Gibberish For Screenwriters - Part One

I've been a screenwriter since 1991. That was the year I got into the Writer's Guild of America (WGA) and began writing in the Hollywood studio system. So why haven't you heard of me? Well, not everybody gets to be a big shot. Most people in the Guild are lucky to make their living writing. Same goes for actors, directors, producers, editors... and everyone else for that matter. It's a tough gig. Even having a box office hit doesn't guarantee you'll ever get another movie made. In 2002 my movie "xXx" (starring Vin Diesel) came out. It was a hit and launched a franchise, but I didn't get another movie made until this year. That's a 16 year dry spell! All you can do is keep at it.

So, for any of my Steemit friends who want to give screenwriting a shot, here are my shit-nuggets of wisdom:

• Getting into the business takes hard work and luck. But mostly luck.

• A well-written script that is too difficult to get made can still be a great calling card. On the other hand, it is very difficult to sustain a career writing calling cards. Eventually you are going to have to make somebody money.

• The movie business is a business. In Hollywood, the main question is if you can write a script that can turn a profit. Know that going in and act accordingly.

• If you are trying to sell your sci-fi action script, realize that you are asking someone to invest upwards of one hundred million dollars in what you have written. Is your script worth a one hundred million dollar investment? Make sure it is.

• Even if you've written a quiet drama or low-budget horror film, it will likely cost millions of dollars to make. There are no cheap movies in Hollywood.

• If all this talk of money sounds crass, think about self-publishing a book instead. If you ever meet a film financier who cares more about awards, good reviews and art than money, you've found a unicorn.

• Tens of thousands of people around the world want to be screenwriters. The odds are against you. Keep writing.

• You only get one chance to submit your screenplay. Make sure it blows minds.

• Read the books. Doesn't matter which ones. Without a basic knowledge of the craft you will remain an amateur.

• Only a prodigy can pick up a guitar and teach themself to play. Same with screenwriting. Do your homework. Read the books.

• You know that hotshot writer who got their very first screenplay made into a movie? That story is likely bullshit and they have a pile of scripts at home. If it is indeed their first, good for them. Act as if this will never happen to you, because it won't.

• The first script you write will not be very good. You may think it is, your friends may tell you it is, but it's not your best work. That is still to come.

• Put that first screenplay in a drawer. Forget about it. Write your second screenplay. You will have learned so much you can now go back to your first script with fresh eyes and fix all the things you screwed up. Then go write another one. You learn by doing.

• Even if you only have one killer idea for a script, write others. Don't screw up your one great idea. You need to learn before you can make it good.

• Everyone's process is different. None are right. Use whatever works for you.

• Nobody cares if you went to film school. A great script is a great script

• Be lucky

[If you want to know what movies I've written, it’s all in my intro post:]
https://steemit.com/introduceyourself/@carneasadafilms/i-was-pen-pals-with-bukowski-and-kicked-vin-diesel-s-ass