Perusing through the threads here Iâ€TMve noticed
a trend in these loglines. The concepts are
too high.
Yes, I know what youâ€TMre thinking, thatâ€TMs what
Hâ€TMwood wants and thatâ€-s what you like. Besides,
studios ainâ€TMt buying REBECCA OF SUNNYBROOK
FARM knock-offs. True. But theyâ€TMre also not
buying science fiction or fantasy either. Not
from first time writers. Hell, theyâ€TMre NOT
buying SF/Fantasy from ANY spec writers.
Why?
For one thing this genre is too expensive to
produce and requires too much exposition
for the audience. When considering SF/
Fantasy, studios would prefer to buy
properties with presold recognition to
ensure a presold audience who doesnâ€TMt
need a lot of exposition.
Scripts taking place in the here and now
that feature SF/Fantasy twists are also out
of favor. But donâ€TMt believe me, just read the
interviews with the writers on this site. Most
of their stories are grounded in reality in the
here and now.
David H. Steinberg wrote a script called ALL
EARS that had a fantasy twist. Didnâ€TMt sell.
For his next script he decided to lower the
concept and produce material in the here
and now. His script, SLACKERS, sold easily.
Hâ€TMwood needs marketable concepts but time
travel, vampires, zombies, werewolves, space
operas are easy (lazy) ideas that execs can
come up with themselves and hire A-list
writers to scribble.
From spec writers, studios expect novel
concepts that feel fresh but universal.
Unique but generic. Something that might
cause them to say, â€why hasnâ€TMt anyone
done this before?†This is not easy when
not resorting to SF/Fantasy spins and
that's why scripts that nail it, sell.
There are exceptions of course, but go
check the database of sold specs.
How many were SF/Fantasy versus lower
concept, here and now scenarios?
Another thing, H'wood wants scripts with
themes. I admit, this for me was probably the
hardest pill to swallow. Gulp.
Y'see, most writers (guys) want to write
ainâ€TMt-it-cool movies for ourselves and our
buddies. PULP FICTION, TERMINATOR, THE
MATRIX etc. Unfortunately, Hâ€TMwood wants
warm (not cool) spec screenplays. So, you
need to invest your cool genre script with
warm, touchy feely emotions that will paint
your story with a gild of universality and
purpose (or weight), otherwise your script
may not pass the smell test.
Frequently, producers are submitted screenplays
with great concepts, cool set pieces, and sharp
dialogue but they will not hesitate to dismiss
them as having no story if one of the characters
doesnâ€TMt have a coming-of-age experience before
page 120. (note: your script still must have a
cool concept and be in one genre thatâ€TMs easily
definable as either action, comedy, or thriller).
On the flipside, many female writers invest too
much emotion and focus on internal conflict
rather than external friction. Every scene
should be either an argument or one character
trying to get something from the other during
that particular scene. Find a concept for a movie
your boyfriend/ husbandâ€TMs friends would go see
(at least on date) e.g. INDECENT PROPOSAL,
LEGALLY BLONDE, YOUâ€TMVE GOT MAIL. Not THE
HOURS.
For scribes who write ainâ€TMt-it-cool scripts, Iâ€TMd
recommend trying to write a picture your motherâ€TMs
friends and/or her female co-workers would enjoy.
This is what Adam Herz did with AMERICAN PIE.
He took PORKYS and gave it heart. Likewise,
LETHAL WEAPON, presented a brooding, suicidal
hero shook up after losing his wife. A long way
from James Bond and RAMBO.
It all starts with the idea, the concept, the
premise, whatever you call it, itâ€TMs the most
important part of the screenwriting process.
Rx
a trend in these loglines. The concepts are
too high.
Yes, I know what youâ€TMre thinking, thatâ€TMs what
Hâ€TMwood wants and thatâ€-s what you like. Besides,
studios ainâ€TMt buying REBECCA OF SUNNYBROOK
FARM knock-offs. True. But theyâ€TMre also not
buying science fiction or fantasy either. Not
from first time writers. Hell, theyâ€TMre NOT
buying SF/Fantasy from ANY spec writers.
Why?
For one thing this genre is too expensive to
produce and requires too much exposition
for the audience. When considering SF/
Fantasy, studios would prefer to buy
properties with presold recognition to
ensure a presold audience who doesnâ€TMt
need a lot of exposition.
Scripts taking place in the here and now
that feature SF/Fantasy twists are also out
of favor. But donâ€TMt believe me, just read the
interviews with the writers on this site. Most
of their stories are grounded in reality in the
here and now.
David H. Steinberg wrote a script called ALL
EARS that had a fantasy twist. Didnâ€TMt sell.
For his next script he decided to lower the
concept and produce material in the here
and now. His script, SLACKERS, sold easily.
Hâ€TMwood needs marketable concepts but time
travel, vampires, zombies, werewolves, space
operas are easy (lazy) ideas that execs can
come up with themselves and hire A-list
writers to scribble.
From spec writers, studios expect novel
concepts that feel fresh but universal.
Unique but generic. Something that might
cause them to say, â€why hasnâ€TMt anyone
done this before?†This is not easy when
not resorting to SF/Fantasy spins and
that's why scripts that nail it, sell.
There are exceptions of course, but go
check the database of sold specs.
How many were SF/Fantasy versus lower
concept, here and now scenarios?
Another thing, H'wood wants scripts with
themes. I admit, this for me was probably the
hardest pill to swallow. Gulp.
Y'see, most writers (guys) want to write
ainâ€TMt-it-cool movies for ourselves and our
buddies. PULP FICTION, TERMINATOR, THE
MATRIX etc. Unfortunately, Hâ€TMwood wants
warm (not cool) spec screenplays. So, you
need to invest your cool genre script with
warm, touchy feely emotions that will paint
your story with a gild of universality and
purpose (or weight), otherwise your script
may not pass the smell test.
Frequently, producers are submitted screenplays
with great concepts, cool set pieces, and sharp
dialogue but they will not hesitate to dismiss
them as having no story if one of the characters
doesnâ€TMt have a coming-of-age experience before
page 120. (note: your script still must have a
cool concept and be in one genre thatâ€TMs easily
definable as either action, comedy, or thriller).
On the flipside, many female writers invest too
much emotion and focus on internal conflict
rather than external friction. Every scene
should be either an argument or one character
trying to get something from the other during
that particular scene. Find a concept for a movie
your boyfriend/ husbandâ€TMs friends would go see
(at least on date) e.g. INDECENT PROPOSAL,
LEGALLY BLONDE, YOUâ€TMVE GOT MAIL. Not THE
HOURS.
For scribes who write ainâ€TMt-it-cool scripts, Iâ€TMd
recommend trying to write a picture your motherâ€TMs
friends and/or her female co-workers would enjoy.
This is what Adam Herz did with AMERICAN PIE.
He took PORKYS and gave it heart. Likewise,
LETHAL WEAPON, presented a brooding, suicidal
hero shook up after losing his wife. A long way
from James Bond and RAMBO.
It all starts with the idea, the concept, the
premise, whatever you call it, itâ€TMs the most
important part of the screenwriting process.
Rx
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