Duh! My Movie Would Cost too Much to Make!

[spinningdoc]

That's why we're all in Hollywood.

No we're not. I'm in the UK and have no particular desire to write big budget stuff, it's just not how my brain works. I find spectacle tedious, and I tend to find smaller budget films way more interesting that big Hollywood tentpoles. I also love the deeper, bigger stories good TV drama can tell.

So there are other options.

And writing to order doesn't mean hackwork, necessarily. The OP implied she's a copywriter by day - so am I, and I've also written corporate drama. It just means I have to find something in the writing 'brief' that I can engage with, like a particular character, theme, or relationship.

I'm not sure whether you're in the UK, Karen, but if you are, then doing it as a radio play for the BBC would be an option - period doesn't cost any more radio, and the BBC is one of the biggest commissioners of drama in the world.

[Oyster2004]

Any updates on your screenplay?

Which did you enjoy writing the most, the novel or the screenplay?

What made you turn it into a screenplay if you had it in novel form first?

[...]

Originally Posted by spinningdoc

No we're not. I'm in the UK and have no particular desire to write big budget stuff, it's just not how my brain works. I find spectacle tedious, and I tend to find smaller budget films way more interesting that big Hollywood tentpoles. I also love the deeper, bigger stories good TV drama can tell.

So there are other options.

And writing to order doesn't mean hackwork, necessarily. The OP implied she's a copywriter by day - so am I, and I've also written corporate drama. It just means I have to find something in the writing 'brief' that I can engage with, like a particular character, theme, or relationship.

I'm not sure whether you're in the UK, Karen, but if you are, then doing it as a radio play for the BBC would be an option - period doesn't cost any more radio, and the BBC is one of the biggest commissioners of drama in the world.

Yeah I'm in the UK too and I have to admit my target market is TV, starting with the BBC.

I don't care if it's a movie or a drama on TV. Been some good dramas on TV recently which isn't normally the case. Usually there isn't anything to watch but reality shows and sitcoms with canned laughter.

Jimmy McGovern seems to do OK out of dramas, if I ever got half as popular as him I'd feel that I'd done well.

[karenelizabeth]

Originally Posted by Oyster2004

Any updates on your screenplay?

Which did you enjoy writing the most, the novel or the screenplay?

What made you turn it into a screenplay if you had it in novel form first?

I really just want the story to be found in either form. I enjoyed writing both although I am revising the novel again and it is taking on a completely different life. Of course the novel goes into more depth and there are additional situations and encounters that cannot be included in the screenplay due to size limitations. The great thing about a novel is you can make it as long as you like!

After making somewhat of an effort to market the screenplay it looks like the novel may be a lot easier to shop around. I'm very happy with most of the story but I realize I have to completely rewrite the first chapter. The first ten pages are so important and I've never felt they were good enough to captivate from Page One. Funnily enough, today I thought of a completely different way to begin it and I shall probably start on that revision tomorrow.

Thanks for asking!

[LTwrites]

Just an idea ..

As an unknown trying to sell your first real script to a big studio is, too say the least, pretty unlikely.

A much more real approach is to develop a reel, write movies you know you can make with a more reasonable budget.

Ive seen it too often, people wasting years of their lives going for the hail mary.