I have a western-adventure script with a female lead, which I pitched to an experienced script consultant. Their response - "Female-led actioners just don't sell."
Based on the recent success of films like Mad Max: Fury Road, Wonder Woman, and The Force Awakens/The Last Jedi, I'm inclined to disagree. Granted, some of those are already-established properties with built-in audiences, but I think having strong female leads still worked in their favor.
Your thoughts? Is an action script with a female lead a good thing or not-so-good?
Basically, I think it's a good thing. I have a very strong bad-ass-kick-butt female Actor for whom I looking for the right script right now (think Xena, Warrior Princess character). It's really hard to find the right story/script (she's not into Westerns.)
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It's not a good thing... It's a GREAT thing. This "consultant" fails to realize that women and girls account for more than half the population in the USA... We want to see ourselves represented across genres in our media. Where the Action genre is concerned, it's important for women, and young girls especially, to see that we don't need to rely on men to save the day; we can be our own heroes. This doesn't mean that female action heroes can't work/partner with men in these stories (e.g. Wonder Woman, Haywire, Mad Max Fury Road, Wynona Earp etc.)... In fact, I personally encourage these types of stories where men and women (or boys and girls) work as a team to be the collective heroes of a given story... If a writer/creator can do it without developing a romantic relationship/attraction b/t the two, then even better as far as I'm concerned... Men and women and boys and girls need to see that they can work/socialize together beyond this type of relationship (e.g. as friends, as siblings, as colleagues/coworkers/peers etc.). Find a better consultant and keep writing. : )
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I agree with Kelly! Plus, having read it, I don't think the story would have been quite as totally awesome if it had a male lead. But that's just my opinion :^)
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it is silly to compare your western adv spec to billion dollar franchise titles like SW or WW.
why are you asking a consultant instead of working Reps and filmmakers -folks who make movies for a living? Use your rolodex & contacts. If nobody believes in your spec, then put it on the shelf.
But then again, Scott Frank said his produced female western tv series, Godless, took 20-years to find a buyer and Frank is a longtime established Writer.
Experts (whoever they are) say musicals and black movies don't sell but LaLa Land, The Greatest Showman, Get Out, Girls Trip have made bank at the BO. I guess these filmmakers found believers.
lol what kind of backwards ass consultant are you talking too? what are they living under a rock? if you don't move on to someone with more sense already... lol.
Doug. I have a lot of them. PM me if you like.
Don't let one rejection deter your endeavor. Keep looking and you'll find someone who likes your script. Out of 100 people you pitch to, there should be a least one person who likes your genre.