I didnt insult anyone at all. I just made a fact clear.

Thats very far from being hostile.

you challenged a moderator to name talent on this forum. as far as i'm concerned, you were talking down on us, which i find insulting.

"They say a picture is worth a thousand words. But a film? Well, thats worth a thousand pictures."

-(Own3d Studios)-

www.own3dstudios.com

When it comes to agents, I think I'd try to find out who Joe Esterhaus uses. Obviously, these guys can sell manure to pig farmers.

Joe's agent just put it up for Auction and he was selling what the studios wanted. I don't think the agent did much accept set a day the bidding would start and take his cut.

It's easy to bash Joe after SHOWGIRLS and BURN HOLLYWOOD BURN but he has what they wanted when they wanted it and he did everything on spec so he never had to dance to anyone's tune. Dudes a bit of a hero of mine in a lot of ways because of that and I'm not even a fan of his flicks (well BASIC INSTINCT was okay).

RJSchwarz

It?s fun to bash successful screenwriters who you don?t like,
isn?t it? Your comment made me laugh.

Esterhaus is repped by one of the top five agencies in the
world - Creative Artists Agency. They CAN sell scripts - even
ones you don?t think are any good - and they do an excellent
job of it.

You suggestion is a good one, Joe. If hoxienation can get
representation by CAA that would be a great thing!

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The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)

One other thing about Esterhaus is when Paul Verhoven tried to change the script Joe said he'd take his name off it and Verhoven would have to explain why they paid 3 million for a script that the writer now doesn't want his name on. Verhoven decided not to change a word.

Esterhaus is one of the only writers to take a stand that way. He's a screenwriting God who rewrote the rules.

RJSchwarz

I challenged a moderator AFTER being challenged myself. Read the threads before accusing anyone of anything. Thanks.

again with talking down to me. i obviosly read the threads.

"They say a picture is worth a thousand words. But a film? Well, thats worth a thousand pictures."

-(Own3d Studios)-

www.own3dstudios.com

and again you keep misunderstanding. Ill write it again "I challenged a moderator AFTER being challenged myself".

if everything I write is "talking down to you" then youre not fit for discussions. You weren't even a part of my conversation with the moderator, so I cant really figure out, what you are trying to prove.

"Read the threads before accusing anyone of anything." does indeed sound like you are talking down. Then you write "then youre not fit for discussions" most certainly that is talking down.

How would you define either of those statements if not talking down?

RJSchwarz

Unbelievable. I was going to explain myself instead ill say sorry, and lets close this down and pretend we are discussing filmmaking.

Hey everyone... Lets get back on track.

Lets pretend you were not selling scripts. Lets pretend you were selling snow shovels. What factors would indicate your success in selling snow shovels? Obviously, there would have to be demand in the marketplace.

Lots of snow = lots of demand (assuming the buyer didn't already have a garage full of snow shovels or a snow blower.)In this situation, it behooves the snow shovel salesman to have lots of inventory, manufactured by well trusted suppliers.

No snow = less demand.

I'm not sure if this is making sense. What I'm saying is, so many of my friends get caught up in the product that they forget the fundamentals of commerce. For an agent to rep a screenplay, it's awesome if you have a great product. It's even better if the agent has relationships with Hollywood producers currently seeking a specific genre.

Of course, the other route is to simply become a writer/producer and make your own movie - but I'll save that stuff for another thread.

Go here: www.filmmakingstuff.com

The problem with selling screenplays like a comedity is that what is hot this year may be cold and overdone next year. If you are writing to match the latest trend you are already too late (unless you are very fast and well connected). Snow on the other hand is always there every year so the shovels will always sell.

I could be wrong but I think what tends to happen is you write a movie about underwater mining and it goes around Hollywood and everyone thinks its okay but nobody wants to make it. Then James Cameron writes the Abyss and the producers know it's gonna be big so they buy up your underwater mining script and ram it into production. Then Roger Corman or some other fast mover grabs his fastest writer and has them convert a half-arse space script into underwater and move that one into production as well.

Now the Abyss opens big. The other two come out. The trend is obvious so you write out your script but the trend is also very dead by that point because the Abyss didn't do as well as thought and the other two, although they made money they didn't make enough to really justify studios financing a trend.

Same with volcano scripts and asteroid scripts.

So what you need to do is write a great script so it (a) Either gets attention on its own (b) Gets attention for you so you can pitch other ideas they might want done in a rush (c) sits in a drawer for the day a big name makes a similar movie. I think to write a great script you have to write something you are passionate about and forget what you think "they" want because even they don't really know on a day to day basis.

RJSchwarz

i think im ready to sell....

quote:

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Originally posted by hoxienation

i think im ready to sell....

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Then what are you waiting for?

=============================================
The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)