The Unknown Screenwriter Screenwriting Tips, Tricks, and Observations…
So yeah… I was on Twitter today and read a message that sent me to YouTube and kept me there watching Parts 1 through 5 of Malkovich’s Mail.
My thanks to @shericandler via @FilmmakerMag of Filmmaker for putting this out there today. Be sure to check out her site at SheriCandler.com
For those of you who read the last couple of posts about The Odds of Selling a Spec Screenplay, I urge you to watch all of these videos. It’s a true eye opener and explains one hell of a lot about the SYSTEM that is in place that YOU will have to NAVIGATE through and those competing against you.
And for those of you who thought my numbers were too high… Remember, this is ONE fucking production company we’re talking about. I imagine they receive all the queries, pitches, and letters because of their prodco being listed in a few places online as well as in books.
If you ask ME, my numbers were too low.
Unk
I love this. Thanks to Sheri for tweeting this out! A definite reality check for all.
It’s hard to say what I get from this. Either a production company producing this to try and stop these ideas from being submitted, which surely won’t work.
Them trying to give back, in a humorous and entertaining manner, to these people who have put so much effort into their craft and may never have anything come of it.
Only hand in queries face to face, no phone, no mail and definitely no email.
Lastly, better to start a production company and get a famous or rich friend to be your partner. I love the information though, especially the part about them dealing with studios for funding and John stating that he has really no pull. (something I experienced with a few scripts myself) Which could be true, surely there are enough rich people who enjoy his work though. Maybe he’s looking for money in the wrong pockets? Or this isn’t the full story.
I’d rather a documentary on how they found/selected the scripts they did produce rather than ones they aren’t ever going to be interested in.
Especially to the likes of Juno and Art School Confidential. But beggars can’t be choosers I guess. I like anything that shows a glimpse of some form of the industry, either for myself or for people with falsified notions of what it’s really like to open their eyes.
Anyhow, it seems like a mockery and a blunt one. Especially due to the people they chose, clearly hoping for pure entertainment value.
Good find!
Thanks for sharing, I will surely give all these a watch. I’m just finishing the first one. Is this a “real” documentary about struggling writers, or more of a mockumentary? I find it hard to believe these people would be trying to call John Malkovich directly. Or allow themselves to be taped to show how they HAVEN’T succeeded. (Of course any publicity is good publicity, right?) :)
Thanks for introducing this doc. Heartbreaking stuff, yet enough glimmers of positivity to not be a downer.
Having read query letters for many years, you often wonder about the people behind the letters. I’ve seen package after package of original material tossed.
You feel for the writers as they spend so much time and effort on their work. But what can you do?
I think that’s what they’re exploring here in this doc. Some production companies are really not in the position to do anything.
Which is why you need to research companies before you query them, just as you’ve said.
Thanks again for posting about the doc. Will mention it on my site as well so more aspiring writers can see a bit more behind the curtain.
This was really interesting to watch and take in and experience. The housewife with over 25 scripts was incredible. That’s a lot of material. And the man with the mood disorder seemed like a really interesting fellow.
I especially like the part when John says they should send the drawings to a gallery. That really shows how open-minded and interested he is in creativity and art as a whole.
But the thing that reminded me of the chances of getting something read, much less bought, is the statement about how the production company probably has enough material to last it 30 years. That’s incredible. So not only are you struggling against other writers and scripts and trying to get read, you’re also struggling against tons of projects that are already in the works.
It’s almost too much to handle, I’m gonna just get back to writing and not worry about this shit.
-G
Hi Unk,
The Videos were great! Thanks to you and Sheri for the effort…
The first four were like a Monday morning cold shower that snaps you into the reality that awaits you. The last one humanized the whole presentation. The expressions on the faces of the writers were priceless. It was HOPE personified…Bravo!
Keep Punching, Unk,
Bob
Love these, Unk! Thanks for sharing!
It’s one thing to know about the irrepressible inflow of query letters that Hollywood must get bombarded with every year. Yet it’s another altogether to see it’s effects on the people who work in those offices, the producers, and people like John Malcovitch. Seeing it in these videos was very humorous but terrifying for me. The thought of sending an unsolicited query letter has crossed my mind. The enemy is not the producer, or the person who reads the letters. The enemy is the millions of people who want to be a screenwriter.
It’s a very terrifying thought.
And I thought finding a job locally was hard… lol
The subtext is… excruciating.
Are these people serious? All these scripts sound like a fucking joke. 99.9% of people have no idea how it works.