Destined to be Mediocre? :: SimplyScripts Screenwriting Discussion Board

Johny

Since I'm guilty of pissing about this thread without actually addressing your very pertinent post, I said I'd give you my outlook on things.

First off, I totally understand where you're coming from and what you’re trying to say. From the nature of the industry, its limited opportunities plus your own insecurities in terms of ability and what you think you can have to offer the world of film.

Its being well documented how "tough" the industry is. Obviously, I don't know from personal experience merely being, like most of us here, a bystander looking in. But we all know the stories, the few that succeed and the thousands that don't. Its a lucrative, potentially high profit margin business diectly proportional to the necessary requirements like motivation, work rate (and as you correctly pointed out) luck and exceptional talent to actually "get in" there. The biggest fear and even inevitable expectation with some of us is that we will fall, unspectacular and unnoticed, into the latter category.

I've accepted that, or at least remind myself of the fact whenever I get carried for some reason or other. But does it stop be from writing...no, of course not. I think it all comes down to whatever enjoyment and satisfaction you derive from the actual process itself. I remember I had ideas rolling around my head for a year or two before I (literally) put pen to paper. And when I did, I regretted not starting those one or two years earlier. I gave myself too mantras to live by;

Firstly: Just start writing, stop thinking about it, start and see how it goes. I mean, what’s the harm? Its free, it’s something I’m interested in, so why not? I remember seeing an interview of Tarantino talking about Reservoir Dogs where he just said if you have ideas knocking about, get writing them, don't wait for the perfect opportunity, the right time to come around just start and take it from there. Basic yet sound advice, in my opinion.

Secondly: (once I had begun) keep writing. I know, simple, stating the obvious, but as well as reminding myself that nothing will (probably) ever come out of this I also told myself to keep writing as long as I enjoyed it. If the ideas keep coming, keep at it. Like I said, it’s free, its fun (not all the time I’ll admit) so why not? I see it as a hobby if nothing else, as Andrew Allen famously put it (its got it own thread now) its a cathartic release, therapy but above something I like doing.

That's the most vital thing, in my opinion, (which I realise I’m saying for the umpteenth time now) as long as you get some pleasure from it…you know the rest. Again I understand your point completely, it can be very demoralising if a work of yours is poorly received, producers aren't interested and it doesn’t look like your going to be seeing your words on screen anytime soon, that’s where a little hunger comes in, a little self belief that you will get it right, that you can always improve. To me, it’s like playing a sport or an instrument. Sure, I’d love to be doing it for a living, to have that level of skill but the fact that I don’t doesn’t stop me from continuing to take part/play them. It all comes back to what you’re getting out of it personally.

To be fair, it looks like your situation is different to mine. I studied engineering in college (which I whole heartedly regret) so I can afford to be more lax and hobby-ish about it. Being a film student, this is effectively the basket you have put your eggs into, this is what you want to do, thus the stakes are higher, thus your level of worry about your abilities and future in it is of more concern. However, as I'm sure you well know more than me, there are many capacities in which to work in amongst the arena of film making. You don't have to go straight for the top positions like writer/director/producer, have the aspirations sure but be prepared to work towards those goals rather then instant attainment. Out of the miniscule portion of people who "make it" a fraction of them come in at the top level from the get-go. Again, this comes down to a combination of remarkable talent and luck...and sometimes even that's not enough.

But think of Sergio Leone, one of the most respected and revered filmmakers in the history of cinema. He began from the bottom, gradually worked his way up, gaining invaluable experience along the way so when he did finally get in the chair he was ready to roll. Similarly with Spielberg, he got rejected by a film school three times and of course, Tarantino is probably most famous case of this in recent times. You must be willing to grovel, toil, and to subject yourself to menial, poorly paid work for a time, which is where one’s motivation and work rate comes in. But it’s these kind of stories that you should take some hope from, if nothing else.

As for reaching a "ceiling", you’re only 20, man, you got plenty of years to mature and nurture your talent. I'm only a few years older then you so I can only speculate that life experience, watching more films, reading more scripts and immersing yourself in the craft will only influence and inform your writing the older you get and all in a good way depending on what you decide to take on board and what you decide to discard. I hear what you’re saying, we all worry about our own self worth in all facets of life and if we don't, we should, its natural and very human to doubt our own ability, it helps us put a rein on things, to refocus our direction…at least that’s how I feel about it, I’m sure not all will agree. Everybody has their own way of doing things, their own approaches, thought processes, their methods of figuring things out.

There is a podcast called Creative Screenwriting Magazine where they host Q & A's with the industry’s top writers/filmmakers or at least some of the most popular ones. The most encouraging thing I get from it is how different everybody’s approach is, how varied they go about their profession, from breaking in to the business, to breaking a story, to outlining, to first draft and subsequent rewrites. However rigid the discipline strives to be with format and standards it can't control an individual’s inclination to do what they think is right and what feels most natural to them. There is no sure way, yet there is no "right" way in the traditional sense, you beat your own path, you play to your own strengths. Naturally, compromises will have to be made along the way but getting to that point can be (fortunately) achieved any number of ways.

Ok, I'm gone on a bit of a tangent here, yappin’ too much and stepping into pretentious, high flown meander so I'll finish by saying (for the umpteenth+1time) keep at it as long as you like what your doing. The day you stop feeling some degree of excitement when you go to write a concept, pitch, outline or draft, the day it becomes a formality, a chore as oppose to something you want to tackle then you might have a problem, those fears you expressed in your post will unfortunately come true but then again if you not enjoying it you won’t miss it. But! until that day (hopefully never) comes, and to quote Mr. Shelton "keep on typing"

P.s With all this talk about great standards and needing that certain “x-factor” to make it. Think of all the crap which made it to your local theatre and instead of fuming over the 9 quid you spent on sitting through the wretched thing, take some encourage that you could do a whole lot better no matter how mediocre you may be…So theres always that glimmer.

Col.