Screenwriting: Is it a good occupation??

Hi, I'm supposed to get more information relating to an occupation I'm interested in. If anyone with some screenwriting experience can answer (some or all) of my questions, that would be great. Any information you can give me would be helpful




*What do you like/dislike about your occupation?
*Where are you located and is that related to your occupation?
*What education did you receieve for your occupation?
*Do you work for a certain company or for yourself?
*What is your favorite story you have written?
*If your story you've written were to become a film, who would you want to star in it?
*Did you always want to go into screen writing?
*What are your influences involving your occupation?
*Where do you get your ideas?
*What actors/actresses would you especially like to work with?
*Is there any specific moment relating to your career that really stands out in your mind as a major success?
*What advice can you give me?

thanks again

sorry, i find your questions boring and trite, with little imagination so.....

screenwriting is a form of art. any career in the art field is hit or miss. if you're great you can actually make a living at it. if you're good you can make some money at it but, not enough to flourish. if you're no good then you'll never make money on it and it will be seen as a hobby in the eyes of all who know how many years you've been working at it.

replace screenwriting with any other business of art and the answer is the same.

Somehow I got the impression this might be for some type of school project. If it is, clarifying that may help you get some better, nicer responses.

Oh come on, surely some helpful, sensible answers aren't beyond us? Where's the sense of community?

*What do you like/dislike about your occupation?

It keeps me off the streets and away from bad influences.

*Where are you located and is that related to your occupation?

I'm currently located in a chair, in front of a desk. So, yes.

*What education did you receieve for your occupation?

The three "R"s -- reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic. From age 5 onwards.

*Do you work for a certain company or for yourself?

Define "work"

*What is your favorite story you have written?

My latest one. I'm very enthusiastic about it. I'll be even more enthusiastic about the next one.

*If your story you've written were to become a film, who would you want to star in it?

Errol Flynn and Olivia De Havilland.

*Did you always want to go into screen writing?

Never even thought about it until someone suggested it to me.

*What are your influences involving your occupation?

Every film and TV show I've ever watched, every book I've ever read.

*Where do you get your ideas?

Left-hand side of my brain.

*What actors/actresses would you especially like to work with?

Talented, good-looking ones.

*Is there any specific moment relating to your career that really stands out in your mind as a major success?

Not yet!

*What advice can you give me?

Don't take up screenwriting.

Edited to keep the kiddies happy.

-Derek
My Web Page - naked women, bestial sex, and whopping big lies.

*What do you like/dislike about your occupation?
Like? That it makes money. Dislike? That the occupation I just referred to wasn't screenwriting.

*Where are you located and is that related to your occupation?
Washington State, and yes.

*What education did you receive for your occupation?
Self-taught, both.

*Do you work for a certain company or for yourself?
A certain company for making money. For screenwriting, for myself so far.

*What is your favorite story you have written?
The one I'll be writing in January. It's just a collection of notes now.

*If your story you've written were to become a film, who would you want to star in it?
Anyone who doesn't do drugs. Drugs are baaad, mmm-kay?

*Did you always want to go into screen writing?
First thought of it at age 12. First thought of it seriously at age 22. First acted on my first thought at age 42.

*What are your influences involving your occupation?
Money. No, seriously, survival.

*Where do you get your ideas?
Either from life, or taking a specific element of an existing movie/book/TV program and building on it.

*What actors/actresses would you especially like to work with?
Ones who are actually normal people. Very short list.

*Is there any specific moment relating to your career that really stands out in your mind as a major success?
When I realized that I'd actually miss it if I became a screenwriter.

*What advice can you give me?
Many try; few succeed.

What do you like/dislike about your occupation?
Writing, the money, the rush of seeing my stuff on the screen
The political BS, rejection, the waiting, working with certain producers who know nothing about story.

Where are you located and is that related to your occupation?
LA. Yes

What education did you receieve for your occupation?
I have a bachelors degree in film

Do you work for a certain company or for yourself?
I am a freelancer

What is your favorite story you have written?
I love them all for different reasons, but am paritial too the first thing I ever wrote and whatever I am working on at the moment.

If your story you've written were to become a film, who would you want to star in it?
Talented actors who are not primadonnas and are right for the role.

Did you always want to go into screen writing?
No.

What are your influences involving your occupation?
I admire many different writers.

Where do you get your ideas?
I have no idea where they come from.

What actors/actresses would you especially like to work with?
Screenwriters are rarely involved in the filmmaking process unless they also direct or produce.

Is there any specific moment relating to your career that really stands out in your mind as a major success?
Getting my first agent, making my first sale, the first time i saw my work on the screen.

What advice can you give me?
Develop a thick skin and learn the craft.

As usual, Nikegoddess's response provides little in the way of help, insight, maturity, or anything even remotely intelligent.

Being tongue-in-cheek or answering humorously is one thing. Intentionally insulting someone just to make yourself feel superior is something else: pathetic.

Obstinately thumbing your nose at someone for the sake of looking as though you're somehow "above" them is a sure sign that you're really beneath them.

If you can't answer this kid's questions like an adult, and NOT be insulting, then don't bother posting in his thread.

Put the crayons down and grow up.

Yes, but...

- Screenwriting is a great occupation.

- Trying to be a screenwriter is like having someone beat you to death with a rock.

If you can make it through that second part, the first part is worth it. I'm still mired in the second part and I have the bloody skull to prove it. :eek

Re: Yes, but...

I think Scripter 1 was right. I think this was a school project. I don't think the original poster got the results that he/she was looking for.

You might want to do as scripter suggested and clarify if this is a school project. Also, how old are you? If you're under 18, then you just got an R rated response from someone on this thread on why he likes screenwriting.

Yes these questions are trite and boring -- In exactly the way a school project would be.

*What do you like/dislike about your occupation?

My actual occupation has little to recommend it besides a steady paycheck that yields a comfortable living.

Screenwriting is currently an avocation. What I like about it is the puzzles. You are constently creating and solving problems: How do I make this sentence better? How do I show this visually? How do I beef up my second act?

I think that screenwriting success would be a nightmare in many ways but would be offset by a large, if not huge, monetary return, travel (I'm thinking in terms or research and seminars as I doubt you'd be on many movie sets), and interaction with interesting people who actively enjoy what they are doing.

*Where are you located and is that related to your occupation?

I live in a small town where an uneducated no talent bum like me can earn a comfortable living. Has nothing to do with screenwriting. If I ever turn pro I'll move to the 310 area code.

*What education did you receieve for your occupation?

All my life, as far back as I can remember I have lived, breathed, and learned everything I could about any facet of writing that I had access to. Even those times in my life when I produced no written works I was writing in my head. I entered screenwriting just because it was about writing and it was there to learn.

*Do you work for a certain company or for yourself?

My day job is hourly wage. My numerous side jobs are self employed. Writing is both spec and commission. (Some of these things are strange. I made a downpayment of one of my wife's cars by writing an ad for a used car lot -- Something I know less than nothing about. )

*What is your favorite story you have written?

What I'm writing. Once I've written something I actually forget about it. Sort of like one of the ex-girlfriends, what's-her-face.

*If your story you've written were to become a film, who would you want to star in it?

I would like to write scripts with legs: The type that any good new talent could star in and make a great movie.

*Did you always want to go into screen writing?

I have always wanted to be a novelist, had some small unremarkable success; let that goal drift away from me as I raised a family; have not made a commitment to try to turn pro screenwriter yet, though it has crossed my mind.

I am currently in training and it is hurting my novel writing as I'm spending too much time on scripts.

*What are your influences involving your occupation?

I live, I think, I am influenced.

*Where do you get your ideas?

I live, I think, I ask questions (many of the incredibly stupid) and I come up with ideas.

*What actors/actresses would you especially like to work with?

I enjoy being around anyone who has a large bump of curiosity with an equal portion of humor who does not take themselves too seriously.

*Is there any specific moment relating to your career that really stands out in your mind as a major success?

The discovery that while success would be wonderful, and is a worthy target to aim for, the most important thing is to do that which makes your life worth living to you -- not for someone else.

*What advice can you give me?

Discover that core within you that defines you -- And never betray it.

You know something, when I wrote that the first time, I wasn't registered, so I became registered and it all got erased. Doing it a second time, I must have forgot to include that it WAS for a project.
Well, thank you for everyone that responded, and thank you Optimus, but I think Nike was just trying to be blunt and well, if that was the point, than great.

But seriously, Thanks a lot.
I got a lot of information I need.


And yes, W.A. is right the school project itself is trite and boring.

actually, Opty....

Nikegoddess's response provides little in the way of help, insight, maturity, or anything even remotely intelligent.

Click to expand...

i beg to differ - my response WAS insightful, intelligent and makes a lot of sense. it was just the delivery that was indirect and one you didn't care for....but, since you didn't ask the question .

Actually, I found it to not only be snarky and pretentious, but nebulous and superficial as well.

Also fractious, petulant, disputatious, obstinate and bellicose.

Hey, this is fun! Everybody grab a Thesaurus and play along! :rollin

Well, I suppose if you need one you should.

Harumph!