Uncle Phil has had a lot of misadventures during my screenwriting endeavors. Most of the worst ones have involved trying to rewrite another writer's/producer's work or collaborating with other writers. This included being hired for a writing team, for a European television pilot that never saw the light of day. I have since decided writing screenplays is a solo venture. What say you? Tell me your horror stories. No, really... I want to hear them.
Screenwriting : Collaboration horror stories. Bring out your dead! by Phillip E. Hardy, "The Real Deal"
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I was hired to adapt a rather poorly written, self-published novel. Every time I would send the writer a draft, she would "rewrite", using a word document and a format that I can only describe as "creative". I finally had to (nicely) threaten to walk away from the project in order to get her to let me finish the damn thing. Then she argued with me about payment, I had agreed to one revision and ended up doing three before I finally got the rest of my money. NEVER AGAIN.
The only other writer I work with now is my significant other, which has its own set of challlenges and irritations, lol.
Ive adapted a couple of prose pieces for other writers and theyve gone okay, but the thought of collaboration... no tx
Jody: That is horrible. I always try to get fifty percent up front and fifty percent upon delivery.
Anthony: I'm with you.
Phil I did, she drug her feet terribly when it came time to pay the second half she owed me. Damned old biddy!!!! (Joking....sorta)
I've suffered many misadventures over the years in the writing and production areas. I quite often find wannabe Directors to whom I offer award winning scripts (for free) and the necessary financing - but they can't do the job. I keep asking why am I spinning my wheels and wasting my time when I could be out in the hammock, drinking beer.
Doug:
Brings new meaning to the expression good help is hard to find.
I have a role in a Horror/thriller film with Runaway Pictures shooting this summer/fall. I will look so scary as a spirit! HAHAHAHAHAHA!
I once co-wrote a novel and discovered I'm the asshole who has to have everything his way. The guy I wrote with was a great collaborator. The novel came out fine in the end, I think. At any rate it's entered this year in Launchpad's manuscript contest.
No horror stories. I've been fortunate to be fired professionally. No shouting, no threats or use of baseball bats. What sucks are notes and rewriting. Hmm, horror? I went to a table read with Talent & Crew and was introduced to the other Writer. Yeah, I didn't get the memo I was fired . I sucked it up, wished them all well with my story (which now belonged to a company).
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In L.A. back in the early 2000's, there was a group of producers who were also involved in witchcraft. Now I firmly believe in the powers of good and evil, and have witnessed several exorcisms and possessions in my day.....but man.....the ceremonies they had were pretty wild.
They are all dead now, and the landlord of the building where they had their ceremonies got all the stuff, and burned it in the Cleveland National Forest in the foothills of the San Gabriel Valley. On his way back to Van Nuys, his car engine caught fire on the 5, and he died. A few months later, his building in Van Nuys burned down. And that area of the foothills and the building lot in Van Nuys is now said to be haunted.
I miss L.A. :(
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Bill C:
Which craft? Craft services? Anyway, it sounds like Karma had its way.
Yeah, WitchCraft services - don't mess with 'em; they got a really strong union.