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.

Feature writers, Part I

Class notes

Panel - Wednesday, February 3, 2010

USC School of Cinematic Arts/Writing Division

Course: The Business

Professor Frank Wuliger

On the panel:

Robert Nelson Jacobs: Chocolat, Extraordinary Measures

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

Moderator: Frank Wuliger

* * *

Opening comments

What starts a career as a screenwriter: Writing that is unique, can make the reader laugh & cry What sustains a screenwriting career: Hard work.

RNJ: Write because you love it; and for the income. Each sustains the other.

CP: On notes--early in his career he had an attitude, "I'll show them how wrong they are and how smart I am." He later learned that fighting will get you nowhere. The best thing to do is to do it their way; it often comes back around; sometimes they have to see it their way first.

Playwrights have the power to say, "This is my play." Screenwriters don't have that luxury or freedom. The best option is to remain open to their suggestions, use what they're saying and use your vision and creativity to redirect their notes and to take the story where you want it to go. As the project moves forward they often won't remember what they said, and you don't want them to remember. Make the people you're working with feel competent and smart. Remember, they are paying you for your storytelling and writing ability. You don't know everything. You want them to want to work with you.

CP: Producer's pass is additional writing that's done before the screenplay is delivered to the studio.

RNJ: The sooner a good director becomes involved with the project, the better. He or she will help the writer shape the movie: crafting its look/tone/feel.

A good producer can help the story tremendously. A writer will work with and respond to many levels of notes. A strong producer can fend off bad notes; it's important to create a good relationship with the producer.

CP: One of the differences between a feature and an animated feature: animation can take three years vs. an eight-week shoot for a non-animated feature.

CP: It's important to be aware of who has the power.

RNJ: The screenwriter doesn't have the power to cast.

CP: It is helpful to create a bond with the producer; he will fight for you; he will want you to remain on the project. CP has been asked to be present in the editing room.

FW: When a feature is in production, no one is more powerful than the director. No one will say anything to the director that might distract him; during filming, millions of dollars are being poured into the project every day, it's like a powerful train traveling full speed down the track. The director is in complete control.

Q: How are story ideas generated? How many of a screenwriter's story ideas are original?

A: The vast majority of screenplays are other peoples' ideas; they have the money.

RNJ: Every few years he writes a spec script.

Q: Do the screenwriters on the panel feel bound creatively by the project's budget?

A: No; it's easy to remove elements if they are too costly for the production. So don't hold back; let the story unfold. Let them tell you if elements must be removed due to budgetary constraints; you can always pull back later.

RNJ once wrote a spec script, a story he was interested in telling, in a genre he isn't known for writing; he chose to write the storyline so that it could be filmed for a modest budget so that it would be more likely to sell.

CP: With animated films, the sky is the limit, go for it, include every special effect and explosion you can dream up.

FW: Now producers are advising him not to submit dramas to them. A screenwriter interested in drama should find a genre to wrap around the drama. Currently, only 5 to 7 percent of features are dramas.

General class notes:

• Every writer must earn their status; pay their dues.
• If a script can make a reader laugh out loud, that is golden.
• FW: Development isn't hell, it is heaven. That's why studios exist
• All a writer can do is work hard, pour your heart and soul into the project.

For beginning screenwriters, it's important to:

• be polite
• after the screenplay is sold, do some things for free (that goes a long way)
• in your relationship with your agent, don't be a prima donna

A treatment:

• should be written as if the feature is already made and it's a must-see.
• is a sales tool
• should include dialogue, it helps the treatment come alive.
• ...is sometimes known as a "scriptment," crafting it as a scene, using screenplay format in the treatment.

When responding to notes:

• don't be a scribe. Lead them to what they need; it's your story, your vision.
• at every step of the way, let the people you're working for think they did it.

During a preliminary call:

• remember, every meeting is about them and not about you.
• let the person making the call speak first, even if you have a clear idea about how you want to approach the project.
• after they speak, you can then present your ideas; and you have the luxury of changing the way you present your idea to make it work.
• be sure to ask questions.

What should a beginning writer do if they don't have an answer as they're working on a script:

• Say "I need some time to think about that"
• Call a friend, talk it out
• FW: No writer I know works in isolation.

Who are the "movie gods?" The unknown powers that control all aspects of a feature, including whether it is a success or a failure; who writes, directs, produces the feature and when it is made. Everyone on a set may think a project is fabulous, things are going smoothly and then no one goes to see it. Other sets are a mess, tensions are high, everyone is at odds and then the feature goes on to become a smash success. Why? It's the movie gods.

Feature writers, Part II will include information about pitching