My Studios

geezer9687 wrote:

Lily I would like to thank you for bringing this to my attention. I was asked it on a current events quiz in my journalism class. I knew about it because of your post

You're welcome. I had weekly current events quizzes in my journalism class too. Luckily, we were spared a quiz in the home & garden news section of the NY Times.

They get paid well, but I feel for them. Writing is a very fun, but frustrating process.

And part of the nature of screenwriting is that those periods of good pay are punctuated by long periods without work through no fault of the writer. They need to be able to live off the residuals from their previous creations during the periods that they are not receiving a steady paycheck for writing new material. That's why they consider their union so important as it allows them to have health and pension benefits even between jobs.

cRAzY wrote:

And Sequels are probably even worse.(ex. Spidey 3).
I'm pretty sure Hollywood with all its money and power can find a few recently graduated stated bound UIL writing nerds to cover for the guys who we cherish so much for bringing us the crap that keeps coming out of their head. Crappy Remakes and Sequels. Whos knows.
This might/could actually be better for us in the long run.

I agree Crazy.

This is exactly what I was waiting for someone to say.

I understand that writers want more money, but if I was on the Producer's side negotiating, I would negotiate a deal whereby if a writer writes shit: Epic Movie, Meet the Spartans, The Master of Disguise, they get no fee for writing that at all, well, maybe they do a get a little bit of money, but they will be awarded demerit points for writing dogshit.

This is a real interesting thread. Since I didn't have a clue as to the inner workings of the industry, it was eye opening. i kinda did think along the lines that Bank wrote, saying that performers could just start writing stuff but I guess they can't. I didn't know the long hours either! Sheesh. I do support the strike 100% though. Writers are just as important to a movie, tv show, or cartoon as anything. I mean The Daily Show and Colbert Report are showing gonna show re-runs because of this! Hopefully, it all turns out well for everyone in the end!

glebe, very true. Unions are usually a very iffy thing, but it is definitely a necessity with the sometime sparse opportunities.

If you register your script with the WGA, and if you are lucky enough to have someone buy it from you, the LEAST they could give you for it is $90,000.

Residuals are also usually not in big amounts. In the beginning, when your show is on re-runs all the time, you get a good amount of money. As time goes on though, you may just see 30 cents on your check.

With the Internet now, writers can make much more than ever before.

That's great to hear you're also a writerlillylovelost, as I have actually spent the past year writing and tweaking a script I've written for a sci-fi story set in space.

The first third can be read here:

www.tuan69.blogspot.com

I was wondering, if I wanted to sell my script to a producer or studio, is it mandatory for me to first join the WGA? Because from the result of the Writer's Strike, that's how it looks, as otherwise the studios would have just hired more writers who are not part of the union and continue business as usual.

Any thoughts as to how I would go about getting my script seen by people, say directors and producers, then potentially selling it?

Do I need an agent or something?

Any thoughts or responses are welcome.

P.S. I don't live in America, but just say I did, because I'm wondering what the exact process is like and what different routes are available.

ohnaut wrote:

That's great to hear you're also a writerlillylovelost, as I have actually spent the past year writing and tweaking a script I've written for a sci-fi story set in space.

The first third can be read here:

www.tuan69.blogspot.com

I'll check out your script. Do you have Final Draft? It is the easiest and best program to use for writing your scripts in the industry standard script format.

I was wondering, if I wanted to sell my script to a producer or studio, is it mandatory for me to first join the WGA? Because from the result of the Writer's Strike, that's how it looks, as otherwise the studios would have just hired more writers who are not part of the union and continue business as usual.

Most places will not look at unsolicited material. Your best bet is to register your script (you don't need the full script done) or even a treatment. It costs $20 US dollars. if you go to www.wga.org , there is a link on the front page where you can register it.

The thing is that if you are not a union member, you can't work on a union show. Same goes for actors and directors. For example, Robert Rodriguez wanted Frank Miller to be listed as co-director with him on Sin City. Frank Miller is not a member of the Directors Guild of America (DGA). So Robert forgoed his membership with DGA for Frank Miller.

Any thoughts as to how I would go about getting my script seen by people, say directors and producers, then potentially selling it?

It is VERY hard for someone to sit and read your script.
Make sure you have lots of people read it, do lots of rewrites, keep it in the proper script format, and don't get discouraged.

Since you live outside the USA, it might or might not be easier to get your script made. Where do you live? Many countries have a film commission that help films get made.
Any event that you can attend where people from the industry will be is something you should definitely do. You'll meet lots of people with the same interest as you and possibly get a job or something. It's all about who you know in the entertainment business.

Do I need an agent or something?

This is the messed up thing. You should have an agent, but it's easier to get one once you have a film or two in the can. Yet, you need to have one made and you might not get one made if you don't have an agent.

I know its weird. Many scripts end up "in the pile" with the rest of them. Just try to talk to as many people as possible, that are willing to listen to someone.

Thanks for that lillylovelost.

My script is definitely not in a certain 'screenplay' format.

I just wrote whatever.

I actually managed to get onto one of those programs, an online one, but didn't know how to use one.

I am not a union supporter by any means, but in some industries I think it may be a necessary evil. Especially in industries where using one's output without compensation can happen way too easily. I think as much as we the filmgoers don't completely understand the innerworking behind the entewrtainment we love, I think it is easy to understand that there is a fair amount of people in the entertaiment industry that didn't get by the most ethical means, thus the need for some legal protection.

The WGA has a legitimate complaint. The studios have been making a lot of smart money rereleasing desired material in means that do not pay residuals. The WGA does have a right to share of those previously unavailable streams of profit.

But what do you expect from an industry that claims Ransom, the mid 90's action thriller starring Mel Gibson and directed by Ron Howard that made over 300 mil globally, didn't 'make a profit'.

jameydunne
-as much as I admire Robert Rodriguez for his defying the WGA on the Frank Miller thing, I do have concern for his livelyhood, if he were to get into a creative funk and then have to try to work with the WGA again.

I agree Jamey,

the film industry is a tough one, and a very fast-paced one. If there weren't union regulations you'd see a lot of producers screwing over newly established talent just because of their power and pace.

jameydunne wrote:

But what do you expect from an industry that claims Ransom, the mid 90's action thriller starring Mel Gibson and directed by Ron Howard that made over 300 mil globally, didn't 'make a profit'.

Tom Hanks' mullet absorbed it all.

Well this sheds some interesting light on the subject. I've worked ninety hours a week before. Two jobs. One mental.(Theater). One physical.(factory). I can feel for those guys cause its sucks hard. But when those paychecks start rolling in its all worth it. Until the knees and back you ruined powerlifting in high school start going out on you and ya gotta quit before you spend your entire paycheck on pills. But.... Thats neither here nor there.

Either way. Hollywood doesn't seem to be to short on cash. Hell, they greenlight spiderman 3 and evan almighty for the biggest budgets of the year. And they sucked well enough. Maybe they should lower the special effects guys paychecks and give more to the writers. Lord knows hollywood could use some better scripts. No offense all you writer guys out there in strike land. But those two movies are pretty good examples in my opinion when you concentrate on the wrong element of the movie.

cRAzY wrote:

Lord knows hollywood could use some better scripts. No offense all you writer guys out there in strike land. But those two movies are pretty good examples in my opinion when you concentrate on the wrong element of the movie.

Couldn't agree with you more.

They spent almost two years on post-production work for Spider-Boy 3 alone, if only they'd spent two years improving the script... if only... I guess we'll never know how it would've turned out... if only... IF only. Sam Raimi... FUCK YOU!!!!!

jameydunne wrote:

But what do you expect from an industry that claims Ransom, the mid 90's action thriller starring Mel Gibson and directed by Ron Howard that made over 300 mil globally, didn't 'make a profit'.

Heck, they claimed that FORREST GUMP didn't make a profit, and that made around 300 million in domestic alone. That's why the book's sequel has never been made into a movie...

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