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SimplyScripts Screenwriting Discussion Board    Discussion of...     General Chat  ›  Lessons Learned After a Recent Option Moderators: bert
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MarkRenshaw
Posted: July 11th, 2017, 7:28am Report to Moderator
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So far I've produced three of my own scripts, been executive producer and fully financed the projects. The contract says I have final say on everything. All changes have to go through me. I Skype with the Director and we work together until we both love the script, it has both our ideas in there and it's locked!

Unfortunately I can't be on set as I live in the UK and everything is shot in the US. The budget is tiny, it would cost me more to fly over there than to produce these.

Things happen during a shoot, lots of things. The director and any creatives on set have to make changes on the fly. Some of these changes are unavoidable, some are changes the Director wanted to make but I said no to weeks earlier but then goes ahead and does it anyway because I'm not there and they have three days to shoot everything.

It's soul destroying seeing the first rough cut. Some changes are pretty good actually, some not so good and some just truly terrible. I then go on a several month salvage operation, trying to edit together something that is (in my mind anyway) decent. So far I've managed it, thinking releasing something to enter into festivals and for my portfolio is better than just scrapping the whole thing.

And you know what? Sometimes I've been wrong. Sometimes I've thought a change was appalling but it's been my ego getting in the way, I've been too close to the script and the change has actually worked out for the best when the reviews and awards start coming in. Sometimes I've been proven right and the change has cost us, but believe me it's never a good feeling to know that change you said was a bad idea, is proven to be a bad idea.  The thing is, you never know unless you learn to let go and allow others to collaborate.

So you see, even producing and financing your script doesn't stop change. You just have to learn to work with it. I've been told the ONLY way to produce your script with as little change as possible is to also direct. Not something I'm up to doing at the moment, but maybe one day.  


For more of my scripts, stories, produced movies and the ocassional blog, check out my new website. CLICK

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MarkRenshaw  -  July 11th, 2017, 7:33am
spellung mistaks
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Steven
Posted: July 11th, 2017, 8:17am Report to Moderator
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After this next short, I'm done with shorts.
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MarkRenshaw
Posted: July 11th, 2017, 10:18am Report to Moderator
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Lol - I've said that after my last two shorts. Something keeps dragging me back though.


For more of my scripts, stories, produced movies and the ocassional blog, check out my new website. CLICK
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Steven
Posted: July 11th, 2017, 10:23am Report to Moderator
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Quoted from MarkRenshaw
Lol - I've said that after my last two shorts. Something keeps dragging me back though.


Haha yea, they're easy to write and require little planning. I'm working on another one, actually, but I'm still done!

http://www.simplyscripts.net/cgi-bin/Blah/Blah.pl?b-workinprogress/m-1499695553/
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eldave1
Posted: July 11th, 2017, 6:44pm Report to Moderator
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Quoted from MarkRenshaw
So far I've produced three of my own scripts, been executive producer and fully financed the projects. The contract says I have final say on everything. All changes have to go through me. I Skype with the Director and we work together until we both love the script, it has both our ideas in there and it's locked!

Unfortunately I can't be on set as I live in the UK and everything is shot in the US. The budget is tiny, it would cost me more to fly over there than to produce these.

Things happen during a shoot, lots of things. The director and any creatives on set have to make changes on the fly. Some of these changes are unavoidable, some are changes the Director wanted to make but I said no to weeks earlier but then goes ahead and does it anyway because I'm not there and they have three days to shoot everything.

It's soul destroying seeing the first rough cut. Some changes are pretty good actually, some not so good and some just truly terrible. I then go on a several month salvage operation, trying to edit together something that is (in my mind anyway) decent. So far I've managed it, thinking releasing something to enter into festivals and for my portfolio is better than just scrapping the whole thing.

And you know what? Sometimes I've been wrong. Sometimes I've thought a change was appalling but it's been my ego getting in the way, I've been too close to the script and the change has actually worked out for the best when the reviews and awards start coming in. Sometimes I've been proven right and the change has cost us, but believe me it's never a good feeling to know that change you said was a bad idea, is proven to be a bad idea.  The thing is, you never know unless you learn to let go and allow others to collaborate.

So you see, even producing and financing your script doesn't stop change. You just have to learn to work with it. I've been told the ONLY way to produce your script with as little change as possible is to also direct. Not something I'm up to doing at the moment, but maybe one day.  


All this makes sense - PLUS - often changes that seem silly to a writer can be simply financially based for a producer (e.g., eliminate a street scene so that we don't have to get costly permits. etc.).


My Scripts can all be seen here:

http://dlambertson.wix.com/scripts
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Equinox
Posted: July 21st, 2017, 4:56am Report to Moderator
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I think it comes down to the degree of change to the script. I don't mind some additional scenes or dialogue changes, as long as the story stays intact. But if they completely change the story and the result has nothing much to do with the story from the script in the end, I wouldn't be happy either. Like for The Wall, the director also added a scene with improvised dialogue but it fit in with the story, so it was fine.

I think it's a good thing if you have a good communication with the filmmaker. In my case we were corresponding frequently, exchanged ideas for changes, modified the script here and there, so in the end we were both happy with it. I guess it depends, though - the filmmaker of another short I optioned a few weeks ago hasn't tried to communicate with me since the signed contract was exchanged and the money transfer was completed, so I'm curious to see where he takes my script on his own.


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