Questions to ponder about why you're doing this...

Collapse

Announcement

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

  • #46
    This is one reason why I think it's a mistake for a new screenwriter to look to an internet message board to teach him/her how to write screenplays. But what's the alternative when you're out in the middle of nowhere? I don't know. If your writing shows promise and you have some talent, you could try querying working screenwriters whose stuff you admire and ask if they'd like to mentor you. I don't know.
    TonyRob,

    I agree that it's a mistake for new writers to look to message boards to teach them... The alternative is reading books on writing, which I think would help a lot of people who make the "dumb" posts that are being talked about in this thread. There's a ton of information available in books that people just don't take advantage of.

    What seems to be happening is that someone decides "I think I'll write screenplays", so they stumble upon an online forum like Done Deal. I think this forum is quite valuable, and I've learned a lot from it, but what I've learned here is much different than the things I've learned reading books about writing. If you're out in the middle of nowhere, you'd be much better off buying and reading ten books on writing / screenwriting and taking a few cracks at it yourself. It's a lot easier to click around online than it is to read a whole book, let alone write a screenplay.

    I think it mostly comes from the people who don't want to be filmmakers, and see this like some sort of lottery. "Will my script sell?" kind of seems like a silly question to me, since if you want to make money, it's probably the wrong thing. Of course people make money at writing, but it's crazy to think that you can just randomly pick a highly skilled profession (ANY trade) and instantly be at the same level as the top people who are selling scripts for a million bucks. It's people who don't want to put in the work, which is reading about the craft, and practising it. To me, it seems like books are the only viable substitute to personal instruction or film school. Just like writing scripts is the only way to get better, no matter how many books you read or Robert McKee seminars you go to.

    Bob

    Comment


    • #47
      Good post, Bob. I happen to agree with just about everything you said (especially this: "but it's crazy to think that you can just randomly pick a highly skilled profession (ANY trade) and instantly be at the same level as the top people who are selling scripts for a million bucks." LOVE THAT!).

      Contrary to what some may believe, I'm actually not opposed to studying books on the craft of screenwriting, as long as that studying is augmented by reading a ton of screenplays and watching every movie you can. Also, make sure you pick a WIDE variety of books, and not just books on screenwriting, but also ones on film theory, filmmaking (directing, cinematography, editing, hell even scoring), acting, film history, film criticism, interviews with filmmakers, etc. You want to become as much of an expert on film as you can. You want to immerse yourself in film. (And reading all of these books and screenplays and watching all of these movies should not be a chore.)

      Also, upon some reflection, I don't think my mentor idea is such a bad one. Getting the perspective of a working screenwriter who sees promise in your writing, who will tell you things the books won't (or, sometimes don't know about) would be invaluable. Add that to your study program, and shooting some of your own short films, and you have what would pretty much approach a film school education.

      JMHO.

      Good stuff, guys.

      Comment


      • #48
        levels

        In general the making of a moving picture is almost identical to the making of a large structure (building), think about it for a minute and you will find these have more in common with each other than not, and all of the considerations are the same, such as cost, artistic input, fills need for the masses, elevates, etc... Now considering a blue print for a space is like a script for a picture would you build a hospital on a design by someone who lacks the education (formal or otherwise), the experience, passion, or breadth of the medium in general, yeah no, the answer is no, hell no! A new writer has about as much luck of authoring an original oscar worthy film as one does selling their blue prints for a thirty story condo/retail building in downtown Manhattan. The difference is that most people assume that making a picture is easy and that any moron can do it if only they try, but ask them to design a museum and reality quickly sets in.
        These two artistic mediums are the most expensive endeavors art can reach, yet one is considered childsplay (pictures) the other serious study. The truth is that these two mediums are pretty much the same with regard to how much they cost, and no one likes to throw money into the hands of a newbie convinced of their own special place in the world of art.
        So why write screenplays? It had better be for the right reasons because failure, rejection, etc... are part of the deal, and to put ones eggs in such an enormous pit of self denial pretty much explains the current state of affairs in Hollywood today.

        Oh, and I write because pictures have always been a large part of my life, and at some points in it all of it. Some of my most profound moments have been a direct result of walking into a film, much like the first time I looked out from the top of the empire state building, inspiring, hard to put into words, but we try.

        Comment


        • #49
          tonyrob

          i write because i must. i'm compelled to do so. i wouldn't want to make any amount of money doing any other job


          zilla

          Comment


          • #50
            TonyRob, I agree completely with your post. It's not enough to just read books on screenwriting, you need to study screenplays, movies, plays, books on directing, biographies, interviews, technical journals - everything you can get your hands on! You should be a fanatic, someone who is obsessed with the art of movies and loves learning about all aspects of it.

            Finding a mentor seems like a good idea, once you've started to learn on your own. It seems like there's still a wealth of information out there for people with no access to professionals for the time being, due to their location or any other number of factors. I don't want to sound like I'm some sort of crazed librarian telling kids to give a hoot and read a book, but so many people try to cull together all their information from the Internet, which is just wrong. Using the Internet as your only source of research is generally a bad idea... I'm not saying that you should believe or agree with everything that you read in books, but they seem like an under-used resource.

            That's why I love the screenwriter interviews in Scenario magazine. In a lot of cases the interviewer is more familliar with the writer's body of work than I am, which allows them to ask better questions than I would have come up with, even if I was actually speaking to the writer. It's a shame that they aren't publishing any longer, since I consider that to be a fantastic resource for anyone who wants to learn more about screenwriting. Reading the script, then seeing the movie, then reading a great interview with the screenwriter is a much thorough approach to filmmaking than I ever received at film school!

            Finally, I have to say that I have no idea why anyone would try to break into the film industry if they didn't have a deep-rooted love of film... yet it seems to happen all the time. It seems offensive to me that someone who knows very little about movies would try to write a screenplay, considering it's the backbone of any production. It's very much like the blueprint example given by Dr. Hemmingstone. The script is the resource that tells every single person who works on the movie how to do their job... You might want to know something about movies before you start to tell other people how to make them!

            Of course, who knows how serious people on message boards or the Internet really are, which brings it all back to the original question you posed in the very first post. Who are these people exactly? I'm always skeptical when I read about someone who says "I wrote 5 scripts last year, and I'm working on my 6th for this year." Maybe they actually did write eleven scripts in two years, but what does that mean? Are they all first drafts? Are they any good? I find it hard to believe that these eleven scripts were all re-written mulitple times, especially when the person isn't a professional writer! Where are they finding the time for this prolific output? It's not difficult to crank out 120 pages of junk that's pasted into screenplay format. I have nothing against people who are truly able to work at that level, but unless you're Ron Bass with his "team" of researchers / co-writers, it's damn near impossible. The bottom line is that there's no substitute for hard work, in studying or in writing.

            Comment


            • #51
              Tony, I feel ya. But the answers you got from some posters give credence to why people ask these question.

              William Haskins (always such a thinking young man)
              the quest for validation runs through the bloodstream of human nature, and manifests in different ways in different endeavors. in no other vocation, however, must one be as keenly aware of consensus while at the same time mentally and morally prepared to reject it, as in the arts.

              Geevie
              This board is filled with new writers who had no classroom to teach them how to do this, they just jumped in blind and did it. And sadly this board is full of contradictory information. The first tool people use in learning how to write a script is reading produced scripts, but other struggling screenwriters tell them that you can't write like that. There are special rules for the newbie writer and his virgin spec. Style is constantly being mistaken for rules, and it's no wonder that we've slapped down new writers so much that they are asking us the creative questions you refer to in your post. They're looking for someone to say, "It's okay for you to trust your instincts."

              Maybe all writers need to go through this growth phase where they learn what they can and can't do, what works and what doesn't, based on trial and error. Maybe they have to forge through and "break the rules" only to learn that some "rules" are there for a reason. Call it screenwriting puberty.

              If you're meant to do this, if it's in your blood like an incurable disease, you'll find your way. I finally got to a point where I can get a consider on a first draft written in 7 days, just trusting in myself and my ability. I still ask questions, I still bounce my insecurities against the wall to see if they stick. I think we all do - writers always seek the approval for their babies and validation for their ideas. That's just the nature of the beast.

              Unreal Spec
              I definitely think this is something that all beginning writers need to go through -- and will -- if they are serious about improving their craft.

              However, like you said, a lot of these writers don't have any resources outside the internet/internet message boards to help them, so this is their only "school of hard knocks" or "baptism by fire" as it were.

              And while many new writers may fool themselves into thinking this (message boards) are enough... It really isn't.

              I say this not as a put-down, flame or statement of arrogance.

              I thought this exact same thing when I was starting out. The exact same thing.

              It wasn't until I had an actual, real-life mentor who showed me how much I DIDN'T know about the craft of screenwriting and who also, more importantly, was willing to work with me because HE saw the potential in that first script I wrote... Which says something in itself because as we know, most of our first works are TERRIBLE... But he saw the "spark", "light" or whatever you want to call it and decided to help me and see where it went because like most writers, he has a love and PASSION for the art of writing (screenwriting) in general."


              Tony, I took these example to illustrate an answer to your question. We need this! You know as writers we are the most insecure people on the planet. Always wondering if weâ€TMve got it right. Does our material jump off the page? Does it inspire or move you to emotion?

              We all want validation and since it is a common denominator that many do not have other resources to help them along this journey, at least here, or at other screenwriting boards they can get a â€feel†as to whether theyâ€TMre hitting or shooting in the dark.

              It helped me to come here. I found out all sorts of things when I started to get serious about this craft. Now, I donâ€TMt know if Iâ€TMm any better, but I do know that my stories hold up as screenplays. Good screenplays? Thatâ€TMs still debateable, but these boards give me at least a sounding board for my ideas and have given much inspiration for new ones. So Tony, to answer your question specifically.

              We ask because we want to know others opinions of how our material is being received.

              For me, it allows me to know whether to keep going with an idea or rework it into something better.

              And Tony, there are a million screenwriting boards other than the two you mentioned. Some good, some stupid and all helpful in some way.

              Good thread my man!

              Comment


              • #52
                myabe it's newbie stuff, vailidation, or just simple -- procrastination.

                my question to you is: why does it bug you so much?

                Is it because you feel the quality of the posters/boards is ...what? I don't want to put words in your posts, but if I read between the lines you seem to think the boards are rather 'amaturish'... well, welcome to screenwriting on the net! However, there are many paid writers around as well.

                No one wants to advocate approaching screenwriting like getting an MBA, but -- on the other hand -- a very good, well-known prof once said to our class that "every single reason you have for doing this -- whatever it is -- they are all valid."

                Comment


                • #53
                  You can't compare screenwriting to other professions where any intelligent person can learn enough to make a living. Compare it to pro sports. Everyone can learn to play, but only a very few can make a living. Learning won't replace talent, no matter how much you want it.

                  A lack of monetary reward doesn't stop billions of people from playing sports. Plenty of other rewards. Same for writing.

                  Comment


                  • #54
                    In defense of pragmatism...

                    This will sound defensive, but, frankly, I feel obliged to defend myself. My post has been called â€amateurish†and even dumb. I donâ€TMt think it was either.

                    I asked whether a screenwriter would do better to write commercial, â€safe†specs or to write their own, personal, less marketable scripts. I think thatâ€TMs a valid and important question. Unless you are a hobbyist, this is a business as much as an art form. We are writing things we want to sell. It seems wise to me to consider the market when doing so.

                    People discuss paper weight and brad count endlessly on this site. Why? Because they want to appear professional when submitting scripts. If these are important issues, how can genre and story not be? Certainly any producer of note would consider story more important than what stock the cover is.

                    Respondents in both this thread and my own seemed to consider the question irrelevant, even naïve. "Obviously, you write what you want." Despite the replies, I donâ€TMt believe that this is a foregone conclusion. If Hollywood isnâ€TMt looking for â€safe,†why do we see so many familiar stories? So many remakes?

                    Hollywood sticks to what works. That doesnâ€TMt seem to be a controversial opinion. Why does one become a fool when one tries to consider this in choice of specs?

                    This thread seems to treat the question as one that only people trying to get rich with a big sale would ask, but I donâ€TMt think it is. Arenâ€TMt most people on this site trying to make it as professional screenwriters? Iâ€TMm not trying to criticize those who considered the question amateur, but arenâ€TMt most of them amateurs? Are there amateur-amateurs and professional-amateurs?

                    Whatâ€TMs wrong with looking at screenwriting more as a career than an art form? Arenâ€TMt movies more commerce than art? You can call me a soulless hack, but thatâ€TMs avoiding the question.

                    I already write for the love of it, I want to write for a living, too. Whatâ€TMs wrong with that?

                    Comment


                    • #55
                      Re: In defense of pragmatism...

                      To add to what I posted previously on this thread already...

                      People ask these questions because they WANT and NEED to feel safe.

                      For a lot of them -- no matter what age, race, gender -- They are getting into this whole "screenwriting thang" for a number of reasons (some good; some not so good), but the main thing that most of them have in common is...

                      FEAR.

                      They are afraid they are going to do something wrong and "not make it".

                      We've been taught as a society (depending on where you live; I'm talking U.S.) that anyone can do anything they put their heart, mind and soul into... Especially, the arts... But as someone already pointed out, the real determing factor in all of this is TALENT.

                      Some have it. Some don't. But ALL want it...

                      And asking questions like these (and I mean the ones you speak of; not this particular one in question) is, in their minds, what brings them closer to having some kind of talent... Or at least being able to dissect what they percieve talent is into something they can master and hopefully REPRODUCE.

                      Well... It just doesn't work like that... To some degree.

                      Also, the other underyling fear that they share is that they really DON'T or HAVEN'T have/had that much experience and don't have anything really to fall back on in order to compete with all of the pre-pros, pros and others who are not just start-from-scratch amateurs.

                      When I say experience I mean life experience, experience commanding the English language (native or not), conveying a real sense of voice, emotion, etc. on the printed page, yaddah, yaddah, yaddah.

                      Most of these writers are easily identifiable with questions like, "Can you write a script with an unlikeable character as the main character?" because anyone who has lived enough life knows that this is a NO to begin with.

                      Who in there right mind -- In real life OR in a story -- Wants to spend time with someone they CAN'T stand who has NO redeeming qualities whatsoever?

                      That's a no brainer.

                      These writers are also the ones who crank out the "grizzled, burnt-out hitman" or "burt-out-divorced-cop" crime noir movies (ala Tarantino) because not only is it safe... It DOESN'T require them to have actually lived life enough to create REAL characters.

                      Also, a lot of these same writers are younger ones as well (by definition) who are trying to write as if they've lived 50 years on this planet when they are only 18 or 19. It just does not work that way AND you can tell when they substitute cliches and stereotypes (things we've seen before) in their stories in place of REAL insight or originality.

                      (There are also older writers who do the same; Age is still a factor is my point in the truly good writers (mid-20s and beyond) and you can tell).

                      Again... FEAR of failure, FEAR of not having "what it takes" (aka Talent) and FEAR of just not being able to do something you think you have the chops/talent/need/desire/heart/whatever for is the main reaosn, I think, you get a lot of these "dumb" questions being asked.

                      I know this sounds really harsh... But I don't know how else to say it beause ultimately, in situations like this, no one really knows anything (as it relates to this biz) because you will get two, three maybe even four contradicting pieces of advice... So, where does that leave the new writer then?

                      Still "afraid" in the strictest since which limits their learning and thereby their growth in their craft. It's a vicious Catch22, but I don't see how one can really "stop it" (if there is even a "solution") given the dynamics of how it is set up (newbie; afraid; question; advice; contradicting advice; newbie confusion; newbie fear; question, etc).

                      Comment


                      • #56
                        Re: In defense of pragmatism...

                        I usually jump in, fangs bared in forum questions like this. I always rant about the futility of chasing the market; of tailoring one's creative identity to suit some imaginary "marketplace", some imaginary "Hollywood suits" that will be pleased and satisfied by your output. I have argued that the whole concept is backwards - that writers are paid to lead executives not the other way around. We are paid to be original, because originality is the soup we're selling.

                        Yet I empathize deeply with bottomlesscup's very fair statement that he hates his day job and wants very much to be paid to write. And in that context, why is it a bad idea to not try to find out more about the "market" so he can be successful in that goal?

                        The paradoxical answer is that becoming a professional involves creating a mindset where you don't give a @#%$ whether or not anyone "approves" of what inspires you creatively. A very irritating notion to a pre-professional. "I want to succeed. I love writing and want to make money at it. How do I succeed? What should I write? What genre is most popular? What logline/title will get a studio executive's attention so they will give me money? What is the formula for "success" (as defined by being given a check in exchange for a screenplay)?"

                        The pros on this board mostly go to the PREMISE OF THESE QUESTIONS as the source of the problems. And it has to do with why you want to be a writer. If your answer is "I don't want to be a writer unless I can be a professional writer" then my response is: you are not now nor will you ever be a writer. I'm not trying to be hurtful or dismissive. It's just the truth. You cannot become great at something - ANYTHING - without the kind of infectious, permanent enthusiasm for the endeavour that persists even in the face of failure and a life of poverty. If you could accept substitute success any other high paying profession - then again, you aren't a writer and you won't be successful pursuing it professionally.

                        The hardest thing to accept is that the Becoming Great at What You Do part is a precondition to lasting financial success in the "business" of writing. I tell people again and again - the smartest people from the best schools from all over the world come to Los Angeles to try to make it in the movie business. It is harder to break in long term as a screenwriter than it is to get into Johns Hopkins Medical or Harvard Law School, and equal in difficulty to becoming a multi-year player in the NFL or Major League Baseball. It's almost as hard as becoming a congressman or an NBA player.

                        Yet who in the world has the naivete or chutzpah to announce that they'd prefer to leave their day job to be an NBA player? That they love basketball and have been told by their friends they have talent and do you know anyone that can get me into a tryout camp? Well what good does the tryout camp do if you haven't been playing balll for years and have an inborne, intuitive knack for the game and the kind of incredible chops and conditioning that come from daily practice?

                        This is what galls me. Why should success in screenwriting come more easily than in these other fields that are often less competitive? Because there is the illusion that there are no dues that need to be paid to make it as a writer, because those dues are less immediately visible than in these other pursuits. We know the steps required to become a Top Gun in the Marine Corps, or a congressman, or an NBA player. We know they involve planning, usually from an early age. We know they require commitment, usually from an early age. We know they require education (whether years on the playground or years in law school).

                        It is the SAME for screenwriters. There are no shortcuts. Tarantino and the Coens and Spielberg and PT Anderson all either went to film school or self taught themselves in so rigorous and unusual a way that they knew more about filmmaking, narrative, screenwriting, dramatic theory, editing, cinematography etc. at 16 years old then anyone on this board knows today. It's just harder to quantify, and there are fewer signposts on the way. They were not immersed in film and writing primarily because they wanted an INTERESTING JOB. They were immersed because they were SEIZED WITH ENTHUSIASM. They would have paid other people for the privilege of making movies. The last thing on their minds was what/whether they would be paid for it. Their interest was in the process itself, the game itself. The financial or professional success was an afterthought. "how do i become great" was the primary focus.


                        It's my own personal litmus test for a pre-professional. Are they more interested in their story, in rewriting, in the techniques of their most beloved genres, in the state of movies in general, in the lives and beliefs of other writers and directors? Or are they more interested in who sold what in Variety and which seminar to take and will I give their script to my agent? All of us are somewhere on the continuum. The success stories that I know of are far more on the former side of the continuum.

                        more later

                        Comment


                        • #57
                          Re: In defense of pragmatism...

                          Excellent post, Tao. It was a sobering thing to read upon getting up at 4:30 to go to my aforementioned day job. I've got a response cooking, but the steamwhistle blows and it will have to wait.

                          Comment


                          • #58
                            When Did Wanting To Make a Living Become Bad?

                            Good post, Tao...

                            BUT what you are doing is exactly what you claim is the problem:

                            You are saying that you must want to do this beyond getting paid (in the face of absolute failure and rejection) as that is what truly sets a dedicated writer aside from all the wannabes who are in this for the "wrong" reasons (just in it to get paid)...

                            But you are also, honestly, not acknowledging that this is one of THE most complex, subjective and sometimes mind boggling industries on the face of the Earth to where one MUST be thinking about some of the more commercial aspects if they truly want to be a professional working IN this particular business...

                            And it's only getting MORE COMPLICATED and commercial with all of the changes going on (social; technological; etc.) and I think considering this IS just as important as being creative and not giving a damn about what some exec wants or what others say will sell or not.

                            I do.

                            Call me a pragmatic, but to just say "throw caution to the wind" and rely on your "passion" for writing/film making is NOT enough in my opinion these days.

                            You said it yourself.

                            You've got tons of film school grads coming to HW every year who supposedly have a degree and background that sets them apart from everyone else in terms of their "passion" for making films... And yet only a handful of them make it and go on to be long term, viable forces in the biz (you didn't say that, but we know this statistic to be true).

                            These people have (had) the same passion and "fire" -- even more so -- As the ones whom you describe as the so-called "true" filmmakers/writers who wanted to be in this business... But why did (do) most of them fail?

                            Chutzpah, gall, passion, fire, gut-instinct, etc. can only get you so far.

                            Instinct, and I am sorry to say, even genuine talent can only get you so far if you don't have the connections and just plain good old LUCK on your side in a lot of cases.

                            I know you said it is different for everyone (their level of commitment and where they fall on the "reasons for doing it" spectrum)...

                            But most of us with respect to creative, artistic and other intangible goals aside... WANT TO BE PAID to do this for a living and want this to be a long term career if possible.

                            That IS one motivating factor and to completely ignore it is, in my opinion, not realistic and almost foolish on you or anyone else's part.

                            Why does wanting to be paid to do what we love all of a sudden make aspiring creative types "bad" or not as passionate as all the struggling artists out there who will never be paid even though they have the talent, gall et al. to do so?

                            Is it because writing and film making are considered "arts" and therefore, MUST be in opposition with the establishment and money men?

                            I don't get this.

                            And to me, I see this as a MAJOR cop-out and excuse as to why a lot of aspiring writers and film makers just will not bite the bullet and learn WHY they aren't getting any real response from agents, producers, etc... Because if they took the time to really look at their work, chances are, 90% it is NOT up to PROFESSIONAL LEVEL STANDARDS...

                            Yet, because it is "the arts" this rule isn't supposed to apply????

                            I am just baffled by this.

                            It is the same thing for any profession, sport, etc. where one is paid to perform.

                            If a kid can't dribble the ball down court, past the defensive line and make three point shots... Why SHOULD any pro team hire that kid and pay him/her millions of dollars a year?

                            It isn't so much balancing what we want to write with what is commercial -- And I agree, a writers number one strength IS his or her creativity and THEY are the ones whom should be dictating market trends (if there is such a thing)...

                            But this is another problem that I brought up in a separate thread a while back:

                            Mainstream Hollywood really ISN'T that creative -- BY CHOICE -- And when something truly creative comes along, they are often scared by it because they don't know if it is commercially viable, hence, 90% of the time, the writer's truly creative efforts are passed over in favor of a more familiar and cliched effort by an equally capable writer (and I'm talking about pre-pros breaking in; not pro level so much).

                            This sounds like I am making excuses now... But I'm really not.

                            The issue I am addressing and the issue you are addressing are two completely different things -- And my issue can actually be worked around in various ways if you really think about it.

                            The thing you are asserting or addressing is that only a certain few with so-called "inherent ability" can and should make it over others who don't fit into that same mold and again, I think that is dangerous for you (in general) to make such a statement because while not everyone can be Spielberg or Francis Coppola...

                            Spielberg, Coppola and their colleagues all share something with those of us whom will never make and to just arbitrarily say that talent, gall et al. is what will get you there over concerns of the film industry as a business is just wrong in my book as it is a combination of factors that go into why certain people are a success and why others fail.

                            Comment


                            • #59
                              Business sense

                              "It's my own personal litmus test for a pre-professional. Are they more interested in their story, in rewriting, in the techniques of their most beloved genres, in the state of movies in general, in the lives and beliefs of other writers and directors? Or are they more interested in who sold what in Variety and which seminar to take and will I give their script to my agent?" -- Tao

                              I think it's poosible to embody both of these types of writers. The two have to somehow meld.

                              Writing a script is an art.

                              I am by no means a professional. But I write. And write. And write. I take courses at UCLA. I read as many scripts as I possibly can, to see how people have crafted a story, how they've set it up, how they conclude it. How they interweave a and b stories throughout. I discuss storylines with people I respect, always trying to learn how to craft my scripts a little better. I have tiers of readers from spell-checkers to story people. I'm always trying to learn to be a better writer.

                              Screenwriting is a business.

                              I also go to a lot of wga seminars. I read Hollywood Reporter and Variety. I like seeing what projects different writers are working on which shows different writers are moving on to. Whose shows are being renewed. Whose have been cancelled. I read about all the pilots out there. Who's doing what. Who's been hired on what. I keep in touch with those writers I respect. And don't hesitate to ask for business advice from those who have been on the inside for a while.

                              I would think a writer should be able to write extremely well (which takes practice), but that a screenwriter has to both have business savvy and the ability to write well.

                              Of course, this is just the opinion of one who's only on the periphery...

                              Comment


                              • #60
                                Re: Business sense

                                this is a great topic. another nut shell for ya. if you don't sacrafice to become a screenwriter you will never become one. that's just how it is.

                                if you're not reading more than boobsie, vig, dues, tonyrob, bligh, writeman turnaround, revision, sc11, ham etc, and on and on, you're not making it.

                                we're fighting it out against each other and the tao's, leo's, martells, and people we don't even know.

                                I do more than any of you fukkers in my minds eye, and the only thing i can hang my hat on at the end of the day is that i'm going to make it. i'm going to make it because instead of going out to that club, doing god knows what - with god knows who. i'm tweaking my ancillary character from albania who has a cadence about him i haven't yet nailed, but when i do this mother ****ker will be the zen of all secondary characters.

                                for instance i have 85 scripts within five feet of me at this very moment, 21 grans house of sand and fog, big fish, cold mountain, last sam, dark blue, sea biscuit, lotr, red dragon, fraility, rosemarys baby, vertigo, ameerican psycho, sixth sense, mytic river, love serenade, the beautiful and the damned, the woings of the dove, all about eve, four weddings, silence of the lambs, nashiville, full monty, spanish prisioner, midnigh cowboy, the sweet thereafter, one crash, three accidents, training day, the wild bunch, boiler room, etc.. .. from scenario magazine.

                                i read twenty of these already. the only person you gotta look in the mirror when you aren't a success is yourself and the common thread with most everybody i've ever met, people have a sense of entitlement. that is horseshaite.

                                vig

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X