Greetings,
I was just curious if anyone here has had a similar story or experience - especially writers.
I am actually a producer on a film that my partner wrote and this script has been in demand for over 10 years with various production companies, directors, actors and various other attachments wanting to make it both in Canada and America, but there would be always be something that would fall through at the last minute and then we would have to start over again with another production company, raise financing again, etc.
We now have a situation where there is a director potentially interested in directing our movie and this would be beneficial to us, because we think he's great director and if he is attached, it would trigger the financing we need through the government funding sources in Canada and the movie would most likely get made.
The problem is that he doesn't really like the script all that much, but sees potential in the material as long as he is writing the screenplay and thus has stated that he would have to do a Director's Pass - a substantial rewrite. We would have to let go of the material, the scenes, the dialogue that we know and love and hand over the reigns to him. As we were told, he has strong ideas about how to improve it, shape it into something that fits HIS own sensibilities, as if we are "God damn janitors around here" to quote the great Barton Fink film.
Now let me clarify, I have no problem making the script better and as usual - people have notes and our writer implements them to everyone's satisfaction - but this is the first time ever that someone wanted to write the script themselves, because in his OPINION, he thinks he can write a better movie and that's really the point - it's just his opinion - what doesn't work for one director, may be perfect to another director.
Now we are not forced to work with him - it's our decision, but it's pretty much a guaranteed movie if we go with him vs. further struggle getting the movie made. I would just hate for the movie to be finally made and be bitter as hell because I feel the film was compromised. I would almost rather not make the film at all vs. making something that makes me cringe just watching it in a worst case scenario. The stories are "creative differences" on films are endless.
We are meeting with him next week to hear his ideas and I will know then if we want to move forward with him or not, but I am sort of bothered that he would even make the demand without allowing the writer the opportunity to implement notes first. He's not Martin Scorsese where such demands could be expected - in fact he's pretty much a nobody director in the big picture, but in Canada, he has directed some movies that got some attention.
I just haven't come all this way to have the movie taken away from us creatively simply due to a difference of opinion or going with the wrong director - you hope to find a director that is on the same page as you for the most part even if there are notes, but that's not the case here. The director may indeed have a great ideas, but I want the writer to implement them in his "voice" so to speak or writing style. To me, it's like someone coming along and wanting to rewrite Mamet or Tarantino - that's just crazy. I am just really passionate about this screenplay and it's a film that would make me very proud.
As you can see - this is freaking me out. We may finally get our movie made, but the price for that may be too high in him wanting to do a full rewrite.
I just wanted to rant, so thank you for that and I would appreciate any feedback.
HM
I was just curious if anyone here has had a similar story or experience - especially writers.
I am actually a producer on a film that my partner wrote and this script has been in demand for over 10 years with various production companies, directors, actors and various other attachments wanting to make it both in Canada and America, but there would be always be something that would fall through at the last minute and then we would have to start over again with another production company, raise financing again, etc.
We now have a situation where there is a director potentially interested in directing our movie and this would be beneficial to us, because we think he's great director and if he is attached, it would trigger the financing we need through the government funding sources in Canada and the movie would most likely get made.
The problem is that he doesn't really like the script all that much, but sees potential in the material as long as he is writing the screenplay and thus has stated that he would have to do a Director's Pass - a substantial rewrite. We would have to let go of the material, the scenes, the dialogue that we know and love and hand over the reigns to him. As we were told, he has strong ideas about how to improve it, shape it into something that fits HIS own sensibilities, as if we are "God damn janitors around here" to quote the great Barton Fink film.
Now let me clarify, I have no problem making the script better and as usual - people have notes and our writer implements them to everyone's satisfaction - but this is the first time ever that someone wanted to write the script themselves, because in his OPINION, he thinks he can write a better movie and that's really the point - it's just his opinion - what doesn't work for one director, may be perfect to another director.
Now we are not forced to work with him - it's our decision, but it's pretty much a guaranteed movie if we go with him vs. further struggle getting the movie made. I would just hate for the movie to be finally made and be bitter as hell because I feel the film was compromised. I would almost rather not make the film at all vs. making something that makes me cringe just watching it in a worst case scenario. The stories are "creative differences" on films are endless.
We are meeting with him next week to hear his ideas and I will know then if we want to move forward with him or not, but I am sort of bothered that he would even make the demand without allowing the writer the opportunity to implement notes first. He's not Martin Scorsese where such demands could be expected - in fact he's pretty much a nobody director in the big picture, but in Canada, he has directed some movies that got some attention.
I just haven't come all this way to have the movie taken away from us creatively simply due to a difference of opinion or going with the wrong director - you hope to find a director that is on the same page as you for the most part even if there are notes, but that's not the case here. The director may indeed have a great ideas, but I want the writer to implement them in his "voice" so to speak or writing style. To me, it's like someone coming along and wanting to rewrite Mamet or Tarantino - that's just crazy. I am just really passionate about this screenplay and it's a film that would make me very proud.
As you can see - this is freaking me out. We may finally get our movie made, but the price for that may be too high in him wanting to do a full rewrite.
I just wanted to rant, so thank you for that and I would appreciate any feedback.
HM