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$$$. Seen it before, but not this transparent...

don patterson

don patterson

Okay. You have a great script? Ready to sell? Don't want to pay entrant fees? Want transparency? Want to see some big cash money for prizes?

I do. I did. So, I signed on to Amazon Studios five weeks ago.

My goal was to put a new polished script every month on the 24th (5-6 days before award deadline). To date I have two polished scripts up and available for perusal, (please feel free to give my words a read).

The high and the low -- the scripts are transparent, everyone can read what is in the competition. Everyone can review the scripts. Everyone can read the reviews. Nice. I have had my scripts read 40+ times, with several reviews, (writers swap), just as I have reviewed the scripts of others.

I have found honesty, quality insight in some of the reviews. While in others, there is not. Keep in mind, many vie for cash awards and will lower their honesty, standards if they think it might benefit them. But. Being transparent -- you can spot the frauds a mile away. I have several reviews from that ilk.

The potential gain if just one or two major studios takes an interest! Amazon does offer big dollars with sales!
The cash awards are pretty good too.

What is not transparent is the jurying and judging process. I also do not like the idea of Amazon holding rights to a specific script for 18 months (you MUST read the contract and understand it). Visit the site. Like to know what other screenwriters on IndieTalk think? If you have the time... give one of my scripts a read and a comment, (either on Amazon or just by E-mail).
I am listed there as I am here. Don L. Patterson.
 
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don patterson said:
When I am wrong, there are usually consequences to be paid... in this case, I suffer the loss of two scripts for 18 months, maybe longer.

cameronchapman was right! I was wrong. Amazon Studios is a bad idea for script writers. Cameron, I am far from perfect, I live and learn. Now have to pay the price. Ouch.

I have two scripts on Amazon Studios. Public feedback is that both scripts are very good, 5 star (out of 5) on premise, well written, solid, identifiable characters with strong, believable dialogues. Yet, unlike the transparency of scripts for the public to read, (fellow AS script writers can also review openly), the two scripts couldn't make the list of finalists chosen behind closed doors at Amazon Studios when read by their AS hired 'readers' in private.

Yeah, I can hear many reading my comments and saying "sour grapes, dude" or maybe, "your script really SUCKs", or "got a fat head, your work is NOT that good". I know it is a roll of the dice too. You take your chances when you do competitions.

But here is the really cool thing! YOU can download my scripts! READ them for yourself (even if just the first 30 pages)! THEN, decide whether or not, sour grapes, the scripts suck or I have a fat head.

OR, if THE SOUND OF NIGHTMARES and WILLIE are pretty well written with fresh premise, solid, identifiable characters giving strong, believable dialogues.

Hey, I am not thin-skinned. I live, learn by doing, putting things out there to the public for their perusal. I learn by listening to what others say.

PLEASE, download the above scripts. The PDF is best for easy reading. IF you can -- give them a read? Pass the URLs (scripts) on to as many other writers or people in the Biz you know. Feel free to read some of the scripts that DID make the finalist list. Compare. A lot of people are now questioning AmazonStudios.

Then DECIDE for yourself if Amazon Studios is where you want to put your future work. No need for others to make the same mistake I have. Now I have to wait 18 months (or longer) to free my work for other destinations.

Cameron, you were right!

Once again:

THE SOUND OF NIGHTMARES

WILLIE

If I could get 100 downloads, wow, pass it on...
Click to expand...

Sorry that it didn't work out for you. I checked out one of the other semi-finalist scripts and stopped reading after two pages. It was bad, to say the least.

Really, Amazon should change the rules so that you don't lose rights to your own work for 18 months for nothing. I can maybe see doing that for people who at least make the finals (or even semi-finals) for each month, in case Amazon decides they want to do something with those scripts, but for everyone else, it's just a rights grab. It's what Amazon does.

I used to participate in their Breakthrough Novel Award contest. The first year I participated, you had the option to refuse the contract if you didn't like the terms, even if you won. Now, you don't have that option (and I don't participate any longer). Once you enter, if you win, it's theirs. For a lot less than you might get by going the agent/publisher route. And yet I know a lot of writers who are so desperate to be published that they'll do anything for what they view as a fair shot.

I think there are a lot of screenwriters and filmmakers who are in the same boat, and Amazon preys on them. It sucks.

Again, sorry it didn't work out for you. I genuinely was hoping it would. :)
 
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Didn't want to start a new thread on this, but I got something interesting in my inbox this morning: Amazon Studios is running a rewrite contest right now, with a grand prize of $10,000. It's for a rewrite of one of the scripts that won an earlier award (Zombies vs Gladiators).

I think I might actually enter this one. Mainly because it's a rewrite contest, so I'm not giving up any of the rights to my original IP. Also, I think I'd like to get into script doctoring at some point, and this seems like it could be a way to do it, or at least to get some experience and find out if it's something I really would love to do.

So, while I know I was adamantly against Amazon Studios other programs, I think this one might be something worth looking at, if you're interested in rewriting other people's scripts (or even just for the practice). It's not like you could do anything with the rewritten script on your own anyway, so it's not a big deal if Amazon retains all the rights to it.

There's info about the contest here: http://studios.amazon.com/projects/2909

Deadline is August 31st, so plenty of time left to give it a go. Amazon Studios has also posted their feedback on the script (here: http://studios.amazon.com/discussions/Tx32PQHEAVL4EXR), so you have an idea of the kind of rewrites they're looking for.
 
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I'd wager a download and read the first twenty pages, but doing it through Amazon is dicey. They're already ganking peoples rights, so even if they do use your idea they don't have to give you credit for it: it'll be plenty easy to say that "we had this basic idea from so and so but our writers re-developed it, so it's no longer what he wrote."

You're out of a credit, which is the least they could do.

And, on the other hand, I'm a writer (consistent) and I don't want to get into any legal debacle with an entity as massive as Amazon. In short, you just will not win.

If you make it available here on the forums I'll read.

Also, in response to Cameron's post... Zombies Vs Gladiators? I facepalmed...

Definitely already KNOW that script is terrible.
 
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cameronchapman

Just keep in mind, you could spend hours, days, weeks doing a rewrite and never see a dime.


I will not give AS anymore of my time. I stopped adding any more scripts to Amazon Studios, instead -- putting them elsewhere. I have read about twenty scripts from others on AS -- reviewed only 11 on AS due to those I had read did not return the swap favor they promised, (I used Studio Mail and/or their E-mail, directly to prove that I had read their scripts).

My only hope is that while those two scripts of mine are glued on AS (for 18 months) -- I can get those on AS or anywhere else to give them a read, pass them on as examples of what i do AND as a warning that a quality premise or solid writing doesn't mean anything.

Gosh have we two done a 180? If you are into writing, Cameron, give my two scripts a read? Let me know what you think? Start with SOUND. Interested in your comments...
 
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Quality Premise and Solid Writing do mean something, just to different people.

If they didn't, John August wouldn't still have a job as a working writer.

Amazon Studios is not a barometer for anything quality, what-so-ever. I've read feedback on scripts and the amount of jawing that goes on in those comments is astounding. Like hornets trying to colonize a bee's nest... havin' NO idea how Bee's actually work.
 
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don patterson said:
cameronchapman

Just keep in mind, you could spend hours, days, weeks doing a rewrite and never see a dime.


I will not give AS anymore of my time. I stopped adding any more scripts to Amazon Studios, instead -- putting them elsewhere. I have read about twenty scripts from others on AS -- reviewed only 11 on AS due to those I had read did not return the swap favor they promised, (I used Studio Mail and/or their E-mail, directly to prove that I had read their scripts).

My only hope is that while those two scripts of mine are glued on AS (for 18 months) -- I can get those on AS or anywhere else to give them a read, pass them on as examples of what i do AND as a warning that a quality premise or solid writing doesn't mean anything.

Gosh have we two done a 180? If you are into writing, Cameron, give my two scripts a read? Let me know what you think? Start with SOUND. Interested in your comments...
Click to expand...

Not sure if I've done a 180, but I guess I figure I'm not giving up much by participating in this contest. I edit quickly (I do it professionally, though not with screenplays), so I figure at most I'll spend around 10 hours working on it (and honestly, if I can't do it in that time, then the script probably isn't worth rewriting in the first place). At worst, I'm out the equivalent of a workday and nothing comes out of it. At best, I get some attention and maybe win some money. Like I said, it's not like I could do anything with the rewritten script anyway, unlike with submitting original material.
 
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I definitely will. At the moment I'm trying to get it into Celtx, and it's not at all cooperative (lost about 80% of the formatting when it imported, but then again the RTF formatting was pretty wonky to begin with). Maybe in the future Amazon Studios will improve their file format support...
 
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