This is a bit of a strange question, and please forgive the length, but I'm hoping maybe somebody has had a similar experience. Everything I write is generally praised for possessing a strong and unique voice, but the nature of this voice leads to a lot of choices in my scripts that aren't exactly conducive to commercial viability. Because of this, I seem to be in some type of endless cycle where I get an open door from a manager who finds the writing unique, but inaccessible, then that person ultimately becomes tired of reading multiple scripts that, while enjoyable for his tastes, are ultimately a waste of time. At that point, I find another who feels the same way, and it obviously culminates in the same result: mentions of a unique voice, comparisons to David Lynch (and the occasional Charlie Kaufman), and no script that can actually get me anywhere. I get the same reaction whether I write endless drafts or send them out right after hitting save on the first one. It also goes without saying my concepts and loglines are affected in the same way.
I would do anything to change my view of the world to accommodate, but I spent my childhood watching my alcoholic mother sway back and forth across the living room with a red Solo cup full of gin, swearing to God she hadn't been drinking, while my genius, under-achieving father would smoke pot from aluminum-foil pipes and talk to me about advanced theories in physics when I was five years old. My world has always been a little surreal, ridiculous, and teetering on the brink of implausibility, so this is the only honest way I know to write.
Of course, like anyone, there are other issues with my writing, but this is the one that is mentioned by everyone who reviews my work. To combat this, I tried writing something "normal", and it was a disaster, easily the worst screenplay I've ever written. I also thought a switch from thriller to comedy might be such a huge change that I could escape the strange voice for broader sensibilities, but reviews on my first two in scripts in that genre (from the Black List) have scored no better than 6 overall with comments like, "The writer's unique voice and sensibility are refreshing."...the anything-but-the-kitchen-sink style garnered more than a few big laughs" ... "...a lot of fun" ... "...admittedly quite funny." ... "... makes for some engaging sequences." ... "...aims for the low-hanging fruit in pretty hilarious fashion." ... and, back to my point, negating all of the positive aspects, "A lot of the choices that could be praised above also lead to the script's weaknesses."
That last quote is a perfect summary of the way I write. So, if my greatest strength is also my biggest weakness, what do I do to correct this? Do I need to accept there's no room for me in the industry as a screenwriter and make my own film? I really don't want to quit, as it seems there's at least some merit to my scripts. Has anyone else faced this type of scenario? If so, what did you do to steer the ship in the right direction? Thanks for reading.
I would do anything to change my view of the world to accommodate, but I spent my childhood watching my alcoholic mother sway back and forth across the living room with a red Solo cup full of gin, swearing to God she hadn't been drinking, while my genius, under-achieving father would smoke pot from aluminum-foil pipes and talk to me about advanced theories in physics when I was five years old. My world has always been a little surreal, ridiculous, and teetering on the brink of implausibility, so this is the only honest way I know to write.
Of course, like anyone, there are other issues with my writing, but this is the one that is mentioned by everyone who reviews my work. To combat this, I tried writing something "normal", and it was a disaster, easily the worst screenplay I've ever written. I also thought a switch from thriller to comedy might be such a huge change that I could escape the strange voice for broader sensibilities, but reviews on my first two in scripts in that genre (from the Black List) have scored no better than 6 overall with comments like, "The writer's unique voice and sensibility are refreshing."...the anything-but-the-kitchen-sink style garnered more than a few big laughs" ... "...a lot of fun" ... "...admittedly quite funny." ... "... makes for some engaging sequences." ... "...aims for the low-hanging fruit in pretty hilarious fashion." ... and, back to my point, negating all of the positive aspects, "A lot of the choices that could be praised above also lead to the script's weaknesses."
That last quote is a perfect summary of the way I write. So, if my greatest strength is also my biggest weakness, what do I do to correct this? Do I need to accept there's no room for me in the industry as a screenwriter and make my own film? I really don't want to quit, as it seems there's at least some merit to my scripts. Has anyone else faced this type of scenario? If so, what did you do to steer the ship in the right direction? Thanks for reading.
Comment