Over the last year or so, people have forwarded to me or I've stumbled upon numerous screenwriting blogs. Many of them are excellent resources and I've included my favorites in the blogrolls. I encourage you to visit them as you'll find everything from movie analysis and screenwriting theory to first person accounts of the joys and travails of writing.It should be apparent to anyone who follows this blog that I enjoy posting about movie analysis, screenwriting theories, and the mystery of the writing process, too. However, one area I focus on -- in part because I have found a dearth of resources on it on the Web -- is the business of screenwriting. For if you are fortunate enough to write and sell a spec script, there are certain things you need to know both to protect yourself and maximize your chances at turning screenwriting into a career. Basic things like:
* Know who the buyers (studios) are
* Familiarize yourself with top to mid-level agencies and management companies
* Track the buying marketplace
* Be aware of studio business trends
* Learn the broadstrokes of Hollywood's film history
* Know how to get hold of recent selling spec scripts
* Push yourself to generate lots of -- and hopefully some great -- story concepts
* Write everyday
There's another reason I put this information on my blog: Hopefully none of you will make the mistakes that I did in Hwood. When K-9 sold, other than having seen thousands of movies in my lifetime, I knew next to nothing about the movie business. If I knew then what I know now, I would have done many, many things differently.
So a question: When I post the most recent spec script and pitch sales, analzye the spec script market, provide background on movie studios, give my opinion on movie business trends, and so on, is this at all relevant to where you are as a writer? Would you like to see more of it? Less of it?
Charlton Heston famously said, "The problem with movies as art is that it's a business." Thus, another way to frame my question is how important is it to you to develop your understanding of the business side of screenwriting?
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12 comments:
More please. Those posts are the best. Especially the analysis of spec sales, genre, etc.
More please.
I'd answer: 'Extremely important'.
I just found your blog a few weeks ago, and I'm enjoying the business posts the best.
It's great. Thanks for sharing the information.
Honestly, I'm about 1,000 pages or so away from writing anything great, but I know it will be valuable when them times come for me to start sending scripts out.
I'm with Joshua James and Xander Bennett, LOVE hearing you talk about the industry. I wanna learn more about the buisness, but since I've not made a sale I wonder how much time and effort I should make to understand the buisess. Don't you learn by doing? I need to get to that point. Sometimes, I think, you psyche yourself out convinced "this is the way it is" when in fact things turn out differenty then you thought they would.
Would LOVE to get to the point where I have problems like, "how should I respond to this offer that's been made for my script?" That's a nice problem to have.
Though all this "talk" about the industry is nice, hooking-up with interested parties is FAR BETTER.
IF I do ever get an offer though, Scott. I would love to talk to you, personally, as I do value EVERYTHING you have to say about ANYTHING. Scott, you have a passion for movies that is VERY CONTAGEOUS. And I think a lot of people like you, and of the people in that group, I'm at the head of the line. If you ever ran for office, I'd vote for ya!
- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA
What about 50% Craft, 50% Business?
That could help focus a scrawler's attempts better.
IMHO.
M.
I think the mix here is fine. What I don't see enough of all over the blogs is how independent projects get made and distributed. I'm not talking about 'Hollywood' Independents, which seem like mini-studio pics, but how people all over the country get together, get financing, get projects made on modest budgets, with modest expectations. Also, it might be instructive to see how its done in other countries. I think with times getting tough, a punk rock approach to film-making might be the way to go--at least a grass roots approach to expression. Or, barring that if you know a way to get a meeting with an agent at Gersh...
Juice our pecs, Scott. Juice em. More biz talk.
I have to agree with everyone above. Knowing the business end is critical to our growth.
I'm always excited to see the headlines that start with "Spec Script Sale."
More, more, more. (Sorry - been away from internet for a few weeks, only just catching up on posts.)
I think you might be the ONLY person who provides the (much needed) business side.
So,,, thanks for that Scott.
keep the business side of things coming - learning a great deal.
Recent 411 on spec sales very much appreciated -- thanks, Scott, for pulling it all together!
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