Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

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  • Re: Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

    Originally posted by omjs View Post
    I have to ask how productive it is to tell people they're probably just not good enough. What's the purpose of that? I feel like I see this a lot on screenwriting forums - lots of "If you can't do/handle X, you have no place in this business" and "If you're getting rejected, it's probably because your script sucks."

    It's true that many (most) people won't be successful in this business, and there are definitely a lot of people trying who just plain aren't very good at this, so I'm not denying the reality. I've read a lot of awful amateur scripts too. I just wonder what the point of hammering it into people all the time is. If people are overrating themselves so much, they won't believe you anyway, and it discourages everyone else unnecessarily. It just seems to me it's better to give constructive feedback if you're up for it, and otherwise just let people fail if they're going to fail.
    Don't worry. Most of the time people who are discouraging are just scared of the competition

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    • Re: Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

      Originally posted by JoeBanks View Post
      We get it
      Problem is, there are way more people who don't get it.

      Everyone is looking for that magical piece of advice. They get in fights over whether or not putting unfilmables in your script will make an agent/development exec throw your script out the window. The have debates about where exactly on page 10 your inciting incident has to happen.

      How do you get an agent/sell a screenplay? There's only two answers.

      #1 - Have amazing connections. I'm not talking know a guy who is a PA at a production company. I mean have a dad that directed the Ghostbusters movies.

      #2 - Write something so amazing that everyone who reads it wants to pass it on to someone else. Not something that's "good" or "nearly there." You need to be able to give this script to your writer friends, and the only note they say is "I wish I wrote this."

      Neither of those 2 things true for you? Keep writing. Keep reading. Keep improving. Sure, you might be able to get a manager or agent before that point, but then what? You have another mediocre script to start floating around Hollywood?

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      • Re: Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

        I would never tell anyone they suck, that would never, ever be my feedback. Do I think you need to tell yourself that you suck? Dam right. Suck is only a moment in time, not an eternal sentence. Right now there's a young writer out there that sucks, and in about six years she/he will be a very talented writer. It doesn't even matter if you suck. Own it. Once you own it, get passed it. If you never own it, you'll never get passed it. You'll waste way more time than you have to sucking at it.

        Remember, you'll think you know how to write for the screen way, way, way ,way before you actually can.

        I know there are lifers here that are tired of hearing me, but there are also a ton of younger writers that are doing all the same poor/ineffective habits that will have them linger in mediocrity for a longtime or perhaps forever.

        And sucking at screenwriting does not = unintelligence. You're not dumb because you can't pick up the craft. I feel like people get insulted when you challenge their plot choices or character depth. Young writers are so quick to believe they have their story all figured out, which really prevents them from figuring it all out.

        Don't take the ADD approach to development. That's when you continually jump from project to project without ever seeing any of them through to the end. This will work if you are a friggin Rain Man type writer, but if you are not then you are making things take so much longer then they have to.

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        • Re: Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

          Here's my only rule. Ignore any writer who doesn't know the difference between passed and past.

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          • Re: Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

            Congratulations, you found the answer.

            I guess I must be the only writer to interchange homonyms in a quickly written post that is not edited.

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            • Re: Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

              Originally posted by BillWilliams12345 View Post
              Here's my only rule. Ignore any writer who doesn't know the difference between passed and past.
              Tarantino is notorious for spelling errors/typos in his scripts. I think he's brilliant, but if you think he should be written off and ignored, that's a bold statement.

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              • Re: Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

                Originally posted by UnequalProductions View Post
                Tarantino is notorious for spelling errors/typos in his scripts. I think he's brilliant, but if you think he should be written off and ignored, that's a bold statement.
                You're defending Cyfress? He's a misery troll. He failed, and instead of just walking away, he's determined to make everyone as unhappy as he is. F that dude.

                My friends are all positive young people who love this business. The people who bitch about how it's impossible or rigged or everything sucks are poison.

                Write great stuff. Get it out there. Repeat.

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                • Re: Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

                  Originally posted by BillWilliams12345 View Post
                  You're defending Cyfress? He's a misery troll. He failed, and instead of just walking away, he's determined to make everyone as unhappy as he is. F that dud.
                  I just hate it when people pick out typos instead of responding to content.

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                  • Re: Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

                    Originally posted by BillWilliams12345 View Post
                    You're defending Cyfress? He's a misery troll. He failed, and instead of just walking away, he's determined to make everyone as unhappy as he is. F that dude.

                    My friends are all positive young people who love this business. The people who bitch about how it's impossible or rigged or everything sucks are poison.

                    Write great stuff. Get it out there. Repeat.
                    While I think cyfress's heart is in the right place I agree the endless negativity and generalised lectures to 'amateurs' are neither constructive nor helpful.

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                    • Re: Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

                      A Misery Troll? LOL. That's funny given I'm 6'1 and 275 lbs. Why is what I am saying negative? Because it bursts your little fantasy bubble you're writing in? You are right I did fail at writing an impactful, powerful screenplay. I'm not ashamed to admit it, but screenwriting was not a waste of time for me. The development skills I honed during the writing process, I used them to start my own company three years ago. I developed three digital products over those three years and then pitched the company to an investor that agreed to give me 300k for 40% of the company. our first product hits the web July 1st, and my patent attorneys tell me that they think they can work out a licensing deal for me on our first product. One of the other products is a character driven 3D game that some top game publishers are looking at right now. My investor tells me I'm a few years I will be a millionaire.

                      I owe it all to screenwriting.

                      I'm not being negative, I'm issuing a wakeup call to those who really want to do it, and also I'm here to say the harder you work, the more skills you will hone, and you will see that these skills have other applications than just screenwriting.

                      Dont make negativity and reality synonyms. I'm being real, not negative.

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                      • Re: Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

                        Troll isn't a size reference. What's your first language?

                        Dude, it's awesome that someone told you that in three years you'll be a millionaire. I'd totally believe them.

                        But my point is this. If you've moved on from screenwriting, then move on. Your "reality" isn't my reality.

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                        • Re: Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

                          Ok, Dude. Thanks, Dude.

                          What's my first language ?

                          I hope you're not using the same stilted, cliche banter in your scripts. That was weak.

                          You let me know when someone writes you a check for 300k for something you developed, dude. Maybe you and Spicolli can catch some killer waves after Mr. Hands history class.

                          If what I say makes no sense to you, why do you read it?

                          A writer may say that the subtext of your anger is from what I am saying is hitting home for you, and you're in denial.

                          I'm not ready to move on, I still hope to find time to give that perfect script another shot.

                          Thanks, though Brian.

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                          • Re: Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

                            Middle East relations
                            Republicans-Democrats
                            Blacklist arguments

                            Crack open an ice cold IPA (or Belgian Tripel). Talented or not don't matter when we're all drunk on a Friday. Cheers!

                            Comment


                            • Re: Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

                              Just give me a 30 pack of miller lite. Does the same thing.

                              Comment


                              • Re: Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

                                Just in case you're unfamiliar with the lingo--

                                Internet Troll - Definition:

                                A person whose sole purpose in life is to seek out people to argue with on the internet over extremely trivial issues. Such arguments can happen on blogs, Facebook, Myspace and a host of others. The best thing you can do to fight an internet troll is to not answer or report them.
                                I'm never wrong. Reality is just stubborn.

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