STEALING MOVIE IDEAS

OK. OK. You’ve read Hollywood is looking for the great idea…and Yes, you have it.

However, your idea is just a thought… it’s not a finished script, it’s not even a Treatment… it’s just a thought. But you ran into someone at Starbucks (Brentwood, NoHo or WeHo) told them your great idea with the person remarking “You know who would like that…?”

Fast forward two-weeks, and reading Variety you see an article about what a Studio is about to make and you go “OMG…

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What’s a Producer? The 5 Types.

The average studio feature film now has 15-20 producers in various forms attached. Just look at the opening title credits and count. And the questions you ask are simple.

First: Why?

Second: What the heck do each of ’em do?

Permit me to answer in my simple, no-bull, common sense manner. But let’s start from the beginning.

So you want to produce?

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GOT A MOVIE IDEA… BE CAREFUL!

Ideas, and especially movie ideas, are a dime-a-dozen… and I know that you’re absolutely sure that yours is great and worth at least a million bucks when compared to what ideas Hollywood uses to make movies…

And “Yes great movie ideas are rare.”

But beware, even if you have a great idea, a variation of one of Shakespeare’s “20 Master Plots” or an amazing twist on Joseph Campbell’s “The Hero’s Journey”

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THE 3 HOLLYWOOD FORMULAS:

(1) SCREENWRITING FORMULA: “Ain’t Written…It’s Re-Written”

(2) FILM MAKING FORMULA: “First Make-Film…Then Make-Deal”

(3) PRODUCING FORMULA: “Budget Xs 50% Xs 10% = Shoot”

(“Hollywood is a business & when a First-Timer remember “He who has the Gold makes the rules””) 

Hollywood, like life, has very simple rules for happiness (Be nice; Act with love; Trust God; Work hard.

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HOLLYWOOD IS HIRING

POINT OF INTEREST: This post is solely to make you aware of resources available for obtaining your first movie job or screenwriting assignment… but the phrase is “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t…..”

The point being “you have to pick up the phone or click and e-mail” and “you have to have the talent” and all that I, and this article, can do is give you some direction in launching your film making and or screenwriting career.

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WANT TO BE SPIELBERG? GET THE BASICS. START WITH CORMAN!

Want to Direct? Then learn the Directing basics.

Making a Movie is like building a building. After the Blueprint (aka: script) build the floor & walls… how you design the floor & walls is what’s called “style” or “art” and I can’t teach “art” or “style” but pour the foundation, get the floor and then put up the walls.

Now, let’s talk film making and directing.

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THE $136,413 SCRIPT SALE

Hollywood (aka: Production company that is a signator to the WGA), according to the writer’s union minimum rules, gets paid approx. $100,000 ($72,662 to $136,413), for a Treatment and two Drafts (1st & Final),to write a script, based off an original idea they have.

“You’re first script sale you’ll be offered WGA minimum plus 10% for your agent”

QUESTION: So what do you think they’ll offer you when you come to them with the finished script that,

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2 REASONS A PRODUCER/DIRECTOR/WRITER FAILS AS A FILMMAKER

First is falling in love with a Poor-Fair Script and the Second lies in not preparing a Production Board (aka: Shooting Schedule) to be organized for your shoot.

Huh? What do I mean (as if it ain’t obvious).

First is Screenwriting. If “It Ain’t On the Page, It Ain’t On the Stage”. If you have written a screenplay without a proper “Beat Sheet”

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MOVIE BUDGET OR MOVIE SCHEDULE (Which Comes First)

You finished your Screenplay. It is great. Next on the list is get a Budget. However, to prepare a budget you need to know the schedule, how long is the shoot…. but to prepare a schedule you need to know the budget… and according to Vonnegut “So it goes”. and according to Heller it’s “Catch-22”

Chicken or egg? Do you budget first to schedule or do you schedule first to budget?

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SCREENPLAYS: THERE ARE ONLY TWO TYPES:

Your script is the key to opening the doors for yourself to become a part of the Movie Industry as either a writer, producer or director.

And, as a first-time screenwriter only GREAT will do… Always remember, “Hollywood can get away with mediocrity but first-timers, like yourself, can not (Yes, life is not fair) and for you “good is not good enough and only GREAT will do””.

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