I'm talking about pre-production and getting a script sold and produced, something you appear to have read a book about. And I am a "Gate Keeper" pal.
https://secretlifeproductions.com/ I'm Director of Development. I can take your script straight to the money, IF it's up to my standard.
i came to Hollywood with one script 13 years ago, and have been working ever since, even though it took me 10 years to sell a script. I am a member of TVWriters.ORG. I know EXACTLY what it takes for a script to be producible and profitable, and I'm an expert on formatting. I freely share my knowledge with serious, ambitious writers because it's a Hollywood Tradition. My Mentor had a couple of little gold statues on her shelf.
You want to get noticed write a great script? I got 10 on my desk. They're all great. One has a shot at a reasonable ROI in a reasonable amount of time, the other nine are dead ends.
What do you know about Screenwriting?
I think you're a bitter internet expert with no practical knowledge of the Industry.
LOL. I think that was directed at ME... I think you should save that line for your next SHOOTING SCRIPT:
GECKOPELLI
I am a gatekeeper, Pal.
I don't understand why you had to RESORT to getting personal here... Kind of goes against the entire IDEA of writing. I get that you FEEL CHALLENGED but that's what forums are all about... Or? Should be about.
HEALTHY DEBATE.
I do NOT agree with YOU plain and simple. I also think that a lot of newbies, or people trying to learn how to write a SPEC SCRIPT deserve to read a healthy debate on the subject. Additionally? And I'm just being HONEST here... I don't think you've qualified much of ANYTHING you've said in this thread. To me, your replies just seem to be stating that YOU ARE A PRODUCER AND OF COURSE YOU KNOW BEST.
That thought made me laugh because in my humble experience OVERALL? Producers are one of the worst THINGS to happen to productions. Especially their NOTES when it comes to screenplays.
I'm really not here to have a pissing contest with you but I assure you my resume is every bit as competent as you say yours is. You call me a BITTER INTERNET EXPERT. LOL. What is THAT exactly? How have I been bitter? I'm actually in a very good mood as I write this. I'm not sweating you one bit and IF after ALL this back and forth that I assume will keep going on? I'm even happy to ride OUT to wherever you are and MEET YOU IN PERSON so we can talk about all this even more.
By the way... Just to save you a little bit of future anguish? I highly suggest you close up your WordPress /uploads/ directory... We wouldn't want anyone to perform an SQL injection on your Production Company website... LOL.
If you don't understand what I mean? Just click this link:
https://secretlifeproductions.com/wp-content/uploads/
If you don't know HOW to do that? Just ask, I'd be happy to explain HOW to do THAT too.
So back to the pissing contest...
Thus far? All you've managed to convince me of is NOT to have my representative ever send you (your production company) a spec script. LOL.
You see... Nobody ever challenged your resume. I more or less believe it but when it comes to writing a spec? You're falling WAY WAY SHORT here. I mean hey... YOU ARE THE PERSON WHO SAID THE FOLLOWING:
The "MASTER HEADING" is generally an amatuer thing-- lose it. When you're Tarantino, you can pick it up again. But it's not for someone trying to break in.
That statement ALONE and NOTHING else (even though there are PLENTY) was ENOUGH of a RED FLAG for me to jump in here and debate with you. The MASTER HEADING or what we spec screenwriters call, the MASTER LOCATION SCENE HEADING is NOT an amateur thing at all and ANYONE who says it is when it comes to writing a spec screenplay OR a SHOOTING SCRIPT is FULL OF SHIT.
None of the stuff you've told us thus far had anything to do with the OP's original question... Most of your replies neglect to answer anyone else's questions either. I apologize if, for some reason, you feel that I've made this thread personal against YOU. That could not be further from the truth.
I could care less about WHO YOU ARE and WHAT YOU DO but I too am a Professional Screenwriter... Feel free to look up
Unknown Screenwriter on the big G. I've been around for a very long time. Although having said that? I am somewhat RETIRED now. Why? For exactly some of the things you've said in this thread. I'm no longer willing to WRITE what people TELL ME TO WRITE. Sure, the pay is good and was good but with some pre-planning? I no longer require a day job. I still write specs but ONLY when I feel like my concept is truly something original because THAT is HOW I PERCEIVE how the industry has changed.
I am also PAYING BACK. I was on IndieTalk a very long time ago when I was struggling as a professional screenwriter. Notice I said, STRUGGLING PROFESSIONAL SCREENWRITER. I was a professional even way back then but certainly not as successful as I later became. I've worked with numerous directors and producers and while it would be nice to go ahead and put that list out here and now? I will refrain from doing that because the last thing I want to do is bring any of their names into a pissing contest that will be easily found at some point on Google.
I'm not here to impress anyone... I'm not here to sell anything. I am a professional spec screenwriter. I have sold spec screenplays. I have and am currently a script doctor-fixer -- whatever you want to call it. I take jobs when I seriously cannot refuse the offer because it's totally worth it but to be honest? I don't like those kinds of jobs either. I like writing specs, plain and simple. There is NOTHING greater to me -- when it comes to writing -- than writing your own story.
You seem to think FORMATTING (you being an expert formatter and all) is more important than the story. LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL. Oops. I almost threw up in my mouth... Where do you get this from? You seem to think nobody is buying specs anymore... Where do you get this from? I can point to at least one spec a month that gets bought. AT LEAST ONE A MONTH.
You said:
You want to get noticed write a great script? I got 10 on my desk. They're all great. One has a shot at a reasonable ROI in a reasonable amount of time, the other nine are dead ends.
I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THAT. LOLOLOLOLOLOL. And? That may just be YOUR PROBLEM. I guarantee that you do NOT have 10 GREAT SCRIPTS sitting on your desk. They may be competently written and well executed but I guarantee their concepts are NOT marketable because IF THEY WERE and YOU ARE WHO YOU SAY YOU ARE? You'd be in pre-production with all of them.
You also said:
And for god's sake, forget that whole perfecting a script thing. The perfect script is the one that gets financing.
Who said ANYTHING about PERFECTING a script? YOU! Not anyone else. Do you not read or understand the replies in this thread or are you so angered by me challenging your advice [sic] that you're now making shit up? All I ever said in this thread was to ELIMINATE problems in your spec. It's actually very easy to do yet most screenwriters both newbie and professionals do NOT do this. They leave the problems in thinking it's okay. And? For those with a track record? It probably is okay for the most part but for newbies? Why give a professional script reader any opportunity to pass on your script? That also goes for utilizing formatting that should be saved for those who write shooting scripts. LOL.
You said:
In any case, if you get a meeting about your script, the first question at that meeting is "What's the budget?"
Wow. I've been in a whole hell of a lot of meetings and the budget was NEVER the first question. In most cases? The budget never even came UP! LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL. Maybe this is just how YOU do BUSINESS. I could easily list quite a few well known producers who are NOT going to bring up the budget at the first meeting if in fact, the meeting is about your spec screenplay. The first meeting is almost always a meet and greet and "CAN WE WORK WITH THIS SCREENWRITER?" meeting. It's a meeting to try and get a FEEL for the screenwriter who mesmerized the professional script reader with their spec script that got a RECOMMEND.
You do realize that within a few million give or take... Most everyone in the room already KNOWS more or less what the budget will be IF the spec in question actually goes into production.
You said:
And if I want to make it, why wouldn't i call the WGA and hire a writer?
LOL. That's an interesting answer... So basically, what you're really saying here is that no agency is pitching you their screenwriter's screenplay(s). That pretty much says it all for me about your production company.
You said:
What you need to ask yourself is who is going to read your "great fucking story"? It won't be me unless it's a script about family strife over alcoholism that can be shot for less than $2 million.
Wow. How long have you been in the business? LOLOLOL. You said yourself that YOU READ some female screenwriter's script because YOU LIKED her PITCH of her screenplay. So I guess you've ANSWERED YOUR VERY OWN QUESTION HERE, haven't you? Who's going to read my great fucking story? ANY PRODUCER THAT LIKES THE PITCH! LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL.
Jesus Dude... Get a GRIP.
Okay... Awaiting the next line of PISS.