Screenwriting : Reality Survey by Craig D Griffiths

I honestly have no idea where I might end up but I do know that I am more than happy to work with anyone be it selling a script of my own or coming up with one based on someone's idea or even doing edits/re-writes.

I’m keeping all options on the table. Still discovering myself as a writer.

Thank you both.

I find it amusing that some people start with “studios only...” or “in Hollywood”, when most of us will never see any of that.

I think having options open is great and see where it leads is a great approach.

Independent film for me all day every day.

Hollywood and the Studios aren't really aspirations of mine. I've been inspired more by the B-movies that I used to watch on USA Up All Night than I ever was by any Oscar winning film. I'd rather watch Evil Dead II (or The Bikini Carwash Company II) than The Godfather 2 any day of the week. My goal is to write and direct low budget genre features and web series.

I want to be a b-movie filmmaker. And, ultimately, I want to get together with several like minded people, and start a company that develops, produces, and distributes indie horror, indie sci-fi, and indie comedy at a professional level.

I need to become a workaholic to make this happen.

It's indie all the way for me.

I've worked in the Writer's Room on a few network shows. It's just a job - you show up, you write, you go home. It's not glamorous or exciting - it's just a job.

I worked as a staff writer and also worked for two different production companies. Don't want to ever do that again.

Everyone starts off doing low budget stuff and builds some sort of track record before the Suits offer "studio" jobs. Unless you're a Unicorn-screenwriter: the next Liz Hannah, Taylor Sheridan. The best of the best separate themselves from the field and get paid top dollar. Peers come to them.

So most of us seem realistic and know that the indie world is where we are going to sell work.

So therefore discussions around what works in an indie world may be more productive than “what studios want”.

Thanks to everyone.

I am currently in School for Digital Cinematography but my path is already set to make indie movies after graduating.

Craig. You are right. The odds of breaking in with a studio size project has to be a 1000 times harder. I did get lucky once and got one to the finishing line with Warner Bros just to watch it blow up in my face at the very last minute because a stupid author wanted to try and renegotiate his deal. He is probably still living in his one bedroom apartment in Hollywood. lol!

Dan Guardino mortal sin of not owning the rights. Someone screwed up and you paid the price.

Craig. You got that right. The producer hired me to adapt the novel and all he had was a verbal agreement from the author. Now I won't adapt a novel unless I see every contract the author ever entered into including the one they signed with their publisher. Sometimes authors give away film rights for a number of years and not even know it. Anyway I did a lot of work for that production company so it wasn't a complete loss for me.

I've never really limited myself to a set particular path, Craig. I mean when I started, the intention was "I'm going to write a script and make millions". But I soon humbled my perspective and fell in love with the craft itself. I'm still growing, still learning. Of course it'd be great achieving studio level recognition and all that comes with it, but...I'm good with indie. We'll see where the grind takes me (^_^)

Craig, I'm totally cool with going the indie route.

Main thing is: Whether it's studio or indie, I'll be happy to get whatever I write produced...even if I have to get in there and do it myself.

Thanks for ALL you contribute to Stage 32, Craig!

Thanks Jim, very kind.

I want to make certain movies, and those are not studio films, soooo... yeah. ;)

Hi Craig. I really believe that as an artist I want my creation to come to life and wouldn't care whether it's B-list, Indie or whatever. I think people that write only for the big screen loses their potential audience. I wish I had the knowledge as a filmmaker because I would film my own work and create an entity like Redbox and only showcase indie films. There's a lot of red tape that comes along with Screenwriting and I have read some amazing scripts that will never make it because the writer is chasing the bankroll rather than the credits.

I'm flexible. My projects are a mix of US, Canada, western civilization based, indie and studio type projects. Eventually I'd like to write at the studio level. But yes, flexible.

I concur with Jim. You inject common sense into a place that sometimes very desperately needs it, Craig. And I had a listen to your logline podcast. Nice work. Will have to check in on it again.

The podcast is going to be relaunched. I had a house to renovate and sell. Which took a few months and a couple of finger tips (stupid me).

Blackmagic just released a 6k Cinema Camera with a full Version of Resolve Studio for $2500.

If that doesnt kick on the low budget indie world, hard to know what would. If you can write a script that can make money you will get noticed. If that script is cheap to make even better.

Craig The Black Magic 6 k looks awesome. I shall be buying it for my son when he attends Uni next year. He currently uses their 2.5k box camera. I can't recall it's unit name sorry. He really likes that and it's cheap as chips on ebay at around £500 for a unit with lenses. Black Magic are game changes for sure.

Thanks for the positive energy with the post, Craig. It came at a good time. Helped fight off a quick doubt session that started antagonizing my thoughts.

Karen - FYI. I've used both the studio (2.5K) and their 4K version - I was unimpressed by the build quality.

Doug, they seem really good I agree.

I have the new pocket4k. It is an amazing camera. Virtually idiot proof (lucky for me).

Imo I am so glad it helped.

To be brutally honest, I started up writing again after a 25 year layoff and my only real goal was to finish a script to show myself that I could do it. After that, anything else would be the cherry on the sundae. Indie's probably the way to go just because the barriers to entry into it are a whole lot less than the studio route. Not saying that it isn't still daunting, but it seems more doable up front.