Who Else Loves Early American Screenplays Like 12 Years A Slave?

Errant Lobe · Dec 17, 2015

Hi, everyone on AW, I love the attention that Leonardo Dicaprio's new 1800's film, The Revenant is garnering. I hope it gains him the Oscar.
Does anyone else here love these kinds of screenplays. I spend a lot of time imbibing everything pre-Columbian America and biographies related to the Americas in its post-discovery years. I love the stories of Louis and Clarke, the Klondike Gold Rush, the Western expansion and the California Gold Rush.

My question is, since it is hard to sell anything to Hollywood, would you recommend that I pursue my dream and just write early American Screenplays and file them away?

I write fantasy novels because I don't understand the science to write science fiction. But, I love screenplays too.

Helix · Dec 17, 2015

I vote pursue your dream and write something you feel proud of. Then consider the other stuff.

Errant Lobe · Dec 17, 2015

Helix said:
I vote pursue your dream and write something you feel proud of. Then consider the other stuff.

Helix!
Good to hear from you. I love your posts!
How're things marsupial and others Great White?
I swear to God, Australia is cursed!

Helix · Dec 17, 2015

Not many great whites where I am, but plenty of marsupials!

Which period in North American history catches your interest most?

Errant Lobe · Dec 17, 2015

The unspoiled lives of the native redmen and the fearless mountain men who would disappear from civilization for ten months out of the year all alone to collect furs for the fur trade.

They took on the native peoples and raw nature itself, in all her gory glory and completely alone.

TGrace · Dec 17, 2015

Yeah, I'm very excited for The Revenant. As for your own ideas, I say write them, but don't file them away! You never know what could happen if you really commit yourself to pushing them as far as they can go. You could also try your hand at writing historical fiction.

Errant Lobe · Dec 17, 2015

John Jacob Astor moved from poverty in Germany ? to the independent colony and by cornering the beaver pelt market made himself the first mega-mogul in the new world. His heiresses threw up the mega-mansions along 5th Avenue in the early 1900's one after another and came to write the rules of societal norms for the East Coast elite.

Andrew Carnegie rose to power in the steel industry within the shadow of the excesses of the heirs of John Jacob Astor who were known for throwing lavish parties.

Errant Lobe · Dec 17, 2015

TGrace said:
Yeah, I'm very excited for The Revenant. As for your own ideas, I say write them, but don't file them away! You never know what could happen if you really commit yourself to pushing them as far as they can go. You could also try your hand at writing historical fiction.

Have you any idea how hard it is to sell a screenplay?

Errant Lobe · Dec 17, 2015

Excellence is no garuantee to closing a sale on a screenplay. And even if you do, there are so many know-it-all Hollywood types, ever hovering, ready to butcher it with their stupidity.

Remember the movie, Barton Fink with John Turturro?
Or, the Tim Robins movie, The Player?

Helix · Dec 17, 2015

Errant Lobe said:
Excellence is no garuantee to closing a sale on a screenplay. And even if you do, there are so many know-it-all Hollywood types, ever hovering, ready to butcher it with their stupidity.

Remember the movie, Barton Fink with John Turturro?
Or, the Tim Robins movie, The Player?

There's not a little bit of irony in citing two movies to make that point!

But don't forget that Hollywood is not the only place that takes screenplays. Look at all the television companies that make high quality telemovies and miniseries.

Anyway, write first, fret later. If you do it the other way around, nothing ever gets done.

Errant Lobe · Dec 17, 2015

What people don't realize is the number of action-packed true accounts in the oldest libraries and the public domain. I was shocked to see 12 Years A Slave scripted into a movie since I had read it over 15 years ago. And it was always there on Project Gutenberg for free.

Many don't realize that there are even more action-packed accounts sitting there waiting for someone to take an interest. And they are completely true.

As an example, one old gentleman in 1880 dictated his Indian-fighting exploits which were forced upon him early, when at the age of 7 he returned home as his father sent his sibling out to fetch him home since it was time to take the corn by himself to the mill.
On, his way with the sacks behind him on the horse, the friends home which he had just left, now ran red with blood because a band of Indians had rode in and slashed every living throat.

That included mama, papa, five brothers and sisters, and two toddlers were lying in the front yard naked and with their throats cut.
Oh, there were two family dogs who were gutted and slashed at the throats and every family member was missing their scalps.

Errant Lobe · Dec 17, 2015

Helix said:
There's not a little bit of irony in citing two movies to make that point!

But don't forget that Hollywood is not the only place that takes screenplays. Look at all the television companies that make high quality telemovies and miniseries.

Anyway, write first, fret later. If you do it the other way around, nothing ever gets done.

But, you know Helix, I have always heard that if it is hard to get a novel published, forget about a screenplay.

Errant Lobe · Dec 17, 2015

Like the story referenced above, there is a true story of an old bear that defied all human efforts to capture it, and this animal would meticulously study and deconstruct every trap that was baited to catch it.

The old account states how this scientifically inclined animal went through some advanced geometrical niceties in order to defy an elaborate network of triggers and wires to get a fill of a large side of bait. All without touching one single wire.

And it is all true.

cornflake · Dec 17, 2015

Errant Lobe said:
What people don't realize is the number of action-packed true accounts in the oldest libraries and the public domain. I was shocked to see 12 Years A Slave scripted into a movie since I had read it over 15 years ago. And it was always there on Project Gutenberg for free.

Many don't realize that there are even more action-packed accounts sitting there waiting for someone to take an interest. And they are completely true.

As an example, one old gentleman in 1880 dictated his Indian-fighting exploits which were forced upon him early, when at the age of 7 he returned home as his father sent his sibling out to fetch him home since it was time to take the corn by himself to the mill.
On, his way with the sacks behind him on the horse, the friends home which he had just left, now ran red with blood because a band of Indians had rode in and slashed every living throat.

That included mama, papa, five brothers and sisters, and two toddlers were lying in the front yard naked and with their throats cut.
Oh, there were two family dogs who were gutted and slashed at the throats and every family member was missing their scalps.

How long was 12 Years kicking around before it was greenlit? I don't know; I'm asking.

It is immeasurably hard to sell a screenplay, and even harder to get one made even if you - or someone else - does.

Errant Lobe · Dec 17, 2015

Less than three years.
The director Steve McQueen said that his wife mentioned it to him one night in bed and focused on the dramatic arc.
He had never heard of it and had no inclination to read it. But, I guess that his wife's enthusiasm grew on him.

Errant Lobe · Dec 17, 2015

The screenwriter who adapted it did receive the Oscar for his work. So, is he not a part of the success?

cornflake · Dec 17, 2015

Errant Lobe said:
Less than three years.
The director Steve McQueen said that his wife mentioned it to him one night in bed and focused on the dramatic arc.
He had never heard of it and had no inclination to read it. But, I guess that his wife's enthusiasm grew on him.

I was checking while you were replying - it's been kicking around since 2002.

Errant Lobe · Dec 17, 2015

cornflake said:
I was checking while you were replying - it's been kicking around since 2002.

That far back? I am so sorry, then. My bad!

Errant Lobe · Dec 17, 2015

Cornflake, can you stress that again, for the new ones here, how difficult it is to sell a screenplay!
The easiest way is to write the screenplay, then novelize it, market the novel until it becomes a New York times bestseller. And when Hollywood comes calling then you sell it to them as a screenplay again!

cornflake · Dec 17, 2015

Errant Lobe said:
Cornflake, can you stress that again, for the new ones here, how difficult it is to sell a screenplay!
The easiest way is to write the screenplay, then novelize it, market the novel until it becomes a New York times bestseller. And when Hollywood comes calling then you sell it to them as a screenplay again!

That's not the easiest way to do pretty much anything. Why would you think they'd want your screenplay?

Errant Lobe · Dec 17, 2015

cornflake said:
That's not the easiest way to do pretty much anything. Why would you think they'd want your screenplay?

Then, there's that! Talk about a reality check.

Errant Lobe · Dec 17, 2015

These days, I'm not entirely certain that anyone can make a living writing screenplays, let alone, getting rich from so doing.

TGrace · Dec 17, 2015

Errant Lobe said:
Have you any idea how hard it is to sell a screenplay?

Yes, actually, I do. I'm studying film in college right now, and I've done plenty of research on the industry and the importance of location (being in L.A.), studying the craft, and the slowness - and often, the disappointment - of options and development. All I meant is that you will have zero shot at it if you don't write any screenplays at all, since writing is the first step. Sorry if I misunderstood your first post.

Errant Lobe · Dec 17, 2015

TGrace said:
Yes, actually, I do. I'm studying film in college right now, and I've done plenty of research on the industry and the importance of location (being in L.A.), studying the craft, and the slowness - and often, the disappointment - of options and development. All I meant is that you will have zero shot at it if you don't write any screenplays at all, since writing is the first step. Sorry if I misunderstood your first post.

TGrace, you are a braver man than i.
More power to you, my man.
I stand a better chance of getting struck by lightning than my selling a screenplay, ever.
Honest to God, I was almost struck by lightning the other day. So, you see my luck runs in another direction.

Errant Lobe · Dec 17, 2015

Then consider this,
No matter what you create somebody is going to extend themselves to hate it and hate you too.
Imagine spending years refining your plot and dialogue and then after selling it, having some critic whose kids are keeping him up at nights, tell all of America how rotten and undeserving your precious baby is.

Who Else Loves Early American Screenplays Like 12 Years A Slave?

Errant Lobe

Helix

socially distancing

Errant Lobe

Helix

socially distancing

Errant Lobe

TGrace

Errant Lobe

Errant Lobe

Errant Lobe

Helix

socially distancing

Errant Lobe

Errant Lobe

Errant Lobe

cornflake

practical experience, FTW

Errant Lobe

Errant Lobe

cornflake

practical experience, FTW

Errant Lobe

Errant Lobe

cornflake

practical experience, FTW

Errant Lobe

Errant Lobe

TGrace

Errant Lobe

Errant Lobe