JAWS was shot without a script!

[p38]

Well, the headline is half-truth so you can come and read this post

I was watching a Doc last night with Steven S. and how JAWS was shot.
It turns out they had a bunch of drafts and none were good enough for Steven but the Studio already funded and they're working on it. (Don't you wonder about these 'pros' 'studios' who fund something it's not even scripted to shoot?)
Anyway, the story boards had to be scrapped because JAWS the prop didn't work and had to shoot it as you saw it in the movie. Actually the original story starring JAWS and showing it was the KEY FEATURE of the movie. So, Steven said the actual footage how they did it was a better idea than the one storyboarded.

Shooting daily and there are NO SCRIPT for the next day!
At night they worked on the next day script as a collective group.
Imagine, no script and no one knows how this will be edited. The studio boss went to location and thinking of canceling it. Steven at one point decided he wants to walk away from this project as well.
The pressure was on to shoot this in a very short time so the MARKET (public interest in the book) don't vanish, JAWS being #1 on the best seller list. Talking about BUSINESS decisions to drive the art.
If you have a chance to watch this Doc, it's worth your time.

So, my question is; how do you feel about your screenplay when these pros had a problem with their 'pro' screenplay ?

Are you surprised why you're not getting anywhere with your script (selling) ?

 

[rayw]

So, my question is; how do you feel about your screenplay when these pros had a problem with their 'pro' screenplay ?

Are you surprised why you're not getting anywhere with your script (selling) ?

I feel that I should retain a fairly large library of ideas for myself to utilize as appropriate opportunities arise to develop them to their best potential.

In the meanwhile I will pursue developing the easier ideas to execute as writer/director.


The following is C&Ped from an earlier post of mine:
In my research on how to write and construct a spec screenplay I noted how many films were written by established industry insiders and by those who knew someone already in the biz.
An exclusionary club, a cadre, nepotism, whathaveyou, it shouldn't be surprising - go with what you know, don't waste time looking for "the best".
It's all a crapshoot anyway in this industry.

Furthermore, I went and researched the beginnings of many many many screenwriters.
Most started out with little weenie projects.


Additionally I consistently noted the high frequency of writer directors there were for distributed films.
(If you can't get distribution... what's the point? Art for art's sake? Pfft. Yeah. Grow up).

So I went hunting for independent film sites and found IT with the intent & goal of learning the mechanics of HOW to get a film made and distributed myself because there's even less of a chance of selling a spec screenplay.


700 to 800 MPAA rated films annually
+ 500 to 600 non-MPAA rated films annually
Page 13 - http://www.mpaa.org/Resources/93bbeb16-0e4d-4b7e-b085-3f41c459f9ac.pdf

"There are an estimated 4,000 - 5,000 independent films made every single year. Here's the unfortunate truth: Less than 5% of all these movies end up with distribution."
http://www.distribution.la/
Probably not the most reliable source of intel, but it doesn't sound like complete BS.

Maybe this'll be better...
"Only about 40 of the 3,812 finished films that were submitted to Sundance this year will get any kind of distribution at all. That’s slightly over one percent. The other 98% you will never get to see – not even on Netflix."
http://www.culturalweekly.com/indie-films-state-of-the-union.html
Looks somewhat more credible.
And considering that not every indie film gets submitted to Sundance (on a lark) their 3,812 number suggests the previous distribution.la numbers were low balling the total number.
I bet it's closer to 8,000, give or take a thousand. Or two.

Lettuce move onto spec screenplays...

"I often see the figure that 40,000 (or more) scripts are written each year... " (2004 figure)
http://messageboard.donedealpro.com/boards/archive/index.php/t-7081.html

"According to the Writer's Guild of America, 55,000 pieces of literary material are registered annually, 30,00 of which are screenplays."
http://www.screenwritingtostandard.com/

"An old adage in Hollywood is that in spite of the hundreds of thousands of rejected scripts every year, a good script will find an audience. Format properly, be professional, and write a killer script, and your chances are maximized for success."
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-spec-script.htm
Perhaps a little melodramatic, but point made - it's more than a few thousand.
Certainly more than the number of never-to-be-seen feature films made.
A LOT more.


If you want to get into the film industry to sell screenplays - the easiest route is be a writer/directer for the sole reason just to get a toehold in the film business.
People are MORE interested in your film than in your screenplay(s).

This is a industry built on networking and relationships - MUCH MORE - than producing a fine product.

Four monkeys that can get a chimp eating a banana on film will do better than a genius pounding out PC/Mac thespian gold.

 

[sonnyboo]

Well, the headline is half-truth so you can come and read this post

That is more like less than 20% truth in that statement. They had a script, a complete script. Re-writing is NOT the same as having no script at all.

Shooting daily and there are NO SCRIPT for the next day!

In the case of JAWS specifically, actor Carl Gottlieb was also doing re-writes daily with Steven Speilberg to make dialogue more to his liking. They also had many days of re-writing because the mechanical shark did not work, or weather changed the scene intended to shoot, or they came up with new ideas to 'imply' the shark was there, like the barrel chase, etc.

Consider also that the film went more than 50 days over schedule and more than double the original budget. Most indie films cannot afford that amount of time or money. The script changes were made to accommodate the Force Majure, as well as mechanical failures moreso than any creative reasons based on the written material.

There is a 125 minute documentary on the making of JAWS by Laurent Bouzereau (from the 20th anniversary laserdisc, rereleased with the 30th anniversary DVD) and the book by screenwriter/actor Carl Gottlieb called THE JAWS LOG that can speak to this all in much greater detail.

So, my question is; how do you feel about your screenplay when these pros had a problem with their 'pro' screenplay ?

Are you surprised why you're not getting anywhere with your script (selling) ?

I guess you got from Spielberg's statements in the documentary only what you wanted to hear. JAWS was a #1 best selling novel. The basic premise of the movie is the same as the book, along with the name recognition of the title. The changes to the screenplay were not motivated (by your own statements) by a disliking or problem with the screenplay as written - they were forced changes by circumstance.

EVERY SINGLE MOVIE EVER MADE has 'problems' with their "pro" screenplay, whether an actor wants lines changed or a test audience hates the sad ending triggering reshoots. That is if you consider every single change to a script a 'problem'.

 

[gpforet]

This is how I understood the events as depicting in the documentary. In fact, S.S. was nearly fired and told he'd never work in the business again.

While it turned out o.k. for Steven, certainly not a model for how I would want to make a movie.

That is more like less than 20% truth in that statement. They had a script, a complete script. Re-writing is NOT the same as having no script at all.

In the case of JAWS specifically, actor Carl Gottlieb was also doing re-writes daily with Steven Speilberg to make dialogue more to his liking. They also had many days of re-writing because the mechanical shark did not work, or weather changed the scene intended to shoot, or they came up with new ideas to 'imply' the shark was there, like the barrel chase, etc.

Consider also that the film went more than 50 days over schedule and more than double the original budget. Most indie films cannot afford that amount of time or money. The script changes were made to accommodate the Force Majure, as well as mechanical failures moreso than any creative reasons based on the written material.

There is a 125 minute documentary on the making of JAWS by Laurent Bouzereau (from the 20th anniversary laserdisc, rereleased with the 30th anniversary DVD) and the book by screenwriter/actor Carl Gottlieb called THE JAWS LOG that can speak to this all in much greater detail.

 

[sonnyboo]

This is how I understood the events as depicting in the documentary. In fact, S.S. was nearly fired and told he'd never work in the business again.

Yes, and if the movie was a financial failure, I am certain he would not have worked in the business again. CLOSE ENCOUNTERS also went over budget and over schedule, as did 1941, but because it was putting his reputation and career in trouble, Steven Spielberg was determined to change that with RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. He cam in 8 days ahead of schedule and close to $1 million under budget - just to prove he wasn't always going to be expensive.

 

[directorik]

So, my question is; how do you feel about your screenplay when these pros had a problem with their 'pro' screenplay ?

Are you surprised why you're not getting anywhere with your script (selling) ?

I feel the same way I have always felt. My screenplay will be
rewritten over and over again. A screenplay is not an unalterable
blueprint where every line, every character, every location
remains unchanged. The screenplay is an ever changing, ever
growing document. The demands of actors, the interests of
producers, the creativity of the director and even the challenges
of the shooting schedule will alter the script.

The reason most scripts written do not sell is because most scripts
written are horrible.

 

[FantasySciFi]

Thanks for sharing. This echoes a discussion from another thread about needing to change scripts on the fly to meet production realities.

Simply writing on spec will not get you very far. Like any business, you need to get recognized from the inside. If a writer wants to succeed, they should get started with an agency as a reader. It will vastly improve their own writing. This will also get them networked. If you can get an internship or write for a TV program (even though you're an unnamed minion often), it also hammers in the craft.

Echoing Directorik, the reason most scripts go nowhere is they're not particularly good. An often unpalatable but true fact. Some bad scripts do get through but, as Rayw mentioned, this is also a business of nepotism.

The best bet of is being writer/director. It just takes a couple pebbles to start an avalanche. The GOOD NEWS is that Vimeo, youTube, and other video sites make it possible to showcase productions much easier than in the past. Just like people can now market their own music or books without major recording labels and publishers. Obviously they big guys still have muscle, but getting noticed by them is becoming easier.

Again, cool post.

 

[sonnyboo]

Let's not even discuss the editing process and its affect on the script. Ever hear of "deleted scenes"? Can you imagine that people shoot whole scenes or lines of dialogue that don't make it into the final movie? The writer must me an idiot and the screenplays a total failure!

 

[Ponty301]

An often unpalatable but true fact. Some bad scripts do get through but, as Rayw mentioned, this is also a business of nepotism.

If you don't mind me butting in, but I have become scared of this. Nepotism.

It seems as the years go on, the big wigs in Hollywood are looking to their own sons and daughters, family friends, and friends of close family friends more now than before. It worries me because even with all this free exposure (YouTube, Vimeo, etc) it seems the studios, big or small, don't want to take a risk on an unknown. They're making a ton of money off of all these horrible cliche action, thriller, you name it films and by putting the money in the hands of close friends. I know its been about who you know rather than what you know but it seems to be only who you know now more than ever.

Hollywood is milking all these aging great directors until they die. then what will they do? wheres all the great new talent to replace them?

Thanks for reading my rant on the subject. I'm sure there are many holes

 

[sonnyboo]

I agree with you for the most part, but I think nepotism has ALWAYS been a part of the big business of Hollywood. Jack Warner didn't get started without the other 6 Warner Brothers. Producer of JAWS Richard Zanuck cashed in on his father's empire at 20TH CENTURY FOX to have clout to produce movies.

And as frustrating as it seems, the business half of "Movie Business" has almost always been slanted in that direction. DIE HARD 5 (in production now) will make a profit because it has a lower risk. Ask any investor which one they'd rather bet on - the tried and true blue chip or the upstart technology stock. Sure you MIGHT win more money, but it is less LIKELY (not impossible) than the proven formula.

See also the latest BOURNE movie coming out.... you know, the one with no JASON BOURNE character in it...

 

[p38]

All good comments, thanks.

BTW Sonnyboo, I never said there was no script... I said 'shooting script' for the next day and so on. Unless you know something the Doc didn't say. I only know what I saw in the doc

Yeah, I understand this nepotism thing...and all studios have a 'rule' against this happening.
Yeah, right.
That only applies if you're a grunt on the lot. So what else is new.

 

[sonnyboo]

BTW Sonnyboo, I never said there was no script... I said 'shooting script' for the next day and so on.

Shooting daily and there are NO SCRIPT for the next day!

Imagine, no script and no one knows how this will be edited.

Sorry, I misunderstood because you actually never said "shooting script", which is still inaccurate. They HAD a shooting script, but had to change the plan because of technology not working or because of weather, etc. I think we just have a misunderstanding as to what terminology actually means. Just because they changed the script does not mean they never had a shooting script.

You can read several drafts of JAWS online, including the original Peter Benchley draft. The structure of the story, and probably 75% or more of the movie was not changed from that.

http://home.online.no/~bhundlan/scripts/Jaws_later-unspecified-draft.htm
http://www.weeklyscript.com/Jaws.txt
http://www.horrorlair.com/scripts/jaws_late_draft.txt

Unless you know something the Doc didn't say. I only know what I saw in the doc

See the aforementioned book, as well as 2-3 others on the subject of making the film, as well as an alternate documentary called THE SHARK IS STILL WORKING. No studio movie gets greenlit without a shooting script, even if they change 90% of it and hire script doctors during the entire process (which happens).

 

[Dleo]

I love writing screenplays--for the simple fact that your imagination can do anything. But in reality you only have so much time and money.

I've found that when you make movies there's actually three movies--

The one you write
The one you shoot
and the one you edit.

Sure the scrrenplays your guide your bible while your making a film, but many times-- what's on the page doesn't end up on the screen -- for all sorts of reasons location, money, actors can't do something in screenplay. So you have to shoot differently then what's in the script--but still trying to keep the changes as close to the screenplay as possible. Then when you sit down to edit you end up editing differently then you thought it was going to workout. That's why I always say there's 3 movies...