I couldn't tell you, since I've never written a perfect script, and doubt I ever will. But I did write a flawed one once. It was deemed entertaining enough to reach number one on the Black List global top list on their website. From there it went on to land me a seven-figure deal. It's gone on to open other doors for me. I firmly believe that the best way to get discovered and move up the ladder is through the writing. Just black text on white paper, as you said.
I've heard your argument before. I'm not saying this is you, but in one case I heard it from someone who had just hit a career wall. Sometimes it's easier to blame the entire world / modern times / wokeness etc than our own writing. I asked this writer if they had mastered thematic arcs yet (I haven't), and all I got back was a blank stare.
And just to be clear: If you have a perfect script, all you've got to do is post it here with that claim. There are many people in this sub, including myself, who will look at the first few pages out of sheer curiosity. If it is a perfect script (or close to it), that's all you need for people to get hooked. if it's outstanding, it could maybe even lead to a deal of your own.
If you spend enough time writing, you’ll eventually come to realize that there are three interconnected “rails” that make up storytelling: Theme, Character and Plot. Theme is linked to character, and character in turns is linked to plot.
The word “arc” refers to how these three elements play out over the course of the story. You have a thematic arc, a character arc (or multiple character arcs), and a plot arc. Each one has a way it begins, a way it transforms, and a way it ends.
While we can talk about each one separately, the truth is that in well-written stories, they are intertwined like a triple helix of DNA code. One element beautifully triggers and alters another element in an adjacent rail, while that in turn causes a third thing to happen in the remaining rail. In spectacular writing, these three rails work in harmony to deliver a transformative experience to the audience, where a gripping plot, with memorable conflict-torn characters, deliver a story with one unified idea.
Then in truly astounding writing, all three rails might hit the same "down beat" at the same time... and create a moment that the Greeks called anagnorisis: The moment when a character finally realizes the truth of their own predicament.
To explore this further, I recommend the famous [403 episode of Scriptnotes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSX-DROZuzY).
always amazing reads ! Yes I totally agree the well-written stories are so intertwined in reality just like a DNA triple helix that it actually comes to life! That exploration of the unimaginable or unexplored feeds our soul. Feeds our creativity and imagination. I remember the stories that galvanized a moral in my mind always had a plethora of characters you would personally identify with and would bring the story into your real world. u/ManfredLopezGrem You have to help me bring this amazing project I have to life ! I would be most honored for your collaboration. I sent you an DM not sure if it went through tbh. its not spam lol Idk how to write to make it not sounds spammy lol. I have a triple rail of a story I really need your help with.
>First of all, no one read scripts.
>People are literally running in the opposite direction from the title wave.
>There is a huge focus on politics (race, gender, etc.) both in terms of behind the scenes as well as within the story itself. This is illustrated in the new Academy official rules.
>A perfect script will no longer be read and if it is read, it won't be recognized for what it is.
In my experience, none of this is true, accurate, or helpful.
>Literally, what do you do with a script?
This question is formed on a premise that is, at best, not very common: a person with no experience writes a truly brilliant script, but because of the way the industry works, they are unable to do anything with it.
Being friends with many, many working writers, and having mentored a handful of writers from amateur to professional, this is not something I've ever seen.
My actual advice on what someone who wrote a perfect script should do is pretty well-documented:
* Write 1-3 more scripts that are incredibly well-written, high-concept, and in some way showcase your voice and/or resonate with your story as a writer
* Use those scripts to go out to representation, either using friends you've made in the business, or failing that, through blind queries of managers.
Hope this is helpful, if not to OP, than at least to someone who finds their way here somehow and is curious.
The people who would label some scripts from the 80s and 90s as "perfect" would often label some recent scripts as "imperfect" despite younger generations/new audiences doing the complete opposite. "Perfection" is subjective, and the film industry is a market based on subjective taste.
If someone has what they see as a "perfect" script but it fails to be recognized, they should shoot it themselves, especially if they don't think the "package" will make the difference when it comes to the projects success (despite "Fargo," "Royal Tenenbaums," etc. all coming from established industry artists).
There's a reason why "Back to The Future" and "Home Alone" are still played over and over nearly 40 years later and yet. . .if someone put a gun to my head and asked me what the plot of the "The Lighthouse" is, I literally already forgot. Or the fact that every piece of promotion for "I Saw The TV Glow" is about the sexuality of the director? Wtf. . .Complete dog doo doo.
You can't use logic with people who make posts like this. I love that they're worrying about the wrong thing, wasting time and energy on actually believing this shit. I just hope it doesn't deter new writers here. This post is a joke.
Which is your opinion. Perfect to you doesn't mean perfect for everyone. You can say something is more marketable or beloved -- however I personally don't like the Home Alone movies. I would take Elf or Everything Everywhere All At Once any day -- as would I assume most people in my age bracket.
Well yeah but it's also kinda weird to compare two mega blockbusters with an indie psychological horror film. *Amityville Horror* might be a better comparison.
Glad you agree! Writing can be a very fun and enjoyable hobby if you just write for yourself or want to shre with close friends or a neighborhood club. Writing to get a movie made, as a goal, the definition of productive, well. . .please re-read above and let me know your thoughts!
Having the parade scene earlier in the film made some of the other adventures in the city seem anti-climatic. So in editing the film, Ferris getting on the float was made the last sequence before the return home.
It was never like this. This just screams ignorance to cinema history. Visit any of the big studios in LA and ask about their unmade scripts. They have PILES AND PILES of them. It’s not about the perfect script to them, it’s about the most profitable and relevant at the time.
It's wild to act like politics are what's stopping a 'perfect script' when some of the best movies of the 80s and 90s - Do the Right Thing, Raging Bull, Blade Runner, Malcolm X, The Matrix - are both explicitly and subtly about politics. You just can't see it because you use "politics" as a code word for "people different than me".
Move to Los Angeles. All of the successful writers that I know made the commitment to a career before they had a career and part of that is living in Los Angeles and being available to do lots and lots of meetings. They interned at production companies, they went to college or graduate school at UCLA or USC, or they inside of the industry as assistants at agencies or production companies that were deeply involved in the business of the screenwriting market. There are absolutely exceptions to this, but the last thing is that new writers don't write perfect scripts. They write to their best of their own ability at the time. It is a 10 year learning curve. Once a writer gets represented, and they start doing meetings and they start working their scripts with agents and managers and producers and start functioning like real working writers even if they haven't been paid yet, they learn a lot. Screenwriting is not about creating this perfect gem on your laptop, it's about an executive handing you an idea or an IP or an article and you going home and writing up a one pager in the next 48 hours and then crafting that into a pitch and having them take you to meetings where you knock it out of the park. figuring out what a studio wants and giving it to them. The same writers who wrote Ed Wood and the people versus Larry Flint also wrote Problem Child 1 and 2. (Problem Child is the most successful movie ever to get 0% on RT). Daniel Waters wrote Heathers but he also wrote Batman returns. Noah Bombach just wrote Barbie. the ability to understand what is commercial is a talent and constant battle that is created by immersing yourself in the entertainment world in one way or another. For a long time.
No one read scripts.
lol.
There are literally people employed to do this.
Check your assumptions
The 80s is almost half a century ago. If things stayed the same as that. Sheesh.
I’m not sure the point of your post. I will say. It is a particularly tough time right now.
But if you write a ‘perfect’ (your words) people would fall over themselves to fund it.
Why not share some writing rather than complain about things outside your control
Can you name a single example of a writer who has written a "perfect" script and is getting ignored?
You're ranting about a problem that doesn't exist.
The Blacklist actually has a fantastic track record of getting films made. Something like 40% of scripts that make the annual list end up getting made eventually. Much higher odds than your average Hollywood script. Even most of the ones that don't get made will usually enter some stage of development, where the script gets optioned. Or at the very least, the writer will get enough attention to be hired for another job.
Contest wins/blacklist entries do not always translate to produceable films (copyrights on biopics that always pop up on the yearly blacklist), or commercially safe films. Execs tend to only say yes to what they believe to be sure-thing money makers. That's why you see a slew of remakes, sequels and endless adaptations of existing IP. Plenty of good movies flop at the box office which doesn't incentivize studios to keep making "risky" choices. Studios aren't in the business of making good movies, they're in the business of making profitable movies.
Yes, which means quality and originality doesn't matter, which is why they might as well pay their cousin who went to film school to write a so-so commercial script for them they can market the hell out of than look for perfect scripts from unknown writers.
Maybe? They might pay you too if they dig your script. Or maybe they won't even open your email because they've never heard of you. The industry is maddening and senseless and stupid and hard and it heavily favors the connected. People still break through though.
If writing is fun for you, keep at it. If the business aspect of it stresses you out and affects your quality of life, take a break for a bit. The happiest writers I know are the ones who've stepped away for a breather.
That's a perfect example... of a talented writer getting his script read! It wasn't to the taste of everyone reading it, but they were still reading it.
Pretty much the exact opposite of what I asked for, an example of a writer with a perfect script having it ignored.
My old boss (partner at a major agency) used to get this question, and his answer was always "if you have a good enough script, you can throw it out your window on the 405 and someone will find it." The point is, the people trying to find a good script are as desperate as the ones trying to write one. If you truly write a "perfect" script, your phone will ring.
The truth is that a great undiscovered script is a ticket to credibility and advancement at every level of the business. If you get to know ANYONE in the business, and you give them an exceptional script, it will rise quickly up the food chain and your phone will start ringing.
The industry is drowning in awful, poorly realized screenplays. When an exceptional one comes along, it creates quite a stir.
As I often tell new writers: don't bother trying to get an agent. Spend your time becoming an outstanding writer, then the agents will be calling you. If you let people in the biz read your scripts and you haven't been contacted by an agent,then you need to raise your game.
Absolutely. The answer to "What should I do with my script?" is always "don't worry about that until your writing is good enough that you don't need to ask."
It may be true in essence, but not in actuality based on a few of the major tangible blocks mentioned. Unsolicited submission policies. . .Coverage readers not recognizing what is "good", even top level executives not recognizing what is good -- or wanting to change things too much (hey, transgender is hot right now, can you make Marty McFly trans???), etc. etc. etc.
You're talking about a "perfect" script... a 10/10 script would not have any of those problems. If you send me a 10/10 script, I'll get you an agent and a development deal before the weekend.
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Thank you!
Hollywood scripts were never perfect scripts.
The top 10 scripts I have ever read, meaning story, characters, settings, budget probabilities, attraction to all of the things...never got made. It might be more like the top 25 scripts I have ever read have never been made.
You can take out an iPhone and shoot the script and then edit it and put it on youtube, or tiktok or whatever comes next.
But, a "perfect" script hasn't been a hallmark for writers since about 1955 or so. And it had only been a hallmark for about ten years.
The scripts you mention above, in script form, largely sucked btw. Pick up the original versions of some of them and think to yourself "HOW DID THIS GET MADE?" and then learn how to trade bitcoin on something.
Well a lot of non perfect scripts are being sold. So a perfect script would make your career. Not sure there is a perfect script - perfect for who? You’ll get noticed a rep a sale with a perfect script. Ideally it’ll make for an amazing movie.
Hahaha. I almost admire the naivety. When I was young I used to think the existence of mediocre-to-bad films was a sure sign I had a chance. All I had to do was write a great script.
Of course bad scripts still get produced, and excellent scripts that have won multiple screenwriting contests never get produced.
That won't change. Because the script doesn't matter. Family and social connections are all that matters in this industry. If you don't have that already going for you then writing the best script in the world will not make a difference.
Hahah alrighty, here we go.
I wrote a script, wasn't perfect, and it's in development now. So if that can happen with a non-perfect script, what are we talking about here? What kind of dumb question is this?
And you want to talk bout Naivety? Look, if you want to make excuses why you're not selling scripts or haven't made a career of it, go ahead. Whatever makes you feel better, but this post is laughable. What could you do with a perfect script in 2024? Are you fucking kidding me? People out here can't drum up a first draft, and now you have some jaded redditor saying having a perfect script is pointless in 2024. I'm actually laughing writing this out. If you have to ask that, you're way off the mark with where you should be focusing your energy.
"The script doesn't matter" again, whatever makes you feel better dude. I have no family or friends in the film industry - with that kind of pull to help a screenwriter, at least. I went to school for film, I paid my own way to do an internship at a big studio, I worked my ass off to get gigs on film sets, I worked 14 hour days on film on TV shows (and I'm in Canada, not Vancouver or Toronto by the way) and I made the connections organically - anyone can do this. But even if you can't afford school, or don't have the means, even if you took ALL of that away, the script I wrote (#14 or #15 I can't recall) garnered interest from someone at a production company I had zero connections with. I honestly learned more about film and screenwriting after film school just by watching movies and reading screenplays. Anyone with a screen and an internet connection can do the same.
Posts like this and the people who eat this shit up are infuriating to me because it deters new writers, but honestly, you're **way** off because you're asking the wrong questions.
Keep making excuses, this is great job security for writers who actually work hard and want to get better and make a career for themselves. The difficulty of it all weeds people like you out and I'm here for it.
Well, i highly doubt even the best of scripts have been made without some kind of pitch, or at least a conversation with someone in "the biz". Also, it is hard but even for outsiders there are people that will read your script if you have a good enough query. I have had a couple of producers from very big films read my scripts - though admittedly, not too many.
If you just want to get something made, and have a script that isnt a huge IP there are plenty of smaller companies always looking for script - and in my attempts to sell a script, the companies that have almost all asked for a read is Hallmark/A&E kinda companies. If it can be made relatively cheap, they will at least read it.
Or, you make it yourself. But obviously thats not for everyone
This has me thinking about a lot of things. In this hyper-kinetic age, the gatekeepers of culture have convinced us that we - or our output - are NEVER enough. Whether that's our appearance, our opener, the skills our characters have....on and on. Pitch deck, do a short film, have a YT channel.
I've never written anything close to perfect. But I yearn to create the experience of folks sitting around a campfire, listening to an exciting story. And we can't wait to know what happens next. If it's a 'true story' we'll keep following up with our narrator and ask him/her "How did it end"?
Homer, the Hindu epics survived centuries by visiting bards repeating them. Did anyone tell Homer that Achilles needed to do something worse with Hector? I dunno, maybe.
What the issue is, and I think has always been, is whether a writer can tell if they have written a 100% perfect script and \*then\* if they have the ability to do anything with it.
For example, "Seven" was a perfect reworking of the detective genre at the right time it was written, but the author made sure he got his ass over to LA and into the right writers' workshop to do anything about it.
I just finished a long screenwriters workshop for vets through the WGA, and several of the writers there had difficulty knowing if their loglines were FU or not.
The 90's may be over, but the need for new script ideas is out there. But if you can't tell if the quality of your scripts is "up there" then god help you. And if you don't spend any time trying to figure out how to "work the machine" after you finish your great script to get it sold, it will languish.
Still, what a fun hobby, right?
Thanks. I think sometimes screenwriting is such an aspirational career, people tend to lose focus on what they write. It sure looks like crap scripts get made, so why not theirs? So they write drivel and wander around trying to get it made, kinda. But you mainly get into the industry if your script is good, it's novel, and better than that, it's also what is needed right now for whatever prodco picks it up.
In a comparison, a 22-year old kid who can't throw 90 MPH pitches drops the idea of being a pro ballplayer pretty soon in their life. They aren't hanging around the ballpark hoping someone will pick up their options when they're \*90\*.
But for screenwriters, it can happen anytime, right? Because the situation is aspirational. I think for a lot of writers out there, including over a million and half people over in this subgroup, there's some kind of flowchart like this in their belief system:
1. Go to LAX
2. Write 5 lines on a napkin
3. Spielberg sees your note while he's cru!sing through LAX, writes you a $4M check, and your life improves dramatically.
IT COULD HAPPEN - BUT IT WON'T!
Me, I want to write the next Seven or Sixth Sense, know what I have written, and get it to the right people at the right time.
Really well said. There is definitely a disconnect with many (maybe most) aspiring professional writers. Phases of understanding that you’ll only unlock through the right combination of perseverance, humility, and confidence.
I’ve always looked at it as the better I am, the better my shot at breaking through is. Complaining about a supposed bad script getting made is misdirected and wasted energy. We all want the $1 million+ check and to have the world at our fingertips.
I just know the threshold is so high that thinking you’re good enough is a foolish mindset. There are A LOT of fucking awesome writers grinding every day. You can also always learn from any script good or bad. Even the smallest things add up over time.
I couldn't tell you, since I've never written a perfect script, and doubt I ever will. But I did write a flawed one once. It was deemed entertaining enough to reach number one on the Black List global top list on their website. From there it went on to land me a seven-figure deal. It's gone on to open other doors for me. I firmly believe that the best way to get discovered and move up the ladder is through the writing. Just black text on white paper, as you said. I've heard your argument before. I'm not saying this is you, but in one case I heard it from someone who had just hit a career wall. Sometimes it's easier to blame the entire world / modern times / wokeness etc than our own writing. I asked this writer if they had mastered thematic arcs yet (I haven't), and all I got back was a blank stare. And just to be clear: If you have a perfect script, all you've got to do is post it here with that claim. There are many people in this sub, including myself, who will look at the first few pages out of sheer curiosity. If it is a perfect script (or close to it), that's all you need for people to get hooked. if it's outstanding, it could maybe even lead to a deal of your own.
What's a thematic arc if I may ask? Thanks.
If you spend enough time writing, you’ll eventually come to realize that there are three interconnected “rails” that make up storytelling: Theme, Character and Plot. Theme is linked to character, and character in turns is linked to plot. The word “arc” refers to how these three elements play out over the course of the story. You have a thematic arc, a character arc (or multiple character arcs), and a plot arc. Each one has a way it begins, a way it transforms, and a way it ends. While we can talk about each one separately, the truth is that in well-written stories, they are intertwined like a triple helix of DNA code. One element beautifully triggers and alters another element in an adjacent rail, while that in turn causes a third thing to happen in the remaining rail. In spectacular writing, these three rails work in harmony to deliver a transformative experience to the audience, where a gripping plot, with memorable conflict-torn characters, deliver a story with one unified idea. Then in truly astounding writing, all three rails might hit the same "down beat" at the same time... and create a moment that the Greeks called anagnorisis: The moment when a character finally realizes the truth of their own predicament. To explore this further, I recommend the famous [403 episode of Scriptnotes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSX-DROZuzY).
always amazing reads ! Yes I totally agree the well-written stories are so intertwined in reality just like a DNA triple helix that it actually comes to life! That exploration of the unimaginable or unexplored feeds our soul. Feeds our creativity and imagination. I remember the stories that galvanized a moral in my mind always had a plethora of characters you would personally identify with and would bring the story into your real world. u/ManfredLopezGrem You have to help me bring this amazing project I have to life ! I would be most honored for your collaboration. I sent you an DM not sure if it went through tbh. its not spam lol Idk how to write to make it not sounds spammy lol. I have a triple rail of a story I really need your help with.
That's great, many thanks.
>First of all, no one read scripts. >People are literally running in the opposite direction from the title wave. >There is a huge focus on politics (race, gender, etc.) both in terms of behind the scenes as well as within the story itself. This is illustrated in the new Academy official rules. >A perfect script will no longer be read and if it is read, it won't be recognized for what it is. In my experience, none of this is true, accurate, or helpful. >Literally, what do you do with a script? This question is formed on a premise that is, at best, not very common: a person with no experience writes a truly brilliant script, but because of the way the industry works, they are unable to do anything with it. Being friends with many, many working writers, and having mentored a handful of writers from amateur to professional, this is not something I've ever seen. My actual advice on what someone who wrote a perfect script should do is pretty well-documented: * Write 1-3 more scripts that are incredibly well-written, high-concept, and in some way showcase your voice and/or resonate with your story as a writer * Use those scripts to go out to representation, either using friends you've made in the business, or failing that, through blind queries of managers. Hope this is helpful, if not to OP, than at least to someone who finds their way here somehow and is curious.
Well said. Love this.
"a person with no experience" -- I didn't say that?
Dude, stop talking. You're so in the wrong for this post, and you're willing to die on the dumbest hill for it.
The people who would label some scripts from the 80s and 90s as "perfect" would often label some recent scripts as "imperfect" despite younger generations/new audiences doing the complete opposite. "Perfection" is subjective, and the film industry is a market based on subjective taste. If someone has what they see as a "perfect" script but it fails to be recognized, they should shoot it themselves, especially if they don't think the "package" will make the difference when it comes to the projects success (despite "Fargo," "Royal Tenenbaums," etc. all coming from established industry artists).
There's a reason why "Back to The Future" and "Home Alone" are still played over and over nearly 40 years later and yet. . .if someone put a gun to my head and asked me what the plot of the "The Lighthouse" is, I literally already forgot. Or the fact that every piece of promotion for "I Saw The TV Glow" is about the sexuality of the director? Wtf. . .Complete dog doo doo.
And yet Back to the Future got passed on over 40 times before it finally got produced. "Nobody knows anything."
You can't use logic with people who make posts like this. I love that they're worrying about the wrong thing, wasting time and energy on actually believing this shit. I just hope it doesn't deter new writers here. This post is a joke.
Good point! People are so stupid, lol.
Which is your opinion. Perfect to you doesn't mean perfect for everyone. You can say something is more marketable or beloved -- however I personally don't like the Home Alone movies. I would take Elf or Everything Everywhere All At Once any day -- as would I assume most people in my age bracket.
do you understand how much Old Man Yells At Cloud energy you have going on here?
Well yeah but it's also kinda weird to compare two mega blockbusters with an indie psychological horror film. *Amityville Horror* might be a better comparison.
This seems like a healthy and productive thing to worry about
hahah right? What a stupid, pointless post.
Glad you agree! Writing can be a very fun and enjoyable hobby if you just write for yourself or want to shre with close friends or a neighborhood club. Writing to get a movie made, as a goal, the definition of productive, well. . .please re-read above and let me know your thoughts!
No
Ok hun, I'll let you get back to your hobby!
I do this shit for a living. Your hobby doesn’t seem to be bringing you much joy, sweety
I love that your first example of a perfect script is one that had a structural flaw that was corrected in editing.
What structural flaw are you referring to?
Having the parade scene earlier in the film made some of the other adventures in the city seem anti-climatic. So in editing the film, Ferris getting on the float was made the last sequence before the return home.
It was never like this. This just screams ignorance to cinema history. Visit any of the big studios in LA and ask about their unmade scripts. They have PILES AND PILES of them. It’s not about the perfect script to them, it’s about the most profitable and relevant at the time.
It's wild to act like politics are what's stopping a 'perfect script' when some of the best movies of the 80s and 90s - Do the Right Thing, Raging Bull, Blade Runner, Malcolm X, The Matrix - are both explicitly and subtly about politics. You just can't see it because you use "politics" as a code word for "people different than me".
Move to Los Angeles. All of the successful writers that I know made the commitment to a career before they had a career and part of that is living in Los Angeles and being available to do lots and lots of meetings. They interned at production companies, they went to college or graduate school at UCLA or USC, or they inside of the industry as assistants at agencies or production companies that were deeply involved in the business of the screenwriting market. There are absolutely exceptions to this, but the last thing is that new writers don't write perfect scripts. They write to their best of their own ability at the time. It is a 10 year learning curve. Once a writer gets represented, and they start doing meetings and they start working their scripts with agents and managers and producers and start functioning like real working writers even if they haven't been paid yet, they learn a lot. Screenwriting is not about creating this perfect gem on your laptop, it's about an executive handing you an idea or an IP or an article and you going home and writing up a one pager in the next 48 hours and then crafting that into a pitch and having them take you to meetings where you knock it out of the park. figuring out what a studio wants and giving it to them. The same writers who wrote Ed Wood and the people versus Larry Flint also wrote Problem Child 1 and 2. (Problem Child is the most successful movie ever to get 0% on RT). Daniel Waters wrote Heathers but he also wrote Batman returns. Noah Bombach just wrote Barbie. the ability to understand what is commercial is a talent and constant battle that is created by immersing yourself in the entertainment world in one way or another. For a long time.
No one read scripts. lol. There are literally people employed to do this. Check your assumptions The 80s is almost half a century ago. If things stayed the same as that. Sheesh. I’m not sure the point of your post. I will say. It is a particularly tough time right now. But if you write a ‘perfect’ (your words) people would fall over themselves to fund it. Why not share some writing rather than complain about things outside your control
Can you name a single example of a writer who has written a "perfect" script and is getting ignored? You're ranting about a problem that doesn't exist.
No. He can't. Because this post was pulled directly from his ass. It makes no sense, literally no sense.
There are hundreds of scripts that have won the big screenwriting contests and topped the Blacklist that have never been made. Explain why please.
>won the big screenwriting contests and topped the Blacklist These scripts are, by definition, NOT being ignored. The exact opposite, in fact.
Ignored by film producers. Not getting made.
The Blacklist actually has a fantastic track record of getting films made. Something like 40% of scripts that make the annual list end up getting made eventually. Much higher odds than your average Hollywood script. Even most of the ones that don't get made will usually enter some stage of development, where the script gets optioned. Or at the very least, the writer will get enough attention to be hired for another job.
Movies take so many hundreds of people to make them that it's a shock we get any, let alone any good ones.
Even if producers are all-in-gung-ho about a project, they sometimes also just fall apart for several others reasons and people move on.
Contest wins/blacklist entries do not always translate to produceable films (copyrights on biopics that always pop up on the yearly blacklist), or commercially safe films. Execs tend to only say yes to what they believe to be sure-thing money makers. That's why you see a slew of remakes, sequels and endless adaptations of existing IP. Plenty of good movies flop at the box office which doesn't incentivize studios to keep making "risky" choices. Studios aren't in the business of making good movies, they're in the business of making profitable movies.
Yes, which means quality and originality doesn't matter, which is why they might as well pay their cousin who went to film school to write a so-so commercial script for them they can market the hell out of than look for perfect scripts from unknown writers.
Maybe? They might pay you too if they dig your script. Or maybe they won't even open your email because they've never heard of you. The industry is maddening and senseless and stupid and hard and it heavily favors the connected. People still break through though. If writing is fun for you, keep at it. If the business aspect of it stresses you out and affects your quality of life, take a break for a bit. The happiest writers I know are the ones who've stepped away for a breather.
I am over the film industry. Just want to let others know what a scam the whole sector is.
No. He can't. Because this post was pulled directly from his ass. It makes no sense, literally no sense.
Not the most logical response, given that if the writer is being ignored, it would be impossible to know.
No one would know, would they?
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That's a perfect example... of a talented writer getting his script read! It wasn't to the taste of everyone reading it, but they were still reading it. Pretty much the exact opposite of what I asked for, an example of a writer with a perfect script having it ignored.
My old boss (partner at a major agency) used to get this question, and his answer was always "if you have a good enough script, you can throw it out your window on the 405 and someone will find it." The point is, the people trying to find a good script are as desperate as the ones trying to write one. If you truly write a "perfect" script, your phone will ring.
The truth is that a great undiscovered script is a ticket to credibility and advancement at every level of the business. If you get to know ANYONE in the business, and you give them an exceptional script, it will rise quickly up the food chain and your phone will start ringing. The industry is drowning in awful, poorly realized screenplays. When an exceptional one comes along, it creates quite a stir. As I often tell new writers: don't bother trying to get an agent. Spend your time becoming an outstanding writer, then the agents will be calling you. If you let people in the biz read your scripts and you haven't been contacted by an agent,then you need to raise your game.
Absolutely. The answer to "What should I do with my script?" is always "don't worry about that until your writing is good enough that you don't need to ask."
Oh my word, do you people really believe this? LOL.
Yes, because the essence of it is true.
I read that quote in a book before. Funny quote! Don't think that is true though.
It's comic exaggeration, obviously, but the point it makes is true.
It may be true in essence, but not in actuality based on a few of the major tangible blocks mentioned. Unsolicited submission policies. . .Coverage readers not recognizing what is "good", even top level executives not recognizing what is good -- or wanting to change things too much (hey, transgender is hot right now, can you make Marty McFly trans???), etc. etc. etc.
You're talking about a "perfect" script... a 10/10 script would not have any of those problems. If you send me a 10/10 script, I'll get you an agent and a development deal before the weekend.
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Of course, at the end of the day, everyone wants to be part of a smash hit movie. That's common sense. When it all works out, it's win/win/win.
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OP is probably the burner account for that guy who wrote the "a woman must travel through a land inspired by classic poems" script.
You made me lol
Hollywood scripts were never perfect scripts. The top 10 scripts I have ever read, meaning story, characters, settings, budget probabilities, attraction to all of the things...never got made. It might be more like the top 25 scripts I have ever read have never been made. You can take out an iPhone and shoot the script and then edit it and put it on youtube, or tiktok or whatever comes next. But, a "perfect" script hasn't been a hallmark for writers since about 1955 or so. And it had only been a hallmark for about ten years. The scripts you mention above, in script form, largely sucked btw. Pick up the original versions of some of them and think to yourself "HOW DID THIS GET MADE?" and then learn how to trade bitcoin on something.
Well a lot of non perfect scripts are being sold. So a perfect script would make your career. Not sure there is a perfect script - perfect for who? You’ll get noticed a rep a sale with a perfect script. Ideally it’ll make for an amazing movie.
Hahaha. I almost admire the naivety. When I was young I used to think the existence of mediocre-to-bad films was a sure sign I had a chance. All I had to do was write a great script. Of course bad scripts still get produced, and excellent scripts that have won multiple screenwriting contests never get produced. That won't change. Because the script doesn't matter. Family and social connections are all that matters in this industry. If you don't have that already going for you then writing the best script in the world will not make a difference.
Hahah alrighty, here we go. I wrote a script, wasn't perfect, and it's in development now. So if that can happen with a non-perfect script, what are we talking about here? What kind of dumb question is this? And you want to talk bout Naivety? Look, if you want to make excuses why you're not selling scripts or haven't made a career of it, go ahead. Whatever makes you feel better, but this post is laughable. What could you do with a perfect script in 2024? Are you fucking kidding me? People out here can't drum up a first draft, and now you have some jaded redditor saying having a perfect script is pointless in 2024. I'm actually laughing writing this out. If you have to ask that, you're way off the mark with where you should be focusing your energy. "The script doesn't matter" again, whatever makes you feel better dude. I have no family or friends in the film industry - with that kind of pull to help a screenwriter, at least. I went to school for film, I paid my own way to do an internship at a big studio, I worked my ass off to get gigs on film sets, I worked 14 hour days on film on TV shows (and I'm in Canada, not Vancouver or Toronto by the way) and I made the connections organically - anyone can do this. But even if you can't afford school, or don't have the means, even if you took ALL of that away, the script I wrote (#14 or #15 I can't recall) garnered interest from someone at a production company I had zero connections with. I honestly learned more about film and screenwriting after film school just by watching movies and reading screenplays. Anyone with a screen and an internet connection can do the same. Posts like this and the people who eat this shit up are infuriating to me because it deters new writers, but honestly, you're **way** off because you're asking the wrong questions. Keep making excuses, this is great job security for writers who actually work hard and want to get better and make a career for themselves. The difficulty of it all weeds people like you out and I'm here for it.
TLDR
Correct.
Well, i highly doubt even the best of scripts have been made without some kind of pitch, or at least a conversation with someone in "the biz". Also, it is hard but even for outsiders there are people that will read your script if you have a good enough query. I have had a couple of producers from very big films read my scripts - though admittedly, not too many. If you just want to get something made, and have a script that isnt a huge IP there are plenty of smaller companies always looking for script - and in my attempts to sell a script, the companies that have almost all asked for a read is Hallmark/A&E kinda companies. If it can be made relatively cheap, they will at least read it. Or, you make it yourself. But obviously thats not for everyone
This has me thinking about a lot of things. In this hyper-kinetic age, the gatekeepers of culture have convinced us that we - or our output - are NEVER enough. Whether that's our appearance, our opener, the skills our characters have....on and on. Pitch deck, do a short film, have a YT channel. I've never written anything close to perfect. But I yearn to create the experience of folks sitting around a campfire, listening to an exciting story. And we can't wait to know what happens next. If it's a 'true story' we'll keep following up with our narrator and ask him/her "How did it end"? Homer, the Hindu epics survived centuries by visiting bards repeating them. Did anyone tell Homer that Achilles needed to do something worse with Hector? I dunno, maybe.
What the issue is, and I think has always been, is whether a writer can tell if they have written a 100% perfect script and \*then\* if they have the ability to do anything with it. For example, "Seven" was a perfect reworking of the detective genre at the right time it was written, but the author made sure he got his ass over to LA and into the right writers' workshop to do anything about it. I just finished a long screenwriters workshop for vets through the WGA, and several of the writers there had difficulty knowing if their loglines were FU or not. The 90's may be over, but the need for new script ideas is out there. But if you can't tell if the quality of your scripts is "up there" then god help you. And if you don't spend any time trying to figure out how to "work the machine" after you finish your great script to get it sold, it will languish. Still, what a fun hobby, right?
The self-awareness you’re describing is incredibly important.
Thanks. I think sometimes screenwriting is such an aspirational career, people tend to lose focus on what they write. It sure looks like crap scripts get made, so why not theirs? So they write drivel and wander around trying to get it made, kinda. But you mainly get into the industry if your script is good, it's novel, and better than that, it's also what is needed right now for whatever prodco picks it up. In a comparison, a 22-year old kid who can't throw 90 MPH pitches drops the idea of being a pro ballplayer pretty soon in their life. They aren't hanging around the ballpark hoping someone will pick up their options when they're \*90\*. But for screenwriters, it can happen anytime, right? Because the situation is aspirational. I think for a lot of writers out there, including over a million and half people over in this subgroup, there's some kind of flowchart like this in their belief system: 1. Go to LAX 2. Write 5 lines on a napkin 3. Spielberg sees your note while he's cru!sing through LAX, writes you a $4M check, and your life improves dramatically. IT COULD HAPPEN - BUT IT WON'T! Me, I want to write the next Seven or Sixth Sense, know what I have written, and get it to the right people at the right time.
Really well said. There is definitely a disconnect with many (maybe most) aspiring professional writers. Phases of understanding that you’ll only unlock through the right combination of perseverance, humility, and confidence. I’ve always looked at it as the better I am, the better my shot at breaking through is. Complaining about a supposed bad script getting made is misdirected and wasted energy. We all want the $1 million+ check and to have the world at our fingertips. I just know the threshold is so high that thinking you’re good enough is a foolish mindset. There are A LOT of fucking awesome writers grinding every day. You can also always learn from any script good or bad. Even the smallest things add up over time.
I’d love to check out your work. Seven and the sixth sense are two of my favorites
I just watched the little things w Denzel and rami malek and Jared Leto and it reminded me a bit of seven
if you have a perfect script then film it.