Backlash against the pros

[mariot]

Originally Posted by Knaight

Furthermore, I believe you said less than 30 received a consider of any kind...

Hardly 20%.

Was it really too much effort for you to check EvilRbt's own stats in his Lugnut List thread?

Now I have to post them here.

From post #1:

I read approximately 200 screenplays from Done Dealers this year. Many were definite “passes,” but a surprising number of them featured excellent writing.

From post #10:

Originally Posted by JJBones http://messageboard.donedealpro.com/...s/viewpost.gif
Question for the Mechanic: Out of curiosity, if you're willing to divulge.

Out of the 200 + scripts you read this year, how many DID you give the coveted "Full Consider" to?

And cool idea to give recognition/inspiration to a crop of writers who stood out for you.

A "full" consider? Less than 10. Consider "with reservations" for the writer and/or project? Maybe 30.

__________________

Now, he does say he gave "less than 10" a full consider, but he doesn't say how many less.

The math: 9 (?) + 30 = 39. 39 out of 200 is approximately 20%.

Instead of being snarky with me, maybe you should wonder why his numbers are so much higher than BDZ's and Derek's.

[Derek Haas]

I've wondered the same thing. "I only gave 20 'considers' out of the 300 scripts I was paid to consult on." What does that mean? I asked my agent and his assistant... If someone sends you a script and said it got a 'consider' from a consultant like The Script Mechanic, would that make you pay attention? They said "what?"

[catcon]

Originally Posted by Jeff_Shurtleff

Not a pro, meaning I have never sold anything. Have I worked directly with pros? Yes...If any of you are lucky enough to sit down and rewrite a script with a star, you'll see how they contribute.

You've voiced exactly how I hope my early sales work out -- when they come.

I'm sort of preparing for not being contracted to do the subsequent drafts, given that they probably don't want me to spend 6 months polishing my craft on their time, so they may hire a hotshot or team to finish it.

Given that possibility/likelihood, I'm aiming to take the most $$$ I can, up-front, but I don't want to RUN away with it.

I want to be around to at least observe the development of my script to the shooting script level. That'll teach me a lot more than just reading shooting scripts from the experts, because I'll be able to compare my "writer's draft" with the "shooting script" and understand the differences. I'm sure that's where I'll have my epiphany.

At least, that's the plan...

[jimjimgrande]

Originally Posted by Hamboogul

I think the "backlash" against the pros is what makes this message board more fun.

Well, it's fun for people who are otherwise entirely disconnected from the Hollywood community - where else do you get to engage and argue with a professional screenwriter?

Particularly when you can constantly keep reframing and misinterpreting their posts ad infinitum, ad nasuem, ad shutthefuckupalready

Originally Posted by Hamboogul

It's a bit like weekend softballers telling Albert Pujols and Derek Jeter how to play the game.

+infinity

[EvilRbt]

Originally Posted by joe9alt

I'm curious, Evil, why you (and really any script consultant can chime in here) use the pass, consider, recommend system? I mean when you give a script a consider are you actually considering it for anything? I understand why it's used for studio, production company, and agency coverage because those places are actually considering either the script or the writer for...something...I'm just curious as to why the script consultants mimic it? To me a system like "needs a page one rewrite," "needs a polish," and "ready to send" would make more sense. I don't know. I'm not trying to script consultant bash - lord knows I've done my share of that over the years on this site and others. I am just genuinely curious if you're actually considering a script for something when you give it a consider.

I went from 11+ years of studio reading to now reading exclusively for private clients, so I simply retained the industry standard. However, my coverage is more in-depth than studio coverage.

A full 'consider' from me means it's a movie worth producing. If I'm passionate about the concept, I'll produce it with my producing partners (we're in post on our first feature - a script by a DD'er). If it's beyond a budget range my team can pull off, I sometimes try to put it in the hands of bigger producers/reps. As much crap as analysts get around here sometimes, I genuinely try to help writers.

[EvilRbt]

Originally Posted by Derek Haas

I've wondered the same thing. "I only gave 20 'considers' out of the 300 scripts I was paid to consult on." What does that mean? I asked my agent and his assistant... If someone sends you a script and said it got a 'consider' from a consultant like The Script Mechanic, would that make you pay attention? They said "what?"

Then it's your agents loss. Instead of being dismissive of what i do, he could take advantage of my work and look at the material I've given full considers to. I've landed reps for several writers and helped another get his movie made. How many others around here have helped new scribes to that extent?

I probably won't be reading for too much longer (I'm a writer with my own stuff set up) but I'd like to continue helping scribes while I'm here.

[Storytell]

We certainly and emphatically attest to that!

[BattleDolphinZero]

Originally Posted by EvilRbt

I went from 11+ years of studio reading to now reading exclusively for private clients, so I simply retained the industry standard. However, my coverage is more in-depth than studio coverage.

A full 'consider' from me means it's a movie worth producing. If I'm passionate about the concept, I'll produce it with my producing partners (we're in post on our first feature - a script by a DD'er). If it's beyond a budget range my team can pull off, I sometimes try to put it in the hands of bigger producers/reps. As much crap as analysts get around here sometimes, I genuinely try to help writers.

I believe this. It all adds up. You started off as a reader, realized why not do it myself --I thought the same thing as a reader. Along the way you saw a few projects so good that you thought 'if I'm passing this to people I know, why not try to get something out of it and produce.' And now you're in post on your first flick.

That's all good.

I think what separates you from 99.9% of "consultants", and correct me if I'm wrong, is the fact that when you first started, you were just giving coverage. "Hey, I'm a professional reader, I'll give you my honest thoughts." You weren't dangling the "I can help your career" carrot out there, so you didn't have any financial gain in stringing people out.

But most consultants don't do that. Most will 'help you get your script to a place that it can make your career', even though they know they can't do that. Most sell dreams.

[EvilRbt]

Originally Posted by mariot

Was it really too much effort for you to check EvilRbt's own stats in his Lugnut List thread?

Now I have to post them here.

From post #1:


From post #10:

[/i]


__________________

Now, he does say he gave "less than 10" a full consider, but he doesn't say how many less.

The math: 9 (?) + 30 = 39. 39 out of 200 is approximately 20%.

Instead of being snarky with me, maybe you should wonder why his numbers are so much higher than BDZ's and Derek's.

There are some assumptions in your math. You should also take into account that I have regular clients, some of whom are semi-pro. So 2 or 3 writer 'considers' may have been awarded to one writer. If you think my service is anything other than honest and useful, feel free not to use me.

[BattleDolphinZero]

I remember on Project Greenlight, there was a moment where Matt Damon was disillusioned with the material coming in, "we started this thing because we thought 'there must be better projects out there', but, ****, maybe Hollywood DOES represent the best of the best."

I could be getting this wrong, my memory is average. But I do know that the scripts on project Greenlight were terrible. All of them. And that was a national pool with public marketing.