Would studios (all of them, from the bottom of the totem pole to the top at Studio city) ever want to hire the writer as a Director if they pitch their spec well and have the necessary skills to Direct?

Quoted from Grandma Bear Not if you haven't proven some directorial skill...why would they put their money at risk with a complete unknown newbie?

Because the writer is closest to the source material and most likely to give them what they want?

I thought studios surround new directors with talented people to get them to learn the ropes. Like Harold Ramis in Caddyshack

Yes they would.

It's what's known as "Holding a script to ransom".

You write an absolute killer script that all the studios want...this gives you power to get them to offer you better deals. You insist that you'll only let them make it if you can direct.

It's a risky move and requires balls, but it's possible. It's agame of brinkmanship and they will offer all sorts to let someone else direct, it's upto you how important it is.

You need to make sure you've got the chops for it though. A miserable failure will probably see you at a much lower level than you were at ground zero.

From a certain perspective Directing isn't that hard. You don't necessarily need a great Director to make a good film. If you have the resources to hire A level staff, the film is going to turn out Pro standard regardless. The Cinematographer will shoot coverage, your editor will be able to edit this coverage, the sound will be perfect etc. Even if you insist on doing incredibly strange stuff the Pro staff will agree, but will insist that they get standard coverage as well...meaning you won't be able to completely screw it up.

Caddyshack is 32 years old. My former partner was in it btw. She still gets residuals. About $36/month.

Anyway, I guess anything is possible, but I wouldn't bet on it, unless, like Rick said, you have a script that everyone is fighting over.

Fund it yourself... Hire the/surround yourself with the right talent and you'll be amazed how much you don't need the industry to make your films.  

Face it, without

Money

&

Writers

What is the "industry"?  Really... As long as you have money, good ideas and a drive/passion for all of it anything is possible.  

I've got money... Who's got the talent and ambition for it?  Maybe it is harder than it looks...  :-/   But, to be serious, it's hard enough to write a feature length script... And I mean "A GOOD ONE" -- not some piece of shit shot out of your ass in a month or two.  A "GOOD" script takes time... months, sometimes years.  Focus on something, one thing, and go from there once you've established what it is "YOU" want to do in this industry and, ultimately, your life.

James Cameron held the script for The Terminator ransom in order to direct.  He had very little experience directing at that time but it worked for him.  I think his career turned out well.

Quoted from Rokman Would studios (all of them, from the bottom of the totem pole to the top at Studio city) ever want to hire the writer as a Director if they pitch their spec well and have the necessary skills to Direct?

I think the key is to have some history of success. Then OK.

You need to worry about writing a script they want, first. They won't want you to direct it and if it's a great script, they'll offer you more just to keep you out of the director position. I think you'd need a clear winner to be able to get them to let you do it.

I have a friend who sold a script to Pathe with a request to direct it. They allowed him to shoot 3 test scenes as a display of his skill. If they weren't satisfied, they'd go to someone else. Of course, he didn't get to direct it. We think it was their plan all along, but it was still cool that he had funding to shoot 3 scenes from his own script.

Quoted from Felipe You need to worry about writing a script they want, first. They won't want you to direct it and if it's a great script, they'll offer you more just to keep you out of the director position. I think you'd need a clear winner to be able to get them to let you do it. I have a friend who sold a script to Pathe with a request to direct it. They allowed him to shoot 3 test scenes as a display of his skill. If they weren't satisfied, they'd go to someone else. Of course, he didn't get to direct it. We think it was their plan all along, but it was still cool that he had funding to shoot 3 scenes from his own script.

I think it's VERY exciting that they would give him that chance at all!  Is this a film we can be expecting to see in the next year or so?

In fact, yes. Here is the imdb:

No One Lives

They did give him a shot, but I think it was just because he was adamant about directing it. They "compromised" by saying he'd have a shot when in reality they were just blowing a few thousand for 2 days of shooting to be able to tell him the investors weren't satisfied and move on to another director.

It's a good lesson, though. If you really must direct your script, making that so-called "compromise" could be detrimental. It was still pretty cool though. And now he is a produced writer.

Quoted from Felipe In fact, yes. Here is the imdb: No One Lives They did give him a shot, but I think it was just because he was adamant about directing it. They "compromised" by saying he'd have a shot when in reality they were just blowing a few thousand for 2 days of shooting to be able to tell him the investors weren't satisfied and move on to another director. It's a good lesson, though. If you really must direct your script, making that so-called "compromise" could be detrimental. It was still pretty cool though. And now he is a produced writer.

VERY impressive!!  They've got some real money attached to that baby.  I like the logline, too.

The neat thing about his getting to do what he did is the fact that they could have just dumped the project and moved to the next in line.  It really does say a lot about his product.

I see it says 2012, but release date.  Any idea?

It might actually only come out in January of next year. Not definite yet.

Your best bet, if you absolutely MUST direct this film, is write other screenplays you are not so adamant about directing, sell those, and then when you have a little clout to throw around, insist you'll only sell this one to them IF you get to direct it.

Someone mentioned James Cameron.  Prior to the Terminator he had directed one other film and a short film as well, and wrote them.

Quoted from tjalex ... James Cameron.  Prior to the Terminator he had directed one other film and a short film as well, and wrote them.

It's easier to direct your own stuff, and I think that can get taken into account.

Directing someone else's work is a different thing altogether - that requires some level of interpretation, and a lot more skill.

Depends, unlikely, maybe, but I know the more buzz you have or people bidding the more leverage you might have to request that you direct. I agree with Pia that they'll what to see anything you done before the sign on, and you should have something to show if that's the path you want to take.

Also, if it's fiscally makes sense to hire one person to write and direct, they would do it. I know the guy who did strangers wrote and directed.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1052162/bio

BLB