New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

[sc111]

Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

The guy who got that blind deal earlier, I bet he wasn't asked if he had made $25K in screenwriting. Because it's stupid! It should ONLY be about the writing.

The downside of the "only about the writing" argument is it brings us back to the opinion there's no need for diversity programs because it's "only about the writing." Round and round we go.

Edited because I did not clearly make my point. 'Scusa.

[mgwriter]

Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

Don't think the $25k is major issue. Unless you have verifiable produced wga credits, or you go around telling people how much you've made, no one's really going to know whether you made $26k or $1.

$25k limit probably there to discourage people who are actively making a living as writer from applying.

[GI_Jeep]

Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

I haven't posted anything on the blacklist yet. Is there some function that identifies race and gender? What constitutes diversity?

I apologize if this has been answered elsewhere.

[grumpywriter]

Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

Would a 30-something male Jew be considered part of this "underserved" bunch? I'm racking by brain trying to think of any Jewish males working in Hollywood today...

[LIMAMA]

Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

I should become a black transgendered midget who lives off the grid.

[jcpdoc]

Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

I'm sure I'll get shouted at for not understanding the injustice that some feel this opportunity represents, but I'm perplexed by the objections here. It's not like Warner Bros. is closing any doors or windows or excluding those who are ineligible for consideration from pursuing other means of access. And it's not like BL is disenfranchising or changing the game for any writers currently hosting or planning to host scripts. A small window is being opened and not everyone is invited to line up to pass through it. Shouldn't we all be glad for every window that gets opened?

[sc111]

Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

The $25K seems like an arbitrary number to me. Is it gross or net? Has it been adjusted for inflation? It's kind of silly.

Perhaps exclude former and current members of the WGA. That would eliminate anyone who has, or once had, a fledgling career but somehow fell off the train for reasons other than institutional gender and minority bias.

Otherwise you can have people arguing to move that figure up and down for whatever reason. Just like they did with the BL cutoff at an 8-rated script.

[sc111]

Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

I'm sure I'll get shouted at for not understanding the injustice that some feel this opportunity represents, but I'm perplexed by the objections here. It's not like Warner Bros. is closing any doors or windows or excluding those who are ineligible for consideration from pursuing other means of access. And it's not like BL is disenfranchising or changing the game for any writers currently hosting or planning to host scripts. A small window is being opened and not everyone is invited to line up to pass through it. Shouldn't we all be glad for every window that gets opened?

Actually, I agree with you 100%. Besides, we're talking about blind deals for only four (4!) writers over a two-year period. Two per year equals Four! Did I mention it was four?

That's not exactly opening the floodgates. Instead of nit-picking, let's hope it's so wildly successful all the other studios get with the program.

[canela]

Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

Very big news, particularly for diverse screenwriters.

We've partnered with Warner Bros to identify diverse screenwriters to receive a two-step WGA minimum blind scriptwriting deal.

Details via Deadline: http://www.deadline.com/2013/07/warn...-served-demos/

Great news! Congratulations on making things happen. Thanks for your extraordinary efforts.

[LIMAMA]

Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

Actually, I agree with you 100%. Besides, we're talking about blind deals for only four (4!) writers over a two-year period. Two per year equals Four! Did I mention it was four?

That's not exactly opening the floodgates. Instead of nit-picking, let's hope it's so wildly successful all the other studios get with the program.

Hey, as has been pointed out on other pages on Facebook, this is a business endeavor, Franklin is going to make money off this and it's great publicity.

[sc111]

Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

Hey, as has been pointed out on other pages on Facebook, this is a business endeavor, Franklin is going to make money off this and it's great publicity.

I was including myself, and my own posts, in the nitpicking charge, PJ. Not singling you out.

That aside, I don't understand the 'business endeavor/profit/publicity' point as it relates to my ill-phrased post, as you quoted. I'm confused.

[mgwriter]

Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

The $25K seems like an arbitrary number to me. Is it gross or net? Has it been adjusted for inflation? It's kind of silly.

Perhaps exclude former and current members of the WGA. That would eliminate anyone who has, or once had, a fledgling career but somehow fell off the train for reasons other than institutional gender and minority bias.

Otherwise you can have people arguing to move that figure up and down for whatever reason. Just like they did with the BL cutoff at an 8-rated script.

Exactly, which is why some people may "adjust" their own earnings to fit under the $25k limit, I mean who's going to know, really? Except your lawyer, reps and maybe the producer who paid you over $25k. But are any of them really going to rat you out?

Nobody will even question it unless the person is selected as a winner, which is highly unlikely, given the odds for four slots in two years.

Personally, I'd rather try my best to win first, and then, only if necessary, deal with the moral dilemma of coming clean about being slightly over the $25k arbitrary limit. That's IF I was one of those aspiring writers who are over the $25k limit, which of course I am not.

Win first, worry about technicalities later. Minority and women writers already face too many obstacles to employment to be concerned with some arbitrarily set dollar amount. As Al Davis used to say, "just win, baby!"

[LIMAMA]

Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

Susan, I wasn't disagreeing with you. Far from it. I'm just pointing out, as has been said on posts on FB, that this was a very smart move by Franklin. Diversity program! Everyone gets great publicity. Franklin makes money too. And the four writers (however diverse they are according to the rules), great for them. The only thing I disagree with is the income requirement. Nicholls raised theirs, yes, but it's still too low. A couple of decent options and assignments/rewrites would put you out of this.

[Hamboogul]

Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

Susan, I wasn't disagreeing with you. Far from it. I'm just pointing out, as has been said on posts on FB, that this was a very smart move by Franklin. Diversity program! Everyone gets great publicity. Franklin makes money too. And the four writers (however diverse they are according to the rules), great for them. The only thing I disagree with is the income requirement. Nicholls raised theirs, yes, but it's still too low. A couple of decent options and assignments/rewrites would put you out of this.

For all those people who earned over $25k via legitimate Hollywood companies, ask your past employers or buyers for referrals. The reality is that those who earned good money with legit production companies have greater access to Hollywood than those who earned none.

I am genuinely befuddled that people are complaining about a partnership that seeks to give 4 undiscovered writers opportunities to get discovered by one of the best studios in the world.

And lastly, there are plenty of ways to break in. The Black List and Hollywood should not be doing all the heavy lifting to get someone noticed.

[sc111]

Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

Susan, I wasn't disagreeing with you. Far from it. I'm just pointing out, as has been said on posts on FB, that this was a very smart move by Franklin. Diversity program! Everyone gets great publicity. Franklin makes money too. And the four writers (however diverse they are according to the rules), great for them. The only thing I disagree with is the income requirement. Nicholls raised theirs, yes, but it's still too low. A couple of decent options and assignments/rewrites would put you out of this.

Along the lines of what Hamboogul said, it's a diversity program for people who have no access possibly due to institutional bias against minorities and women.

If someone has had "decent" options, assignments, rewrites, they've had access. May still have access. Can get further access.

I understand it's very difficult to parlay small successes into a full-blown screenwriting career, but that's not a diversity issue, is it?

That's simply the nature of this highly competitive beast called the film industry.

As for the part about publicity for BL and Franklin making money -- so what? My experience is entrepreneurs like Franklin who make money are in a much better position to help others make money.