What's going on here?

Enigma · Oct 13, 2005

I saw two scripts the other day. Different title but the same story. One was the original spec script, the other by a writer whose name will be on the credit roll when the film is finished.

The only major difference, opther than the length and bits and pieces of dialogue, was that the second script had stage directions, whereas the spec script didn't, naturally.

What is/was going on? It looked to me like they were just padding the budget.

Joe Calabrese · Oct 13, 2005

I have no idea what your talking about or your question. Please elaborate.

StephieM · Oct 13, 2005

What are the titles. I know of one movie that has atleast three titles.

"Fly Away Home" was also "Flying Wild" and "Father Goose". Not sure why.

Steph

Enigma · Oct 13, 2005

Joe Calabrese said:
I have no idea what your talking about or your question. Please elaborate.

The original spec script was first optioned I think about three years ago. Now it's about to go into production and the producer has hired several other writers to get it ready, one of whom is scheduled to get the credit on the credits. God only knows where the author is now but she isn't in on the script meetings nor, I assume, will she be on the set.

I got to see the original spec script with, no doubt, the changes required by her contract already made, and the current version side by side, and the two are almost identical except for the directions, all the CUT TOs and such. Another version is, of course, in the works, and there the director is having his say. But, everything is now pretty well locked and loaded.

I can't figure out why, or if, they need the extra writers, considering they haven't done anything, certainly nothing that the lady who wrote the original story couldn't have done, and probably done better, and for far less than what they're paying the extra writers who I noticed spend a lot of time posturing and sucking up.

The question was posed (in private) by someone with decades of experience under his belt who is providing a contract service for the production, and he was very critical of the money being wasted. He likened the writing to a government project; one person does the work, three lean on their shovels and watch, five supervise and the sixth takes all the credit if the job gets done right, and blames the one who did the work in the first place if something goes wrong. His last comment on the subject was, "... The idiots!" (Actually, Hollywood was in the middle, but I don't want someone to go ballistic over the slight and jump my case.)

Joe Calabrese · Oct 13, 2005

Many times a "known" writer will be brought in to give credibility to the project, to help secure certain actors or financing or for production/financing purposes (ie. A canadian production requires a canadian writer in order to get government funding.) He/she fixes a line here or there and get credit. However, the original writer should and must be credited as well, unless the rewrites are so drastically changed that it is a new and different story, but again the original writer should at least get a story by credit in that rare instance.

As for being on set, very rarely does a writer go on set, unless a rewrite on the fly is needed and usually they come and go in minutes. The last thing a producer or director wants is for the writer to see and possible give input during actual principal photography.

As I tell people all the time. A screenwriter is a sperm donor. Once you get that DNA sample from them you forget them and make that baby your own.

Enigma · Oct 13, 2005

Probably

I didn't know, or care, who the writers and the politics were or, of course, what the contracts require. There was plenty of booze available (notice I said was)

and my friend needed a friend to talk to. I was curious only in the fact they had so many "writers" standing around doing nothing while the original script stood as written.

As for the writer not being on the set, that too is very understandable; once the battle begins, the time for speaking up has passed and it's too late to start changing things.

BTW, I was super impressed with all the planning that has taken place.

NikeeGoddess · Oct 14, 2005

As for the writer not being on the set, that too is very understandable; once the battle begins, the time for speaking up has passed and it's too late to start changing things.

it's never too late. it's not unusual for things to change during production. on smaller budgets they don't hire extra writers b/c they can't afford it. but productions with a little more cash - they can hire a script doctor to fix minor errors before production AND a script medic who changes things on the fly (or for the next day) during production. however, neither of these scripters need be the original writer or the writer getting credit.

Enigma · Oct 14, 2005

Maybe....

NikeeGoddess said:
... with a little more cash - they can hire a script doctor to fix minor errors before production AND a script medic who changes things on the fly (or for the next day) during production....QUOTE]

... yeah, maybe that's why they were there. But, from what I saw and heard, there's already serious problems that are surely going to get worse before it's in the can, if it ever gets that far. Oh, well. Glad my dog ain't in that fight.

What's going on here?

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