Screenwriting survey

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  • Screenwriting survey

    As a full time advertising copywriter and part time screenwriter with numerous options and development deals under my belt (over the past 24 years), I thought it might be fun to conduct a screenwriting â€survey†based on my own observations. There are no right or wrong answers; I just thought it would be interesting to see what everyone thinks in terms of their writing and careers. Here goes...

    1. What three qualities - other than the obvious talent, persistence and thick skin - do you think a screenwriter needs to be successful?

    2. Which of the qualities above do you possess?

    3. Are you a strong writer in general? How would you honestly describe your writing ability - aside from screenwriting?

    4. What is your greatest strength as a writer/screenwriter?

    5. What is your greatest weakness?

    6. On a 1 to 10 scale with 10 being the best, how would you rank your screenwriting ability at the present time?

    7. What part of the process do you enjoy the most? What part do you dislike the most?

    8. How long on average do you spend writing a screenplay before submitting it to a producer/agent?

    9. How commercial do you believe your concepts are? Do you think your ideas are truly â€high concept†by todayâ€TMs standards?

    10. How thick is your skin? How well do you take criticism?

    11. How easily encouraged are you? How easily discouraged are you?

    12. If you had to pick one movie/screenplay that you would like to emulate in your own screenwriting, what would it be?

    13. Realistically, what do you think your chances are of succeeding as a full time screenwriter?

    14. In terms of priorities in your life, where would you rank screenwriting? What ranks ahead of it?

  • #2
    I am sure you are totally cool - but this sounds a little too much like a Cosmo survey for me...the questions are oriented to invite people to puff themselves up, when the bottom line is: writing is about humility. Humility every day before the blank page.

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    • #3
      The survey is meant to be about reality.

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      • #4
        A lot of these questions were already answered in the GET TO KNOW YOUR DONE DEALERS series in One On One.

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        • #5
          you first

          do the "survey," copywriter and please do include info about your numerous options and development deals, which may be useful to us.

          Comment


          • #6
            Fair enough. I'll go first...

            1. What three qualities - other than the obvious talent, persistence and thick skin - do you think a screenwriter needs to be successful? I think a screenwriter needs to be:
            a. Empathetic
            b. Perceptive
            c. Flexible

            2. Which of the qualities above do you possess?
            I think I'm naturally empathetic and perceptive. Flexibility is something I've had to learn through writing for advertising clients.

            3. Are you a strong writer in general? How would you honestly describe your writing ability - aside from screenwriting?
            I always wanted to be a writer...ever since fifth grade when I started submitting ideas to MAD Magazine. Copywriting came first...then screenwriting. I've also been a journalist and published my own newspaper. So I would say that I'm a good writer. Perhaps better in other areas then screenwriting.

            4. What is your greatest strength as a writer/screenwriter?
            My strong sense of empathy.

            5. What is your greatest weakness?
            Sometimes my dialogue can be too "on the nose." I attribute this to the TV and radio commercial copy I've written -- which in many cases has to be direct and concise due to time constraints.

            6. On a 1 to 10 scale with 10 being the best, how would you rank your screenwriting ability at the present time?
            I would give myself a 6.

            7. What part of the process do you enjoy the most? What part do you dislike the most?
            I enjoy the writing itself. I hate the marketing.

            8. How long on average do you spend writing a screenplay before submitting it to a producer/agent?
            Three to four months if I'm writing full time. Six to nine months if I'm doing it part-time.

            9. How commercial do you believe your concepts are? Do you think your ideas are truly â€high concept†by todayâ€TMs standards?
            I think my concepts are very high concept. In fact, I develop log lines even before I start the screenplay to make sure it sounds commercial enough. I've done mass mailings with queries before and received a 15% request rate on average. Unfortunately, my execution often doesn't live up to the idea(s).

            10. How thick is your skin? How well do you take criticism?
            Again, thanks to my advertising career, I've learned to have a real thick skin and take criticism well. I've learned that it's a business -- whether copywriting or screenwriting -- and you have to listen to the one paying the bills.

            11. How easily encouraged are you? How easily discouraged are you? I'm no longer encouraged easily by Hollywood folk. I think that it's true that they'll encourage you to death in Hollywood. I've also learned that a relative few in the movie business can actually get a movie made. So I'm not encouraged by a producer, or even an agent telling me how great my work is. Show me the money (and let's make sure that check clears). Also, I'm not discouraged easily. I'm at the point where it doesn't mean that much to me. I enjoy screenwriting and still do it -- but if I don't get produced, so be it.

            12. If you had to pick one movie/screenplay that you would like to emulate in your own screenwriting, what would it be?
            THE GRADUATE. Also, SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISHER and CINEMA PARADISO.

            13. Realistically, what do you think your chances are of succeeding as a full time screenwriter? Slim to none.

            14. In terms of priorities in your life, where would you rank screenwriting? What ranks ahead of it? When I was in my 20's, it was the top priority. Now it's down the list below family & friends, health, my real job/career, etc.

            Bottom line: I think I have things in perspective now. I've had options and development deals with companies including HBO/Cinemax, Kings Road, Baumgarten-Prophet, Hollane, and many more -- but I've seen how difficult it is to get something made. I was at a screenwriting conference a couple of years ago and saw a woman stand up and say that she gave up her real job so she could concentrate on screenwriting full time -- all because some producer had offered her some encouragement. I thought that was pretty sad. I hope screenwriters out there on this thread remain enthusastic, yet keep it in perspective. That's all.
            Let's hear from more of you.

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            • #7
              I appreciate your honesty, copywriter.

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              • #8
                OH, heck, why not?

                1. What three qualities - other than the obvious talent, persistence and thick skin - do you think a screenwriter needs to be successful?

                (a)Knowledge of the way the world works.
                (b)A working knowledge of the English language/grammar.
                (c)Perception (good one, copywriter)

                2. Which of the qualities above do you possess?

                I'd say I have a pretty good idea of grammar and punctuation. I do believe I'm perceptive, if for no other reason than because I'm told so all the damn time. Of course, I'd like to think I know the way the world works, but in a lot of ways, at 19 years old, I suppose that's my weak point. I'm too young to fully understand life.

                3. Are you a strong writer in general? How would you honestly describe your writing ability - aside from screenwriting?

                Depends on what I'm comparing myself to. If you take the average Joe and set him up against me, sure, I'd score a bit above him. But I wouldn't dare say I'm on the same level as half of the people on this board.

                4. What is your greatest strength as a writer/screenwriter?

                I'd say layering of plot and character conflicts. One conflict on top of another on top of another...makes for intense storytelling.

                5. What is your greatest weakness?

                Probably youth.

                6. On a 1 to 10 scale with 10 being the best, how would you rank your screenwriting ability at the present time?

                A mid-way 5.

                7. What part of the process do you enjoy the most? What part do you dislike the most?

                The part I enjoy the most? The first ten pages. The part I dislike the most? The stage in-between having written the piece and getting up the balls to let someone read it.

                8. How long on average do you spend writing a screenplay before submitting it to a producer/agent?

                n/a

                9. How commercial do you believe your concepts are? Do you think your ideas are truly â€high concept†by todayâ€TMs standards?

                Honestly, not very. I hope to sort of bridge the gap, if you know what I mean.

                10. How thick is your skin? How well do you take criticism?

                When I first came to the board, I was a little resistant, but I've grown a stomach for it. Absolutely.

                11. How easily encouraged are you? How easily discouraged are you?

                Easily encouraged, not easily discouraged. But that's just because I'm stubborn.

                12. If you had to pick one movie/screenplay that you would like to emulate in your own screenwriting, what would it be?

                American Beauty. My original inspiration to start screenwriting, only a short time ago. I've written other mediums before, and I was startled at how clean the script was. I refer to it continuously. Man, I really am a youngin'.

                13. Realistically, what do you think your chances are of succeeding as a full time screenwriter?

                Honestly, I'd say that my chances (while not statistical) are actually pretty good. I really feel I can do it.

                14. In terms of priorities in your life, where would you rank screenwriting? What ranks ahead of it?

                Screenwriting's up there with the top things. God, and a few other obligatory priorities win over.

                Comment


                • #9
                  1. What three qualities - other than the obvious talent, persistence and thick skin - do you think a screenwriter needs to be successful?
                  1) humility
                  2) hard work
                  3) low self esteem

                  2. Which of the qualities above do you possess?
                  All three, I think of myself as a no talent hack, thus I have to work hard to compete with all of you with much more talent, creativity, connections, and understanding of the craft than I.
                  3. Are you a strong writer in general? How would you honestly describe your writing ability - aside from screenwriting?
                  No talent hack, but persistant and prolific

                  4. What is your greatest strength as a writer/screenwriter?
                  Stuborness
                  5. What is your greatest weakness?
                  Craft issues
                  6. On a 1 to 10 scale with 10 being the best, how would you rank your screenwriting ability at the present time?
                  1

                  7. What part of the process do you enjoy the most? What part do you dislike the most?
                  I enjoy the entire process, or I wouldn't of left another career to pursue this.
                  8. How long on average do you spend writing a screenplay before submitting it to a producer/agent?
                  Six months
                  9. How commercial do you believe your concepts are? Do you think your ideas are truly â€high concept†by todayâ€TMs standards?
                  Not commercial at all, I don't have the ability to do anything to a large audiences liking.
                  10. How thick is your skin? How well do you take criticism?
                  Very thick skinned, I look for mean spirited nit picky type of criticism of my work
                  11. How easily encouraged are you? How easily discouraged are you?
                  The giant chip on my shoulder is all the encouragement I need, not discouragable.

                  12. If you had to pick one movie/screenplay that you would like to emulate in your own screenwriting, what would it be?
                  Either Annie Hall or Hairspray

                  13. Realistically, what do you think your chances are of succeeding as a full time screenwriter?
                  Slim to none, just the type of odds I like

                  14. In terms of priorities in your life, where would you rank screenwriting? What ranks ahead of it?
                  High, very little ranks above it, I'm simply not good enough to have any outside interests

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