Controversial Pitches

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  • Controversial Pitches

    What are the most controversial ideas you've pitched (ie, hot-button issues - abortion, religious, teen sex and violence, etc), and how did it go?

  • #2
    Re: Controversial Pitches

    i heard a couple writers around the watercooler talking about a remake of meatballs with a red palmed priest, hitler and Screech as camp counslors

    i think it's dead in the water though.
    You only get one chance to rewrite it 100 times.

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    • #3
      Re: Controversial Pitches

      Yeah, shock comedy is too easy.

      I'm talking drama that deals with these types of issues. Teenage abortion, school shootings, that type of ****.

      Anyone ever have the balls to pitch something in this territory on a major prodco/studio level?

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      • #4
        Re: Controversial Pitches

        Recently, I've mentioned the word "Pedophile" in a thriller pitch. I received some awkward looks from execs.

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        • #5
          Re: Controversial Pitches

          I have a horror western, and when I pitched it and killed off all of the leads but one violently, it was not greeted with a positive response.

          Best pitch I ever heard about - and CE was there so he can verify - was at Las Vegas Screenwriting Conf - the woman whose husband was a practical joker, one day he did this whole drawn out heart attack thing. So she video taped him, waiting for him to move. Had their kid change tapes and operate the camera. After 3 days, he smelled bad - and she realized he wasn't faking the heart attack and was dead. She *showed the tape* as her pitch!

          - Bill
          Free Script Tips:
          http://www.scriptsecrets.net

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          • #6
            Re: Controversial Pitches

            Oh - Bill. Seriously?

            Lips - Some of the exec notes I received on my comedies seemed to indicate the oddest (and in my case benign) things may appear controversial, depending on the exec.
            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.-

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            • #7
              Re: Controversial Pitches

              You can always place your controversial themes in another world and make them easier to swallow. Sci-fi can explore themes that straight-up dramas can't, because they take place "somewhere else" with creatures that may not be "actual human beings." Plus, you can then add kick-ass visuals to distract from the serious issues that most people find to be a major drag

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              • #8
                Re: Controversial Pitches

                I don't think controversial stories lend themselves to being pitched because they are so execution dependent.
                https://twitter.com/#!/moviewriterJeff

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                • #9
                  Re: Controversial Pitches

                  In my Showtime movie, I had the daughter comment on the Mom's PMS. Somebody took offense to that, so I changed it to "hormonally challenged."

                  http://www.pjmcilvaine.com/

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                  • #10
                    Re: Controversial Pitches

                    Originally posted by mrjonesprods View Post
                    I don't think controversial stories lend themselves to being pitched because they are so execution dependent.

                    Yeah, I hear you.

                    Damn this biz!

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Controversial Pitches

                      Originally posted by mrjonesprods View Post
                      I don't think controversial stories lend themselves to being pitched because they are so execution dependent.

                      Just wanted to touch on this again, and make a distinction.

                      Jeff, are you saying you would shy away from including any hot button or controversial elements from a story if pitching at that level, even if the entire script doesn't hinge on that element being implemented, just the third act/climax?

                      For example, if you got the gig to rewrite a Twilight script in which Bella gets knocked up by homeboy's creature-of-the-night-sperm and found that the best angle you could take on the story - in service to theme, character arcs, and drama in general - is a back alley abortion of the little sucker.

                      You came up with other takes on the material, but all pale in comparison to one with the controversial element. Would you be more inclined to pitch the less controversial takes at the expense of story, so as to not look like an out of touch writer with no business savvy?

                      Obviously, studios are not going to like the abortion angle.

                      And this isn't the most appropriate example, as Summit distributed Twilight themselves as far as I know.

                      But say this future installment is at Summit with distribution through Warner Brothers?

                      Would you even bother trying the controversial angle out on Summit to see if they have the balls to take it to Warner's?

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Controversial Pitches

                        Originally posted by ihavebiglips View Post
                        Just wanted to touch on this again, and make a distinction.

                        Jeff, are you saying you would shy away from including any hot button or controversial elements from a story if pitching at that level, even if the entire script doesn't hinge on that element being implemented, just the third act/climax?

                        For example, if you got the gig to rewrite a Twilight script in which Bella gets knocked up by homeboy's creature-of-the-night-sperm and found that the best angle you could take on the story - in service to theme, character arcs, and drama in general - is a back alley abortion of the little sucker.

                        You came up with other takes on the material, but all pale in comparison to one with the controversial element. Would you be more inclined to pitch the less controversial takes at the expense of story, so as to not look like an out of touch writer with no business savvy?

                        Obviously, studios are not going to like the abortion angle.

                        And this isn't the most appropriate example, as Summit distributed Twilight themselves as far as I know.

                        But say this future installment is at Summit with distribution through Warner Brothers?

                        Would you even bother trying the controversial angle out on Summit to see if they have the balls to take it to Warner's?
                        I was referring to the idea of taking a controversial story (without source material) and pitching it to studios in hopes they would buy the pitch.

                        If you're up for a rewrite or adaptation job, I think you have to pitch the story the way you see it. If it includes a hot button item, but it's truthful to the story you want to tell - then let the chips fall where they may. But it's also not a bad idea to say, "if the studio won't go for this element due to its controversial nature, here's another idea..."

                        Luckily, as a comedy guy, this isn't something I have to deal with.
                        https://twitter.com/#!/moviewriterJeff

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Controversial Pitches

                          Luckily, as a comedy guy, this isn't something I have to deal with.
                          what, no pedophiles in your comedy?

                          methinks any flick with serious controversial issues need to be pitched to an independent producer who isn't squeamish about doing things that make people squirm uncomfortably.
                          ie -
                          the woodsman - pedophile kevin bacon
                          L.I.E. - pedophile brian cox
                          anything by todd solondz
                          birth - pedophile nicole kidman
                          did you know that ellen page castrated a pedophile in hard candy?

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                          • #14
                            Re: Controversial Pitches

                            Is abortion really that controversial? I can almost see why a pedophile story would make the industry wary -- but then again, right now the cable news is talking a San Diego girl being raped and murdered by a registered sex offender/pedophile who was released from jail even after a psychiatrist said he was a danger to society.
                            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


                            • #15
                              Re: Controversial Pitches

                              anybody see a flick called Zoo? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0874423/
                              i nearly freaked when they actually showed 2 seconds of video where this man was taking it.... by a horse. no joke. it was real. i don't recommend it for the squeamish.

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