Life Of A Screenwriter

[muckraker Member Find all posts View Profile Close muckraker]

Very cool article by screenwriter Colby Day on Medium detailing his past year as a writer -- all the various pitches, meetings, networking, collaborations, paydays, etc. mapped out by month. It really shows the chutzpah it takes to keep putting food on the table as well as the rollercoaster experience of success and rejection as an active, working professional.

https://medium.com/@colbyday

[figment Member Find all posts View Profile Close figment]

Thinking out loud --

Seems so haphazard, chasing after people that don't know what they want. Even after he's pitched it to them and got the go-ahead to write the pilot (or short, or whatever) for FREE, then they don't want it anyway.

I always feel like true creativity is something that comes from within you, something deep you can bring out to make something special. This all seems to be from the outside -- frantic, and flimsy, and trying to take orders from people that aren't communicating what they want.

Then you have to ask -- would these people giving the greenlight to another pitch or outline or pilot even recognize something special if they had it? Probably not.

Would it be better to spend a good half of that year creating something on spec that you actually liked and were excited about? Something you took time with, that was solid? If you're doing it all for free, anyway -- you at least own your spec.

[Bono Member Find all posts View Profile Close Bono]

That's how I look at it figment. I'm still "breaking in" but I chased some of these things and I don't see how the reward is better vs just having your own spec. I feel like all the people I know that broke in -- first did so via their own spec. Now what happens when you are in and chasing assignments, well I can understand going after Spiderman So Far From Home We Can't See Our House as it's a huge movie, but in general, I still think controlling your own destiny is best.

The goal is to get to on the ilst where they say, yeah Bono, yeah figment, we want YOU to punch up our spec for 2 weeks as it's about to be shot in Toronto. Got to get to that pint where you aren't pitching them, but they are looking to the writer to HELP THEM.

[grumpywriter Member Find all posts View Profile Close grumpywriter]

Very cool article by screenwriter Colby Day on Medium detailing his past year as a writer -- all the various pitches, meetings, networking, collaborations, paydays, etc. mapped out by month. It really shows the chutzpah it takes to keep putting food on the table as well as the rollercoaster experience of success and rejection as an active, working professional.

https://medium.com/@colbyday

Oh my God - thanks for sharing this. Great article, but... also quite sad. And that's AFTER becoming a "working" screenwriter. To quote another screenwriter I know: "I'm so happy I don't have to make a living doing this."