Screenwriting : Brand as a writer... by Felix Agyeman Boahen

You should be known as the teller of great stories in your style.

Controlling a budget (in some regard) can be controlled by the writer. But don’t worry about the cost. It will mean some stories will never be made. Bug you will develop a feeling for that.

Great... Thanks Craig.

So Craig, if a producer gives a project with a said budget and you know the budget will have an effect on the film's quality (no matter the story)... How will you go by that???

Leigh Whannell, writer of the Invisible Man was so unsatisfied with one the finished films he was hired to write due to producers interventions that he pledged to write specs for life....so every $$ assignment comes with a your own price to pay...

Felix, budget can have an effect on quality of course. Brad Pitt could read a menu and it would be great, a bad actor can kill Hamlet.

So analysis how the budget will effect the quality. Is the cast crap, write for that. Is it a location question.

Movies cost money. If the people in charge are complaining about budget in early development, the project is doomed! Crew labor, locations, props, salaries, post-production - it cost whatever it cost. Having said that, your body of work will be your brand. Not one short. But your whole portfolio. I was watching Barry Jenkins' short movies he made in college and the stories he was telling. His filmmaking style/brand from college is exactly like his feature movies.

My guy was at Dreamworks and a young Line Producer tried to budget/slash a Spielberg movie. The Line Producer was fired the next day he submitted budget to bosses.

Personal experience: I wrote an action movie and I was specific about cars my Hero character is driving. Producer didn't want to spend money; this cheapass dude wore a $40,000 watch. He didn't see value in spending more than he needed to get the job done. That's the type of producer you dont want to work with - book keepers than artists in charge.

Your brand within the industry will be a combination of your existing work, your voice, your professionalism, and your personality. You'll most likely be known for released films you're credited as writing and industry members will try to gather information on what you're like to work with before reaching out to you.

Writers are typically known for being flakey, depressive, and overly precious, so if you can not be that way, you're already ahead of most.

Branding as an amateur is tougher but you can frame it mainly around voice, tastes, and dreams. Produced short films absolutely count too, providing they're not being made out to be huge world-changing releases. Same goes for awards.

Agree @Dan @CJ @Felix Good or bad quality isn’t necessarily dependent on budget, superb stories can be minimum location/ action and there’s been cases of low budget Indie box office hits. If you have a great story now but can’t obtain a high budget have you thought of changing settings and action scenes. EG What was a high speed car chase, is instead suddenly a hand on protagonists shoulder coming from behind anywhere or a street scene is now in a back garden ETC. As long as psychological mind play is performed well, layers of dread/suspense/surprise/stings or switches might be able to be executed more low key. I once changed goalposts on a screenplay when asked to but not the essence of the story.

Most producers are working with a finite budget and it's best to be be as cooperative as possible. That said, working with producers who are on the same wavelength is going to mean a much happier working relationship. It's yet another reason to stick by your voice and be authentic. You want to be surrounded by people who see the same value in the same things and are willing to invest accordingly. I'm surrounded by petrol heads, gun-nuts, and stunt performers because that's the kind of thing I've written from day one. That drew the right producer in eventually and things expanded out from there.

The mistake is writing material for cynical reasons and jumping in bed with the first people who take interest. Lots of horror stories from screenwriters who've done that.

Dan M, CJ & Debbie - just the simple truths (few new screenwriters can handle the truth).

You guys have talk much... Thanks to everyone... But I think I still need someone to run me through this branding (in depth).

One more comment about brand.

Brand is what people think of you when your name is mentioned. You can put forward a persona, but people form a brand that represents you. You do not have a brand, it is given to you by others. You cannot make a brand. You can only put forward an impression and people may or may not brand you the way you want.

I can tell everyone I am a genius. But if that is not how people see me. No matter how much I say it, it will never be my brand.

Brand is simple and just another way to say reputation. It can be summed up quite easily. PROFESSIONAL WRITER. That's the brand you want. That brand will open doors and get your scripts read and sold. You don't get that brand by declaring that's who you are, you get that brand off the blood, sweat and tears you pour into your work to make it the best it can be. By how you conduct yourself. By doing what you say you're going to do and delivering it when promised. It comes from how you interact with others, regardless of their position. How you respond to adversity. How you seek out mentoring and how you offer a helping hand to others. BE the brand you want to be known by. Walk the walk.

Always forward, forward always!

Writers who succeed don't try to be everything to everyone. They work on their craft, find a lane that's good for them, and get traction. If you write a script that's super expensive on the page but the writing is great.. if you're open to it.. when the comment comes back from a producer that it's beyond the scope of the budget they want to make.. be the guy/gal who has ideas for how to bring the scope down and be open to creative suggestions from the producer/director. It's all a collaboration!

Good talk, Chayan...

So the final conclusion here is that, there shouldn't be anything like; "this writer is known for big budget scripts???" Like how Stan Lee, James Cameron and the other folks are classified???

It is a hundred times harder to break in with big budget film screenplays. Those people who make them all seem to work with the same people. Unless you know someone already in their little circle you are are better off writing lower budget film screenplays. Basically you have to start small and work your way up to bigger projects if that is your goal. Anyway that is who it normally works. Good luck.

Felix. My point is who classifies them in that way. Not them. It is how we see them. So focus on making something that you can realistically sell. And go from there.

Craig, I get your point now...

Thanks Marty... James, you've said something.

Did producer pay you $ for writing his idea?

No MaxXx, we didn't talk about payment... It's a process of building connection.

It seems like Dan MaxXx is all about the Money... Or you're already a professional??? Professionals think like that.

Nikhil- there is a play entitled "Copenhagen" that features three people talking. When I saw it years ago everyone in the audience seemed focused on the dialogue. You might want to get a copy of the script to see how the writer accomplished this rare feat- telling not showing.

Jerry, we're not talking about plotting here...

There are some ideas you can never write to suit a low budget (know that)... If you try then you're playing with the film's quality.

@jerry I think you might be thinking of this conversation: https://www.stage32.com/lounge/screenwriting/Need-a-suggestion