10 questions..

[victortiti89]

These are 10 questions about screenwriting and screenwriters. I know these are a lot of questions, but I had them for a while and feel you could help me with them. So, here they are:
1)Can you sell a screenplay to Hollywood if you live outside the United States?

2)As far as I've read, some first time screenwriters get paid a lot of money, while others get paid very little. Why is that? What makes the difference between this sums?

3)Is it compulsory to register your screenplay? What happens if you send it without registering it first?

4)What does it mean to have a manager? How is it like working/having one?

5)Do people who follow screenwriting courses or film colleges have a better chance to sell their script?

6)How do some screenwriters get to direct their own scripts?

7)Is it possible to sell a few screenplays and then you won't have to work again for the rest of your life?

8)What happens if you get a writing assignment and fail it?

9)Can you ask for a writing partner if you get a writing assignment from your agent/manager?

10)Will your agent/manager provide feed-back for your scripts until they're ready?
Thank you for reading and answering!

 

[rayw]

These are 10 questions about screenwriting and screenwriters. I know these are a lot of questions, but I had them for a while and feel you could help me with them. So, here they are:
1)Can you sell a screenplay to Hollywood if you live outside the United States?
Yes.

2)As far as I've read, some first time screenwriters get paid a lot of money, while others get paid very little. Why is that? What makes the difference between this sums?
Percentage of production cost, union rules, past history of the writer's screenplays, writer's agent skill at wrangling more money, up-front vs. back-end payment.

3)Is it compulsory to register your screenplay? What happens if you send it without registering it first?
Yes. Indicates you're a fool.

4)What does it mean to have a manager? How is it like working/having one?

5)Do people who follow screenwriting courses or film colleges have a better chance to sell their script?
Some. Not much.
Format's a basic thing.
Selling success mostly depends upon putting the right product in front of the right person at the right time.

6)How do some screenwriters get to direct their own scripts?
The know how to direct + can convince a producer to fund them.

7)Is it possible to sell a few screenplays and then you won't have to work again for the rest of your life?
About as possible to marry Ms. Universe.
Possible.
Not likely.

8)What happens if you get a writing assignment and fail it?
Hope you used a pseudonym.
Consider it being fired from a job.

9)Can you ask for a writing partner if you get a writing assignment from your agent/manager?
LOL! This isn't high-school. Write your piece, rewrite when asked, wait for it to be ghost rewritten and then disregarded by the director, producer, actors, and editors.

10)Will your agent/manager provide feed-back for your scripts until they're ready?
Some. Not much.
Don't expect too much hand-holding.
You're expected to be professional and reliable.
Guns ready to go. GO!

Thank you for reading and answering!

You're welcome.

 

[directorik]

I’ve noticed that you pose questions and almost never respond to
the answers. I never know if you even read the answers. Even
when you are asked a followup question you do not respond.

Do you read the answers? Do any of the answers help you?

 

[ChimpPhobiaFilms]

1)Can you sell a screenplay to Hollywood if you live outside the United States?

Yes, but even people who live in the US have a small chance of getting their foot in the door. You'd have much better luck selling the script to a smaller studio.

2)As far as I've read, some first time screenwriters get paid a lot of money, while others get paid very little. Why is that? What makes the difference between this sums?

Why is that? People who have more knowledge of the industry usually know when they are being cheated, name writers usually get paid more, some studios screw over screenwriters, some studios get people to rewrite the script, and give more credit to them than the original author. There are many reasons.

3)Is it compulsory to register your screenplay? What happens if you send it without registering it first?

Yes.

4)What does it mean to have a manager? How is it like working/having one?

man·ag·er
ˈmanijər/
noun
1.
a person responsible for controlling or administering all or part of a company or similar organization.

5)Do people who follow screenwriting courses or film colleges have a better chance to sell their script?

They may have the advantage of knowing more about the craft of screenwriting, but there are still thousands of screenwriters that get rejected or never responded to every year. Many amazing - even groundbreaking and powerful scripts and talented screenwriters never make their way into the industry because they either get ripped off, or never even get their script read.

6)How do some screenwriters get to direct their own scripts?

Because they are a "name". Because they have connections. Because they have directed some shorts/features before. Because of some lucky 1/1000000 chance.

7)Is it possible to sell a few screenplays and then you won't have to work again for the rest of your life?

It's possible. POSSIBLE. But why does that matter? It matters if it's likely. Nearly anything is possible, not all things are likely. What if there's a one out of a trillion chance, it's probably not likely, but it's possible! And no, most screenwriters do not write a few screenplays, then do nothing for the rest of their life.

You shouldn't focus on how great things will be, and plan your career out, you should instead write the best screenplay you right, and pick the most likely way to get into the film industry.

8)What happens if you get a writing assignment and fail it?

Are you saying if a producer wants you to write a script or a portion of a script, and they hate it? Who knows. It depends on the person. They may go all Barton Fink on you, or they'll tell you to rewrite it. It may be good, it may be bad.

9)Can you ask for a writing partner if you get a writing assignment from your agent/manager?

10)Will your agent/manager provide feed-back for your scripts until they're ready?

What Ray said.

Directorik pointed something out as well that I'm curious about. Do you take our advice, or...?

 

[victortiti89]

Yes, I always read all the replies posted to my subjects They are indeed helpful for me...

 

[IndiePaul]

Yes, I always read all the replies posted to my subjects They are indeed helpful for me...

It's always nice to reply with that. People like being thanked for the time they take to post, reply to you.

My two cents - do understand that screenwriting is an incredibly tough gig to break into - a lot more now than a decade or so ago. Spec script sales are hugely down these years and have been depressed for a number of years. That means studios are buying less original work. What the studios want is scripts that bring an already established fan base in the millions to the theaters - hence all these best selling books, comic book characters, sequels etc being green lite - not original work.

If you want to learn screenwriting, a member of this forum has a course on www.lynda.com on the topic. There is a fee for joining though.

These sites are free and excellent:

[ read the screenwriting pro articles - they have 40 or so but you don't need to read them all]
http://reelauthors.com/

[ blog of pro screenwriter John August ]
http://johnaugust.com/

 

[directorik]

I agree with IndiePaul. You never let people who take the time
to respond to you that you appreciate their time. It's kind of
nice to say so once in a while.

 

[germygerms]

>>>>1)Can you sell a screenplay to Hollywood if you live outside the United States?

Hollywood is just the name of the city hon. If Hollywood thinks it will make money they will buy it from space aliens. Hollywood is not a legal entity. {Subject to change without notice; certain restrictions apply}

>>>>2)As far as I've read, some first time screenwriters get paid a lot of money, while others get paid very little. Why is that? What makes the difference between this sums?

Hollywood nepotism for one. You know, somebody is somebody's somebody. Another is if you have a buzz around you from some kind of other work, OR someone is writing about or for a project that already has substantial buzz.

>>>>>3)Is it compulsory to register your screenplay? What happens if you send it without registering it first?

No. Likely nothing. Hollywood is full of trashcans full of screenplays that have and have not gotten registered. Forget Hollywood, write for Lloyd Kaufman over at Troma. He'll take a screenplay on a cocktail napkin.

>>>>4)What does it mean to have a manager? How is it like working/having one?

Not sure if you mean agent, business manager, "road" manager, PR person or what - they are all different. Typically a "manager" was a term used for showbiz people back when wages were unfair and before unions -- but they were in fact, your BOSS. Like a boxing manager can tell you what fights you better take, and you better take them. I don't know why anyone would want one nowadays, certainly not a writer.

>>>>5)Do people who follow screenwriting courses or film colleges have a better chance to sell their script?

No.

>>>6)How do some screenwriters get to direct their own scripts?

Either produce and direct the movie yourself, or find a producer who likes your previous work and is willing to take a chance on letting you direct. RARE for 1st time writers in Hollywood. Another example is tell sell your script a project that you are directing and need funding for, as opposed to selling a script and asking if you can direct.

>>>>7)Is it possible to sell a few screenplays and then you won't have to work again for the rest of your life?

You can sell one and never have to work again for the rest of your life.

>>>>8)What happens if you get a writing assignment and fail it?

Once you enter the market you are constantly going to be protecting your reputation. If you fail over and over you can just change your name though.

>>>>9)Can you ask for a writing partner if you get a writing assignment from your agent/manager?

Yup. They will be more than willing, because then they have two people to blame if something goes wrong and they get to collect 10% from two people instead of one if something goes right.

>>>>10)Will your agent/manager provide feed-back for your scripts until they're ready?

Again with the manager... your AGENT is there to get you work, many of them don't give a flip about showbiz --- kinda like how YOUR LAWYER doesn't care if you are innocent or guility, he is there for you to WIN - if you have an agent who renders this service they will likely farm it out to someone else, so they get 10% from them.

NP.

 

[Birdman]

victortiti89,

I will answer your all ten of your questions with a single question for you at the end of my long-winded diatribe. First here are some quotes I've pulled from posters on this forum:

(1) "Most new writers and their scripts just aren't that important"

(2) "Your vision/opinion will probably be of little interest and of even less importance to the Producer and Director"

(3) "The script is a blueprint. The spec script writer IS the architect NOT the construction team or interior designer"

(4) "your opinion is squat unless your Joss Whedon or A-list Hollywood screenwriter"

(5) "You are not writing a film, you are writing a script which may form the basis of a film!"

...As you can see, the opinion of what a scriptwriter's role in the creation of a movie is all across the board.

In one instance you are creating a blueprint. A "Blueprint" by definition is the guidelines for building something. A construction team uses a blueprint to build a house. True, they may change things along the way (add a wall, add a window, widen a closet) ...but they STILL FOLLOW THE ORIGINAL BLUEPRINT! ...That's what it's there for.

That blueprint is YOUR screenplay.

On the other hand, posters in this forum will tell you that your opinion really doesn't matter. What you put in your script is not important. "Your screenplay may form the basis of a film". In house-building terms, the blueprint created for the house you're having built "may form the basis for building your house". In other words, the building contractors take a look at your blueprints, get a few ideas from it ..and then draft up a whole new set of blueprints on what THEY think might look nice.

victortiti89, The questions you are asking look to be coming from someone who is wondering if writing a movie screenplay might be an interesting thing to do. You are wondering how hard it will be to be successful. What hurdles will you have to overcome? Who are these "managers"? Why do I need them? What if I fail? Is it worth the money to travel down the script writing path?

Everything you're asking is what anyone who ever wondered about becoming a scriptwriter has also thought. From what I have read and learned it all boils down to two basic philosophies:

(1) "If you write a great script Hollywood will find you" (Link)

(2) "If you write a great script Hollywood will find you is what people who have sold scripts say to make themselves feel special. Writing a great script isn't the hardest part; the hardest part is selling a great script to Hollywood if you're on the outside." (Link)

SUMMARY:

If you live by "Philosophy #2", then keep asking more and more questions. Keep getting feedback from the people who struggle each day to make a name for themselves. Keep networking and hope that you somehow find that special person, that "key individual", that will help you break into the market. Keep realizing that you are a small, insignificant cog in a gigantic Hollywood machine to which your chances of success are minimal at best. ...But if you focus on networking, schmoozing, joining writer's clubs, screenplay forums, locating these key people in the industry, then you will increase your chances of possibly getting a writing assignment. Take those small, calculated steps up the gigantic Hollywood corporate ladder. Squeeze by that writer who's a few rungs above you. Hard work, networking and dedication are your best option for getting there.

If you live by "Philosophy #1", then all of your questions have been answered from the very start. You have to sit your ass down and write the VERY BEST MOVIE SCRIPT you possibly can. It must consume your life. Every scene must sing to you. It must tear at the very fabric of your soul. It must haunt you day and night until you finally complete it. When you are done with it and print it out, you should feel like Moses holding the Ten Commandments. If you live by this philosophy, then you believe what you are writing is the most important element of a movie. It IS the blueprint! You believe that one day people will sit down in a movie theater next to you to watch the movie based on YOUR movie script. You believe that if you build it, they will come. You believe that if you have something you believe in so strongly that Hollywood will want it ...then all the pieces will fall into place, because that's what life is all about.



Now, you will get endless arguments regarding these two philosophies on just about every Screenplay forum you encounter. All aspects of writing a screenplay fall somewhere between these two philosophies ....but ultimately you can only serve one master. If you try to live somewhere in between, then your entire screenplay concept is a watered down philosophy. You are just another "luke warm" writer lost within the multitude of people wondering if writing a Screenplay would be the right path to take in life.

Which leads me to the question I said I would ask at the end of my long-winded diatribe:


victortiti89 ....Which philosophy are you going to live by?


-Birdman

 

[ChimpPhobiaFilms]

"If you write a great script Hollywood will find you"

Don't live by this one.

 

[Michael Bergner]

"If you write a great script Hollywood will find you"

Don't live by this one.

in fact Hollywood doesn't even read scripts from some random writer.
Almost every studio writes on their website: "Please do not mail us any scripts."

 

[Birdman]

Why don't we just let victortiti89 choose for himself?

-Birdman

 

[ChimpPhobiaFilms]

In my opinion, it's good to steer people towards the direction that has a far better chance of success.

 

[Birdman]

In my opinion, it's good to steer people towards the direction that has a far better chance of success.

In the sales world, sales reps who aren't doing very well will often talk bad about the company and it's products. They'll also say how difficult things are and how hard it is to sell in these rough times. They want the other sales reps to feel defeated and bitter just as well. ...This takes the sting off of their "poor performance". After all, if everyone doesn't do well ...then nobody gets a finger pointed at them.

On the other hand, the high-performing sales reps never seem to talk bad about their company. They speak rather highly of their products and never seem to complain about how hard things are. They don't feel the need to trash talk their company or whine about the bad economy ....because they are producing sales.

...What type of sales rep are you?

-Birdman

 

[ChimpPhobiaFilms]

They'll also say how difficult things are and how hard it is to sell in these rough times.

BECAUSE IT IS HARD! Screenwriting is a tough industry to get into. Many successful screenwriters in the industry that have been successful either started on an indie level, directed their script, or had major connections. I want you to name some screenwriters that have been successful in the last 10 years that became successful people in the industry in the position of the OP. If you could do that, none of my arguments are really valid.

They want the other sales reps to feel defeated and bitter just as well. ...This takes the sting off of their "poor performance". After all, if everyone doesn't do well ...then nobody gets a finger pointed at them.

That might be true for some failed screenwriters that haven't done well in the industry (most of them) and either want to steer people from the road they went down or they want to discourage people from entering the industry, or both. Although I'm not a screenwriter who is trying to break into the industry or who is trying to get into the industry. I'm interesting in writing/director, which is a whole other monster. My point of view is based upon what I've heard from a successful film studio CEO that I know through a family member, as well as plenty of successful and unsuccessful screenwriters. I assume I represent the sales rep who says it is hard to sell 'in these rough times' because of my approach and ideas on how to get into the industry of screenwriting. I'm not supposedly trying to take a finger of of my poor performance or make others feel defeated or bitter. I'm not in this metaphorical company you are speaking of, or the product. I am trying to help someone go down the route that will lead them to the most success, which to me doesn't seem like I'm trying to make others feel bitter or defeated. I'm not trying to keep a finger from being pointed at me because I'm not in the industry of screenwriting, but rather study it and know plenty of people in the field.

On the other hand, the high-performing sales reps never seem to talk bad about their company. They speak rather highly of their products and never seem to complain about how hard things are. They don't feel the need to trash talk their company or whine about the bad economy ....because they are producing sales.

Not true. I hear screenwriters talking about how difficult it is to get into the industry they are in.
Those who do produce high performing sales usually don't take the approach of sending in their script to the people who receive literally thousands each year, they start small and work their way up and/or direct their scripts.
Some don't want to badmouth the company they are working for because, well, guess why!

...What type of sales rep are you?

I'm not a sales rep, so I have a question for you: what kind of sales rep are you?

 

[victortiti89]

@Birdman: I tried writing a much longer text, but wasn't posted. Something happened with my mouse, it kept selecting the text and accidentally deleted it. Anyway, I'll post the main ideas here: I think the philosophy 2 works(I wrote a longer post, but unfortunately, wasn't able to write it here, because of some error I mentioned above...), except that anything can happen and there are people who sell their screenplay.

This doesn't mean you should do it for the money, but out of the passion for writing. Why? Because if this isn't something you enjoy doing, there is a high risk you won't get any money and you'll just end up torturing yourself! You also have to send your script out there, but not before you make sure is ready for the marketplace(by receiving feed-back, reading about screenwriting, re-writes, etc.) or else nobody will even read it. You have to be smart in marketing and make sure you send it to people who would like to read a script in your genre, not to those who would rather not.

The point is that you should do something about screenwriting, like sending query letters. A screenplay is something that it's important for you to like and enjoy, but its also something others will have to like. People must enjoy it, because it will be a movie and people must like watching it(and paying for it!). You also shouldn't adopt a negative attitude and blame everything and everyone.

There is no point. Don't do it for a quick buck or " get rich or die trying. " plan. Do it because it's something you like, it's something you feel could work as a movie. When I write, nothing else matters and time passes very fast and all I focus on is the screenplay, characters and its story. I sometimes actually feel what characters experience (by the way, I gave today a terrifying plane crash experience to one of my characters to explain his fear of flying a plane. He overcomes this fear in the end, though.) But I'm getting off point.

Have you sold a screenplay? Just curious... These ideas above might not be right, but I was hoping you'll a tell me what you think. I also mean people who read this... If these ideas are wrong, then please explain it to me, alright? Thanks for reading this!

 

[Birdman]

victortiti89,

I think the philosophy 2 works, except that anything can happen and there are people who sell their screenplay.

...So are you a "Philosophy #2" or "Philosophy #1" person? I can't tell by your response?

====================================================

This doesn't mean you should do it for the money, but out of the passion for writing. Why? Because if this isn't something you enjoy doing, there is a high risk you won't get any money and you'll just end up torturing yourself!

...This falls more under "Philosophy #1".

====================================================

You also have to send your script out there, but not before you make sure is ready for the marketplace(by receiving feed-back, reading about screenwriting, re-writes, etc.) or else nobody will even read it. You have to be smart in marketing and make sure you send it to people who would like to read a script in your genre, not to those who would rather not.

...This falls more under "Philosophy #2".

====================================================

The point is that you should do something about screenwriting, like sending query letters. A screenplay is something that it's important for you to like and enjoy, but its also something others will have to like. People must enjoy it, because it will be a movie and people must like watching it(and paying for it!). You also shouldn't adopt a negative attitude and blame everything and everyone.

...This falls under "Philosophy #1" and "Philosophy #2".

====================================================

There is no point. Don't do it for a quick buck or " get rich or die trying. " plan. Do it because it's something you like, it's something you feel could work as a movie. When I write, nothing else matters and time passes very fast and all I focus on is the screenplay, characters and its story. I sometimes actually feel what characters experience (by the way, I gave today a terrifying plane crash experience to one of my characters to explain his fear of flying a plane. He overcomes this fear in the end, though.) But I'm getting off point.

...Now here we are back under "Philosophy #1".

====================================================

Have you sold a screenplay? Just curious... These ideas above might not be right, but I was hoping you'll a tell me what you think. I also mean people who read this... If these ideas are wrong, then please explain it to me, alright? Thanks for reading this!

...I haven't sold jack shit! I am a complete nobody. Everyone who has ever written a screenplay for a major motion picture at some point was a "nobody". In fact, I bought me a copy of "Final Draft" this past November and have absolutely no experience at writing screenplays. I am an artist (oil paintings) and not a writer. I deplore writing. I'm learning everything as I go.

But you can bet your sweet ass the day will come when you will be able to buy a ticket at a movie theater near you to see the movie that WILL be made from my screenplay!


Let me clarify something about the two "Philosophies". BOTH involve sending out your script. BOTH involve trying to get your screenplay into the right hands. BOTH require passion and dedication to your cause. The difference is in the way you are approaching the very essence of your screenplay.

"Philosophy 1" dictates that you must do what is required of a script writer and send it out as often as you possibly can. You enter contests. You have it professionally reviewed. Etc. Etc. But the force that drives you is NOT the process of sending out scripts, contests, networking, schmoozing and all the "in between" elements of getting your script made into a movie. The force that drives you is the FACT that you have created the BEST DMANED SCREENPLAY EVER WRITTEN and that some lucky producer out there in movie land is going to hit the jackpot with your script. You believe in what you have created so much so that it's only a matter of time before someone reading your script sees it the same way that YOU do. ...THAT is what keeps you tapping on your keys.

"Philosophy 2" dictates that you absolutely MUST have a professional script. It must have a great story. It must be crafted in a professional manner, fit within the required time frame and appeal the a certain prescribed target market as per countless charts and graphs dealing with genres and ratings. But the force that drives you is NOT that your script is the BEST SCREENPLAY EVER WRITTEN. No, not at all! Your script is merely one of thousands of excellent scripts floating around out there and you are competing against all these other scripts. The force that drives you is the PROCESS of getting your script into the right hands. You aren't anything special. You don't have any magical gifts. To think anyway else renders you as "just another pie-in-the-sky dreamer". If you can get your script into the hands of the right person, maybe, ...just maybe ....you'll make it into the cut-throat, brutally cold Hollywood machine. ...THAT is what keeps you tapping on the keys.


To put this all in simpler terms:

You are a baseball player. You are at the plate with two men on base. No outs. Your job is to get as many people as you can across home plate.

Philosophy #1: You convince yourself that you are going to crush that fucking ball!

Philosophy #2: Focus on the fundamentals of baseball.

Both philosophies have their merits. ...The choice, as stated before, is completely up to you.

-Birdman

P.S. You are using a laptop computer. Disable your finger pad and your mouse will stop jumping around and deleting your text.

 

[ChimpPhobiaFilms]

I like how you completely ignored my whole post.

 

[Birdman]

I like how you completely ignored my whole post.

I ignored it, Chimp, because you're not really telling me anything. You told me you're not a "salesman". You also said some successful screenwriters do indeed "bad mouth the company". You want people to start small and work their way up. You're whole follow-up post to me could have been summed up in one simple phrase: "What you posted isn't true, Birdman!"

That's all fine. You're obviously a "Philosophy #2" guy! .....Go for it, Chimp! Besides, why waste any of that valuable networking time on me? I'm just a Pie-in-the-sky dreamer.


...I'll send you a ticket to my Premier!

-Birdman

 

[ChimpPhobiaFilms]

I ignored it, Chimp, because you're not really telling me anything.
You told me you're not a "salesman". You also said some successful screenwriters do indeed "bad mouth the company". You want people to start small and work their way up. You're whole follow-up post to me could have been summed up in one simple phrase: "What you posted isn't true, Birdman!"

When you asked me what sales rep I am, I assumed you were talking about being a screenwriter in the industry, either being successful (optimistic and very supportive of the 'company') or unsuccessful (bitter and trying to make others feel bad), which would make no sense because my goal isn't to become a screenwriter with either of the philosophies you came up with.

Two questions that it would be nice to hear answered:
Who are some screenwriters in the last 10 that have succeeded by sending in a script to a major studio?
Which one of those sales reps do you consider yourself?

...I'll send you a ticket to my Premier!

-Birdman

I'll gladly accept that ticket.