Screenwriting : Cruel Summer by Tony Ray

https://deadline.com/2019/07/summer-box-office-2019-report-avengers-endg...

Tony, thanks a billion for this post!

As a writer, I don't even think about franchise films. They are not in my writing wheelhouse, I'm not a WGA member, and those writing jobs are going to WGA members - and to a very small percentage of those members.

As a follower of cinema news, I know that more films are made each year than the previous year in 18 of the last 20 years. The streak was broken in two of the Great Recession years.

Yes, there is a lot of competition out there. Digital media keeps taking a bite out of the box office. Who knows what those landscapes will look like in five years, and even in three years? All the players are covering their bases, but still...more and more great films get made each year, and that's good news for everyone involved.

Best fortunes in your creative endeavors, Tony!

“Film is the most important art and it has the power to change the universe.”— Milos Stehlik

REST IN PEACE, MILOS STEHLIK (February 6, 1949 - July 6, 2019)

You never cease to inspire Bill Costantini You keep the dream alive for some of us more than you know. Pleasure having you here my friend.

Imo,

Just trying to keep it real. Not directed at you, Tony, but some writers dwell on blockbusters. I guess because that's what they see or hear about the most. That's cool, if you're an A-List Writer, but probably not cool if you're someone trying to break into the biz, or are even already in the biz. There were over 800 films released in North America last year - and that's just the ones being tracked. I bet another 400-600 were also released via other outlets and were under the tracking radars, too. And again...that's just North America. And of that total amount, maybe 80-100 at the most were big-budget studio films.

Global cinema is hardly dying, and is only growing. Theater owners may be running a bit scared, but that's why they are doing all they can to keep people coming. Only time will tell how well they succeed, but global cinema is hardly dying.

But writing is a long haul effort - not just to ascend to the top of your craft, but to ascend through the business ranks. A-List Writers didn't become A-List Writers overnight. It's not for the squeamish. It's not for delusional folks who make dumb-ass comments like "Film sucks", "Hollywood is a sewie hole", "Contests suck", "Consultants suck", "Paying to pitch sucks", etc. etc. It's for realistic people who have a high level of self-awareness; creativity; and drive. Understanding what is marketable and commercial helps, too, and especially if you're trying to sell a script or get one optioned. And especially since, when you pitch producers, one of the first questions they ask is "who's your market?"

Life is short. Don't blow it. And take a peek at the Stage32 Success Stories pages every once in a while, if you need a little extra pick-me-up ever now and then. It's pretty inspiring in itself.

Best fortunes to you in your creative endeavors, Imo and Tony!

“Film is the most important art and it has the power to change the universe.”— Milos Stehlik

REST IN PEACE, MILOS STEHLIK (February 6, 1949 - July 6, 2019)

I want to get sick every time I see another character in uniform. Hollywood has written off large portions of their prospective audiences to make comic books, and they are surprised with the result? I am not putting down the comic superheroes if that is your thing, but for the rest of us there isn't much to watch.

Franchise fatigue? No shit, when's the last time a franchise brought something new to the table. Well awhile ago. Movie wise, this summer was painful.

I have a AMC theater monthly pass, I see 3 new movies a week, 12 a month. "

Seeing this weekend, "The Farewell" and "Midsommar". Both original movies, both filmmakers started at the bottom.

Dan MaxXx,

I was at my local theater last week, and walked into the Spiderman showing in the IMAX theater with 4DX chairs, just to see how people were reacting in those 4DX seats. They were having a blast.

We have a Screen X theater here, too. I think there are two in L.A., and one in Texas so far. There's maybe a couple hundred around the rest of the world, and the company just signed a big deal to build over 100 of them in the U.S. over the next few years. It's a 270 degree screen. Combined with the 4DX chairs, it brings immersive cinema viewing to a totally different level.

The company that makes Screen X was at CinemaCon here a couple months ago. They're figuring out the future of cinema, and theatrical releases with probably every studio and theater exhibition company. We'll see what happens.

Best fortunes to you in your creative endeavors, Dan!

“Film is the most important art and it has the power to change the universe.”— Milos Stehlik

REST IN PEACE, MILOS STEHLIK (February 6, 1949 - July 6, 2019)

I dunno. I tend to agree with Mister Costantini. I've written all kinds of big and small budget scripts but I never worry about what the market's doing. Otherwise, one might drive themselves crazy. I'm driven by occasional events, bursts of inspiration and other films. For example, I wrote a ghost story after watching The Conjuring and House on Haunted Hill the same week.

Films should be used to inspire our creativity; and only hard work, hustle, faith and fate will get an aspiring screenwriters script sold and made into a film.

Bill C:

Sorry for the loss of Chicago film critic and movie lover Milo Stehlik.

Every year someone writes an article like this with predictions of doom for the movie industry, and every year they're wrong. It started when they invented TV. The fact is things will shift, evolve, reinvent and a new trend/s will emerge ...but they'll really just be old trends repackaged. Even 3D will one day try for a 4th time to be the hot 'new' thing hahaha

Very true, Phil. But if things are always shifting/evolving/reinventing, then eventually it'll have to shift back to original writing and the search for those who are unwilling to do remakes/reboots. At least that's the way I view it. There's always the chance that I'm wrong. Keep moving and grooving regardless.

Bill Costantini so i saw The Farewell in a packed theater. Exceptional. I think the bar of excellence has been reset to such a high standard now, only the best of best storytellers get noticed. The Farewell, Midsommar, The Rider, Moonlight. Movies with little budgets but look and feel special.

Dan, true dat. Big time true dat. Some writers really need to "branch out" a bit in their film viewing, and in their understanding of what the real standards and baselines are these days beyond those big-budget studio films. And again Tony....I'm not directing that at you. It just happens to be your forum topic, and I have a long history of posting how the quality and output of cinema goes up every single year, and particularly with non-big budget studio films..

And Dan...regarding Lulu Wang....I saw her first film a while back (Posthumous) , and have seen her interviewed. She's freaking brilliant, and it took her like 15 years to get where she is today. She's similar to Chloe Zhao (The Rider) in that regard. I think it took her like 12 years to get to The Rider. But those are two great writer/filmmakers, and I bet that Lulu Wang is going to be getting major offers like Chloe Zhao has received and accepted. They both paid their dues and both deserve it, and both have long careers ahead of them.

Best fortunes to you in your creative endeavors, Dan and Tony!

“Film is the most important art and it has the power to change the universe.”— Milos Stehlik

REST IN PEACE, MILOS STEHLIK (February 6, 1949 - July 6, 2019)