for some reason i feel as if writers status in the industry isn't too high. it bugs me that directors, producers and actors are being more appreciated and get more credits than the writers. they brought the movie to life on screen but we actually created it, how come it counts less?

from your experience and knowledge, how often a scriptwriter is allowed to be present on set while filming the movie? is it rare? common? does the writer needs to ask for a permission to be on set from the director/producer?

Quoted from Dew they brought the movie to life on screen but we actually created it, how come it counts less?

It doesn't count less. It just pays less.

Quoted from sniper It doesn't count less. It just pays less.

Agreed. It may be the Directors film, but it's the screenwriters vision.

~Zack~

okay, thanks for your comments. I guess sometimes I feel like it counts less
because the writer is not really involved in the whole progress of making the film.
the minute they get the script it's like thank you bye bye now… and slam the door
in your face. it's kind of frustrating to give your baby to someone and not even be
involved in his growing.

and do you by any chance know if it's common for the writers to be present on
shooting scenes? assuming they want to be present of course.

Quoted from Zack Agreed. It may be the Directors film, but it's the screenwriters vision. ~Zack~

I can't say I agree. Most big directors will turn a script into their vision. Just look at Kubrick, Spielberg, Fincher et all.

The director is the famous one. He's usually the one with all the clout too. He can do what he likes, at least as far as the script is concerned.

But, it's not all bad. Tarantino made writing credible and cool again quite a while ago and these days the likes of Kaufman carry real weight, with even the public.

Ren

It always seemed like the writers were cared about less, too, until I started thinking about it.

It's not so much that they're cared about less as it is that the same people write the major movies time after time. They find people who already have their niche. You got:

Michael Bay movies, which seems lately to be Orci and Kurtzman.
Spielberg movies where he seems to prefer Koepp over others. (Same with DePalma, he prefers Koepp, too)
Fincher movies, where he'll alternate, but he was best with AKW.
Cameron movies which he writes by himself, or with a partner.

Those are just the ones who come to me off-hand with tendencies. There are probably endless partnerships out there.

It's just tough because partnerships are already established, so you really have to do it on your own. As I know nothing about the industry itself, this comment will probably be voided out, but I'd think it would be your best chance to make a deal to direct your first script, if you can. That way, if nothing else, you've got yourself to rely on.

Let me let you in on something here... If a gang of Producers "who 99.9% of the time haven't even written a grocery list let alone a script", a gaggle of Directors and a shit ton of actors could get together in a warehouse with micro recorders and dream up their movies they would love it.  They, "HOLLYWOOD" does not like, want or care about the writer... They hate the writer.  They want to omit the writer completely but due to unions now they can't have it that way just yet.. They can, however, put the squeeze on new writers and only work with the ones they've formed half assed relationships with...

Ask yourself why the same 6 or 7 writers are making all the movies and then ask yourself why the same 3 shit spoons "Huge Jackman, Russel Crow and Christian Bale" are getting all the roles...  

Hollywood is like the Massonites... They only let in a select few and then those that do get in they play dress up with them.  It's sad.

i think you may got a bit extreme here, i guess you do have some points right in the bigger picture, there is some kind of favoritism in the industry but it's just like in anything and any kind of work in this world, unfortunately.

Quoted from Dew from your experience and knowledge, how often a scriptwriter is allowed to be present on set while filming the movie? is it rare? common? does the writer needs to ask for a permission to be on set from the director/producer?

It is rather common that they allow the writer(s) to be around (They may need quick rewrites) and I've even heard that some actors like to have the writer around for questions.

thanks a lot your answer really helped me

For a great (albeit very negative) view of what Hollywood thinks of writers, read David mamets book Bambi vs Godzilla.

Producers hate writers. They see them as unreliable and as an unnecessary drain on resources. They'll tolerate Directors and Crew because they actually help to make the product that they sell and they'll tolerate actors because they make the films easier to market.

Mamet says what happens (and I paraphrase) is essentially this:

You give a Producer a script.

He says I like it but a, b and c need to change.

You re-write it as they ask.

The Producer says: It's Ok, but it's still lacking something. Change a and b again and introduce concept D.

This process can can on for some time, in the end the script is all over the place and makes no sense.

The Producer says it's crap and blames the writer saying if the writer was any good they wouldn't have had to change it so much as they should know what good writing is.

For an example.

They made Iron Man with no script. They got the actors to make it all up as they went along. That's a 100M movie and they didn't even have a script.

http://incontention.com/?p=1838

"It only seems a matter of time these days before studios come calling for actors, however legendary, to take part in the trendy wave of superhero vehicles that are dominating the marketplace. For Bridges, the movie was �Iron Man� in 2007, and having just finished principle photography on the sequel to �TRON,� he felt like it would be a smooth transition.

For a moment, it was anything but.

�They had no script, man,� Bridges exclaims. �They had an outline. We would show up for big scenes every day and we wouldn�t know what we were going to say. We would have to go into our trailer and work on this scene and call up writers on the phone, �You got any ideas?� Meanwhile the crew is tapping their foot on the stage waiting for us to come on.�

Bridges, director Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr. would literally act out sequences during primitive rehearsals, Downey taking on Bridges�s role and vice versa, to find and essentially improvise their way to full scenes, the actor recounts. "

Downey Jr and Bridges just made it up between them on the fucking day of shooting, with the Directors guidance.

Imagine how many different writers had been paid in the development process of that film. In the end they decided to shoot it without any of them.

The film ends up being a critical and commercial success, thus backing up their view that writers are a waste of time (Mamet says they look upon writers as thieves. Actual thieves).

For the type of character at the very head of the game, check Kevin Smith out talking about Superman:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgYhLIThTvk


The essential problem with a certain type of film is that the Producers do not want the same thing most writers want. The Producer wants a commercial product with characters to make toys of and big explosive scenes to stick in the trailer. The writer wants to write a good story. They are not necessarily the same thing.

That all being said, there are of course numerous writers who are held in even public esteem and there are no doubt many Directors who are aware of what their colleagues bring to the table.

In all honesty though, and as much as screenwriters are important to me, if you want respect, write a novel.

Novelists are seen as being super intelligent and are revered as the masters of writing. Screenwriters, rightly or wrongly, are generally regarded as a part of an industrial process.

I suppose in some ways it's kind of inevitable. A film is a visual experience and the common man kind of assumes that the actors are making all the words sound good (or just making them up fullstop) and the Director is making everything on screen look good.

If it makes you feel any better, there are an awful lot of people who get less attention than writers. Stick a huge crane shot in a film that sweeps from 100 foot right up to a CU of someone's eye and someone might say "Wow, the Directing in that film was amazing!". I doubt you'll ever hear anyone say: "Wow they must have had some great grips and an amazing crane technician on that film!".

Quoted from Dew for some reason i feel as if writers status in the industry isn't too high. it bugs me that directors, producers and actors are being more appreciated and get more credits than the writers. they brought the movie to life on screen but we actually created it, how come it counts less? from your experience and knowledge, how often a scriptwriter is allowed to be present on set while filming the movie? is it rare? common? does the writer needs to ask for a permission to be on set from the director/producer?

I disagree. I think that having the opportunity to write something good and feel it inside and have it be brought into production by talented people in all areas of the business is reward enough. A little cash is nice too of course, but I think history proves that artists are usually starving and it's not always starving for food, but something more sublime.

There are many more people that go into the final work than we will ever see on screen. Even the husband or wife or whoever who brings the writer a cup of coffee-- now they are sometimes the most valued, but under-recognized.

Everyone counts!!!

Sandra

Quoted from Sandra Elstree. I disagree. I think that having the opportunity to write something good and feel it inside and have it be brought into production by talented people in all areas of the business is reward enough. A little cash is nice too of course, but I think history proves that artists are usually starving and it's not always starving for food, but something more sublime.

i'm not necessarily talking about money, but more in the social aspect, to be
appreciated and be given credits for my hard work. (if it's good and deserves any)
i don't know why i care that much, i know it's not good to be bothered with what others
think, but i guess it's important to me that people in the industry will acknowledge our
importance and contribution to the movie. i want people who watch the movie to also
say "wow, what great script" and not only "wow what great director and a hunky actor."

The best film performances are always invisible.  

When you hardly think about the direction - then the film is directed well.  When you hardly notice an actor - then the film is acted well.  When you hardly notice the writing...

Quoted from Scar Tissue Films Novelists are seen as being super intelligent and are revered as the masters of writing.

Meh, I've been called that before...