I need to refill my well!
July 13, 2008
Your boy’s worn out. Numb. I just pitched for 3 assignments in a row – two of which came down to me and one other writer. And I didn’t get either. My agent reassures me by telling me that I didn’t get the jobs for extraneous reasons. For instance, I was up for an animated job – it came down to me and the guys that wrote “Toy Story”. You can imagine which way they went on that one.
Sooo…I think I need to cleanse my pallet. Because, while chasing assignments can be fun, there are also three negatives:
1) It’s someone else’s idea. You are basically writing for someone else right off the bat. Getting notes right off the bat. Being steered right off the bat.
2) You get none of fun part. The fun part of writing (to me) is, well, writing. When you are chasing assignments – all you’re doing is the hard part – the planning, the outlining the strategizing, etc, etc. Unless you get the assignment, you don’t even get to write the script you’ve just killed yourself to conceive. Try tossing 3-5 weeks down the toilet a bunch of times in a row! Talk about soul sucking.
3) The odds are rarely great. You are always up against a handful or in some cases – a HUGE amount of writers. I ran into this issue on the third assignment I mentioned above. I gave a pitch on this assignment and as I was walking out of the room – I spotted a buddy of mine in the next room over. I told him what I was pitching for and he said (loud enough for the people I just pitched to hear), “Ahhhh Christ, you can forget about that one. Those guys don’t know what they want. They’ve had 30 writers in here already – changing their minds every day.”
All I could think of was — this was something I just worked 4 weeks to conceive.
The whole process of “writing assignments” just seems so flawed. The only thing the exec or producer is looking for is a “Take” they like. In fact, one of my good friends said to me, “I don’t care if I have to go through 100 writers. I’ll do what I gotta do to get the right take.” Well, here’s the problem with that – 90 of those writers either aren’t going to be very good, will have no idea how to execute that take, or simply aren’t right for the project. So you’ve got a neat take – BUT THE WRONG WRITER!!!
I’m baffled at the idea of choosing a writer based on a 10 minute take. That’s like picking a basketball player for your pick-up team that brought the nicest ball.
If I were an exec or producer – I would pick the WRITER I want. A guy that’s delivered similar material more than once. Then, instead of spending 3 months going through a 100 takes – I’d spend one month with one writer — working out a take I like.
THEN – I’d have a take I like AND a writer I had confidence in. ‘Course, I tried to explain this to my friend and smoke came out of his ears.
So, I think I’m going to use this industry lull (with the SAG stuff bringing most projects to a creep) to think up a spec idea. That way I have something that’s 100% mine and more importantly – I’ll have something that I can actually WRITE! Imagine that.
Sure, I’ll still chase assignments as they come. But at least I’ll always have something of my own, waiting for me at home. Waiting to be written.
Sounds just like an actor’s audition … only with more prep work.
I understand your (and we as writers) plight all too well. This type of scenario has gotten so bad that I’ve decided to skip over trying to sell my product to producers and become a producer myself. (Jim Carter, the Movie Whore is my partner).
This way I can concentrate on my writing and he can deal with business. But, you’re right - it always seems to be what THEY want and sometimes I’m amazed at what producers choose. In other words, you, me and many others don’t get deals, however, movies that employ Harold and Kumar-like characters? Shameful.
BTW, are you from Florida? I also have a concept for an animated feature, though, I’ve never written one before. Any advice? You can e-mail. Perhaps a collaboration?
Regards,
Chooch
Cooch,
Yeah, I’m from Fort Lauderdale, went to school at U of F. Animation is getting much easier to get into these days. They are basically starting to treat it like any other movie. Although the studios have their own sub-sections (Fox Animated, Sony Animation, etc) and can be a little insulated.
Your best bet to get ANYWHERE is an agent. Do you have one yet? They would submit a writing sample to some exec at Fox animation or where ever and then if they dig it — they normally will let you come in and pitch your idea.
The better way is simply to write it — have your agent go out with it. Hit them all at once.
I would never rule out a collaboration, but it’d have to be a “no-brainer” idea. Some ridiculously high-concept idea. I had a really bad experience with a writing partner when I first got here, so I’m gun-shy to say the least.
I live in Tampa now. Kind of stuck here because of the housing market - but I did grow up in Mirimar.
A literary agent friend of mine confirmed that animation was the hottest market - and she sells authors. That’s my quandery. I’ve published four books in the last three years and take my own stories to screenplay. But I don’t write in any one genre, and so it’s tough finding an agent because they want to place me into one genre.
I’ve spent more time pursuing a literary agent than a screenwriting agent, which is why I now have a partner to do that for me. It takes way too many creative hours away from me. I have five solid screenplays that industry pros generally like, they’re just not right for them or their budgets. So, I’m working on getting talent attached to them.
After months and months of working with Hearst, I just got passed on two network reality shows, one that would be ground-breaking. It’s heartbreaking, but at least the passes aren’t because they suck.
The animated concept I have is rock-solid. I haven’t worked out the details yet (treatment) but I completely understand being wary of “writers.” There’s just way too many of us - good and bad - and it’s tough sorting through them all.
The FIB founder is reading one of my screenplays now.
Chooch
Have you pursued getting your books to (script) agents? There’s nothing hollywood loves more than preexisting material to base their movies off of. if any of your books are high concept, you should be able to set them up and attache yourself as the screenwriter.
Not really. My highest concept is a horror flick (designed to be a trilogy) - check out my (lame) website and suicidalflower.com - should be up soon.
P
i really really have an idea for an animated feature, but where can i get it seen by producers?