I don’t usually advise because: numero uno, I don’t want to pour cold water on anyone’s aspirations…and whatever I have to say is colored by my own experience, so it should be taken with a large rock crystal of salt firmly in hand, but…
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I used to get called into meetings with some interesting producers (when I wrote screenplays) and then never see them, it would be a development person… I got to calling it (excuse me) the hunchback harelip test. Those lower on the scale were meant to vet me, and if I passed muster, I would meet the executive at a later date. When people would ask me about it later — the initial meeting with whichever production company it was — I always used to say, they wanted to make sure I didn’t drool.
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Sometimes a script would be optioned and I would go into rewrites, and I still would never meet the person in charge…
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It’s a tough road. I can tell you all sorts of things, but what I think is most important to know is that filmmaking is very much a meeting of minds — and things get done by legions of people. This means, as a writer, you must play well with others.
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Be prepared to alter your work radically, and not be upset when others are hired to rewrite your screenplays to a point where you don’t recognize them.
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I’m just putting this out there, keep at it, it can be very hierarchical, just keep plugging away — or, take matters into your own hands and do something digital, make a short movie and post it on vimeo, or start your own weblog, or self-publish…
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You know what I’m saying 😉 .
Actually I think that’s great advice across the board. Play well with others; accept criticism; don’t drool. That is how one makes it in the business world.
Elyse! That’s such a great comment that I just tweeted it, twittered it (?), at any rate: thank you!
If only I could get paid for my cleverness … you’d think I could because I do manage to mostly keep to those three rules!
Ah ha! You do get paid for your cleverness! “In real life, I am a medical researcher and writer.” Glad to hear drooling was not one of the side effects you had to deal with. (Although I have a feeling you would have pulled it off with grace and humor.)
The side effects I write about at work are, usually, not my own!
When they ARE mine, I blog! For which I get loads of bloggy friends, which makes it all worthwhile!
Bloggy friends are the best! xox, V
or get a day job again and let the writing flow at the weekends like it used to 😉
You are full of surprises! We’ll discuss at tea.
Lots of hot water at the ready to refresh the pot then 😉 much to share……..