What up, writers and story tellers?!
No doubt most of you have taken some freelance work from people that think they are producers or some sort of creative thinkers so I thought I'd share a story that happened to me some years ago answering a Craigslist add or something trying to sell my soul hoping what they would do with my work would bring me some notoriety instead of ulcers.
To try and be as brief as possible, this one woman wanted a screenplay about a young girl whose father entered her in back alley fights where she wins all of her bouts, is kidnapped by an assassination training group, becomes the BEST assassin in the world, retires while on top, marries a wealthy business man, has a family tragedy, has a terrible family tragedy, finds out the husband is behind it and then get her revenge...ALL IN ONE SCREENPLAY!!!
Now this is a Dragon Tattoo trilogy at best but she wants it at as a stand alone screenplay... and I do it, but she has a problem with it.
She wanted her heroine to be home and overhear her husband talking on the phone about his betrayal. Being distraught, she goes on a vacation to Europe. I changed it around a bit having her going to Europe to calm down then finding out about her husband's betrayal after he issues a hit on her then she returns to exact revenge. This genius kept saying that the heroine had to find out about the betrayal while she in the house. When I asked why, she said, "because that's the way I want it!" Do you see the problem here?
I spent 70 pages establishing this woman as the deadliest assassin on the planet. If she found out her husband was behind the betrayal, she could have killed him right there with a water balloon! She would not see logic no matter how hard I fought for it and could not give me a reason why it had to be that way other than "she wanted it that way."
That's when I said, "Look, I gave you a first draft. Keep it and hire another writer (I got half my pay up front). Let them change it the way you want it" There is no winner in a war such as this. If you write crap, it will not look good on your resume. I have other stories of this nature if you wish me to share them with you because sometimes it's not you. It's them but they'll suck your confidence out of you like a mutant mosquito using you as an all you can eat buffet table.
In the meantime, keep writing, see your own mistakes and have a lovely, loving, and joyous holiday with your family and friends, and if like me, you don't have any, drop me a line and I'll find someway to make you smile..
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I've been there, Philip David Lee. It was way back. I'm grateful for the job, but it's really difficult and draining to work with someone who wants things their way or no way when it hurts the script. I left the project too. Writers have to know when to walk away from projects. They might lose out on money, but they won't have to put up with the headaches and have their names attached to work that could hurt their careers.
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Maurice Vaughan There are a lot of tales to tell to new screenwriters without making your competition steeper. Ultimately, they can decide what risks they want to take, but I have a lot of negative experiences to share that will hopefully alleviate time wasting scenarios and try and teach some key negotiating points in one's contract.
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Hi Phillip I'm seeking a talented screenwriter to adapt my book about life-altering encounters that challenge the limits of the spirit. If you believe in the power of connection, let's chat!
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Ness Alejandro I sent you a connection request.
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It's a tricky balance. You have to know when you're being approached as a writer or a typist. On the flip side, if someone's paying you do follow a brief, it's wise to follow it.
It happens the other way too. You get on set, the script is locked, and then an actor wants to rewrite your work. Sometimes they approach you about it. Sometimes they sideline you and go straight to the director.
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CJ Walley It is a tricky balance, isn't it? I've had producers and directors bring on other writers and what they added was terrible. I literally had to ask them to remove my name from the credits. I have learned from these lessons and approach new challenges with these scenarios in mind. To be honest, I was never getting paid what I feel I was worth so, I never gave a damn about pay. You pay me half up front and the balance when I'm done. If you're stupid ideas are more important than the integrity of the story, I walk. I love writing but I don't need a stroke arguing with morons. If I'm fortunate to direct my own work, that problem is no longer.
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There's projects I've been asked to look at where I will go in saying I'm not looking for a credit, typically because I know it's not going to be my work at the end of it.
That said, my attitude is that we're all collaborating as people who bring wildly different skillsets to help get a movie made. I'm the writer. I'm being brought it as the expert in that area and with the talent to deliver. I don't tell the producers, director, cinematographer, or actors specifically how to do what they're best at, and I don't expect it to come the other way either.
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CJ Walley I love your zen attitude. I try but sometimes I have to medicate rather than meditate. You gotta love filmmaking!
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HAPPY HELLIDAYS Philip David Lee