Franklin Leonard

[jroger]

Re: Franklin Leonard

Foo Fighters rule! Can't we just make fun of one person at a time please? Thank you.

Sorry, Bono. You're absolutely right. About keeping it simple, that is, not about the Foo Fighters

I don't know if you've seen the "RIGBY" episode of Silicon Valley, but that is basically what I'm getting at here.

If Craig Mazin wants to keep it real what he *should* say is something like:

Franklin Is Great, But You know (FIGBY)... he's lining his pockets on the hopes and dreams of aspiring writers and providing little or no value in return.

[Bono]

Re: Franklin Leonard

I feel like Franklin Leonard is kind of like the Dave Grohl of screenwriting. Seems like a nice guy, very enthusiastic, almost like an evangelist for his chosen field. Hard to talk smack about someone like that... but damn his band sucks.

Foo Fighters rule! Can't we just make fun of one person at a time please? Thank you.

[Friday]

Re: Franklin Leonard

Slightly OT: But has to do with creatives...

I attended the reading of someone my ex represented (maybe she still does, no idea) the movie's first letter is "W".

Client read from this book. Audience mostly friendly looking older people.

THEN... she decides to read from one of her other books. DARK. AS. ****. This is a scene that has her getting ass raped. I'm like "Bro... holy sh!t... is this the right audience for this?"

POINT: Creatives have that deep compulsion to be honest. The best one's anyway. Which circles back to Charlie. He was honest. And people loved him for it.

I'd rather be honest and fail, offend people (I'm doing that right now with this current project) than LIE and be FAKE. Pointless...

Old people probably are fine with that darker stuff more than you think. I sit in these arthouse Laemmle theaters and when trailers of some pretty dark out there stuff plays, I look around to the old people and they seem intrigued.


It takes a special mind to think outside the box like that. You see scientists and artists come up with stuff that never really occurred to anyone. I don't know if you watched this show Survivor. There was this one challenge where Ozzy came up with a solution that was within the rules but it never occurred to the challenge makers that designed it that they could do it that way. He ended up saving loads of time and just dominated.

[GucciGhostXXX]

Re: Franklin Leonard

Slightly OT: But has to do with creatives...

I attended the reading of someone my ex represented (maybe she still does, no idea) the movie's first letter is "W".

Client read from this book. Audience mostly friendly looking older people.

THEN... she decides to read from one of her other books. DARK. AS. ****. This is a scene that has her getting ass raped. I'm like "Bro... holy sh!t... is this the right audience for this?"

POINT: Creatives have that deep compulsion to be honest. The best one's anyway. Which circles back to Charlie. He was honest. And people loved him for it.

I'd rather be honest and fail, offend people (I'm doing that right now with this current project) than LIE and be FAKE. Pointless...

[GucciGhostXXX]

Re: Franklin Leonard

It's like handing a song to Mozart and Mozart just comes out with this amazing thing that you could never have thought of. Charlie I recall had said that he wasn't good in a room or something to that effect in an interview. And I remember a manager in an interview quipped that you don't have to be awkward like Charlie Kaufman. But, his awkwardness almost works better for him. It's like this genius that you want to nurture and almost chase down to get him to interpret your stuff. I can picture him as that tortured writer in Adaptation actually earnestly trying to adapt the Orchid Thief at first, then realizing that he couldn't...then writing about that. The hack writers must be the successful writers he knows that writes for those commercial movies.

That's what I FUKKIN LOVE about that movie. It's about a really smart, creative dude backed into corner by people in suits... so he fukkin gives up (kinda). Meaning: he says "You know what would be MORE interesting? Me telling you the TRUTH about how I failed to conform to the Hollywood machine. I don't know how to do that... I honestly don't. Sorry, I tried. So instead you get THIS. And this is exactly what it feels like for us writers who aren't PLAYERS versed in the game, but actual creatives."

I think Susan saw that and thought "This is REAL... I love it!" Fitting our creativity through the eye of their (suits) needle is excruciating at times. Round hole MEET square peg.

Agreed. I would have loved to see her face after she read FADE TO BLACK:

Yup, good writers gain confidence by people RESPONDING to their work. Suddenly they're viewed as 'good in a room' even though theoretically they're not.

[Friday]

Re: Franklin Leonard

The Charlie Kaufman thing brings up the thought of perception. If you perceive a writer as being someone that can deliver and give you more bang for your buck. A lot of the really good writers I already have a perception that they really know what they're doing from reading their stuff. So when I've seen them speak in person, even if they feel awkward, in the back of my mind I still respect what they have to say. I can imagine reps and executives having gauge this.

[Friday]

Re: Franklin Leonard

And I would have loved to be a fly on the wall to see Susan's many reactions to it. Heck, I'd love to have seen the studio people's reaction to seeing that movie.

[Friday]

Re: Franklin Leonard

Yeah, super cool experience. I can't think of another one like it in all these years.

After FADE TO BLACK: I was like HOOOO-LY SHIIIIIIT! WHAT??? WHO DOES THAT??? That was fukkin awesome!

It's a legendary example of how differently a talented writer's brain works vs studio execs. I think Susan respected that once she got over the shock of it.

I also remember the head of Columbia said on stage "When we got the script in, there was immediate buzz in house... everyone told me "YOU HAVE TO FUKKIN READ THIS IMMEDIATELY! IT'S BRILLIANT! But, just know, going into the read, that you're going to be shocked by what he did with it." He also said something to the effect of "When you get a script in that's this brilliant, you have no choice but to make it. Even though it's not what we paid for. Because it far BETTER than what we could have ever imagined."

I believe there was a standing ovation when the house lights came on.

Speaking of good in a room: I don't super recall, but I think Charlie was too nervous to attend his own screening (a room full of top agents etc) and declined to attend, as this was the first time the film was screened for anyone.

I imagine him sitting in a room at home wringing his hands and watching the clock knowing his film is being screened for the first time RIGHT NOW. He's waiting for the call from his agent, panicked "Are they hating it?" I imagine him compulsively pulling out the script and going over it yet AGAIN! Even though it's already shot, just to keep pace with the screening "Oh yeah, THAT, part... will they hate that?" Glances to clock. "Yeah, the screening is right around this page right now, fukk!"

Agent calls him the second it's over: "Hey Charlie... Standing ovation. They loved it. Go pour yourself a drink. This is gonna be up for Oscars." Charlie with "I'm already drunk."

I made all that up, but I imagine some version of that night playing out for him.

Although, I feel like Susan may have been present.

It's like handing a song to Mozart and Mozart just comes out with this amazing thing that you could never have thought of. Charlie I recall had said that he wasn't good in a room or something to that effect in an interview. And I remember a manager in an interview quipped that you don't have to be awkward like Charlie Kaufman. But, his awkwardness almost works better for him. It's like this genius that you want to nurture and almost chase down to get him to interpret your stuff. I can picture him as that tortured writer in Adaptation actually earnestly trying to adapt the Orchid Thief at first, then realizing that he couldn't...then writing about that. The hack writers must be the successful writers he knows that writes for those commercial movies.

[GucciGhostXXX]

Re: Franklin Leonard

Don't you just love it when a writer surpasses your expectations? You hand them the Orchard Thief and they come up with something that's so outside the box you can't believe it. If I were the Orchard Thief writer, I'd be thrilled too... it's now going to be a masterpiece that's going to live on in film lore. Being John Malkovich was brilliant, but I thought Adaptation topped it. Nic Cage and his twin hack writer brother just made me laugh so hard. His twin brother gives him the most hacky cliched story ideas ends up more successful than this tortured serious artist, lol. That must play in real life so often. It's nice that you got to experience that.

Yeah, super cool experience. I can't think of another one like it in all these years.

After FADE TO BLACK: I was like HOOOO-LY SHIIIIIIT! WHAT??? WHO DOES THAT??? That was fukkin awesome!

It's a legendary example of how differently a talented writer's brain works vs studio execs. I think Susan respected that once she got over the shock of it.

I also remember the head of Columbia said on stage "When we got the script in, there was immediate buzz in house... everyone told me "YOU HAVE TO FUKKIN READ THIS IMMEDIATELY! IT'S BRILLIANT! But, just know, going into the read, that you're going to be shocked by what he did with it." He also said something to the effect of "When you get a script in that's this brilliant, you have no choice but to make it. Even though it's not what we paid for. Because it far BETTER than what we could have ever imagined."

I believe there was a standing ovation when the house lights came on.

Speaking of good in a room: I don't super recall, but I think Charlie was too nervous to attend his own screening (a room full of top agents etc) and declined to attend, as this was the first time the film was screened for anyone.

I imagine him sitting in a room at home wringing his hands and watching the clock knowing his film is being screened for the first time RIGHT NOW. He's waiting for the call from his agent, panicked "Are they hating it?" I imagine him compulsively pulling out the script and going over it yet AGAIN! Even though it's already shot, just to keep pace with the screening "Oh yeah, THAT, part... will they hate that?" Glances to clock. "Yeah, the screening is right around this page right now, fukk!"

Agent calls him the second it's over: "Hey Charlie... Standing ovation. They loved it. Go pour yourself a drink. This is gonna be up for Oscars." Charlie with "I'm already drunk."

I made all that up, but I imagine some version of that night playing out for him.

Although, I feel like Susan may have been present.

[GucciGhostXXX]

Re: Franklin Leonard

I feel like Franklin Leonard is kind of like the Dave Grohl of screenwriting. Seems like a nice guy, very enthusiastic, almost like an evangelist for his chosen field. Hard to talk smack about someone like that... but damn his band sucks.

Ha!

[jroger]

Re: Franklin Leonard

Craig Mazin hates all contests. Scripts consultants. Final Draft software - which is fine really. I get it others are better customer service... anyway... 99.9% of that stuff. There was only 1 thing I recall him not making fun of on his podcast. And you can guess what service that is off this thread...

I feel like Franklin Leonard is kind of like the Dave Grohl of screenwriting. Seems like a nice guy, very enthusiastic, almost like an evangelist for his chosen field. Hard to talk smack about someone like that... but damn his band sucks.

[Friday]

Re: Franklin Leonard

Oops... I misquoted Suzan Orlean.

Real quote:

Having been submitted the screenplay for approval, Susan Orlean was strongly opposed to the making of the film; she ended up reluctantly approving its production, and was ultimately very impressed with the final result. In 2012, she stated "[reading the screenplay] was a complete shock. My first reaction was 'Absolutely not!' They had to get my permission and I just said: 'No! Are you kidding? This is going to ruin my career!' Very wisely, they didn't really pressure me. They told me that everybody else had agreed and I somehow got emboldened. It was certainly scary to see the movie for the first time. It took a while for me to get over the idea that I had been insane to agree to it, but I love the movie now."


However, I heard she loved the movie back then. That she was basically like WTF? But ultimately dug it. Although, I don't want to put words in her mouth.

But, I can imagine how utterly shocked she must have been. I'd be like "Dude... WHAT???... this guy jerks off to my book photo... seriously... WHAT???"


Oh and... Columbia not Sony.

LOL. Charlie Kaufman is inspired. He goes where you're afraid to go.

[Friday]

Re: Franklin Leonard

Right?

There's those writers you just KNOW are going to deliver something special. So it's worth the "risk" to THEM.

Speaking of Adaptation. I was there the night they screened it for the first time at CAA. The head of (who was it, Sony?) got up and praised it. Said "I've never gotten up and spoken about a film, but I'm making an exception. This is NOT the film we hired Charlie to write, but once we read it, we knew we had to make it." It was the feeling of 'I'm about to see something special.' The author of the Orchid Thief read his draft before they made it, she loved it. Essentially "This is art... this is not my book, but this is art." She was happy with it.

I feel like my ex had something to do with it, repped the book, helped? Don't remember. I could be wrong. My memory is sh!t.

But, that was kinda one of those special nights for me. It was a rare moment of unbridled artistry that rarely happens in this soul sucking town. I fukkin LOVED the film. And to this day it's one of my favorite film scores. Clint Mansell? Fukking perfect score!

The good old days...

Don't you just love it when a writer surpasses your expectations? You hand them the Orchard Thief and they come up with something that's so outside the box you can't believe it. If I were the Orchard Thief writer, I'd be thrilled too... it's now going to be a masterpiece that's going to live on in film lore. Being John Malkovich was brilliant, but I thought Adaptation topped it. Nic Cage and his twin hack writer brother just made me laugh so hard. His twin brother gives him the most hacky cliched story ideas ends up more successful than this tortured serious artist, lol. That must play in real life so often. It's nice that you got to experience that.

[GucciGhostXXX]

Re: Franklin Leonard

Oops... I misquoted Suzan Orlean.

Real quote:

Having been submitted the screenplay for approval, Susan Orlean was strongly opposed to the making of the film; she ended up reluctantly approving its production, and was ultimately very impressed with the final result. In 2012, she stated "[reading the screenplay] was a complete shock. My first reaction was 'Absolutely not!' They had to get my permission and I just said: 'No! Are you kidding? This is going to ruin my career!' Very wisely, they didn't really pressure me. They told me that everybody else had agreed and I somehow got emboldened. It was certainly scary to see the movie for the first time. It took a while for me to get over the idea that I had been insane to agree to it, but I love the movie now."


However, I heard she loved the movie back then. That she was basically like WTF? But ultimately dug it. Although, I don't want to put words in her mouth.

But, I can imagine how utterly shocked she must have been. I'd be like "Dude... WHAT???... this guy jerks off to my book photo... seriously... WHAT???"


Oh and... Columbia not Sony.

[GucciGhostXXX]

Re: Franklin Leonard

That's the best explanation I've heard. Thanks. Yeah, I'd pretty much trust Charlie Kaufman to just go and write his stuff, after reading his scripts like Adaptation and Being John Malkovich. And I'd definitely trust James Cameron on whatever he wants to do. I guess when writers think about being good in a room, they are thinking they need to be this larger in life character that's electrifying. What I saw with the professional writers were that they seemed to be normal people (a little on the awkward side), but did seem to know what they were talking about--like they had a way with words.

Right?

There's those writers you just KNOW are going to deliver something special. So it's worth the "risk" to THEM.

Speaking of Adaptation. I was there the night they screened it for the first time at CAA. The head of (who was it, Sony?) got up and praised it. Said "I've never gotten up and spoken about a film, but I'm making an exception. This is NOT the film we hired Charlie to write, but once we read it, we knew we had to make it." It was the feeling of 'I'm about to see something special.' The author of the Orchid Thief read his draft before they made it, she loved it. Essentially "This is art... this is not my book, but this is art." She was happy with it.

I feel like my ex had something to do with it, repped the book, helped? Don't remember. I could be wrong. My memory is sh!t.

But, that was kinda one of those special nights for me. It was a rare moment of unbridled artistry that rarely happens in this soul sucking town. I fukkin LOVED the film. And to this day it's one of my favorite film scores. Clint Mansell? Fukking perfect score!

The good old days...