Screenwriting : When Producers want script changes... by Ben Cahan

"Where's the logic in dating a tall, skinny brunette if you really wanted a short, squat redhead?" - ha! A bit superficial, but point well made and so true. Great article - lots to relate to, thank you!

Thanks, Shari, John has a certain blunt flair to his writing. His book (Tough Love Screenwriting) is coming out in a few weeks, just to give him a free plug. I'm happy he decided to contribute some excerpts, clearly the book's title is pretty dead on. Tough love indeed.

I'll have to check this book out!

John's written a great piece on this issue. As a screenwriter, you're a writer for hire so until they're paying you several million for a script, that's the reality. If you want to take a breather from that world, you can put on a playwright's hat and see what it's like to actually control every word in a script. But don't ask about the pay....

I haven't read this but from Richard's point I disagree. Unless you are writing to be a screenwriter for hire. i.e. doing the job you are told too. A good example is Sylvester Stallone, he knew he had to act the character. i.e. if you believe your writing for spec is strong enough, you know, that's how it's meant to be, because you see it, you created it. If you've created it on chance, then yes, allow for changes :)

Sometimes it's not about a good or bad script but who they cast. Oh how I wish I could give details, but my script was not written for a Black actor because the action takes place in the early 60s in a southern city and the character has a high profile job. But the director/producer has an award winning actor in mind who happens to be Black, and who am I to say no? Right now I'm over the moon at the fact that he's even reading my script! If he signs on.. gotta make adjustments and rewrite some!

I liken it to selling your car. The new owner can repaint it or they can take it to a chop shop and turn it into a low rider. They may even drive it over a cliff. But if you have a good working relationship with the people involved, they might let you turn it into their hot rod for them!

it all depends on the option agreement. You may or may not have any control down the road... in fact. you may not be the final name as writer on the script... You will find that there are a lot of people that could end up as writers along with yourself. If the producer, director, another writer makes significant changes they can claim a writing credit and you may find yourself getting paid a percentage of the option in the end... or all of it but your name is one of 2 or 3 writers. If you want to maintain control over your script you need to assure thats in the option agreement.

In my situation, there's no option agreement but there is a purchase agreement. It's really more of a work-for-hire situation. I was asked by Johnny Martin to write his story idea into a screenplay. He gave me what amounted to a log line and I ran with it, deciding on the who what where etc. I write the script and he reads it over and asks for changes based on budget or, as I mentioned, who is cast. Since he's the director as well as producer he may end up changing things on set and making actual last minute changes to the script, which happened here and there in Case #13 after he found out the tourist attraction mansion in which he was shooting was already decorated for Christmas in some rooms. So he wrote a line or two in. Happily Johnny and I get along well enough that he runs ideas by me and vice versa and we can decide together what gets changed or even if there needs to be a change.

Oops you are correct Dan! Thanks!

I heard Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio speak at a conference about this. They said writers should expect their work to be changed and to let it go. if writers don't want their work changed, then they should direct it themselves.

The relationship a writer has with a producer will have plenty to do with how it all goes down. If the producer wants to work WITH the writer, there will be a give and take on changes. i always discuss the changes I want with a writer when I think more work is needed on a script, and I try to listen to their point of view and also argue for the changes I want and why I want them. Of course, if a producer or studio purchases the script, with real cash, then they do at that point get all the power, but then again the writer doesn't have to sell to anyone who they feel doesn't share at least some of the vision they have for their script.

Speaking of script changes, I was just asked to rewrite part of Case #13! It's going back for re-shoots to make it a regular feature rather than a found footage! I think I'm going to enjoy this!

Rewrites are nothing to fear. They usually make the script or story better....usually

@ Patricia, like the usually.