Screenwriting : Charity? by Craig D Griffiths

So the real question is has anyone done something like this? :)))

Yes Craig, I hold an option on my script without being paid. I did it for a solely experience as my first....second one, however won't go same way ;)

I am not so much worried about the cash. People all over the place give options, free and paid.

I am just (not worried as such) concerned, hesitant, having pause, that this relationship is not helping either of us. An option like this isn’t without effort from me. Assistance in pitching for instance.

I have a few things in train at the moment. The Hostage is on it’s third director (long story). But good news we are having a full cast rehearsal (finally) this Saturday. I’ll sit in on Zoom.. They are also visiting the location to plan blocking etc. There is a tentative start for the first week in December.

“Valley” is in the funding doldrums. A UK company working in Canada. Not a problem Pre-Covid. Now.... glad I am just the writer and not the producer.

Do what you think is best.

Yeah. But, I all the “have you thought of...” things.

I don’t know, what I don’t know. Hoping to get some insight or at least food for thought.

Thanks Kiril. You have anything on the horizon

I see...luckily a lot more experienced people than me around here...

I might have...just awaiting those spare time slots so I can start writing :)

cool. go kick some butt.

You know the old saying. Experience and $5 gets you a cup of coffee.

Claude, Shane Black dumped Carloco's 3 mill offer on his script for The Last Boy Scout and took Warner Bros's for just 1.7 mill only so he could work with Joel Silver and sponge some of the experience... sometimes it's not all 'bout money...u better revise that Craig's coffee saying ;)

"He wants virtually a free option. No one else is beating down my door for this script.

What are the risks of having someone well intentioned, running around with an option. In reality we are all Z list people. He is a cinematographer, that has directed a few shorts and music videos. This will be his first feature"

The risks are:

1) He won't get the financing and the picture won't get made. The option reverts back to you after X months. You're back where you started.

2)He DOES get the financing, and makes the movie and it goes nowhere in terms of financial success for anyone involved.(Because he made shit. Or made gold but couldn't afford to market it.) There's no 'monetary' gain - but you've got a produced credit - for whatever that is worth to you personally.

3) He gets financing, makes the movie it succeeds beyond it's imagined potential - KaChing!

I think that about covers it. I mean - you'll LEARN something from the experience, so there's that as well - good or bad.

It sounds like you're worried about someone " running around" with your script who might 'screw up' the chance later on, after the option expired - and you won't be able to shop it again? Is that what you're worried about?

I've optioned one of my scripts three times. I've optioned another one twice. They still get read - and folks still show interest. I don't worry about them losing their 'zing'. Of course, I'm continually 'renewing' and updating them as well. And one can always change a title if that's important.

Only you can determine if having the script under option has value in and of itself to YOU. The less money they offer up-front for the option, the more you want in terms of pay later, or shorter option time. That's part of the negotiation process. Frankly, I've found the more folks 'pay' to option - the more seriously THEY take the option, and its time limit. Your mileage may vary.

Good luck!

One mentor who started at the bottom always say, "If you're not getting paid, you're getting played. "

Anyway, I'd get a legit contract drafted by your lawyers (not a boilerplate contract online), pay yourself a writer’s fee and producer's production salary if this director sets up project. It's a business marriage for XXXxxX length of time. Show Biz Folks show respect by paying you...eventually.

You're waiting for a Director to find the money? Why not a Producer to find the gold?

I kind share people’s skepticism.

Doug Nelson I heard a producer (someone big - my brain fades on the name). She said “get a director first. Actors want to work with certain directors, investors want certain actors. it is a foolproof method”.

I’ll think of it as a lotto ticket. Zero chance of a payday with no one talking about the script. If he can pull it off. Good on him.

My biggest concern was people thinking of the script as being attached to a him, if he turns out to be hopeless.

But I don’t think either of us are at a point to be memorable in reality.

Thanks everyone.

Craig - Get some talent to sign on to your project for sure (Director, A list Actors, DP...). Make sure they are all bankable and then go find a Producer. If you show up with a worthy script and a pocket full of talent at the ready, then a real Producer with money or access to money might show up.

The road to hell is paved with...

Did this $0 option deal come with a contract with a purchase price, etc?

The possible problems are "script pollution" - when this person shows your script to every possible buyer and once their opinion expires you have no one left to show it to...

And the possibility that they cause problems that might run off on your script. There are a lot of well intentioned people who make promises that they can't keep and end up burning people. My first film was made by a friend (who had made a few released films already) who promised that this was going to be the first in a 3 script deal. He had the financing lined up, etc. I quit a perfectly good day job to write the next 2 scripts... and there wasn't enough $ for the first film. Couldn't get my old job back. I was screwed. I was not happy with my (ex) friend at that point.

If this person screws up and only people in the Midwest get mad at them, that probably won't matter to you. And if all of the "script pollution" is investors or whatever in the Midwest, again - not much of a problem.

Hey, maybe you want a film with your name on it? That's cool. Just make sure that you have a contract with everything spelled out in it.

A-List.... unless you are referring to a single list as in “a list”. I don’t think that term can be used by any of us.

But I think the model works all the way down. A good local director can probably get good local talent, which should attract a good smaller producer.

But I don’t get involved in that.

It's that "work for free" discussion all over again. Assuming the director can actually get it made, the first question for me would be how much you trust him to make the film in a way that will be to your benefit, reputation-wise. This would include his ability and commitment to promoting the resulting film. The second would be how much involvement in the process he would allow you. You might, for example, want to put a clause in the option preventing him from fiddling your script without your ok. Lastly, the key question is whether this venture will take crucial time away from projects with pay.

Craig D Griffiths - I think the best option would be to consider giving the director first option should he secure the funding for the project. Give him a timeframe and deadline to ensure he is true to his word. You can easily identify those who talk and those who are people of action. I recently got presented with a great opportunity to write a script for an original animation series, however, something in my gut told me not to write a single word until there was a clear indication of budget and confirmed production contracts, distributions deals, etc. It turned out that the producer and creator were trying to 'steal' scripts to strengthen their own project pitch and not paying a single writer for their work. Sadly there are frauds and charlatans in this business and as a creative we need to refine our skills to ensure we can identify those people before commencing with work. Let's hope that this Director is true to his word and comes up with the funding. Wishing all the best of luck and success.

William Martell the pollution concept is what I am thinking is an issue. He has a career working with others. I’ll have to access him. I am in a sturdy financial position. So money isn’t an issue.

The options path is what I am thinking of for him. I have my standard option document, is also a sales agreement if conditions are met.

Barry John Terblanche I am harvesting credits. Which is a bit of fun.

Christiane Lange (beware of incoming arrogance - LOL) I am confident enough in my writing that people will not change it much. I do like working with actors, especially talking about what I was thinking about when I wrote the character. But I think of myself as a person that grows trees. I don’t have any right to tell people how to use them he timber I grow. Once they purchase it, it is theirs to do what they want. I write to have it interrupted.

Thanks All.

Craig D Griffiths I think that is a great approach. But then it comes down to how much you trust this director to get it made and made well.

Thanks all.

Dan Guardino you are right. The story is amazing (in my opinion). But the characters are not likeable. Amy the lead is a drug dealer cutting her boss out of a deal. She is will to let her friends die as long as she wins. She says something to her girlfriend that I think sums her up.

“the world wants me to be less than I am, and be happy about it”

Everyone is bad. She is perhaps the least bad.

This director sees what I was aiming for. An urban tragedy.

I’ll give him the option. Again thanks all.

Craig - Very important to have likeable characters. "Joker" certainly wouldn't have grossed a billion without the lead character being so darn cuddly.

I love watching likeable characters, as they bounce off the bonnet of my car at high speed. I know I am not for everyone’s taste. But haggis is loved by the people that eat it.

Dan Guardino I feel like I need to give this guy a hand. We have all been thrown a bone sometime in our lives.

if you substitute charity for “hobby”, then you won’t feel cheated or stressed. If this idea becomes a real thing (physical action) and gets made, it’s a win. If it doesn’t, move on to next idea and next batch of directors.

Dan. Charity is a gift to someone in need that would normally incur a cost.

Hobby is a something done for fun or recreation.

The script is finished so I can no longer derive pleasure from writing it. Therefore it must have some intrinsic value which I would be gifting, hence charity.

I am not making a full time income from my writing. But it is slightly more than a hobby.