Agent Hell

Collapse

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • #46
    Re: Agent Hell

    Originally posted by emily blake View Post
    Great writing creates great relationships.
    Ok, that's something that I like, Emily. Positive is better than negative!

    BTW Sorry if I offended someone but that's my POV. And my truth is that hollywood is about business in the end. We have 2 options - big money/hollywood/crap movies or Indie US/EU productions/good films - no big money
    Last edited by fotonchev; 05-10-2012, 01:14 PM.
    Minds are like parachutes: they only function when open!

    Comment


    • #47
      Re: Agent Hell

      Originally posted by fotonchev View Post
      And my truth is that hollywood is about business in the end. We have 2 options - big money/hollywood/crap movies or indie/EU productions/good films - no money
      No, this is elitist bullshit. There are more crappy films made in Hollywood because Hollywood makes more films. Let's say, a big-studio Unforgiven is worse, less meaningful than Godard's self-indulging weirdathons?

      Comment


      • #48
        Re: Agent Hell

        Originally posted by goldmund View Post
        No, this is elitist bullshit. There are more crappy films made in Hollywood because Hollywood makes more films. Let's say, a big-studio Unforgiven is worse, less meaningful than Godard's self-indulging weirdathons?
        Truth. godard is too much for me. I was thinking more about 5-th element
        Minds are like parachutes: they only function when open!

        Comment


        • #49
          Re: Agent Hell

          Originally posted by UnequalProductions View Post

          So you're saying that an unknown guy who comes from Indiana with the next Citizen Kane has a better chance of getting representation and selling a script than, say, Michael Eisner's nephew?
          I knew an agent at UTA years ago that was trying to get Eisner's son going without the help of his father/name. He submitted scripts of his around town using an alias. EVERYONE passed... He finally got going, but used his real name.

          Comment


          • #50
            Re: Agent Hell

            Originally posted by UnequalProductions View Post
            Okay, seriously?

            I don't mean to sound like a jerk here, but do you really think that great writing matters more than relationships? In Hollywood?

            So you're saying that an unknown guy who comes from Indiana with the next Citizen Kane has a better chance of getting representation and selling a script than, say, Michael Eisner's nephew?
            Of course great writing matters more.

            Maybe a great relationship will get you through the door, but without the great writing it's next to pointless.

            NO ONE is going to buy or option a script just because the writer has a good relationship with someone.

            No one is going to make a film just because the writer has a great relationship with someone.

            No one is going to risk big money on a script/film just because the writer has a good relationship with someone.

            A good relationship might get your far, but only good writing will get you to the finish line.


            Originally posted by UnequalProductions View Post
            I'm sorry, but this is incredibly naive.
            I think you're the one here who is naive.


            Of course this is not as black and white as either side is making out, but it is the writing that wins over in the end.

            Comment


            • #51
              Re: Agent Hell

              Originally posted by fanatic_about_film View Post

              Maybe a great relationship will get you through the door, but without the great writing it's next to pointless.

              NO ONE is going to buy or option a script just because the writer has a good relationship with someone.

              No one is going to make a film just because the writer has a great relationship with someone.

              No one is going to risk big money on a script/film just because the writer has a good relationship with someone.

              A good relationship might get your far, but only good writing will get you to the finish line.
              This time I totally agree with your points! Nothing can replace a good story and a good writer!
              Minds are like parachutes: they only function when open!

              Comment


              • #52
                Re: Agent Hell

                My cousin, who's lived in LA for 15 yrs and worked in the finance dept. at Warner's up until recently, told me script quality did not matter, that it was all about relationships/who you knew that got you the sale (translation: I need to get my a$$ out there).

                I don't think he's saying quality won't sell, but that if my script sucked and I was living out there building relationships, it would sell.


                Thus: quality sells
                sucky script + relationships sells

                This according to the Cuz.
                "Do just once what others say you can't do, and you will never pay attention to their limitations again." -[/SIZE] James R. Cook

                Comment


                • #53
                  Re: Agent Hell

                  Your cousin sounds like a bitter idiot.

                  Comment


                  • #54
                    Re: Agent Hell

                    Originally posted by JeffLowell View Post
                    Your cousin sounds like a bitter idiot.
                    Glad somebody said it.

                    Comment


                    • #55
                      Re: Agent Hell

                      Originally posted by fanatic_about_film View Post
                      I think you're the one here who is naive.
                      Not to make this personal, but how's your screenwriting career going? Do you think it would be any different if you were high school friends with Nick Cage? Or if you dog sat for J.J. Abrams? What if you once saved Jerry Bruckheimer's life on a camping trip?

                      Google "Hollywood Nepotism." There's a reason you'll get a couple thousand links.

                      Now no one on this message board is going to be in that category. If we were, we probably won't be putting up questions for career advice. In our cases, great writing is the thing that's going to make us stick out.

                      But if you think a great script by nobody is going to be more attractive than a good script by Stephen Speilberg's second-cousin, you're fooling yourself.

                      Comment


                      • #56
                        Re: Agent Hell

                        Originally posted by UnequalProductions View Post
                        Not to make this personal, but how's your screenwriting career going?
                        What has MY career got to do with this thread?

                        Are you saying that all screenwriters got where they were because they have family or friend relationships with Hollywood players?


                        Originally posted by UnequalProductions View Post
                        Google "Hollywood Nepotism." There's a reason you'll get a couple thousand links.
                        But who's saying Hollywood nepotism doesn't exist?

                        Who's saying nepotism in any business, period, doesn't exist?

                        What I'm saying is no one is going to risk $50 million dollars on a crappy script just because Spielberg's second-cousin wrote it.



                        Originally posted by UnequalProductions View Post
                        But if you think a great script by nobody is going to be more attractive than a good script by Stephen Speilberg's second-cousin, you're fooling yourself.
                        Whoa whoa whoa, so now it's changed to a good script by someone who has a relationship to someone important?

                        We're talking about a good script?
                        Last edited by fanatic_about_film; 05-10-2012, 02:31 PM.

                        Comment


                        • #57
                          Re: Agent Hell

                          Originally posted by UnequalProductions View Post
                          But if you think a great script by nobody is going to be more attractive than a good script by Stephen Speilberg's second-cousin, you're fooling yourself.
                          You won't find a single working screenwriter who will agree with you. You don't know what you're talking about.

                          And I don't know who this Stephen Speilberg person is -- there's nobody on IMDB by that name -- so I don't know how much clout he has.

                          If you're talking about Steven Spielberg, you're still wrong.

                          God this is tiring.

                          Comment


                          • #58
                            Re: Agent Hell

                            Guess I'm wrong. Everyone who has a screenwriting career got that because they're better writers than anyone who doesn't have a screenwriting career.

                            If you haven't got management or an agent, it's because you're not a good writer.

                            Period.

                            Comment


                            • #59
                              Re: Agent Hell

                              I totally agree great writing is the key. But I will say this. I was in a meeting with a producer who sold a script for a million dollars -- he said the script was ****, but the concept was awesome and he had a great relationship with the studio -- so the studio bought it. Not saying this is the norm -- but the project has been discussed on here before, and it is known to have a good first act, but then goes to **** in the 2nd and 3rd act.

                              The script sold for a million dollars and the producer said the script was sh1t -- but the concept was great.

                              Now, I believe great writing is truly what matters but, we can't discount some backroom deals and politics can sometimes get a script sold. My 2 cents.

                              And no I will not name the script that got bought. Personally I don't even think it will ever get made.

                              Comment


                              • #60
                                Re: Agent Hell

                                Originally posted by UnequalProductions View Post
                                Guess I'm wrong. Everyone who has a screenwriting career got that because they're better writers than anyone who doesn't have a screenwriting career.

                                If you haven't got management or an agent, it's because you're not a good writer.

                                Period.
                                Let's say that you are right. How does this help you break in exactly?

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X