How far will you go?

Question.
What would you do if you could sell your script today (at WGA rates), but only if you make changes that you feel are wrong?

How married are you to every word?

Let's see who here will sell their soul or suffer for the art at any cost...

Me first...

I write, both to tell stories I love but also to make money. if a producer wants changes which I feel makes story bad, then so be it.

There has been very, very few scripts sold without changes made before, during, or after filmed. I have no control over a project unless I produce, direct, and distribute it by myself. So, why fight it...

My only hopes is that every once and a while, someone gets close to what I wanted and/pr envisioned.

All this is at this stage of my career. Who knows what I would do if I became a Mamet or Goldman. I probably would stick to my heart a little more, but remembering that if I piss too many people off, I may not get to do it for very long.

Joe

Without hesitation, I'd become a man-whore and sign the dotted line.

But I wouldn't regard this as selling my soul. I'd be making the changes my client requested. Doesn't get more complicated than that, not from where I'm sitting. There's enough angst in the world without me adding to it.

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

Oh no, I won't even discuss it. If someone wants to buy a script, then friggin buy it. I would tell them that I don't write for free and the Guild agreement doesn't allow for free re-writes. I would not take an offer serious if someone wanted a re-write as a condition to making a deal. Re-writes are discussed after the contract is signed.

As to writing a scene that I felt is wrong, I wouldn't do it. I refuse to write sex scenes as an example.

Thomas

I assume Thomas that you are in the WGA. If so, Good for you. Throw that in thier face.

If not, most producers will dangle that lack of union rep in your face instead.

Still. I meant you were getting paid, under the condition of rewrites, which usualy a producer will usualy get one or two, plus a few polishes, for one package price.

As for not writing sex scenes. Again, good for you. The Porn industry have enough writers.

I mastared the fine art of making donuts.

When I went to a new town I discovered a donut maker was wanted. I was hired as a donut maker and paid baker's rate.

The donut maker who was to leave at the end of the week had not yet quit his position. So a broom was shoved into my hand and I was told to clean the kitchen.

Of course I cleaned the kitchen.

I'm a writer, if I'm being paid to write I write. They want the whole thing rewritten, I'll rewrite. They want sex scenes they get sex scenes.

Long as I'm being paid what my time is worth I don't care. I won't spend a month rewriting a fifty dollar short story, but I will on a novel. When you are talking a $500,000 screenplay?

What do you want and when do you want it?

To make the changes they want, I would need to hear or see their case as to why they want the changes implemented.

If I write something in a screenplay, hopefully I have a good reason, but I will never shut out suggestions, because there is a chance that the suggested revision will make it better.

Also, by planning to go the popular route of selling a screenplay, I know that there's going to be so many voices and opinions directing its fate. For this reason:

1. I have purposely selected a story that I am proud to write because of its characters and the theme.

2. I have selected a story that appears to have a good standing with the studios because of the genre and the story itself.

3. I have selected a story that I am a bit more far removed from to accept governing bodies make creative decisions and to accept a director receiving credit for the film (I don't just mean the vanity credit), and according to the critics and the public, the story as well.

I agree with Thomas about the sex scenes. But as long as my morals are not compromised, anything goes. Think about it, you write with the intention of your work becoming a movie. These are the same intentions that have spawned forums like this. So you read these boards for information about what types of scripts will please producers. I say give em what they want.

......Yldii.....

joecalabre

I have to do some checking, but I understand that a signatory has to follow the MBA even if the writer isn't a member.

I'm not sure what you mean by a producer will dangle that lack of union rep in your face. Dangle what? Having conditions prior to making a deal should be a very big no no for any screenwriter. The only thing they better dangle is a contract that my attorney approves of or I won't waste my time playing such a silly game.

"Still. I meant you were getting paid, under the condition of rewrites, which usualy a producer will usualy get one or two, plus a few polishes, for one package price."

If they are a signatory, that would be a violation of the MBA. Nonetheless, they still can't require the writer to write something he doesn't want to. But I'm not all that disagreeable about it. I'm very accommodating. There are just some things I won't write and there's no way I can be made to violate my moral beliefs.

"As for not writing sex scenes. Again, good for you. The Porn industry have enough writers."

Ain't that the truth! Too many are seeping into the mainstream and making extremely good movies down right sleazy, but the same applies to producers and directors.

PS. A lot of things can be taken from me, but no one can take my dignity and integrity and without them there is nothing of value in me.

Thomas

Thomas,
Most small prod companies are not signatory. These are most likely the people you will be dealing with since 80% of all films are from these companies. Even many small wings of a major studios are not WGA signatory. Even if they are, there are ways they can skirt the union minimums under the guise of a development deal.

I did a job this year that took 4 months to sign the contract, yet I did the work while I waited. Contracts are in many cases done toward the end of your job. Hollywood does run on a smile and a handshake.

As for free rewrites and/or polishes, even if you go by guild guidelines. it is implied that at least one rewrite is included in the pay schedule.

Guild Basic Compensation Agreement reads that you get about a 40% for delivery of 1st draft, 40% for second and about 20% for final draft. Even if your script is considered finished upon sale, most producers will use the guild's pay schedule as a way of getting at least one rewrite out of you.

Of course your agent, lawyer or manager will advise you the best way of dealing with all this, but keep in mind

I don't need the money, so shove it.

That said, if it's a reasonable rewrite, sure. I'm not so egotistical to say my words are golden.

But if I do feel the rewrite would either 1) change the soul of the story; 2) make it illogical; 3) include gratuitous stuff (like violence or sex) that doesn't benefit the story, I would voice my concerns and objection, especially if my name will go on it. Now if it's just for cash (loads of it, please) and I don't get any credit for it... actually I doubt I would even consider selling it. Again, read the first line of this post.

When people write as a profession...they write to get paid. That being said, yes, I would sign my name away and take the money...and not really care what the director or studio has in mind...

But if your name is going to go into the credit, wouldn't you care about how they change it? I mean, if the final draft comes out crappy, it will affect your credibility as a writer for your future sales. You can't say, "oh, but I didn't write it that way; the studio changed it. It wasn't my fault that the script was crap." Your name is on it, baby.

If you don't like what they did to your work, you can always take an Alan Smithee credit. The Union allows that.

But studio's never blame the writer for a bad film-- they blame the producer, who blames the director, who in turn blames the writer.

rewriting...

...or they blame the actor

think of it this way - once they buy it, it's theirs. they can pay you to rewrite it or pay someone else (esp if you refuse their notes). but scripts have to go through many people before it get's greenlit and they all have an opinion and will give notes if they're allowed. if Tom Hanks doesn't want to say "Phuck U" then you'd be a fool to refuse to take it out.

rewrite on!

Re: rewriting...

Regardless of what is said before you sell the script, once they sell it is theirs. So they would not need your approval to make any changes.

Sex and violence are a big part of what sells. Let's say you sell your script to a producer. In order to get the necessary attachments to raise all the funds and to get final studio approval, he attacks various actors and directors who want sex scenes in the project. Boom. Either you or another screenwriter will be hired to put the sex scenes in the script, and you'd be a fool to protest.

Re: rewriting...

Bottom line is, if you're religiously attached the your script, don't sell it. Make the film yourself.

Otherwise, you have to be willing to let go.

Re: rewriting...

Agree w/Writing Again.

It's a team effort. You gotta do what you gotta do.

Re: rewriting...

I read over the posts again.

I notice a big bone of contention is the "sex scene."

Yet what does a sex scene consist of in terms of writing?

I have seen many sex scenes in movies yet the only one that stands out is the one with Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone. In a minute I will explain why, and what that has to do with what I'm getting at.

In a novel if you write a sex scene you go into great detail. In a movie only an amateur would describe who kisses who and how, etc. Because you would be telling the actors how to act and usurping the directors job.

Believe me the actors know how to have sex and the directors know how to bring out what they want for audience appeal and the good of the story.

So what you write are only those things that are important to the story. Nothing else. If it is important to the story who undresses whom, or who kisses whom, then put it in, otherwise leave it to the director and actors to work out.

Back to Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone. I read the script a long time ago, and yes, some parts are pretty graphic, but only that which is important is written in.

The initial sex scene in the movie sets the man up so he can be murdered with ease.

The last sex scene in the movie sets Michael Douglas up. He says they will make love and have lots of rug rats.

Her hand comes up, holding something.

He says he hates rug rats.

Her hand goes down.

She says "I love you."

And the last thing we see is the ice pick she did not use to kill him.


That is a pretty powerful scene. What makes it powerful has nothing to do with the sex act. Having them in bed does give it more power.

More to the point, whatever your standards or morals are, there is no reason to get highly involved in a sex scene and its various actions.

Just write the important parts and let the director direct and the actors act. ( Someone on Done Deal said that about fight scenes. The same rules apply.)

Re: rewriting...

I wrote a sex scene over the weekend. I didn't mean to, it just kinda happened as a natural extension of story. It provided opportunity to reveal hidden emotion, it had a humorous moment that added to character, and it started with an all-important kiss that showed who was the dominant, aggressive partner who nonetheless badly needed tenderness and love. If I deleted that one page and decided to deliver all of the above in more subtle and prudish ways, then I'd end up with a much less effective sequence. Why would I want to hamstring myself by not writing a sex scene? Why would anyone?

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

Re: rewriting...

dpaterso,

i think you should post those pages.

Re: rewriting...

I'm not having you leering over my sex scene! I'd feel soiled and used. Go find yourself a hooker like any decent person would.

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