I just had an experience which was such that I asked myself if it was Candid Camera.
I have communicated with a person who has an idea for a movie. He is willing to pay somebody to turn his synopsis into a screenplay. The idea is mediocre, not bad. So that should be possible.
But his synopsis is poorly written, due to his inexperience. Simply rewriting his notes would take surprisingly long time, before any screenplay can be written.
And he wants to sell to a major film company. We all know how difficult that is.
I asked him multiple trivial questions, but received few meaningful answers.
I explained that a major studio would hardly buy a screenplay from an outsider. In the improbable case that they actually read and like such a screenplay, they will in all probability instead hire the screenwriter to write something else.
So I gave him a suggestion. Instead of writing a screenplay, I would use his notes to write a short play. A Christmas musical. The director adds songs to make the performance longer. Then the person who created the idea could use notes from amateaur theatres to improve the play. With a long and popular play, it would be far easier to contact a major studio.
Sure, I know that there are people who are unwilling to accept how unlikely it is for their ideas to work. But the odd thing is that the man has a literary agent, and she takes the idea seriously. What?! A literary agent earns a percentage when screenplays are sold. So she should understand herself that in all probability she can't earn anything from this idea.
Strange case. Was this Candid Camera? Or are there people in USA who behave like this?
No, I don't expect to hear any more from this man and his literary agent. About writing for payment, I know the rule "if it sounds too good to be true, it is probably not true", so I quickly started to suspect that the whole thing would come to nought.
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"I explained that a major studio would hardly buy a screenplay from an outsider... A literary agent earns a percentage when screenplays are sold. So she should understand herself that in all probability she can't earn anything from this idea." Since he has an agent, she can pitch his script to studios, Göran Johansson. Studios are open to hearing pitches from screenwriters who have agents.
What makes you think it was candid camera? Did something funny happen? That TV show was hilarious back in the day!
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If you want me to look at it for my Rush Hour Comedy Radio show, I'd be happy to. You can e-mail it to me at my work e-mail at sillysideproductions@gmail.com
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Dear friends.
Pitching would had been problematical because the idea was far from original. In order to do something, one would first need to do the idea more original.
No, nothing funny happened. But I asked myself if somebody tried to figure out if a person who is offered easy money will try to take as much as possible, or remain honest. Please feel free to include it in your radio program, but I promised not to show the synopsis or marketing plan to anybody. And even though I can send you a sound file, I speak English with a strong Swedish accent. I plan to send you an email early next week, when I have thought a little about best to use it in your radio program. I did radio myself in summer 2005, so it takes a while for me to remember what works best in radio.
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"Pitching would had been problematical because the idea was far from original. In order to do something, one would first need to do the idea more original." Sometimes, Göran Johansson. Studios sometimes buy and make scripts that are similar to movies and shows from the past.
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Dear Niki, I just sent you everything.
Dear Maurice, I understand what you mean, but there was a big problem with the synopsis.
Same logic applies to comic book adaptations.
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Sir,: did you get permission to send client's work to strangers here for review? Cause that is just tacky to post to say the client's work stinks, and you think it is a "candid camera" scam/stunt. Either you want the work, or you dont.
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Never share someone else's synopsis that's been sent to you in private.
Oh dear, was I supposed to send the client's synopsis. No, I didn't. I thought I was supposed to send something about being offered easy money. In addition I sent how to write a synopsis so it is easily readable. And is it a good idea to ask somebody else to write your screenplay. In addition, I offered Niki my collection with modern urban legends, for brainstorming.