There has been a popular thread in the forum this week about camera angles. This subject has generated a spirited debate. However, this morning, one of the folks posting made this statement:
"If you want to be an artist and do artistic things, don't write screenplays on spec. It's a road to nowhere."
I got up this morning, read this statement and pondered it while having a shave and shower. It really hit me where I live. Well, not literally. But it stuck in Uncle Phil's craw. By the way, do you know what a craw is? I had to look in up online. It means to make someone upset. Of course, this wasn't the poster's fault. He made a compelling statement about writing spec screenplays. This is a philosophical question I often wrestle with.
But let me answer the first half of this poster's statement, which is, "If you want to be an artist, and do artistic things, don't write screenplays."
Since I was a mere lad, playing with toy soldiers, I've always had a vivid imagination. As I grew into a teenager, progressive rock really sparked my desire to make my own music. I started playing drums, performed at scores of LA nightclubs, wrote songs and worked with many different bands. As a direct result of being a musical performer, and an "artist" if you will, I met a woman that I married. So ultimately, music was artistic and also a pretty successful venture. Just not monetarily.
Much later in life, I decided I wanted to write a couple of books, which evolved into writing screenplays. I've had some success in getting my work optioned and making a few dollars here and there. I had some success with a Kindle book in 2012, which netted me some nice size checks from Amazon. I've also had a fair amount of success in competing at film festivals and script contests. This ain't paying my bills; but it does offer a great deal of artistic satisfaction.
Conclusion: If I had depended on playing drums or writing to make a living, I'd be in a heap of trouble.
Let me answer the second part of the poster's compelling question: "It's a road to nowhere." This begs the question, what does nowhere mean to you?
Savvy folks, like my friend Dan MaXxx, will tell you use your spec screenplays as calling cards to acquire work for hire situations. This is absolutely sound advice. I frequently answer trade ads to achieve this very goal. Is this a waste of time? Absolutely not. Yesterday, I made a connection with a director who sent me his latest film to watch. In turn, he is going to read my horror screenplay Purgatory Station. This director has also done another thing Dan recommends. He started his own production company, with a stable of actors and is making some nice looking, entertaining low budget films.
Is it easy to sell a spec screenplay? Nope! It's definitely a road that can lead nowhere. Someone who is truly committed to selling a spec must be willing to travel many roads, have talent, drive, the ability to communicate your vision and a lot of luck. So why do it? Well, kitty kats, that is a soul searching question you'll have to ask yourself.
Why do I do it? Because I love it. For me, it is my art; and I'm hoping my greatest work is still ahead of me.
Write on!
Every pipe dream is just a pipe dream until someone does enough work or has enough luck to make it come true.
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That's a sad philosophy......spec scripts sell....spec scripts get writers representation.....spec scripts get writers inside the doors of people in the biz....spec scripts get people writing gigs......spec scripts help to form relationships with people in the biz....spec scripts win contests....spec scripts get people internships....spec scripts get people dates (at least me).....so I say that's a sad belief.
Sure it's hard to sell spec scripts, just like it's hard to get a record contract, or an acting gig, or a modeling gig, or to open any type of successful business. But to say that it's "a road to nowhere".....that's a sad belief.
Anthony:
Word! I'm working my pipe dreams!
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Bill C:
Words... Of wisdom.3
John: I've had four scripts optioned, and one that was just re-optioned in April. The re-optioned screenplay was pitched and read by two Paramount executives in April.
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John: I haven't sold any. However, I made a decent amount of money on two options, back when people were paying option money. And one of my spec scripts led to a script writing contract (that wasn't one of my specs). And another led to a relationship with a producer who introduced me to a person who gave me a one-year business development contract that wasn't related to cinema. And another led to a relationship with another producer who introduced me to an investor who put up the funding for an L.A. newspaper that I ran. And the combination of a few of my spec scripts led to a couple dozen editing and ghostwriting gigs. And my last spec script led me to a producer who I am currently writing a play for, and to an investor who is funding a media company that is not related to cinema. I've done pretty well over the last 17 years as a result of the 11 spec scripts that I never sold. :)
John:
Since you didn't specify bill, I seemed it was for me. Full disclosure baby!
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my spec movie "All or Nothing" (available on Amazon, another shameless plug), lead me to working on music videos & commercials for HSI, A Band Apart, Propaganda, Scott Free, and I learned how to edit on Avid Symphony, made a good living as a dailies Editor. Lots of career paths from a spec script. We all can't be Rock star Writers & Directors but there are a ton of entertainment careers. Be smart, stay healthy. Not mental delusional. Waste Time and years on writing Bullshit mini-series ideas, trilogy scripts, bullshit pilot series when you have 0 TV experience and 0 track record. Or listen to others, PUT SKIN$$$$ in the game. Do you own thing first. Show people you are serious about this lifestyle. It is a full time commitment, full of personal sacrifices.
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John: You did at that. I didn't see them. I was waiting with my little dog Toto at the vet. Didn't see them on my tiny phone screen. Forget what I said about options. Heehee!
Dan M: The more important thing is that Uncle Phil Cited you and your philosophy in this thread. Now I know how to get you to the party. Hopefully, some industry execs will be there too. I'm functioning delusional.
He's crazy
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Uncle Phil
you're on track. keep piling scripts. More output, more chances of reads and failure. all you need is 1 script to connect. everybody fails. don't worry about Executives who say no! They'll be fired in 3-5 years, working film conferences as Consultants.
Some of us have made it our goal to sell a spec, some of us haven't. I have a friend in Indiana who writes itty-bitty, small town scripts and then produces them for 10K or less, using his friends and neighbors as actors/crew. He's made several of these movies now, gotten distribution, and is making a nice living. That's all he aspires to do. But I think most of us have dreams beyond that of writing and selling spec scripts, if for no other reason than -- as Phil and Dan M have suggested -- using them as calling cards. Mine have gotten me two managers and several options, but no sales so far.
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Well, at first, I thought this was the name of a new Cheech and Chong movie!
I started writing late in life, but have had a good paying non-entertainment field career for a while. My writing isn't paying the bills and for now and they don't need to, but I'm definitely taking the advice of Dan M. and others on here. They've had success - success defined by me is having anything optioned/sold/movie made/worked in/on films etc. I'm going to put some $kin in the game and see if it works.
One more note. To me, writing a film script of any kind isn't good enough. I've written some that others have said is good writing and all, but the whole point of a script is for an ACTUAL film to be made - is it not? Until I do that, it's been good - just not good enough. Writing has been fun, but it's a fruitless effort without the end result happening.
Good thoughts on this Phil. Can't call you uncle because you're probably younger than me!
Jeff:
Thanks for sharing.
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One way to get your specs read is to NOT mention you are selling or want to make a movie! Tell folks why you want to write and show a sample.
I got a read request from Justin Lin's company because I wrote a brief equery and asked if I could send them a sample script.
They replied the same day, "send". Let them decide what they want to do with my spec.
MaxXy: Thanks for support. And when the rubber hits the road, it hurts. But your encouragement is always appreciated. Respect!
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Jeff Langham: you may think you're older than Uncle Phil, but Phil not only read Aristotle's Poetics - Uncle Phil helped him re-write it. Dan MaxXx is no youngster either, and has been telling writers to make their own movies ever since David O. Selznick turned down his Gone with the Wind sequel proposal (Faster, Scarlett! Kill! Kill!)
Bill, now that's funny. I feel older than I am! I'm just the kind of person that will listen and follow what makes sense to me and toss the rest. I'm no idiot, but I ain't no fool either!
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My brother attended a Virtual Reality seminar hosted by Sotheby's NYC. Lots of big players speaking about the use of VR equipment at home and at theaters. That's probably the new tool for storytelling. interactive VR movies.
Apple Computers is about to launch their own Entertainment Studio. They need storytellers.
Team up with an animation team, write a VR movie, sell lots of merchandise.
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Spec scripts are the best way to break into the biz, IMHO, and once you're established--specs are the best way to attract the best deals. I speak only from my experience and everybody's is different but it comes down to 'what is it YOU want to do as a writer?' Do you want writing gigs or do you want to write what you want to write?
Treat specs like a resume. It probably won't be the job, but it'll let you people know what your talent level is.