Hi all. As a screenwriter I have made it one of my aims to write across as many different genres as I can. The way I see it, when I have an opportunity to present my work to a producer/company and they aren't interested in what I have, the last thing I want when they ask 'what else do you have?' is to say 'Sorry, that's all I have!'. I want to say 'oh, you don't like that one? No problem, how about one of these?' and drop a dozen more screenplays on the table...in different genres.
I believe this has several advantages such as creating a diverse development slate, challenging your writing skills and improving your overall writing abilities. So, how many genres do my fellow screenwriters write in?
Here's my tally thus far after 15 screenplays: Sci-fi, Sci-fi Comedy, Comedy, Rom-com, Action, Thriller, Mystery, Crime, Horror, Drama.
1 person likes this
I write in several different genres but always in thriller style.
3 people like this
This really isnt the right/best way to attract representation or define your brand. Ill be putting out a new article on branding yourself very shortly!
7 people like this
Voice trumps genre and the taxonomies defined for film genres are clumsy at best. Very few people write actual genre films and technically everything's a drama at its core.
What you need to do is find what makes you standout, understand how the industry talks, and find a way to summarise your offering. Being generic is a marketing no-no.
This is how I define my offering in my intro;
"As a spec script writer, I love to create pulpy thrillers, mostly with female leads, that feature strong themes, brutal action, witty dialogue, and twisting scenes that have characters vieing for power or falling for one another.
As a producer and writer-for-hire, I’m production savvy, budget conscious, and market orientated, able to write in a variety of styles and genres with the ultimate goal to entertain viewers while turning profit for investors."
I write across all genres but I position myself toward pulpy female led action thrillers because that's where I'm strongest, that's where my passion lies, and that's a relatively underserved part of the marketplace.
4 people like this
Re: In regard to what Danny Manus said. I've read, seen and heard, that (like it or not) you should choose a genre/type of stories that you LOVE (enjoy watching TV series and movies about... you're passionate about ... gravitate to) and attempt to become KNOWN as the guy/gal who writes the hell out of that genre.
This is said to be beneficial to your career, so when the studios/producers (or actors), are looking for someone to write a script FOR THEM (or re-write/polish one) they'll say: "Let's get that guy/gal who is so good at writing THAT kind of movie/genre."
It's human nature to believe once someone did something very good (pertain to "blank") once ... they will be able to do that something (pertaining to the same "blank") again--with the same level of success.
Analogy: The transmission in your car breaks down. Do you:
A) Go to that GREAT transmission repair shop?
B) Go to the really good repair shop, the one that doesn't "specialize" in any particular type of repairs.... but they're "really good" at fixing lots of different car issues?
Personally, I think each script should be judged on it's own merit...
... but, being KNOWN (at all ... LOL) as THAT "guy or gal" in Hollywood, wouldn't exactly suck--either.
2 people like this
I don't think that there is such a thing as a 'true' genre anymore but each screenwriter gravitates to a personal comfort position. Personally, I'm striving to become the world's best at comedic paranormal character driven shorts. But that's just me; it's 'my brand'. You need to find your own.