Writer-Producer here. Just turned in our latest draft, based on a round of notes, to the Head of Development at an A-lister's (rather prolific) ProdCo. Now begins the waiting period.
Need to clear my head a bit, so... Who has questions? Ask in comments and I'll answer as many as I can.
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How was the rewrite for you? Were all the notes clear? Were there sections that were hard to change? It sounds like you are on a fantastic path; congratulations.
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Hey, Shaun O'Banion. What genre is the script?
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When does money$ flow from employer to creative? 3 month, 6 month from now?
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Hey Hugh Potter. The rewrite went very well, I think. In truth, he had minor notes in the first round and, having just finished a prior draft that we already felt good about, we actually presented some things we felt like we might like to try in the next pass which he agreed with. He also complimented us for continuing to think about how to evolve the material. Personally, it helps that I have a writing partner who is a great writer and we really push one another. If I were on my own I think it would be much harder.
Most of the changes were kind of surgical as opposed to major seismic shifts so, in truth, in wasn’t that hard to implement our ideas and then his notes were incredibly clear and concise which is excellent.
Thanks for the vote of confidence!
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Maurice Vaughan Fact-based drama. Generally my/our wheelhouse.
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Interesting, Shaun O'Banion. What's Fact-based Drama?
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Dan MaxXx thats a hard question to answer! By employer, do you mean Production Company, Studio or Streamer? What stage are you at?
If you mean for us personally? In theory, it would have already begun but we brought the project to the company and it was our suggestion - since we already had more changes we wanted to make after we’d submitted - that we go away with his notes and our own plan and do that on spec. If they want to move forward, this particular company has a small discretionary fund, so they can option the draft and begin to pay us for rewriting.
All of that said, the average time for development these days (for a feature) is between five and eight years and most of the projects ultimately go nowhere. The real money starts flowing upon the project getting a greenlight when the script is purchased and, in our case, we stay on as producers.
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Maurice Vaughan It’s when you option someone’s story and adapt a pivotal event or events from their life for the screen. Something like ERIN BROCKOVICH would be a prime example. It was based on the real Brockovich and attorney Ed Masrey and their case against Pacific Gas & Electric.
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Oh ok. Thanks for explaining, Shaun O'Banion. Is it harder to option a famous person's story than a less known person's story?
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Maurice Vaughan It all depends on who it is, YOUR industry status and who else is sniffing around the story.
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Hi Shaun O'Banion thanks in advance for your time, I am based in Tokyo and am writing crime Features and pilots for the English, American and Australasian markets, my question is, is it possible to remain based in Tokyo without having to relocate but sell in these markets? (I understand writing for TV might mean moving because of the need to possibly be in a writers room )
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Hi James Sutherland. If we’re talking about features, I absolutely think you can pitch and sell to N. American markets from Tokyo (I’m in Prague).
The key is to get a rep (manager) in the market you hope to sell in.
That said, as you noted, if your hope was to sell a series, you’d most likely have to eventually be in LA or NY.
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Thanks for the answer and thanks for having the pop-up AMA, Shaun O'Banion.
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Is there a market for Fact-based drama (which correct me if I’m wrong, sounds like biographical) at the moment. The huge issue that I’ve been running into lately myself, is putting a lot of work into a project (getting it packaged with talent) just to be told “this is great but nobody is buying this kind of project at the moment”.
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Hey Cameron Tendaji - Thanks for the question.
Hollywood is cyclical. Anything that isn’t popular at the moment will come back around. Example… in very recent history, you’d hear, “no WWII projects.” Then we just got Masters of the Air and a film set around Nuremberg is about to roll.
Rom-coms, as you may recall, were considered strictly Netflix-only. Then the movie with Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell opened big, following on the success of the Jennifer Lawrence comedy. Now Rom-coms are back!
We’re out now with a biopic and getting great feedback - BUT we have a film that can be made for a price. Think a $30-$50 million dollar movie for grown-up’s can’t be made? Tell that to Yorgos Lanthimos.
Point is, the old adage “nobody in Hollywood knows anything” is as true now as it ever has been. Studios never know what they want until someone else makes it and it hits. Then they all want to emulate that success until a couple flop and they all get scared again.. Keep developing and packaging the movies YOU want to see. Eventually you’ll find the right time and the right people.
And, by the way, Netflix just announced they are interested in making smaller films for a good price with a greater chance of upside.
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Fantastic Shaun O'Banion thank you for your time and the advice!