Screenwriting : Big budget tentpole blockbuster scripts by Wes Reed

Yes, good point. If you're creating a product to sell to a certain market, it helps to understand what the market is demanding. Which, of course, stinks when that doesn't gibe with your personal artistic vision.

Specs are really just your calling card. Proof of what you can do.

Spec scripts are job applications for assignments (those comic book movies, etc). So if you have written a big tentpole script, that's the job application for writing those big movies.

Keep in mind that the movies on the screen today are the business choices made two years ago (sometimes longer) in a different economic environment. Godzilla had a 4-year (you could argue 10-year) journey to debut this summer. Nobody wanted a western until Unforgiven, and then everyone wanted a western. Write the best you can, make contacts, see what happens. Hell, I wrote a 3-part fantasy mini-series. Talk about hard sell! But I knew that going into the project. I love the idea, I love how it's evolving, and nobody wants a sword & sorcery mini-series until everybody wants a sword & sorcery mini-series. :-) Your particular script may not sell, but as Mr. M points out, it can still get you work.

Here's the thing. Writing a workable blockbuster screenplay isn't really that hard. It can be story writing at its most shallow and one dimensional. What is hard is finding a marketing edge that's going generate faith in funding and maximise box office appeal. That's why studios turn to existing IP, it makes it significantly easier to cut through the noise that surrounds the current generation of regular movie goers.

Meanwhile Hollywood continues to put out a lot of high priced junk that makes money, no doubt, but will not even allow the consideration of spec scripts that are less shallow and one dimensional than those being produced. There are, I'm sure, great spec scripts out there that are simply ignored because of this new formula. I'm trying real hard to control my feelings here because this could come back and bite me in the ass someday.

Alle, I never meant that my screenplay was actually a blockbuster tentpole script. I just implied that if it were to ever be considered it would have to fall into that category because I know it would be a very costly production. However I do, like most of us probably think that our latest script is really good. You're right that I am an unknown but this script under a different title was a quarterfinalist in it's only screenplay contest entry and I realize that that is no big deal unless maybe it's The Page contest. Also, I have since done three rewrites for a fairly established producer-director which really cleaned up the story. He backed out because of the current market.

Wes, the issue is the target market is saturated with noise, movies have to make returns in a tiny timeframe, and the demographic of theatre goers has narrowed. Writing off the blockbusters Hollywood produces now as junk is doing it a disservice.

Alle I would like to clarify a couple of points you made. I was told by the Producer Director, above that had me under his wing, that the budget for my script would have to be over $100 million, so that is where my estimate comes from. Secondly, this is my fifth screenplay, which by no means makes me a good writer and honestly this is over a long time period. Film was not my primary concern during this time. Screenwriting was more a hobby. Like you, I am not a fan of screenplay contests, thought I would try one and at least I got a quarter final nod. One of my other scripts was optioned twice and that is my track record. The story I wrote just sort of took me over and I couldn't stop writing it. It's my fault for not seeing this spec script door closing. Hey I live in New Jersey for christsake. From my point of view I just saw a lot of high budget crappy movies being made(my point of view only) and I kept thinking, boy my script has a real shot. It's just exasperating to get the script all buffed up and there is no one to read it except maybe the screenplay contests. At least one person loves my screenplay... me. Such is life. Maybe I should write a comic book next. Thanks for your constructive comments.

Dan, I understand exactly what's going on now . I'm just a little late in figuring it out. I wasn't paying attention. I just thought that suddenly the big studios had run out of good material, so I wrote harder. Believe me, I read all the Hollywood news now.

Finally a breath of sanity in the big budget world. http://www.thewrap.com/chinese-getting-tired-of-sequels-effects-driven-h...

"Meanwhile Hollywood continues to put out a lot of high priced junk that makes money" Yes. That's because it is a business. If you want to be paid for your scripts you have to write scripts that people pay to buy. Here is a list of spec script sales for the year... https://specscout.com/scogginsreport But for the most part, spec scripts are just job applications for assignments.

I have no idea what this thread is about anymore.

If you write for the love of writing....

Don't be a child Dan. You're having a debate you've hardly been lambasted over your opinions geesh.

It looks like this is evolving into a catfight and apparently I started it. I'll try to put my original thesis in perspective. Let me summarize my thoughts here. First off I make no claims to be a great screenwriter. I never dedicated my life to this pursuit as most of you seem to have. I have one screenplay out of five written that I believe is worthy of, at least, consideration. I spent most of my life going to school, being an engineer(boring), systems analyst, bartender and math professor. I lived in NYC for ten years and have travelled extensively. I, like you, would love to sell a script but am not desperate for the money. And as far as the pursuit of fame goes, I'll bet that 99+% of the population could not name one famous screenwriter. So much for ego as a screenwriter, except maybe for recognition within the film community. I'm going to bore you now with my theory as to what I believe is happening in Hollywood and the world in general. As far as I can ascertain, the big budget movies are bringing in the most money for the industry and the IP formula seems to be working, so we can't really blame the execs for trying to maximize their profits. This will piss a lot of you off, but in my opinion the majority of the movies today are at best, mediocre. I'm not trying to be snooty. There's nothing wrong with a Batman movie or two or a vampire or zombie movie, but these themes are getting very stale and overworked. But, let's face it, as long as the studios make a buck they will apparently keep making comic book stories and sequels. So if there is blame to be laid, it has to be with the audience. Sorry, now I have to get esoteric in my theory. If you believe in re-incarnation, which most of the world does, you might find this insightful. Otherwise, get back to your writing because the only other option here is that we only live once. In 1927 the earth's population reached 2 billion people. According to the experts, that took over 200,000 years to happen. Now, in 2014, we have over 7.5 billion people populating the planet. That's an increase of 5.5 billion people in just 87 years. I'll do the math for you. That's a reproduction rate increase of over 6,300 fold based on the first 200,000 years. Now if you happen to believe in re-incarnation, this poses a puzzle. Where did these 5.5 billion new souls suddenly come from? Either they(maybe I'm one of them) came from the animal kingdom or they came from somewhere else in the universe. One thing is for sure, they could not have been humans in their previous couple of lives. This implies that over 70% of the world's population are first time humans. I will continue to use the term "they" but the odds are you and I are part of this population. These first-timers are blended into the overall population. They should have the same average upbringing, IQ, education and life opportunities as the old-timers(many past human lives ). Now I may get into trouble for saying this but there should be a spiritual progression from each of your past human lives. These highest levels would be creativity, awareness and ultimately enlightenment. This doesn't mean that a first-timer cannot be creative or aware, it would just be much more difficult to get there in one human lifetime. OK, let me get to the point. First time humans can be smarter than you even if you're an old-timer. They can enjoy life, feel love and accumulate riches. It is just going to be harder for the average first-timer to catch up in the awareness arena in just one life. Therefore, developing a discernment for fine art(good movies?) will be harder. Let me stress again, the odds are you and I are both in this 70% first-timer group so no one should attempt to be elitists here. In summary, this why I think bad movies do well at the box office. I have a lot more to say and have just started writing my first book on this subject. I hesitate to push the "Post Comment" button, but here goes. Be gentle.

Thanks Lyse I appreciate your support. Hopefully this IP only system will run it's course. The Chinese are already starting to complain. Check out this site. http://www.thewrap.com/chinese-getting-tired-of-sequels-effects-driven-h...

Thanks Dan for hanging in here so long.

I watched a Bluescreen vid where the writer of a few well known movies (don't ask me which ones - I'm horrible with names) said a studio won't risk a big budget movie - especially spec - on something that doesn't have an already built in audience. Hence the slew of comic book movies lately.

Thanks Tony. That's exactly what this discussion is about. I hope for your sake that your two books sold well. That will give your script adaptations a big boost.

Good for you Dan. Looks like your career is on a roll.

Frustrating isn't it? Specially if your forte is screenwriting.

Wes, the books haven't sold well (to date), but the stories are "low budget", non special effect driven, people stories. The minimal "special" effects in the first my son could do a convincing job with After Effects today.

Low budget doesn't necessarily mean minimal special effects. It's number of speaking roles, number of locations, lack of crowd scenes. The high concept time travel film SOURCE CODE which has limited locations and limited speaking roles cost almost half of what character based comedy CRAZY STUPID LOVE cost. CRAZY STUPID LOVE has a bunch of characters and a bunch of locations... and those things cost money.

That's True, Wes. Hadn't looked at it that way.