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Old 01-07-2013, 01:07 PM
 
2,720 posts, read 5,603,055 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bpeeps View Post
My intentions aren't to be negative or rude as I clearly stated above. They are based in real world experience working in production. I live in LA. I'm a television editor, I spend all day talking with writers, directors, and producers. I have half the units I need to join the WGA West because of my editing work. NOT from selling scripts; there are very few people who earn units that way. Most people earn units from writing employment.

I don't need to spend a few minutes on Google because I LIVE IT.
Is most of your advice regarding major studio work, major TV and stuff? What about if you're not interested in that at all and want to pursue smaller independent studios and production companies that specialize in fringe, arthouse or real independent stuff? Is it basically the same? What if you have a connection to someone who runs that? Would it be useful to utilize it or just a complete waste of time even if you know someone who claims to know them personally?
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Old 01-07-2013, 01:11 PM
 
Location: SCW, AZ
8,234 posts, read 13,321,451 times
Reputation: 7871
Quote:
Originally Posted by double-double View Post
Nothing has been fake, but some have skewed my comments. From the start I said to humor me and assume I had Pitt's looks/talent, not that I actually resemble Brad Pitt. It's just a way for me to get a perspective on the odds. If there are 1,000 Brad Pitt's all vying for stardom in LA at the same time and only one makes it, that is a much better way to understand Hollywood than just knowing in general that there are 100k actors registered with SAG.
If you have been 100% honest then good for you. I never mentioned your looks, etc. but a 6'9" Brad Pitt clone would be nothing short of "freaky" anyhow.

The thing is, if you were really that talented and had enough experience and exposure so far then why would you be doing a completely different home based work? Are you thinking your luck would change for better in LA? As some others mentioned, use other means to display your material and skills to the world.
Check the pulse of the people see how many people watch your videos and start subscribing, etc. If it gets to the point where you genuinely believe your current situation/location is holding you back, then make the move. It is good that you can do the same work pretty much anywhere and have financial stability but I'd say consider what you will have to give up for something that may be nothing more than a pipe dream.

There should be other ways to test the waters without giving up your current relationship and setup.
Making it big, from what I have seen/heard, relies on having at least 2 of the following 3 factors:
Quote:
- Right connections
- Extreme talent
- Luck
In any event, your life your call. All I can and care to say is; good luck!
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Old 01-07-2013, 01:25 PM
 
2,720 posts, read 5,603,055 times
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Quote:
- Right connections
- Extreme Luck
- Talent (whether moderate or strong)
Fixed for truth.
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Old 01-07-2013, 01:45 PM
 
Location: West Hollywood, CA
1,238 posts, read 1,820,365 times
Reputation: 987
Quote:
Originally Posted by BarcelonaFan View Post
Is most of your advice regarding major studio work, major TV and stuff? What about if you're not interested in that at all and want to pursue smaller independent studios and production companies that specialize in fringe, arthouse or real independent stuff? Is it basically the same? What if you have a connection to someone who runs that? Would it be useful to utilize it or just a complete waste of time even if you know someone who claims to know them personally?
The majority of studios, big and small, don't want to take risks. Right now we're stuck in this formulaic writing era of sequels, comic book movies, rom coms, and blockbuster action flicks. There are far fewer studios willing to take a chance on something original from an unknown source than there were 15 years ago. Original ideas need to impress the right somebody. A bit of that is just pure effing luck.

If you've got a connection, take advantage of it. The worse that can happen is nothing comes of it and you lose nothing.

Regarding indies, it's an entirely different ball game. Indie allows you to write free of the studio ideals and constraints. You have a lot more options in terms of being original and telling a great story. Fitting into the indie mold, however, basically comes down to budget. You have to set a budget for the script and realistically keep everything written within that. How many characters in the script equals actors that need to be paid. How extensive are the sets, costumes, and makeup? How long is the script, more pages equals more filming equals more money.

My old roommates wrote, shot, and produced a movie. It had some runs at local film-fests, but nothing came of it. Probably because the story was terrible. But it was still kinda awesome to see what a group of people could accomplish with very little funding. Gotta make sure that story is good, otherwise no one is going to notice.
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Old 01-07-2013, 02:19 PM
 
2,720 posts, read 5,603,055 times
Reputation: 1320
Quote:
Originally Posted by bpeeps View Post
The majority of studios, big and small, don't want to take risks. Right now we're stuck in this formulaic writing era of sequels, comic book movies, rom coms, and blockbuster action flicks. There are far fewer studios willing to take a chance on something original from an unknown source than there were 15 years ago. Original ideas need to impress the right somebody. A bit of that is just pure effing luck.

If you've got a connection, take advantage of it. The worse that can happen is nothing comes of it and you lose nothing.

Regarding indies, it's an entirely different ball game. Indie allows you to write free of the studio ideals and constraints. You have a lot more options in terms of being original and telling a great story. Fitting into the indie mold, however, basically comes down to budget. You have to set a budget for the script and realistically keep everything written within that. How many characters in the script equals actors that need to be paid. How extensive are the sets, costumes, and makeup? How long is the script, more pages equals more filming equals more money.

My old roommates wrote, shot, and produced a movie. It had some runs at local film-fests, but nothing came of it. Probably because the story was terrible. But it was still kinda awesome to see what a group of people could accomplish with very little funding. Gotta make sure that story is good, otherwise no one is going to notice.
I mostly do writing and screenwriting as a hobby. I am not interested in the fame factor and was too chicken to just go to film school because I was afraid of the economy just making my degree utterly useless. I've worked on my ideas for a long time, developed them over time and don't think they're bad either just unmarketable for major studios. They're in the same genre of Killing Them Softly, Margin Call, Arbitrage, and throwbacks to old 70s neo noir or political thrillers. All this stuff just seems so unwanted based on what major studios are pumping out. Anyways, a richie rich college buddy of mine has a family friend in the biz and he said that he can set up a meeting blah blah, thinks the ideas are really good, the whole lot. Is it worth taking a gamble? I mean I keep thinking an intelligent story with a good theme, added tension, all that would be a winner but then the doubts that keep spinning in my head is that it's also not typically studio. They're not coming of age, dramedies with an indie soundtrack, nothing existential or too meditative, just staight like a Sidney Lumet film. And first thing I thought about was writing it to meet a small budget.
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Old 01-07-2013, 02:27 PM
PDF
 
11,395 posts, read 13,342,455 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BarcelonaFan View Post
I mostly do writing and screenwriting as a hobby. I am not interested in the fame factor and was too chicken to just go to film school because I was afraid of the economy just making my degree utterly useless. I've worked on my ideas for a long time, developed them over time and don't think they're bad either just unmarketable for major studios. They're in the same genre of Killing Them Softly, Margin Call, Arbitrage, and throwbacks to old 70s neo noir or political thrillers. All this stuff just seems so unwanted based on what major studios are pumping out. Anyways, a richie rich college buddy of mine has a family friend in the biz and he said that he can set up a meeting blah blah, thinks the ideas are really good, the whole lot. Is it worth taking a gamble? I mean I keep thinking an intelligent story with a good theme, added tension, all that would be a winner but then the doubts that keep spinning in my head is that it's also not typically studio. They're not coming of age, dramedies with an indie soundtrack, nothing existential or too meditative, just staight like a Sidney Lumet film. And first thing I thought about was writing it to meet a small budget.
I definitely think you should know your talent before sending out a script or taking a meeting like that. You don't sound too confident.
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Old 01-07-2013, 02:41 PM
 
2,720 posts, read 5,603,055 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PDF View Post
I definitely think you should know your talent before sending out a script or taking a meeting like that. You don't sound too confident.
I agree. I am not because I think that getting too confident would also make me delusional. It's a way of keeping myself grounded I guess. I keep thinking that even independent studios aren't interested in anything but coming of age stories, dramedies concering yuppies, or just plain bad horror.

I also do not know what's even in as far as independent. I mean I remember watching a panel discussion on Brad Pitt's Killing Them Softly and how his Plan B entertainment group took a gamble on the movie. I was shocked. Took a gamble? It wasn't even strange or experimental or too indy or what not to be considered that arthouse. I keep thinking that if even smaller companies like Plan B consider Killing them Softly that complex then what the heck am I writing for? LOL. It was such a great movie too, why would it be considered a gamble? But alas, it was a critical sucess but not the the biggest moneymaker they've had so I understand. I am sure they meant their statements in purely financial terms.
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Old 01-07-2013, 02:48 PM
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11,395 posts, read 13,342,455 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BarcelonaFan View Post
I agree. I am not because I think that getting too confident would also make me delusional. It's a way of keeping myself grounded I guess. I keep thinking that even independent studios aren't interested in anything but coming of age stories, dramedies concering yuppies, or just plain bad horror.

I also do not know what's even in as far as independent. I mean I remember watching a panel discussion on Brad Pitt's Killing Them Softly and how his Plan B entertainment group took a gamble on the movie. I was shocked. Took a gamble? It wasn't even strange or experimental or too indy or what not to be considered that arthouse. I keep thinking that if even smaller studios like Plan B consider Killing them Softly that complex then what the heck am I writing for? LOL. It was such a great movie too, why would it be considered a gamble? But alas, it was a critical sucess but not the the biggest moneymaker they've had so I understand. I am sure they meant their statements in purely financial terms.
It's not that they aren't interested, just that these smaller movies are a gamble. Movies like Margin Call, Killing Them Softly, etc. are a gamble. Nobody wants to make them.

The only way these "arthouse" movies get made is if a lead actor gets attached. Nobody wanted to make Michael Clayton until George Clooney stepped in. Same goes for many other movies.

These types of movies are excellent, they are just hard to get made. But I don't think you're wasting your time.

A key factor in selling a script is writing something that is marketable. It doesn't have to be a coming-of-age story like you said, or anything like that. Just something that is original and can command a mainstream audience.

It sucks, but it is what it is. But I think if you're truly serious, then get your work out there. You might not sell these smaller scripts, but people would notice your writing and that would lead into other opportunities.

Luckily for me every script I've written is pretty marketable/mainstream, however that doesn't mean it's your average Hollywood movie.
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Old 01-07-2013, 02:58 PM
 
Location: South Carolina
72 posts, read 182,961 times
Reputation: 111
Quote:
Originally Posted by BarcelonaFan View Post
Of course. I am not saying everyone in LA wanting to be an actor is a delusional nut case. The point is that there are A LOT of mediocre to even quite good actors in LA, not just really persistent bad ones.

I think top acting talent is on stage in NYC or character actors playing supporting roles in movies.

When I think of top talent I do not think of Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt, even though these actors are great.

When I think of brilliance I think of Tony Shaloub, Ted Levine, John Hawkes, Clifton Collins Jr, Gary Oldman, Cliff Curtis, Christopher Guest, and many other actors that are mostly known by their peers or people who really love movies. I would flip out if I met John Tutturro before I met Johnny Depp.

Not to say Hollywood big names aren't great, I think Sean Penn is a gifted actor and Tim Robbins is a brilliant writer/director/actor. But for the most part a lot of them are good to great, not absolutely awe inspiring.

I guess I do verge on being a film snob because I think that if a person really loves the craft and really wants to be an actor they will harness all the potential they have and study like crazy, knowing really good films, studying technique and forever growing. A lot of wannabes do not do this. You ask them what they're favorite movie is and it's usually something mainstream, faux-indie or what used to be considered obscure is now pretty well known. I know I am sounding like a 'hipster' but if you really know something and are passionate about it, go all out and dive deep.
I actually agree with what you said.

Talent, while it should be a requirement, shouldn't be enough.

You now make me want to check out those actors you mentioned. I am pretty flippin' obsessed with great talent. Not a film buff, but I do LIKE films. I think if saw a virtuoso performance or two, it'd change my level of interest in films.

I have pretty high standards for my entertainment. A few of my friends would say ridiculously high ... but that's only because what they try to impress me with, rarely does. I'm not TRYING to be difficult...

...but, yeah.
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Old 01-07-2013, 02:59 PM
 
Location: Los Angeles
1,045 posts, read 1,628,613 times
Reputation: 549
Quote:
Originally Posted by bigdumbgod View Post
Ah yes, forgot about the 'duties' they have to fulfill: Making appearances at events to rub elbows (among other things) with the movers and shakers. A quintessential aspect of the L.A. entertainment business.
So true...every now and then I run into some chicks chasing that lifestyle. It's sad because they are so desperate for it that they will do anything (ANYTHING) and "making it" is their salvation. Nothing wrong with the dream but when the dream is more about just the fame and money and not the art of it and etc., then it can ruin people's lives.
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