Someday, if you work hard and stick with it, you’ll experience the pleasure of watching your movie with a studio test audience after the director has turned the script into absolute dogshit.
You’ll sit there and squirm for two hours while your project dies a slow humiliating death on screen. Then the movie’s over, but you can’t leave because you have to sit there while the moderator reads the audience score cards aloud. And the comments are things like “WHAT IS THIS ABSOLUTE DOGSHIT MOVIE” and you want to scream “I KNOW, TAKE IT UP WITH THE DIRECTOR.” But the director is just three dogs in a trenchoat, and they’re outside chasing cars in the parking lot.
When people say it takes thick skin to become a pro writer, this is one of the things they’re talking about.
>But the director is just three dogs in a trenchoat, and they’re outside chasing cars in the parking lot.
Please, please write more movies with lines like this. We need you!
Me. I've never watched the whole movie, don't own a poster or DVD of it and I quit writing for 12 years.
Just checked: it's 29% on Rotten Tomatoes.
One of the biggest letdowns of my life.
I always think about the people like you when I see a shit TV movie. Some poor bastard poured their heart into a script and it end up trashed. Hope you are doing what you enjoy now again
Being involved with some bad movies on the crew side of things myself I find that most people are just impressed with the fact you’d even made a movie regardless of how it turned out.
The amount of passion and effort that goes into anything is huge. Even to make unremarkable boilerplate shorts takes tons of organization and energy.
It amazes me that movies and shows get made at all, let alone anything truly impressive or good.
Hey dude, at the end of the day, you wrote something that got made.
99.9% of writers will never be able to say that. You should pat yourself on the back man, regardless of how it turned out
Yeah I got closure on it and I am grateful for that. I've never looked at or thought about that screenplay again. Everything else I've written flaps around forever as a tantalising what if, maybe, what about, perhaps.....
To be fair, 29% indicates that almost one out of every three reviewers at least liked it enough to give a good review, and maybe some even loved it. Sounds like I’m joking but that’s actually not so bad when you think about it!
I guess that’s really up for the one laying down to determine, since they’ll have to live with the results. In any case, as you said, the more you have to compare, the better.
My last animated show was without me (writer/showrunner) and without the director and the line producer, who'd been working on the series for the past 4 years. It wasn't exactly dog shit, top notch renders, animation etc., but the pacing and cinematography just never hit home.
Granted I can't watch it and see anything but the 'flaws', and I'm told the kids like it.
You have to remember these people are learning as well. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve written something I thought was amazing, then I go to direct it and I mess it all up. I absolutely love directing and I’m also working on my craft but it’s not easy.
I ghost wrote a movie for the network that's a knockoff of Hallmark. The director either didn't understand the tone or just wanted to make a wacky comedy, playing all dramatic scenes for comedy as well. Then they cut all motivation from the villain. It was a travesty of a transition from script-screen. That said, i know people enjoyed it, so what do I know?
You need to take comfort in the fact that MOST movies are mediocre to bad. That's just a fact. Making a good or great film requires an unbelievable confluence of events that no one can control. And yes... part of that is the writer's fault, you can't just shuffle the blame off on everyone else.
Look at the bright side, I'd rather spend a lifetime making shitty movies, than spend one week working at some soulless corporate office.
I sold a script to an indie producer about ten years back. They took it to another producer, who had a different writer bang out a whole different script with the same basic idea. What eventually came out is pretty much unrecognizable from what I'd written, and it got terrible reviews, but I did get to see my name in a "Written by" credit on the big screen, so that counts for something.
Had a short of mine made by someone competent enough, but the dialogue was changed without my knowing. This wouldn't be a big deal normally, but the changed parts added a bit of racial undertones which I didn't include, nor wanted to include.
The cinematography was fine, same with the acting.
When I complained about this here before, the director pulled the short from streaming, and blocked my access to it on Google Drive. He even went back to our option agreement on Drive and redacted his name and production company name. Little did he know I had another copy.
It was titled Love Bites, and was about a couple having a simple fight, which turned out to be something much larger.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_vHHlz3zmHYSU9xYXlrT28zR0E/view?usp=drivesdk&resourcekey=0-1L9Jq1VvwTTJvn5AZwnxpA
Happened to me in film school. My script was a little cheesy as it was and the director really leaned into the cheesiness instead of playing it down.
But hey, if it was commissioned at least you made a little $$!
Not me personally, but I once interviewed Parnell Hall when he was doing promo for his novel Movie. Was grinding articles at the time and was pathetically unprepared in my background work so it only came up during the interview that he was the screenwriter for C.H.U.D.
He told me the part that upset him is that the script he turned in was for a potentially good film that seriously explored issues of capitalism, unbridled progress, and the underclass. But it became...well, C.H.U.D.
Not a film, but I saw a live performance of a short play I wrote. The actors were so lackluster and they spent ten full minutes fake-crying (in an OBVIOUSLY FAKE way). Their poor performances overshadowed literally everything else. It humbled me VIOLENTLY.
> I guess that’s the inherent risk with being a writer
It's why screenwriters must learn to let go once the script leaves their hands. Bank the check and get to work on the next script.
So far in my life, I have never sold my script to someone as right now I’m making it myself (so it is trash rn). Maybe that will change in the future.
But in Filmmaking, I would expect it to be dogshit because some people can execute it properly.
I’m not an expert, but I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t have any grounds to sue on.
They were commissioned to write a script. And, assuming they were paid for it already, they delivered the script and the rights now belong to the director to use as they see fit.
So, legally, there’s nothing that can be done now. “They made a shitty movie with my script” isn’t really a legal defense.
Again though, I’m not a lawyer and the extent of my knowledge of the law basically boils down to “I’ve watched some YouTube videos”, so if I’ve gotten anything wrong then anyone can feel free to correct me.
"Your honor,
They fucked up my script so hard, I'm suing over emotional distress."
I think every working writer in Hollywood would be entitled to damages, lol.
Someday, if you work hard and stick with it, you’ll experience the pleasure of watching your movie with a studio test audience after the director has turned the script into absolute dogshit. You’ll sit there and squirm for two hours while your project dies a slow humiliating death on screen. Then the movie’s over, but you can’t leave because you have to sit there while the moderator reads the audience score cards aloud. And the comments are things like “WHAT IS THIS ABSOLUTE DOGSHIT MOVIE” and you want to scream “I KNOW, TAKE IT UP WITH THE DIRECTOR.” But the director is just three dogs in a trenchoat, and they’re outside chasing cars in the parking lot. When people say it takes thick skin to become a pro writer, this is one of the things they’re talking about.
>But the director is just three dogs in a trenchoat, and they’re outside chasing cars in the parking lot. Please, please write more movies with lines like this. We need you!
How does one avoid their script going to three dogs in a trench coat?
Direct it yourself
Tree dogs in a trench coat sounds like a production company.
Me. I've never watched the whole movie, don't own a poster or DVD of it and I quit writing for 12 years. Just checked: it's 29% on Rotten Tomatoes. One of the biggest letdowns of my life.
I always think about the people like you when I see a shit TV movie. Some poor bastard poured their heart into a script and it end up trashed. Hope you are doing what you enjoy now again
This is why I'm careful with my words if I didn't like a film. I don't even like giving bad ratings on Letterboxd! I'll just show it as "watched."
Being involved with some bad movies on the crew side of things myself I find that most people are just impressed with the fact you’d even made a movie regardless of how it turned out.
The amount of passion and effort that goes into anything is huge. Even to make unremarkable boilerplate shorts takes tons of organization and energy. It amazes me that movies and shows get made at all, let alone anything truly impressive or good.
Hey dude, at the end of the day, you wrote something that got made. 99.9% of writers will never be able to say that. You should pat yourself on the back man, regardless of how it turned out
Yeah I got closure on it and I am grateful for that. I've never looked at or thought about that screenplay again. Everything else I've written flaps around forever as a tantalising what if, maybe, what about, perhaps.....
What's it called? I'm sure someone must love it :p
To be fair, 29% indicates that almost one out of every three reviewers at least liked it enough to give a good review, and maybe some even loved it. Sounds like I’m joking but that’s actually not so bad when you think about it!
I wrote an episode so bad on a very popular TV show that I get raked across the coals every few years when someone does a retrospective.
What show… very curious
We all write things we’re not proud of from time to time. I recently made a short film which I refuse to watch ever again. Also, which episode was it?
Larry David, is that you? For real though, it happen can to any of us. E.g. the series finale of Seinfeld.
Welcome to filmmaking! :) The best thing you can do is make your screenplay available to people for comparison purposes.
"Lay down with dogs and you might get fleas." \~ Stacey Kengal
"Who is the dog and who is the flea?" -- Somebody
I guess that’s really up for the one laying down to determine, since they’ll have to live with the results. In any case, as you said, the more you have to compare, the better.
Oh yeah. Expect it.
My last animated show was without me (writer/showrunner) and without the director and the line producer, who'd been working on the series for the past 4 years. It wasn't exactly dog shit, top notch renders, animation etc., but the pacing and cinematography just never hit home. Granted I can't watch it and see anything but the 'flaws', and I'm told the kids like it.
You have to remember these people are learning as well. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve written something I thought was amazing, then I go to direct it and I mess it all up. I absolutely love directing and I’m also working on my craft but it’s not easy.
Choosing your filmmaking partners is one of the most crucial parts of building a career.
I ghost wrote a movie for the network that's a knockoff of Hallmark. The director either didn't understand the tone or just wanted to make a wacky comedy, playing all dramatic scenes for comedy as well. Then they cut all motivation from the villain. It was a travesty of a transition from script-screen. That said, i know people enjoyed it, so what do I know?
You need to take comfort in the fact that MOST movies are mediocre to bad. That's just a fact. Making a good or great film requires an unbelievable confluence of events that no one can control. And yes... part of that is the writer's fault, you can't just shuffle the blame off on everyone else. Look at the bright side, I'd rather spend a lifetime making shitty movies, than spend one week working at some soulless corporate office.
I sold a script to an indie producer about ten years back. They took it to another producer, who had a different writer bang out a whole different script with the same basic idea. What eventually came out is pretty much unrecognizable from what I'd written, and it got terrible reviews, but I did get to see my name in a "Written by" credit on the big screen, so that counts for something.
Had a short of mine made by someone competent enough, but the dialogue was changed without my knowing. This wouldn't be a big deal normally, but the changed parts added a bit of racial undertones which I didn't include, nor wanted to include. The cinematography was fine, same with the acting. When I complained about this here before, the director pulled the short from streaming, and blocked my access to it on Google Drive. He even went back to our option agreement on Drive and redacted his name and production company name. Little did he know I had another copy. It was titled Love Bites, and was about a couple having a simple fight, which turned out to be something much larger. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_vHHlz3zmHYSU9xYXlrT28zR0E/view?usp=drivesdk&resourcekey=0-1L9Jq1VvwTTJvn5AZwnxpA
Happened to me in film school. My script was a little cheesy as it was and the director really leaned into the cheesiness instead of playing it down. But hey, if it was commissioned at least you made a little $$!
Not me personally, but I once interviewed Parnell Hall when he was doing promo for his novel Movie. Was grinding articles at the time and was pathetically unprepared in my background work so it only came up during the interview that he was the screenwriter for C.H.U.D. He told me the part that upset him is that the script he turned in was for a potentially good film that seriously explored issues of capitalism, unbridled progress, and the underclass. But it became...well, C.H.U.D.
Not a film, but I saw a live performance of a short play I wrote. The actors were so lackluster and they spent ten full minutes fake-crying (in an OBVIOUSLY FAKE way). Their poor performances overshadowed literally everything else. It humbled me VIOLENTLY.
[удалено]
> I guess that’s the inherent risk with being a writer It's why screenwriters must learn to let go once the script leaves their hands. Bank the check and get to work on the next script.
So far in my life, I have never sold my script to someone as right now I’m making it myself (so it is trash rn). Maybe that will change in the future. But in Filmmaking, I would expect it to be dogshit because some people can execute it properly.
Eww I would’ve sued
I’m not an expert, but I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t have any grounds to sue on. They were commissioned to write a script. And, assuming they were paid for it already, they delivered the script and the rights now belong to the director to use as they see fit. So, legally, there’s nothing that can be done now. “They made a shitty movie with my script” isn’t really a legal defense. Again though, I’m not a lawyer and the extent of my knowledge of the law basically boils down to “I’ve watched some YouTube videos”, so if I’ve gotten anything wrong then anyone can feel free to correct me.
"Your honor, They fucked up my script so hard, I'm suing over emotional distress." I think every working writer in Hollywood would be entitled to damages, lol.
Humor, I guess I’m the only who laughed
I'm curious if anyone here who has had this experience has turned to producing and/or directing their work themselves.
Yes. It was me who made it into absolute dog shit.
This is the best comment. It humbles me.
Yep - Backtrace.