I think this is a great conversation starter.
This is a post from another forum (Done Deal Pro). The poster is very well known and a successful writer on the big and little screen:
"But I disagree that spending years on a script is helpful, for a couple of reasons. 1. Spec sales are probably the smallest part of feature writers' income. Most jobs are writing/adapting someone else's idea or re-writing. And you don't have two years (or a year or even six months) to do a draft. You need to be able to execute in weeks or months at most. 2. One of the most important parts of a spec script (whether selling it or just getting enough attention from it to get a job) is the idea. If you spend two years on an idea, and that idea doesn't resonate, you've wasted two years. Or, god forbid, someone beats you to the idea and now it's dead. I used to be in writers groups with writers who would do what you're advocating - spend years tweaking and re-writing the same spec. I can't think of one of them who went on to have a career. I'm sure it's happened, but I'm pretty sure it's not common. I think the goal should be putting out two specs a year minimum when you're trying to break in. Which is really doable... If you spend three months coming up with an idea and breaking the story (which is really generous), and then write a page a day, that's six months per spec. Those four scripts will make you a better writer, and you'll have three extra shots."
Thoughts??
this conversation would have been an EXCELLENT SHORT FILM. TITLE: DOG IS GOD SPELLED BACKWARDS. Log line: ten patients get together for a 'wellness reunion' when all they've set aside low these many years resurfaces, but there's no doctor around. SOMEBODY GRAB A CAMERA! Thanks for this ya'll, very good read. Very good. BABZ
1 person likes this
I disagree in principle. My first screenplay took a few years to complete. It was a big budget, multi-character, special effects blockbuster. The draft cycle was vicious. But I learned many lessons like how to improve that monstrosity and finishing what you started. My passion for the project allowed me to suffer through the rewriting process. Still, I found my voice, style, tone and writing process. And all the apiphanies I had during my first screenplay, helped with later projects. My vampire story broke me but I learned from that nightmare. I only bite off what I can chew or atleast swallow.
Every single project, situation, circumstance, goal, motivation, schedule, and writer is different. This is one person's opinion; what works best for him, his goal. Everything is subjective. ;)
2 people like this
The key words in his quote "spec are the smallest amount of income for a feature writer." Say that every day you are writing a spec, "small amount of income." Those 6-figure and 7-figure spec deals you read in the trades never pay the full amount.
2 people like this
I don't have the patience to spend months on a script, let alone years. I agree with Beth. All situations are different. I generally bang out a first draft in less than two weeks. Of course, some of them take research. But even then, I spend no more than a few weeks studying any given subject. The scripts that required the most time for me were ones about Angela Davis and JD Salinger, which necessitated reading their work and feeling comfortable wading through their biographies. Last year, I adapted three public domain stories by HP Lovecraft and read each of them a few times and then went to work doing my screenplay versions of them. When I'm inspired, I also write for long, uninterrupted periods of time. However, everyone works at their own pace; and as long as your happy with the end result, that's a beautiful thing.
1 person likes this
I wrote a spec in 10 days...:)
1 person likes this
For my latest two horror feature specs I let the ideas for them digest and ferment for a while and then they both took me 30 days to write each one of their first drafts. Unless I was in the industry and had a severely good chance of a spec being produced I wouldn't waste years on it. I think concept and budget are key to selling a spec which is why I'm not writing big budget blockbusters. Low budget, contained (as much as possible) horror that focuses on characters more than the horror itself is my target genre.
1 person likes this
I don't see anything wrong with spending years on a project as long as you're doing other projects as well. Especially if you're writing what you hope to be your opus.
Until recently, screenwriting was just a way for me to have more projects to work on. It wasn't until recently that I've considered writing for other people, or writing something with the intent to sell. I'm gravitating more toward television writing, which requires a fast turnaround, but in many situations you also have the benefit of writing with a team. I use those opportunities, as well as participating in timed events like the 48 Hour Film project, as ways to sharpen my writing skills while I continue to work on other projects that may take me years to finish.
The problem comes when people only focus on the one project, whether it's taking years to write it or taking years to sell it. You should always be working. Most people need to in order to survive, and even those that don't quickly become irrelevant when not writing. You never know when the other projects you do while waiting can lead to the breakthrough you need for the project you're passionate about.
I shouldn't like to spend years on one project. One year max. I can take a screenplay from idea to finished and polished in 6 to 8 months. That's enough time and beyond that it starts to feel stale.
I wrote one in 8 weeks (with a co-writer), and the fastest I've completed one is my most recent one, in about 4 weeks, although it's still going through a final review. The reason I could do it so fast was because I spent 8 months on the novella, fully formed, so the screenplay just "came out", because the characters, structure and rising action were all in place.
My own view is that if you spend years on one project, it can get stale and dated (unless historical, or some such), and as others say above, you're not building up your portfolio.
Well allowing one project to become your albatross is never a good thing. Lol! ;) That said, some projects do take more time than others. They just do. But if you can juggle several projects at the same time, all the better. I do agree that one needs to have a solid body of work. You gotta be ready for that question: What else you got? ;)
I'm currently grinding my way through the last third of the beta polish of my current novel, making dialog tweaks and scene adjustments to the codeveloped screenplay as I go. But before that during creative time over coffee, I make notes on the third part in the series. The middle screenplay is stable for now. So I actually have three works going at the same time, but all within the same universe .
Great conversation. My takeaway: produce quality, and quantity. Easy, right?
1 person likes this
It truly (I believe) depends on what joy the writer receives from the process, and how much they personally care about the particular story. As a person who loves to write, I could see spending a year or more easily ! I could also write a 'decent' full script in a day if I Didn't personally care about the story ... or in some cases even if I did. Just depends on the flow. I would just hope a writer knows that (like a painter) time spent is Not money paid. Only do it if you love it.
1 person likes this
You know, it used to bother me more that so many do. But as far as jobs available these days, writing for money beats most (though not monetarily). I'd guess there must be so love for writing in there, but either way, you don't seem a bad guy. Now being more comfortable personally with my place in the field, it doesn't bother me at all. We were just talking about that Samurai Cowboy Pirate Alan Smithee movie, right ? I didn't get that job ... still could have made it work ... He pulled the poster. I wanted to watch it more than write it I think :)
Any writers that want to give up their money to write for love only, I'll take it! :)
3 people like this
I'm not a hypocrite, money matters. Love for writing matters more. Just curious:Let's say someone sells a screenplay. What changes financially in the writer's life? Is there really that much money to make a difference? Could you afford spending more than before? I apologize if I seemed stupid asking this, I still don't know very well how these things work!:( Even though I've been writing screenplays for a while now, there are still many things I don't know and still much, much more to be learned. Best of luck to all of you with this screenwriting journey!:)
2 people like this
MaxXxy: Just go easy on the red meat and butter sauce.