Feature writers, Part II

Class notes

Panel - Wednesday, February 3, 2010

USC School of Cinematic Arts/Writing Division

Course: The BusinessProfessor Frank Wuliger
On the panel: Robert Nelson Jacobs: Chocolat, Extraordinary Measures

Cinco Paul: Horton Hears a Who, Despicable Me, Bubble Boy

Moderator: Frank Wuliger

Panelists, on pitching

As you are pitching, you have a story to tell that you are passionate about, that you love.

FW: What writers do is amazing. I hold your talent in tremendous esteem. It's not easy; it is difficult. This [artistry] will work for you. During a pitch you will feel the energy in the room; if you feel low energy, it's not a good idea to try too hard to convince the people in the room to like your story. That's often a mistake and will show up later; it's much better if they like your story/presentation from the beginning.

FW sent out Son of Rambow 1,300 places in the U.S. and U.K. before it was made.

RNJ: During preliminary conversations with the company hiring you as a screenwriter, you will come up with a "Take." You can feel the energy and that will tell you if you need to modify your approach or if it's working. It's beneficial to let the other person talk first. You may present/use your original idea and after the other person states what they are envisioning, you then have the chance to to phrase your thoughts differently (this is much better than presenting your ideas first and then having them shot down).

During the preliminary conversation, be sure to talk/ask questions so you don't waste time writing a treatment that's not what they want. The treatment (or "scriptment") requires an incredible amount of work for low pay. A scriptment is a treatment that contains snippets of dialogue and even a few scenes written in screenplay format, crafted to present the story in the most powerful way.

[From my mentor, Irvin Kershner: Write the story first. It can be a short story. After it's written and polished, the actual screenplay will take two weeks to write/I've tried this and it works. The two weeks were very long weeks but the resulting screenplay was a finalist in a film fest].

Panelists: Meetings will become a huge part of your lives as a writer. It's helpful for you to envision/"see" the movie, before the meetings and before you start writing.

You must go into rooms and wow people; CP and his writing partner began their careers being terrible in a room. As they matured as screenwriters they learned to enjoy the process, they played with each other and had fun. When they were pitching they acted as if they really didn't care about what the people in the room (the people with the power to hire them or to pay them) thought because they themselves were convinced the story was worthwhile, thrilling, and fun. They played out scenes. They sang and harmonized.

FW: A writer can want it too much; that's not good. Be relaxed and prepared and the people in the room will often want to hear more.

The panelists, on preparing for the pitch:

It's important to keep each presentation fresh; the writers on the panel don't practice their pitches too much because they feel don't want to grind them into the ground.

RNJ: Doesn't like spending hours perfecting his pitches; he does pitch to his assistant. "I can feel something [while telling the story to my assistant]; as I'm pitching I can tell: 'this is getting too long.'"

More general thoughts from the panelists:

• Attitude is important: listen to notes you're given. What is their issue? Fix it
• If you're told something isn't funny enough, say: "show me exactly where."
• Prescriptive notes: Move this scene or give this character more lines
• You can turn your idea into their idea, do not become a scribe. The solution comes from the writer.

• After you're hired, if you don't write for free sometimes, you're dead. Your agent will protect you and will keep a watchful eye on notes you're asked to respond to (minor or major rewrites required. Major time investment and the writer should be paid).
• CP/FW: It is important to create a strong, trust-based relationship with the producer. Producers have pulled screenwriters back onto projects after they have been let go, and on occasion the writer has been invited into the editing room to help craft the story.
  
  
  
  
  On obtaining writing assignments:

• FW: Almost everything is competitive now.
• When you turn something in it should be your best first draft; killer/really well written. If you don't nail it you will flail.
• Writer's Guild membership provides important benefits for writers (WG to be covered on a future panel)

CP: Every actor will tell the writer, Thank you for the words (dialogue). Don't feel too good when an actor says this, it's not special!

CP: Bubble Boy is now a play. Playwrights can say, "This is my play;" they have ultimate say & control. Screenwriting is the opposite, almost everyone has something to say about the script and the screenwriter must respond.

FW: What writers do is amazing. I hold their talent in tremendous esteem. It is not easy; it is difficult.