[QUOTE=Terminus Est]
Screenwriters don’t get paid until the script is accepted.
[/QUOTE]
So what? Nobody’s offering to pay me regardless of the quality of the finished project. I don’t even have a potential to ever be paid for this stunt, therefore I have no incentive to bust my ass to complete it in 4 days.
I’m not going to drag this out interminably, though. If I can’t finish anything presentable within two weeks, I’ll concede defeat.
[QUOTE=lno]
Did you miss significant portions of this thread? Writers don’t get to lollygag and take as much time as they want to put out a script for an episode.
[/quote]
I guess that explains why they suck.
I’ll do it under the same constraints when I get the same compensation.
Can we settle something here and now? Is everybody going to say I failed if I don’t do it in 4 days? Is that a necessary condition for me to be able to prove I can write a script for TV show? If I write something good in 2 weeks, is everyone going to say it doesn’t count.
Submit your script, get it accepted, you’ll get paid. It’s easy!
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic]
I’m not just intelligent, I’m also a very good writer. I just haven’t tried this particular format before.
[/QUOTE]
Hoo boy. I know just enough about screenwriting to know I don’t know anything about screenwriting. You don’t know that much.
[QUOTE=Terminus Est]
Submit your script, get it accepted, you’ll get paid. It’s easy!
[/QUOTE]
Assuming any network is going to buy an unsolicited script, they’re not going to care how long it took me to write it.
[QUOTE=Voyager]
Hoo boy. I know just enough about screenwriting to know I don’t know anything about screenwriting. You don’t know that much.
[/QUOTE]
Seems to me like it should be easier once I learn the formatting. It’s mostly just dialogue. I don’t have to worry about description (which I loathe both reading and writing) or all that much action.
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic]
The downloads ARE promotional, aren’t they? I say give them an extra cent or two on the DVDs but demanding to get paid for internet downloads is just greedy.
[/QUOTE]
I have downloaded several full-season series for networks I don’t get on TV, like Showtime. What I downloaded is NOT promotional. I’m downloading the shows to watch, just on a different screen. I’m not treating that download as any different that what I watch on the Tee-Vee.
I’m 100% behind the writers on this one. I paid for those downloads; someone is getting money from me. Writers deserve some of that.
Getting your unsolicited script accepted is part of the challenge. Any damn fool can do it.
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic]
I guess that explains why they suck.
I’ll do it under the same constraints when I get the same compensation.
Can we settle something here and now? Is everybody going to say I failed if I don’t do it in 4 days? Is that a necessary condition for me to be able to prove I can write a script for TV show? If I write something good in 2 weeks, is everyone going to say it doesn’t count.
[/QUOTE]
Want to try and guess how many jank miesters in every college in the whole country think they can be writers? If the college leans at all towards the arts, even if it doesn’t, there are anywhere from 10 to a thousand wannabes at every university in the country. Thousands and thousands of potential writers. Millions, even.
Know how many people are in the WGA? 14,000, or .0047% of the American population.
Want to be one of that .0047%? Good. Write several screenplays. Not one, no one gives a shit if you are a one hit wonder. Get two or three scripts that you could reasonably pitch to an exec. Not only that, but get half a dozen treatments ready, just to be sure. Bombard offices, agents, everyone in the world with your cockblather and hope to get lucky.
You’re going to wave away this entire post, which is to be expected. But writing scripts isn’t even half of the job. A true writer, like any entertainer and artist, is mostly about having the balls, audacity, and perseverance to keep annoying people until you break skin, where you may then slowly spread infection throughout the industry.
Let’s say you sell one of your scripts. Keep writing your ass off, because unless you win an Oscar or something else that glistens off a producers wooden skull, you’re a boat without oars. You’re going to have to keep repeating the first step a few times before, as I mentioned, until you break skin.
Even for established writers, everyone tries to tear you down. The true American pastime is delusions of grandeur. I can do that, if I felt like it. I could be a millionaire if I didn’t spend my time posting on the SDMB. I could be amazing if Scott Tinkerman didn’t punch me in the fifth grade.
Even if you are smarter and can write better than 99% of everyone in the world, 60 million people are better than you. Are you better than 99.995% of the world? Well, why aren’t you in the WGA?
Google docs was what I had in mind. And I think everyone here should have a crack at reading it.
I would also be happy to pass it on to a show-runner or two… maybe an actor or two as well? Hell, we have a few laying about in NYC who have been nominated for Pulitzers. Oh heck, yeah, there’s a showrunner at NBC with one such nomination too! Wonder if he’d like to hear about how his job is so easy any semi-talented hack can do it.
Two weeks, huh. That’s bullshit. A week, tops and that’s giving you a handicap because you’re new. Now put your pen where your mouth is, Diogenes. Show us what you’ve got.
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic]
Extremely. But since I’m not getting paid, I’ll take as much time as I feel like. If youwant to send me a check, I’ll go a little faster.
[/QUOTE]
The irony, it burns!!!
Diogenes, *not * anyone can do it, or way more people would. And those who *are * good enough to get paid to do it really do have to crank out one a week.
If you really believe it’s no big deal, and you’re at least as good at it as they are, then you should be writing that script right now, instead of posts about all the reasons you can’t.
Hell, do a week long version, then take your sweet time and do the two week one. I don’t mind reading the second one if you’re happy with it.
[QUOTE=Elenfair]
Google docs was what I had in mind. And I think everyone here should have a crack at reading it.
I would also be happy to pass it on to a show-runner or two… maybe an actor or two as well? Hell, we have a few laying about in NYC who have been nominated for Pulitzers. Oh heck, yeah, there’s a showrunner at NBC with one such nomination too! Wonder if he’d like to hear about how his job is so easy any semi-talented hack can do it.
Two weeks, huh. That’s bullshit. A week, tops and that’s giving you a handicap because you’re new. Now put your pen where your mouth is, Diogenes. Show us what you’ve got.
[/QUOTE]
He’s already admitted once here that he has no idea what he was talking about, so why are so many people still paying attention to his “I’m so intelligent and such a good writer” rants? He really has no idea what he’s talking about. Get it? Completely, utterly and arrogantly talking out of his butt is all he’s doing. Nothing more to do here than shake our heads and laugh.
I’ll take as long as I need to take to make sure I understand the formatting.
Doing research now. Google doc is started. See you when I see you.
Oh, and for the recod, Diana, I didn’t say that “anybody” can do it. I said that I can do it. I am atypical.
[QUOTE=Happy Lendervedder]
He’s already admitted once here that he has no idea what he was talking about, so why are so many people still paying attention to his “I’m so intelligent and such a good writer” rants? He really has no idea what he’s talking about. Get it? Completely, utterly and arrogantly talking out of his butt is all he’s doing. Nothing more to do here than shake our heads and laugh.
[/QUOTE]
Because it’s fuuuuuuuun. Come on, man! With this strike, my 70 hour work week has imploded, and I don’t know what to do with myself! I mean, my musical theatre company, my students and my non-screenwriting contracts keeps me sane, but I started to write a grant proposal yesterday and the first thing I did was type:
INT. <CORPORATE SPONSOR> GRANT APPLICATION (blank space here) DAY
… and then wondered if I someone had spiked my tea.
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic]
I am atypical.
[/QUOTE]
I don’t think anyone would dispute that.
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic]
I’ll take as long as I need to take to make sure I understand the formatting.
Doing research now. Google doc is started. See you when I see you.
Oh, and for the recod, Diana, I didn’t say that “anybody” can do it. I said that I can do it. I am atypical.
[/QUOTE]
Well what’s the point in THAT? Taking as long as you need? Then you’re not living up to the true deal, are you. You’re not proving that you can do the job as you claimed you could.
We’re all expected to turn 50-60 pages in 4 days or less. You can at LEAST shoot for a week. The formatting for a spec script isn’t hard, even novice script writers can figure it out in a matter of minutes. I’m not asking for a shooting script here.
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic]
Seems to me like it should be easier once I learn the formatting. It’s mostly just dialogue. I don’t have to worry about description (which I loathe both reading and writing) or all that much action.
[/QUOTE]
It’s just dialogue? That’s rich!
Look at him. He’s only been a writer for a couple of hours and already he feels entitled to our money. Start writing and get us that script, you Bolshevik. We’ll pay you when we pay you. Trust us.
[QUOTE=Happy Lendervedder]
He’s already admitted once here that he has no idea what he was talking about, so why are so many people still paying attention to his “I’m so intelligent and such a good writer” rants? He really has no idea what he’s talking about. Get it? Completely, utterly and arrogantly talking out of his butt is all he’s doing. Nothing more to do here than shake our heads and laugh.
[/QUOTE]
Darn right.
And with all due respect, Dio, true intelligence includes knowing your limitations. The consensus around here seems to be that you’re speaking with tremendous naivete on this matter.
I’d say more, but that would border on Pit material.