to see if anyone's done it.

    I know I can't write a Friday the 13th movie to sell. But can I write my own sequel just to show off my writing chops like you would a 30 Rock TV spec?

    I'm not saying I'm going to do that, but if I took say a famous characters or four and had them go on a comedy road trip movie, is that kosher? I know they can't make it.

    Just say I take FREDDY from Nightmare and JASON from F13 and they both are sitting at the singles table at a wedding for MICHAEL MYERS and LAURIE STRODE. Obviously it's unsellable but it sounds very very readable and funny to me. Like a cool way to show off... Now 2 of those 4 characters can't talk, but you get the idea....

    I dont' know where the fun line is. Blacklist as I said does bio pics and those seem up for grabs. But what about the spoof scripts but it's not designed to sell sell, but get your repped or in rooms and make fans.

    I know stories of people writing TV specs and those actually getting made and them hired, but never heard of if anyone wrote a sequel to a horror movie and it actually got them hired for real...

  • #2
    Re: Sample Only

    I started a spoof of PROMETHEUS. It lends itself. No, I, dare say it begs to be spoofed. I should finish it and enter it. Aaaand hopefully get sued.

    I posted pages in the script feedback forum.

    http://messageboard.donedealpro.com/...=prometheus+II

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    • #3
      Re: Sample Only

      Originally posted by Bono View Post
      Now I'm not a newbie, so I know the answer in a way, but I'd like to see if anyone's done it.

      I know I can't write a Friday the 13th movie to sell. But can I write my own sequel just to show off my writing chops like you would a 30 Rock TV spec?

      I'm not saying I'm going to do that, but if I took say a famous characters or four and had them go on a comedy road trip movie, is that kosher? I know they can't make it.

      Just say I take FREDDY from Nightmare and JASON from F13 and they both are sitting at the singles table at a wedding for MICHAEL MYERS and LAURIE STRODE. Obviously it's unsellable but it sounds very very readable and funny to me. Like a cool way to show off... Now 2 of those 4 characters can't talk, but you get the idea....

      I dont' know where the fun line is. Blacklist as I said does bio pics and those seem up for grabs. But what about the spoof scripts but it's not designed to sell sell, but get your repped or in rooms and make fans.

      I know stories of people writing TV specs and those actually getting made and them hired, but never heard of if anyone wrote a sequel to a horror movie and it actually got them hired for real...
      I'd advise against it. In my experience showrunners and execs only want originals for staffing samples these days. Plus, in the same amount of time you'd be committing to writing what is essentially fan fiction, couldn't you churn out a cool original film or tv script instead?

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      • #4
        Re: Sample Only

        Originally posted by JS90 View Post
        I'd advise against it. In my experience showrunners and execs only want originals for staffing samples these days. Plus, in the same amount of time you'd be committing to writing what is essentially fan fiction, couldn't you churn out a cool original film or tv script instead?
        this is the camp i'm in. because you can't do anything with a spec where someone else owns the characters.

        and why do you want to spend all that time and sweat equity on something that is not yours? i mean, if you can write a kick ass sequel, you can write a kick ass original then pitch the sequel when you get in the room.
        "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

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        • #5
          Re: Sample Only

          That's the advise I would give someone else posting this about not doing it -- but consider you pick a famous character or two to get attention, but if you set them in a nomral storyline any character could be in, so say you pick Optimus Prime to be in your movie and it's a funny sample, but they want to make it, they make it a spoof of Optimus Prime with a different name.

          Of course spoofing stuff is allowed....

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          • #6
            Re: Sample Only

            I'm with the others in not advising this.

            However, it has been done before. The most famous example being BLOCKHEAD, which launched Emily Fox's career.

            If you don't know that one, it's the Peanuts script where all the kids are grown up and living in New York City.

            IF, and this is a big if, you have an absolutely killer idea--one that is undeniably great, like BLOCKHEAD, and you know you can knock it out of the park--then it could be worth it. But it really has to be something special. If you have a so-so idea and are more entranced with the idea of doing a stunt script, I wouldn't bother.

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            • #7
              Re: Sample Only

              I never heard of BLOCKHEAD -- that's awesome idea.

              I'm most interested in taking about the idea of doing it, than doing it, but it's fun to talk about, isn't it?

              In 2019, a stunt script is maybe what you need...

              Maybe it's just for fun...

              Also scripts with specific celebrities and famous people called out or a title with a swear or something else that makes it stand out. So that's a different thing, but still a stunt...

              Also to be clear I WOULD NOT ADVISE THIS. I'm just discussing it.
              Last edited by Bono; 08-18-2019, 05:42 PM.

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              • #8
                Re: Sample Only

                Originally posted by docgonzo View Post
                I'm with the others in not advising this.

                However, it has been done before. The most famous example being BLOCKHEAD, which launched Emily Fox's career.

                If you don't know that one, it's the Peanuts script where all the kids are grown up and living in New York City.

                IF, and this is a big if, you have an absolutely killer idea--one that is undeniably great, like BLOCKHEAD, and you know you can knock it out of the park--then it could be worth it. But it really has to be something special. If you have a so-so idea and are more entranced with the idea of doing a stunt script, I wouldn't bother.
                Ditto...

                And BLOCKHEAD was a fukkin RAD idea!

                Notice two things... well 3... about it IMO. 1) NASTALGA! 2) Brought them to present day to deal with the SAME fukked up sh!t we ALL deal with. 3) Takes their 'masks' away. Who the fukk are these people REALLY (?), off screen, out of cartoon land?

                Everyone's gonna read that. Because we all have the same central question "Interesting, yeah, what the fukk DOES happen once they grow up, how fukked up would they be now? Now I gotta read to find out."

                I think that's the main issue I have with your idea. I feel like it's set in the same time period they've always been in. So, I don't super get the HOOK.
                Bruh, fukkin *smooches*! Feel me? Ha!

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                • #9
                  Re: Sample Only

                  I think the biggest strike against using this type of sample is that it doesn't demonstrate that you can create original, compelling characters. I suspect that's why showrunners now gravitate toward reading original pilots for staffing instead of spec episodes. They figure that if you're original and creative, you can learn the characters' voices on the show. Much harder to take someone who can nail a character's voice (or write a great parody, as in your example) and teach them how to be original.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Sample Only

                    Again, it's this thing I've had in the back of my mind probably since I started writing and i just wanted to post about it.

                    I don't have a specific ideal like BLOCKHEADS I'm itchy to write.

                    I guess I find it funny to write a romantic comedy and she falls for Freddy Krueger. Makes me giggle. And I know that at any moment the serial killer can be changed to something original or spoof.

                    Let's have some fun kids!

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                    • #11
                      Re: Sample Only

                      On a super basic level: I think you'd have to reveal something (UNIFORMLY) about them that humanizes them in a way we find ironic. I think that's the hook of BLOCKHEAD, irony.

                      And if you think about it, it's also the hook of most of those Blacklist BIO pics. "You thought you knew the character? Nope! Fukkin check this sh!t out!"

                      With the BLOCKHEAD idea she 100% flips our expectations of these characters. Goofy to Fukked up. And explains sh!t we didn't think to ask, but instinctively knew to ask. So, we're on board "Good question, why the fukk DID that happen that way?"

                      If I was trying to do someone along the lines of what you're talking about I'd ask myself what is the exact opposite of what people expect of this character, and could I make that sound believable? That's the main thing I think the BLOCKHEAD writer had on her side, we buy it. We're like "Ahhh, no sh!t, true, that's exactly how they'd be..."

                      She also had the "fun" aspect. It's fun to see how fukked up the Peanuts would be in present day.

                      If you're going Rom/Com. Maybe it would be interesting to see 2 (known) characters fall in love that we wouldn't expect. But, you draw it out in a way where we're like "Ahhh, no sh!t, makes perfect sense! Why did I never realize they are the perfect couple??" (as a sample, obviously) Maybe it's two characters we never new were gay. No idea... But, it seems like their obstacle should be zeitgeisty.

                      Just throwing sh!t into the wind hoping it helps you land on something...
                      Bruh, fukkin *smooches*! Feel me? Ha!

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                      • #12
                        Re: Sample Only

                        Exactly.

                        Rom Com first date is on the deathstar's best restaurant -- The Vader. I'll be the first one to spoof Star Wars! Why has nobody thought about that before??

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                        • #13
                          Re: Sample Only

                          So I'm "Not" 1/2 through my Star Wars meets Studio 54 spec...

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                          • #14
                            Re: Sample Only

                            Your good spec script is more likely to be used as a sample than end up as a sale. With that in mind, writing something with characters you don't own/control isn't a bad idea if you can write a great script. BLOCKHEADS made Emily Fox's career.

                            A few years ago there was a script titled VAN DAMME VS SEAGAL. It was actually kind of funny. Think it got the writer a lot of meetings and fans around town.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Sample Only

                              Exactly!

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