Do you think you're better than the guys making all the money out there?

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  • Re: Do you think you're better than the guys making all the money out there?

    Great post, Han Shot First.

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    • Re: Do you think you're better than the guys making all the money out there?

      Originally posted by wilsoneads View Post
      First, entertainment is one of the few industries that does well during recessions.

      ?
      The film industry isn't doing well in this recession. But don't take my word for it. Here's an article from the Los Angeles Times itself.

      Viaacom to cut 7% of workforce; MTV division takes biggest hit

      December 5, 2008 [/color]
      Responding to the economic downturn and weaker revenue at its businesses, Viacom Inc. is slashing more than 850 jobs, or about 7% of its workforce, and freezing salary increases next year for senior managers.

      The deepest cuts came at Viacom's largest division -- MTV Networks, which includes cable channels MTV, Nickelodeon, VH1 and Comedy Central. Viacom's Hollywood movie studio, Paramount Pictures, let go 140 employees -- 100 in the U.S. and the remainder in its international operations. Cable channel BET is cutting about 50 jobs.


      </div> Viacom is the latest media company to get battered by the economic crisis and fall victim to steep declines in advertising and consumer spending.

      NBC Universal is also joining the layoffs bandwagon -- it said Thursday that it was cutting about 500 jobs, or 3% of its workforce, including 70 from Universal Pictures and its specialty film division, Focus Features. This is part of NBC Universal's previously announced plan to cut $500 million from its $16.7-billion annual budget.

      As for Viacom, the company also said it would write down certain programming and other assets, which would result in a pretax charge of $400 million to $450 million in the fourth quarter. The staff cuts and compensation reductions are expected to result in pretax savings of $200 million to $250 million in 2009, the company said.


      "The changes we are making in our organization and processes will better position Viacom to navigate the economic slowdown and generate sizable efficiencies that will help us drive our business as the marketplace stabilizes and conditions improve," Viacom Chief Executive Philippe Dauman said in a statement. The company said the layoffs would be worldwide and cut across all divisions.

      Viacom reported last month that its third-quarter net income fell 37%, largely because of lower advertising revenue at its cable TV networks and an operating loss in its filmed entertainment division as a result of its movies not performing as well as the year-earlier period.

      Analysts predict that Viacom's and the industry's advertising woes are far from over.

      Credit Suisse analyst Spencer Wang said in a report this week that Viacom's U.S. advertising sales would decline 4% in the fourth quarter as audiences for MTV and Nickelodeon continued to shrink. MTV's fourth-quarter viewer ratings are down 22% from a year earlier, the worst decline among the company's channels, Wang wrote.

      In Viacom's restructuring, MTV by far suffered the steepest cutbacks, losing hundreds of employees. In a memo to employees, MTV Networks chief Judy McGrath said: "In these tough times, we are responsible for sustaining and reinventing our company as thoughtfully as we can. The changes we're making today are necessary, difficult and the responsible way for us to move forward."

      Viacom's Paramount unit is shedding about 4% of its workforce of more than 3,000. The reductions were across the board, including production, home entertainment, business and legal affairs, and studio lot operations. Paramount's specialty label, Paramount Vantage, which this year lost 60 employees after its marketing functions were consolidated into the bigger studio, suffered further cutbacks.

      "Without question, the changes we implement today required us to make difficult choices," Paramount Chairman Brad Grey wrote in an e-mail to employees. "We take these steps after a careful analysis of our overall business and as part of a broader strategy to overcome the challenges of this unusual time in the market."

      Other entertainment companies to fall victim to the economic crisis include NBC Universal's Spanish-language TV unit, Telemundo, which reduced its workforce 5%. Lionsgate, Hollywood's biggest independent movie and TV studio, last month cut 8% of its workforce. Walt Disney Co., which reported a 13% drop in fiscal fourth-quarter net income, is considering major belt-tightening moves across all divisions, including its Burbank studio, ABC network, cable channels and theme parks.

      Analysts believe the cutbacks are far from over: Other media giants, including Time Warner Inc., whose assets include the Warner Bros. movie and TV studio and cable giant HBO, and smaller entertainment outfits are continuing to look for ways to reduce overhead and other costs.

      "There will be more to come," said media analyst Harold Vogel. "I don't think there will be a massive wave of more layoffs, but this period of malaise is going to last quite a while. How to save costs is going to be on the front burner for a long time."

      Eller is a Times staff writer.

      ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

      Though people continue to watch television, advertising revenue is way done, hitting the networks. And unemployed people won't spent 12 dollars on a movie ticket. Not with all the other serious expenses they have today.
      Check out my videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/NyFilmmaker32/videos

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      • Re: Do you think you're better than the guys making all the money out there?

        Originally posted by winter dreams View Post
        Great post, Han Shot First.
        Totally agree. 5 out of 5 Dereks.

        CoronaToysRUs
        I love you, Reyna . . .

        Brown-Balled by the Hollywood Clika

        Latino Heart Project's MEXICAN HEART...ATTACK!
        I ain't no punk b1tch...

        Comment


        • Re: Do you think you're better than the guys making all the money out there?

          I agree with Han and boski's posts. The "Cr*p Plus One" and the "You, The Expert" Wordplayer columns puts these arguments into perspective.

          Comment


          • Re: Do you think you're better than the guys making all the money out there?

            I'm going to (try to) keep my response short because arguing on the internet is a lot like masturbation that is missing the crucial third act.

            Originally posted by NYNEX View Post
            I don't think the original post was about thinking he can do better. The original poster THINKS his work already WRITTEN is better than some movies PRODUCED.

            And that may or may not be true.
            Semantics. The original poster's concept is about thinking you've done better, which is why I make the argument: what you think does not matter, it's what you do. And when you've done "better," someone will let you know.

            Trust me.

            Originally posted by NYNEX View Post
            As for placing in contests, ultimately as far as establishing a career, contest wins mean nothing, and as over threads shown, having a manager doesn't necessarily break you in either.
            Categorically untrue in terms of the original poster's point (establishing your worth as a writer.) The people who place in contests regularly most often have the ability. Taking this to the next step is usually a matter of writing more commercially (structure and concept). But this happening regularly (or one big one, like a Nicholl finalist or winner) lets you know you have the tools to run with the big kids.

            Getting a manager is another feather in your cap here. I'm not making guarantees about "breaking in," I'm simply giving concrete examples of how you can see whether you have "value" on this long journey.

            Originally posted by NYNEX View Post
            As far as truly proving yourself, that only occurs when something you've written is actually shown theatrically.
            Also frighteningly, absolutely untrue. You yourself admit below that there are many other things in play when talking about movies that go into production and screenwriting ability is probably #13 on the list.

            Actually proving yourself means working and working consistently enough to make a living without another source of income.

            Sometimes, getting produced is a key part of this ability in the long-run, but that's not your point nor is it mine.

            Originally posted by NYNEX View Post
            Keep in mind that a good script could be optioned by a prodco, but that doesn't mean anything. The prodco may not raise the full budget for it, may not get the attachments it wants, and may kill the project. Even studios have purchased scripts and then killed the project.

            There are a lot of factors somewhat outside the control of the screenwriter in determining whether you'll be a screenwriter that anyone has ever heard of.
            With a great sigh of relief, I agree that your last and self-contradictory point is positively true. But if you get your script optioned off a contest win and that gets you a manager and then you find a new idea to develop that maybe sells or gets you a studio assignment, then you begin to get an idea of your value as a dramatic writer.

            Which again brings me back to my original point: when you're good enough, you'll know because someone will tell you.

            Perhaps I should qualify by saying: "Writers usually get a bunch of little hints along the way before someone tells you definitively that you have what it takes to compete."
            Reaction time is a factor, so please pay attention.

            Comment


            • Re: Do you think you're better than the guys making all the money out there?

              Originally posted by Han Shot First View Post
              I'm going to (try to) keep my response short because arguing on the internet is a lot like masturbation that is missing the crucial third act.


              Now that's funny.

              CoronaHo
              I love you, Reyna . . .

              Brown-Balled by the Hollywood Clika

              Latino Heart Project's MEXICAN HEART...ATTACK!
              I ain't no punk b1tch...

              Comment


              • Re: Do you think you're better than the guys making all the money out there?

                (Great posts Han and congrats on your successes.)

                -----------

                Wilson:

                I think your original post in this thread was borne out of frustration.

                You may think you're better, and you may be, but this industry is awash with subjective opinions so it really doesn't matter.

                However ... judging by some of your threads in the SW forum, it's clear you're also frustrated with certain rules of structure.

                And I get the feeling you're especially frustrated with Act 2 -- that deep dark forest where many a screenwriter loses their way. Myself included.

                So I'd advise finding 3 or 4 pro writers you feel are MUCH better than you are at the moment and use their work as a benchmark for your own improvement.

                I have a couple I use to measure my work against -- I'm not there yet.
                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.-

                Comment


                • Re: Do you think you're better than the guys making all the money out there?

                  Originally posted by wilsoneads View Post
                  First, entertainment is one of the few industries that does well during recessions.

                  And second, why doesn't everybody just do what I did and put NYNEX on their ignore list?

                  You're right. He's getting antsy for some weird reason because I posted some good advice on not quitting and he's on a tangent: http://messageboard.donedealpro.com/...ad.php?t=43278
                  "A screenwriter is much like being a fire hydrant with a bunch of dogs lined up around it.- -Frank Miller

                  "A real writer doesn't just want to write; a real writer has to write." -Alan Moore

                  Comment


                  • Re: Do you think you're better than the guys making all the money out there?

                    Originally posted by Jcorona View Post


                    Now that's funny.

                    CoronaHo
                    OK, I hope I'm not the only one who just tried to figure out what the "All is Lost" moment would be ...

                    Comment


                    • Re: Do you think you're better than the guys making all the money out there?

                      I . . . think . . . you might me be, winter, but that's okay 'cause it's funny.

                      CoronaSantaHat
                      I love you, Reyna . . .

                      Brown-Balled by the Hollywood Clika

                      Latino Heart Project's MEXICAN HEART...ATTACK!
                      I ain't no punk b1tch...

                      Comment


                      • Re: Do you think you're better than the guys making all the money out there?

                        So THAT'S what she meant when she told me my denouement was messy.
                        "Tone is now engaged in a furious Google search for Leighton Meester's keester." -- A friend of mine

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                        • Re: Do you think you're better than the guys making all the money out there?

                          Originally posted by Ralphy W View Post
                          So THAT'S what she meant when she told me my denouement was messy.


                          That's nasty.

                          CoronaCookiesAndMilk
                          I love you, Reyna . . .

                          Brown-Balled by the Hollywood Clika

                          Latino Heart Project's MEXICAN HEART...ATTACK!
                          I ain't no punk b1tch...

                          Comment


                          • Re: Do you think you're better than the guys making all the money out there?

                            I don't know if this has been said, but Jcorona is definitely better than the guys making money out there.

                            I mean pimping. His writing sucks.

                            Comment


                            • Re: Do you think you're better than the guys making all the money out there?

                              Originally posted by Ralphy W View Post
                              So THAT'S what she meant when she told me my denouement was messy.
                              Your magazines talk to you?

                              Ahem. Erm.

                              Comment


                              • Re: Do you think you're better than the guys making all the money out there?

                                In short.... YES!

                                In long: I've read everything. Studied everything. Practiced my work. I'm ready. When I drop my scripts on them, they're not going to know what hit them. I'm not fighting my way up through the ranks, I'm going for a first round knockout in a title fight the first time I step in the ring.

                                Watch out, Hollywood!

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