Taking an assignment or not

Collapse

Announcement

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

  • Taking an assignment or not

    Okay, so you get invited to meet with a creative exec who says she/he likes your writing style. During the meeting the CE pitches a story idea that he/she thinks you may do well with. However, the story pitch gets you about as excited as the thought of chewing on tin foil. You feel like you just can't connect with it. Maybe due to the subject matter, or whatever, but it just doesn't sound like something you would work well with and can get passionate about.

    Oh, and you aren't Shane Black, you're a writer with some great samples, but no sales or assignments.

    How do your respond to something like that?
    My first crack at a logline usually makes a great synopsis!

  • #2
    Re: Taking an assignment or not

    Do you actually mean assignment, as in they want to pay you to write it?

    Or is the CE pitching you his or her pet idea, so you can go away and come up with a take and then if they love it you'll go around and pitch it to money people together, hoping that someone will want to buy it?

    If it's the first, I would take it and make it work. If it's the latter, and I really couldn't get a grip on the concept, I would bow out. Takes are a lot of work even when you like the idea. (But I have pitched on plenty of stuff I thought was pretty stupid: if nothing else, it's good practice.)

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Taking an assignment or not

      Originally posted by corduroy View Post
      Do you actually mean assignment, as in they want to pay you to write it?

      Or is the CE pitching you his or her pet idea, so you can go away and come up with a take and then if they love it you'll go around and pitch it to money people together, hoping that someone will want to buy it?

      If it's the first, I would take it and make it work. If it's the latter, and I really couldn't get a grip on the concept, I would bow out. Takes are a lot of work even when you like the idea. (But I have pitched on plenty of stuff I thought was pretty stupid: if nothing else, it's good practice.)
      Good advice, Corduroy.

      Too many CEs waste "young" writers' time with their pet-projects. They'll ask you to come up with a take on some article or book they read and it'll never go anywhere.

      If there's no money on the table and you're not responding to the concept, politely decline.
      NOTES / COVERAGE
      15,000+ Screenplays
      [email protected]

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Taking an assignment or not

        Good point. The question is more along the lines of they are looking for a writer to hire.

        Originally posted by corduroy View Post
        Do you actually mean assignment, as in they want to pay you to write it?

        Or is the CE pitching you his or her pet idea, so you can go away and come up with a take and then if they love it you'll go around and pitch it to money people together, hoping that someone will want to buy it?

        If it's the first, I would take it and make it work. If it's the latter, and I really couldn't get a grip on the concept, I would bow out. Takes are a lot of work even when you like the idea. (But I have pitched on plenty of stuff I thought was pretty stupid: if nothing else, it's good practice.)
        My first crack at a logline usually makes a great synopsis!

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Taking an assignment or not

          Originally posted by ChipC View Post
          Good point. The question is more along the lines of they are looking for a writer to hire.
          If this is a matter of taking a paid assignment and you are a relatively unknown writer without sales and options (as mentioned) you NEED to take it and make it work.

          I'm saying this with the assumption you do not have assignments piled up to choose from.

          Good luck!

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Taking an assignment or not

            It's a no-brainer if you genuinely believe there will be money on the table -- take the concept, make it your own, and pitch the hell out of it to the Exec.

            Be clear -- whoever set up the meeting for you needs to find out if this is a genuine opportunity, otherwise the Exec. is blowing smoke and getting you to develop something for free.

            If it's all legit, you pitch it like it was the best movie you ever saw. Rehearse it until it's second nature. Do not give them any kind of leave-behind (if they want product, they have to pay for it -- and in any event, it's THEIR idea). Keep the pitch short and sweet, hitting all the major plot points and character moments. You don't want to be in there an hour (even if it is friendly and amiable). 20-30 minutes and then let the Exec. decide how much after-chat he wants. If you go over time during the pitch or have a feeling at any point during the process that you're doing the Exec. a favor, you're losing professionalism and respect. This is somebody you're going into business with (prospectively). Treat it as such.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Taking an assignment or not

              Originally posted by ChipC View Post
              Okay, so you get invited to meet with a creative exec who says she/he likes your writing style. During the meeting the CE pitches a story idea that he/she thinks you may do well with. However, the story pitch gets you about as excited as the thought of chewing on tin foil. You feel like you just can't connect with it. Maybe due to the subject matter, or whatever, but it just doesn't sound like something you would work well with and can get passionate about.

              Oh, and you aren't Shane Black, you're a writer with some great samples, but no sales or assignments.

              How do your respond to something like that?
              Your reps should be doing recon on whether or not this is a legit opportunity and worth your time -- what do they say?
              "I hate to break it to you but there is no big lie. There is no system. The universe is indifferent.- - Don Draper

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Taking an assignment or not

                Originally posted by joe9alt View Post
                Your reps should be doing recon on whether or not this is a legit opportunity and worth your time -- what do they say?
                This. This this this.

                And re: "Taking" the assignment... If it's a real studio/prodco job, you're gonna have to do a TON of work and beat out a slew of other writers.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Taking an assignment or not

                  If you're not excited about the concept/idea, what quality work do you expect to turn in?

                  Don't think that's helping out your career.
                  "I talked to a couple of yes men at Metro. To me they said no."


                  http://wagstaffnet.blogspot.com/

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Taking an assignment or not

                    Originally posted by C.C.Baxter View Post
                    If you're not excited about the concept/idea, what quality work do you expect to turn in?

                    Don't think that's helping out your career.
                    Paying bills helps. You make it work.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Taking an assignment or not

                      Originally posted by nuvuefilms View Post
                      Paying bills helps. You make it work.
                      I hear ya!

                      Just make sure you see some $$ up front. That's the next nightmare.
                      "I talked to a couple of yes men at Metro. To me they said no."


                      http://wagstaffnet.blogspot.com/

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Taking an assignment or not

                        Disagree with the people saying take the assignment and make it work.

                        If you truly have NO connection to the material, if as you say it's like biting on tin foil, there's no way you're going to turn in a draft that anyone is happy with.

                        So, you'll get some money and get fired off the project and the exec will go around telling everyone how you wiffed it.

                        Worth it?
                        ==========

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Taking an assignment or not

                          I've been given a couple of projects as potential assignments which I didn't warm to. One was a book that I kind of hated BUT I did come up with a way to make it work and was quite clear about that in my 'take'. The other was a rewrite and again, I was very frank in my take and expressed clearly what didn't work and what my 'take' would be. I think the only thing you can do in these scenarios is to find a way of making it work that you would be happy with and if they agree then at least it won't feel like purgatory writing the thing and you won't feel you've sold out.
                          Blog: http://writinglounge.blogspot.com
                          Email: kidcharlemagne108[at]yahoo[dot]co[uk]

                          "What is your greatest ambition? To become immortal and then die." - Breathless

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Taking an assignment or not

                            Mmmm... Chewing on tin foil... For money, I would develop a taste for it. But then again, I am a writing whore.
                            LinkedIn Profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/josephluna
                            Blog:S#ARP NOTES
                            Twitter: http://twitter.com/josephdluna

                            Comment

                            Working...
                            X