*** I want all the credit!!! ***

C

calif0rnian

Ok, so I'm fairly new to screenwriting, and I guess this post is about filmmaking in general.
I attend film classes at a community college, own a DSLR, and decent equipment. I have ok editing skills, one of the best in my class along with my color grading skills and so on.

I have 6 people wanting to collaborate with me on our next project, but they all want to make the best most amazing new film, and they all want the credit. It's like a tug of war, literally where there's like a circle and 6 strands or rope come out from the middle and I'm the middle.

I feel that I'm being taken advantage of, because of my skills. I'm not saying that I am be all end all the best, it's just that these guys are younger then me, and I find them to be somewhat immature.
Because mainly they want to be the one to write the story, do their thing... if you know what I mean.
This happened last time, I ended up shooting my friends screenplay, because we didn't have time for mine.
We ended up with a good looking film (with some camera angle errors, and some audio) but overall ok for our first short; except for the story..

Does anyone have any good ideas to what I should do? Because I love working with people.
We're supposed to start making another short, 5 minutes, either documentary or a narrative. I'm having a hard hard time coming up with something cool.
 
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I would suggest that an agreement be made, that you sit down and decide between the group what material will be first, and which positions go to whom. There will be plenty of other projects, plenty other opportunities for you all to alternate crew positions if needs be. Honor the material, and play to eachothers strengths.

There has to be unity within your crew. I'm sure you'll work it out, and the best of luck!
 
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I agree with Steve. Everybody should have a defined job and where there is overlap you can credit it from most involved to least involved, in order - for example.
 
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calif0rnian said:
I have 6 people wanting to collaborate with me on our next project, but they all want to make the best most amazing new film, and they all want the credit. It's like a tug of war, literally where there's like a circle and 6 strands or rope come out from the middle and I'm the middle.
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Because they deserve credit! Otherwise do it all yourself.
 
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People worrying about credit before the project even starts, is a red flag off the bat. Its a sign of someone who is not intrinsically motivated. In the least, it hints at someone not being just motivated about the project and process.

But, I'll admit I'm bad, and have always been bad at collabs. Collabs implies volunteering, and I love my pro work so much, that volunteering for someone else's vision requires me to have a strong motivation.

That said, I suggest going into any collabs with a very defined role, and determine for yourself a takaway that will be motivation to keep you doing your best. Often the takeaway is an education, and that should be a very powerful motivation.

IMO, if nobody is bringing action to the table, skip it and do your own smaller thing. =)


*a quick edit..
..Of course I agree everyone deserves credit for their work. I am assuming the OP implied that there are too many folks angling as chiefs and not enough Indians.
 
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Sounds like his skills are with editing, and he has a problem with the fact that writers and directors get all the glory.
 
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Rob B said:
People worrying about credit before the project even starts, is a red flag off the bat.
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I absolutely agree with this.

Credit is the last thing that you should be talking about. Discuss allocating roles, making sure that people are involved and that the workload is evenly spread but leave talk of 'credit' until you've produced the actual thing.

Everyone involved should know that they will be credited for what they do, so thrashing deals out before you begin suggests some ropey motivations...
 
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Ok ok, I guess I might of said it in such a way that I confused people.

What I meant, as Rob said is that there are too many chiefs and no indians... Of course people deserve credit for what they do! That's just how it works.

It's just that I often end up putting in three times the work of anyone else. In this group though there are people are decent, but also one / two people that are just glory whores. They think their screenplay's are amazing, and I tried telling him maybe you should have an arc in there, and a subplot etc. I understand, people aren't born great writers, and that's fine; but they shouldn't assume automatically that they're the best.

Hopefully we can get something cool out of this group effort, we're strong in numbers meaning we can do stuff others can't.

I just feel a lot of the guys just want to be THE MAN in charge, and I often find myself frustrated with that.
It just seems to me that some of these people just worry way too much about what they're role is going to be like rather than the story and how the film is going to be like.

It just seems to me it's lacking the passion maybe?

Again thanks for the response!
 
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There should be one person in charge even in a group effort. The director. Figure out the roles, and make the film.
 
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In your case, one trick is to do several micro projects and do role switching. Eventually, people will gravitate towards roles they are best at. Reality issues will hit very quickly when you start your project.. better to have it hit on a micro goal, than a huge goal.

If I were in your spot, I'd start turning down people and add one core member at a time for a specific slot. ..although thats a fast way to not have a team like me too, hahahah.
 
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indietalk said:
There should be one person in charge even in a group effort. The director. Figure out the roles, and make the film.
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Exactly, that's what we're trying to do. We might end up doing several shorts because everyone apparently wants their film made, including me somewhat.

Again, thanks for the response. I appreciate it.
 
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fwiw, I'm finishing up a feature on which I did about 95% of the work, but I made it a point to only list my name once in the credits. It drives me bananas to see a person's name listed over and over and over in indie films. I just tell people: if you don't see a credit for it, I did it.
 
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If these people are not actually assigned to you, and their effort actually affects your grade (that you're paying for) then pick one or two of the more sensible people and give the others rainchecks for either another project, class or outside of school.

There are many poor movies being made and distributed because they have product.
In other words, a functional team of fools beats a dysfunctional group of chiefs.

They're coming to you.
Assume the leadership role they're subconsciously crying for.
Producer. Director. Big-daddy. Whatever.
Get a project done rather than debated.

Divy up roles based on numbers out of a hat in lieu of using actual skill biases.
 
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rayw said:
If these people are not actually assigned to you, and their effort actually affects your grade (that you're paying for) then pick one or two of the more sensible people and give the others rainchecks for either another project, class or outside of school.

There are many poor movies being made and distributed because they have product.
In other words, a functional team of fools beats a dysfunctional group of chiefs.

They're coming to you.
Assume the leadership role they're subconsciously crying for.
Producer. Director. Big-daddy. Whatever.
Get a project done rather than debated.

Divy up roles based on numbers out of a hat in lieu of using actual skill biases.
Click to expand...

Absolutely, like I want to try out some acting, I've never done acting before other than some plays.
I'll have to sit down with them. It seems like they're depending on me to do the shooting and editing.
 
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