Hello all
Ok. I've officially given up. I can't get an agent. I don't do competitions or any other silly promotions of all types. I refuse to enter into any contests in which the top prize is a 30 minute consultation by phone with some unemployed Hollywood has-been... or any other contests. My movie would have to have a budget of millions. After years of fighting the system, failing to comply with most of the basics that would get a real movie done, making realistic and practical moves, I refuse to play the game any further.
In other words, I'm jaded. Ka-put. Out of promotional ideas, refuse to follow any that might work and have no motivation to follow anyway. Convinced that half of all this stuff is a con job, designed to artificially inflate the hopes and dreams of film makers and at the same time take their money. I've done blacklist... canceled it. Had my script reviewed by a half-dozen consultants... some of which were really quite good, even excellent.
But I'll tell you what I still do have. To make a movie that lasts about 2 minutes, or about as long as your average trailer lasts.
The idea? To make a trailer that IS the movie. On a budget of roughly around 60-100k. I don't care if anyone likes it (but most would). I don't care if the Hollywood big-wigs like it. In fact, I am more likely to receive a cease-and-desist letter from some lawyer than anything else, demanding that it be removed from youtube or other trailer cable channels... that is, if they do not remove it themselves first... something about a pesky trademark other such silly legal issue.
I would just feature the top scenes in trailer-like porportions.... mere seconds or shorter. Just the highlights. Imply that the actual movie will be produced in a few years.
Well, that is my idea. I've got enough income already to support myself. It's either this, or take my life savings, go to my local casino and put it all on black on the roulette table.
I know, I am a bad influence and should be banned and certainly deserve to be flamed to badly that I make a burnt crunchy sound when I walk, like a crispy bacon human being.
I'm not even going to ask for an opinion or advice. Think of this post as an advisory.
To everyone else tho, best of luck, stick to it and never give up. You will make it in some way if you do, in some media, in some employment that you are good or great at and enjoy it, or on a red carpet. You are not wasting your time. At the minimum, you have something to do and a dream. Well, as they say...
give a man love.
if you can't give him love, give him hope.
if you can't give him hope,
then give him something to do
That is all.
Stephen Thor
Hi Stephen, how many screenplays you wrote so far? My recipe, which should work for myself, is to write one after another, and improving already written after getting a feedback. I would not give up at your place, but continue to write - this is a craft where with regular exercising you can be only better. My books are not selling well, but I continue to write, as it is my passion. Each book is better than previous one. It might be sixth or seventh screenplay in the row which will be filmed... If you have this idea, to stop pitching with your idea and work, you will have plenty of time to focus on writing. And casino is a big No idea, unless you want to do a research there
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I'm confused. Help me understand what's going on. You say you've "officially given up". You don't/won't do competitions. You've paid to put your work out there on the Blacklist. You're out of ideas and "refuse to follow any that might work". So it sounds like you've been sabotaging your own efforts. "Half of all this stuff is a con job". I've entered and won several contests with cash prizes. Guess I've been entering the other half. Anyone can post on Blacklist, some writers have stated that they give good reviews to some scripts just to keep you signing up.
You say your scripts "were really quite good, even excellent". Was that your opinion or those of the consultants you hired? If it were the latter, were these reputable script consultants or just the lowest bidder? How can you be really sure that you scripts are good? How well have you learned the craft of screenwriting? I've read scripts where the writer believed they had an Oscar winner but it really belonged with Oscar the Grouch. Ego is a funny thing. It can distort vision and make you see what you want to see.
You say you're out of the business but you have to "make a a movie that lasts about 2 minutes" and it will include "trademark" materials. Do you plan on using someone elses work? Why would you get a "Cease and desist" letter? YouTube features hundreds of original short films, from two minutes to full feature length films. I love the sci-fi channel "Dust". None of them have problems.
You say this post is an advisory, yet you aren't providing any advice or really warning anyone. You talk about giving up, yet you say "stick to it and never give up". You're sending mixed messages, contradicting yourself all over the place.
Really. Are you in or out? Do you want advice, sympathy or were you just blowing steam?