Thank you, also, how do you like reply’s on here?
I think everyone's trying to help and everyone tries to help in their own way... This way you get more than a few THINGS TO CONSIDER before even attempting to write a spec script ASSUMING that's what you want to do.
If I had it to do ALL OVER AGAIN? I would have STUCK by my first idea of simply LEARNING HOW TO WRITE a great script and then write it -- make it on my own dime.
Why?
Because to be honest? Hollywood sucks. LOL. It is what it is... It's cutthroat. People tell you things that never come true. You end up doing work for free. You end up missing out on opportunities because you signed with the wrong people.
Writing a spec script and selling it is like playing the lottery... Only problem is that you just never know how close you might have come to making a deal... LOL. Don't get me wrong... Along the way, I made some very good money... I can't complain. But I did NOT get into this business to become a professional screenwriter... I wanted to make my own films. I wanted to create a family of filmmakers where we all knew each other's jobs and we made at least one movie a year that made enough money for everyone to live well. Pipe dream? Sure, but without a pipe dream, what do we have to look forward to?
During the first few years, I just thought I had become somewhat unlucky... i.e., rubbing elbows with all the wrong people... LOL. Nope. I've come to realize rubbing those elbows is more or less the right of passage one must go through to get to where they want to be.
On top of all that?
Eccentricity... It's EVERYWHERE in this business except the crew... LOL. Jesus. Sometimes you just think everyone's CRAZY... And a lot of them ARE.
I could tell you STORIES.
Today? Unless you can figure out how to make a movie on your own dime or someone along the way finds your script and decides it's their next passion project? You pretty much need to be able to think HIGH CONCEPT to break into the business. Of course, once you're on the inside? Then you'll have a little more leeway to do what you want.
I just always wanted to write and make my own stuff. I never even cared that much if it was successful as long as it could provide a living to everyone involved. In fact? I cannot tell you how many fairly big money producers I've talked to about this very same IDEA... i.e., write high concept stories, hire nothing but really good character actors who's ability to act far outweighs their RATE. Make these movies for a few million dollars and let them go on to make $20 to $50 million dollars at the box office.
While everyone always LOVES the IDEA? They laugh because the money just isn't there... Sure, sometimes you can get lucky but as I've been told (not that I agree), that model is not sustainable. Why? Because they tell me distributors just won't want to risk putting the movie out there without some kind of entity involved in the production that can put butts in theater seats. I know people that can walk into Bank of America TOMORROW and get $5 Mil to make a movie in a matter of hours... Yes, they have a division that finances movies. Unfortunately? The problem is distribution. Distribution today is much more difficult to obtain than in years previous to the financial meltdown.
You gotta have a hook... i.e., a name actor and or director... Sometimes (but rarely) a name producer or screenwriter. If your spec is high concept (which does not necessarily mean HIGH BUDGET), then the STORY is STAR but distributors also find this too risky.
But hey... Let's say you get through all the wickets and now finally sell your spec... Now what? Chances are if it sold for a mid to high six figures, they'll bring in one or more screenwriters to rewrite you. If one or more of these screenwriters rewrite you ENOUGH? You can lose your "screenplay by" credit and in Hollywood? You're only as good as your last credit (most of the time).
In other words? It's a LONG, HARD ROAD which is probably WHY directorik asked you WHY you want to write screenplays.
If you have so many dope stories in your head? You might want to consider writing them as books and self-publishing them on Amazon kindle. Why? Because you will get your stories OUT there instead of banging your head against the wall for say... 3 to 10 years (for some it's much longer) trying to sell a spec.
Today? What I see as the main problem for people wanting to break into this industry are their concepts. Most I see are derivative of stuff we've already seen. Occasionally, if your execution is OUTSTANDING? It can get you into the door but once you're in the door? Guess what they're gonna ask?
"What else ya got?"
Why?
Because they know they can't produce what you've written although the execution of it was outstanding... Assuming all your execution is outstanding? You will be asked about your other screenplays. If those too are concepts that we've seen before? They will bid you farewell most of the time... That's WHY a lot of script competition finalists and winners rarely get their screenplay(s) produced.
Most of the screenplays I read from people wanting to break in are simply NOT high concept enough... In fact? I used to have arguments about all this many MANY years ago when I was on this forum with a different account. People simply didn't want to believe it.
Well guess what?
It's more true NOW than it was back then.
Which doesn't mean you shouldn't write screenplays on spec... Just KNOW UP FRONT what you're TRULY IN FOR instead of having to learn a lot of it along the way. There are more than enough UPS and DOWNS in this business to keep you ON YOUR TOES... LOL. Why go into it with a concept that nobody is going to be interested in.
Just my two cents... My TRUTHFUL two cents.