I was having a discussion with another board member about a script they had made. The quality was decent enough but there were a lot of changes to dialogue/story and the writer wants nothing to do with it.

I’m interested to know what others think about this.

For me personally, I'm happy for anyone to take my shorts. Obviously I hope the final film is quality and that my script has been as closely followed as resources will allow, but at the end of the day I'd rather see some version of my script made, rather than just having it collect dust, especially if an IMDb credit is involved.

I think this potentially has something to do with the fact that I am a hobbyist and have no desire to be anything else.

I suppose that if you want to make a career out of screenwriting, having an impressive portfolio would be more important.

Thoughts?

I guess it depends on how far along you are with the craft, how much stuff you've gotten produced, how serious you're taking it.

I've only had one script made so far. It was through an awards scheme so I was kept in the loop throughout the process and done all the rewrites myself. I enjoyed the process but at present, I'm not overly precious about seeing my work exactly the way I've written it transmitted onto screen.

I'm still in the phase of just being happy someone is interested. That been said, you don't want your script hijacked, butchered and rendered unrecognizable either.

Like most on here, I've had a few back and forths with potential producers on other scripts that amounted to nothing. In those scenarios I’m always open to compromise. I pick my battles but generally willing to let alterations slide even if I don't entirely agree with them.

I remember reading somewhere that Stephen King doesn't like watching movies made out of his stories because they more often than not do not reflect the story he initially wrote. I feel the same way. After having 30+ shorts made and 5 features, I can say that watching your stories turned into films are always a bit scary. Sometimes the movies don't even resemble the script at all and other times it's pretty good. Personally, I don't care about quality as much as I do about getting the intent of the story right.

It's a difficult one as I want to see my scripts filmed, it's why I wrote them.

But I genuinely understand that what I've written it a template for the filmmaker to use to craft the final movie, and there's input and collaboration from many other people during that journey.

So I hope that the filmmaker gets close to my script, gets the intent across and doesn't change it unnecessarily... which with one exception has been largely the case.

But the one exception is still on my IMDB page, still on my website with a link to the film, because ultimately my writing was engaging enough for someone to want to buy it as the basis for their movie.

What I find more frustrating than changes to my script is when they get filmed but never come out of post production or get released!!!

My main concern would be an amateurish product.

The amateurish ones, or rather the worst ones, of mine were the ones that appeared on Youtube after student filmmakers used my scripts without permission... they've all been removed!

The short scripts I've had produced have all had changes in them that have been beyond my control - even the projects I've self-financed. Some of the changes I love, some I hate. It's particularly bad when a change you don't like is then mentioned as the main reason for rejection by a festival who offers feedback notes!

However, I'm proud of them all. Like you, this is a hobby for me but I'm also building up a portfolio in the hopes that one day it turns into something more. Most guys looking at my IMDB won't go check every single thing I've had made, so if one isn't as good as another, well who cares?

It may be different if the whole thing turns out to be a complete  train wreck, who knows, maybe I would want to disassociate myself then.

Quoted from AnthonyCawood The amateurish ones, or rather the worst ones, of mine were the ones that appeared on Youtube after student filmmakers used my scripts without permission... they've all been removed!

How would you even know this happened? Seems a bit OCD to search for your titles on YouTube every week.

I'd set up a Youtube channel years ago for a different reason and hadn't bookmarked it, so just put my name in the search box to try and re-find it... and three videos came up that I didn't know existed ;-(

The student film makers had listed me on the YT page, so not difficult to find really.

I now check YT and Vimeo every six months or so...

Often what we write, although it translates well in our minds, it doesn't do so well on screen. This is where a great director comes in. Directing is a talent unto itself, and good ones, just like writers, are fairly rare.

So good writer paired up with bad director happens all the time. A great director can carry a mediocre writer, but a great writer has no chance with a mediocre director.

Quoted from DustinBowcot Often what we write, although it translates well in our minds, it doesn't do so well on screen. This is where a great director comes in. Directing is a talent unto itself, and good ones, just like writers, are fairly rare. So good writer paired up with bad director happens all the time. A great director can carry a mediocre writer, but a great writer has no chance with a mediocre director.

So true

Quoted from Warren I was having a discussion with another board member about a script they had made. The quality was decent enough but there were a lot of changes to dialogue/story and the writer wants nothing to do with it. I’m interested to know what others think about this. For me personally, I'm happy for anyone to take my shorts. Obviously I hope the final film is quality and that my script has been as closely followed as resources will allow, but at the end of the day I'd rather see some version of my script made, rather than just having it collect dust, especially if an IMDb credit is involved. I think this potentially has something to do with the fact that I am a hobbyist and have no desire to be anything else. I suppose that if you want to make a career out of screenwriting, having an impressive portfolio would be more important. Thoughts?

I'll always take the credit - good, bad, indifferent. Part of the game. Since in most cases I retain rights to the script anyway and it can always be made better the next time.

One of my scripts was filmed and the end result was not only amateur but I ended up with a credit on something I'd rather not be linked to.

Without my knowledge they filmed their production about a year after their Option had run out. Without my knowledge they also wrote bio info on me and posted it online. I was totally oblivious until I received an email saying: Hey, we finally got our production filmed!

I'd emailed them a couple of times when the Option was active and no reply. Nada communication. A Go Fund Me page had failed its target and I presumed it was a no go.

Then, like I said I get the email it's  been filmed. Not only that but the Producer has given herself a writing credit cause she changed a couple of lines.That really galled me.

I was happy initially to have it produced within the time frame of the Option but I should've looked closer at their experience and anticipated the level of production.

It's one thing to say retain the rights it can be filmed again.

In the meantime a production company of a really high calibre contacted me and they took out an Option. They had a good budget, superior production capabilities, terrific talent and their previous productions (he sent me a showreel) were exemplary. I was pretty excited.

It was all set and then the Producers discovered the previously made film. They asked me if I could get the other producers to take their listing down and remove it from entry to festivals etc. I did that. They complied with the festival bit and didn't show it publically (again) as far as I know but you see some things on the Internet are forever and cannot be removed.

The listing remained.

The new Producer pulled out. Well,  I never heard from them again...
For all I know they've filmed it too, even though their Option's out.  ;D

You live and learn.

Rant over.  :)

Now that is a horror story

I've never had anything filmed, well I have only written two scripts, and one of them isn't finished, but I personally think I'd take what I could get.

Just knowing someone liked something I wrote enough to film it and then seeing it on screen would be amazing.

I'm with ScottM on this one.

No, we're not related.

Quoted from ScottM Just knowing someone liked something I wrote enough to film it and then seeing it on screen would be amazing.

That's the point, it might not be amazing. Indeed, it could well be horrific and actually detrimental to you.

Quoted from DustinBowcot That's the point, it might not be amazing. Indeed, it could well be horrific and actually detrimental to you.

I agree, but I didn't mean that the final product would be amazing, just the idea that someone wants it and seeing an attempt at it being made.

I have no real experience or any filmed work so I definitely can't talk about how it would affect anything down the line it terms of being detrimental.

Quoted from Warren For me personally, I'm happy for anyone to take my shorts. Obviously I hope the final film is quality and that my script has been as closely followed as resources will allow, but at the end of the day I'd rather see some version of my script made, rather than just having it collect dust, especially if an IMDb credit is involved.

For me, I'm happy if they want to make it, if they want to make changes, I'm okay with that.  I've made those changes, and sometimes they have.  Either way, I think most short scripts made are fairly amateur.  I don't ask for money, I freely let them do whatever.  It's better than letting it sit on the shelf for decades never used.

I always ask what their budget is to purchase the script, you'd be surprised how many people have funds earmarked for that reason.

Quoted from ScottM I agree, but I didn't mean that the final product would be amazing, just the idea that someone wants it and seeing an attempt at it being made.

We all travel the same road. I did too much for free, but without it, I wouldn't have gained the experience and confidence to put a value on my time and effort. Good luck.

I've never thought much about how to get my scripts in front of people who might want to use one. The only shorts I've ever written are for OWCs, which is motivating and fun. A guy who lives across the street teaches film production at USC for half a year and at East Carolina University for half a year. We chat every now and then, but I've never even mentioned that I write scripts. I'm not sure why.