Screenwriting : Bend the rules by Mark William Chambers

Would you read this?

Indeed. Transgender relationship movies are blowing up the Hollywood box office right now. Ka-ching!

That's the point. One is going to be made.

Dallas Buyers Club cuts it close

You're basically saying write things we've never seen before. I get your point.

Mark, there's a big difference between writing a script that's original - and writing a sellable script agents will love. I think there will be a trans love story made that breaks thru (there have been many made but they never get further than Outfest) but is it what agents are looking for right now? No, its not.

I'm sorry to burst your bubble Danny, but I've spoken with a number of producers who are in search for such a story.

You better get on with writing it then Mark, quick before someone else does and gets to your producers ;-)

I can't wait until Ms Segretti comments on this one

That's great, Mark. Not only are you writing something you have a passion for but you know a number of producers looking for what you are writing. Are you writing the script or is it finished?

I have other projects I'm working on. I just believe this is where cinema is heading ... In terms of the shock factor ... A modern day "Crying Game" ... I'm not pitching anything, nor am I writing anything about these issues.

Well you should! You have spoken with a number of producers who are in search for such a story. You shouldn't let an opportunity like this pass. Or... How about putting us writers in touch with the producers you have spoken to. If this is where cinema is heading I'll jump on. Have the producers you've spoken to said they are looking for "shock factor" when it comes to gender bending relationships/ issues or are any looking for thoughtful romantic dramas or funny romComs?

I'm fully committed into a project right now, but if you ever would like to co-write something I'd be interested, writing scene for scene. I don't know what your experience level is but if you would like to swap drafts of some material to get a feel for each other's styles id be more than happy to do so.

"Laurence anyways" (Xavier Dolan, 2012)

Thank you for the co-writing offer, Mark. But I'm looking for producers who are in search of these stories not a co-writer who is fully committed to another project now.

I have something trans based in the wings, but love story it is not. Ah well, back to the horror mines...

Shane - how's your horror script coming along? The first one I read.

Segue Away!: Pretty well. Went through numerous revisions, in the S32 contest right now, requested by a management agency once, so not too shabby. Still, time will tell.

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So true.

I can see Ang Lee working on this one right now.

Since all genres return from the dead I do not avoid writing in a so-called dead genre.

Django and a million ways to die exploit it, but you should keep it alive Dan!

Hahaha, the squirrel with a hat has a point, there :) That is, if we exclude the mashups like Cowboys & Aliens, the successes like Unforgiven or Django Unchained and series like Deadwood and Hells on wheels... But who wants to see people in hat shooting each other, right ? ;-)

http://whatculture.com/film/10-recent-westerns-that-prove-the-genre-isnt... Also, what is Star Wars if not a space western, hm ?

I don't recall the Western ever dying. It seems to be a thriving genre.

Yeah, now, I wouldn't call it thriving exactly. :) But if the story is compelling, a western is as good a world as any. Nowadays the genre is being mashed up with others. "A hundred way to die" is an exemple, "Return to the future 3", too. The point being as screenwriter you should write what feels good to you. Just make it fresh. I would hate a world where only superhero movies would be made because that's what brings money and where documentaries are ditched for the opposite reason. The pressure those forgotten genres are under actually helps the genre to produce new exciting ways to make movies. There would have never been a Michael Moore if the documentary genre had been well and alive. Don't believe the hype, differenciate yourself and be good at what you do.

It would be interesting to see a graph showing box office compared with number of films in a genre that are made. There are far fewer Westerns made than comedies so a comedy that fails at the BO but makes$100,000 counts towards the numbers. There are only about 6 to 10 Westerns released in the North American market each year which out greatly skew the numbers on the website. And that doesn't include the small, independent ones that don't get theatrical release. Anyway, I'm not trying to change your outlook. If your advice to writers is to not write a Western I will not challenge your advice. Looks like everyone should be writing comedies, adventure, action and drama. Even horror is low on that list. I'm glad that some writers are still writing "dead" or dying genres like the Western.

You can go to Box Office Mojo and find out what movies made money year by year. The reason why fewer films of one genre are made is because the ones they did make didn't make any money (so they weren't about to throw good money after bad). The fact that they still made some Westerns (etc) is because they send up trial balloons every once in a while in dormant genres to see if there is any interest ... and those trial balloon movies are usually from big names who have some interest in that genre. So Westerns are pretty much dead, but if Clint Eastwood wants to make one, they use it as a trial balloon. If Eastwood (or Kostner or TL Jones) can't get people to buy tickets for a Western, then it's still dead.