Anyone else who is now bored of the homosexuality thread:

Would you rather have 15 minutes of fame and a universally despised credit to your name, or never get a credit at all, and why?

Yeh, this is a silly Q at heart, but it beats constant chess-like homosexuality threads!

Me, I would prefer to write something that was due to go big, and then flopped hugely, but get a little taste of the cherry.

You?

Andrew

Quoted from Andrew Would you rather have 15 minutes of fame and a universally despised credit to your name, or never get a credit at all, and why?

You could argue that, while it generally sucks to be dispised, at least you wrote something that affected a lot of people (for better or worse). I guess it boils down to what your end-goal in life is...is it the fame and fortune - like all those simple minded motherfucking twats from [insert any reality tv-show here] - or is it simply to have a good life that you can be proud of. I personally prefer the latter...but I wouldn't run away from the fortune if it came knocking on my door.

Andrew, I hear you on that.

Q- Whats that sound.
A- The screaming of a thread being beaten to death.

Are you talking despised like billy ray cirus - achey breaky heart kind of fame?

Then NO, local fame works for me.

Movie wise we would be talking WATER WORLD. That movie sunk in America before it was ever released.

Myself, I would like a modest movie, some thing to add to my resume. I don't think I was ever cut out for large success. Now large failure, Ive tasted and will again for sure. Thats the nature of trying.

Shawn.....><

I wouldn't want fame for anything. I'm not into that. I'm not even that crazy about praise. Makes me feel uncomfortable.

Quoted from sniper like all those simple minded motherfucking twats from [insert any reality tv-show here]

Are you aware that I'm trying to produce a reality tv show and one member here wants to be in it??  

Quoted from Grandma Bear I wouldn't want fame for anything. I'm not into that. I'm not even that crazy about praise. Makes me feel uncomfortable.

You're the greatest, Sweedy. You rock at what you do like no other.

Quoted from Grandma Bear Are you aware that I'm trying to produce a reality tv show and one member here wants to be in it??

Whoops  

I forget who originally posed the question on another thread, but it is a good one:

Try to name 5 famous screenwriters.  No googling -- off the top of your head.

There are probably a few of us here that can do it, but the general public -- never.

Money is nice, and we all hope for it -- but if you are seeking fame, you will not find it in screenwriting.

But as to the original question -- had I written "Showgirls", I would laugh myself to sleep every night and be proud of it.

The only screenwriter I can think of who is mainstream famous would be QT (although he's famous for directing as well). Wait...James Cameron is a screenwriter first and foremost - he's pretty famous too. So's George Lucas.

Most people I know can’t name any screenwriters unless they’re also directors, like Quentin Tarentino. I would rather have recognition in the field more so than fame. I would like movies made from my scripts to be famous. But I’d also like people to be able to find out I wrote them. So I know I want credit for my work. I want to be respected as a writer. I would also like to inspire people. I think that's fairly natural though. As far as money, I ask only to make a living and to have a life that inspires my work.

Breanne

And of course, "Mr. Showgirls" himself,  Joe Ezsterhas!!!!!

I'd love to have Joe's fame...or infamy.  A true legend...

Just to say, it IS possible to become famous as a screenwriter. Look at Aaron Sorkin, Charlie Kaufman...it happens. You just need to be really, really good at the thing you're known for - for Sorkin, that's dialogue, for Kaufman, it's writing plots that everybody has to take an asprin before they can follow.

There's also people who bounce from project to project, professionals (but not what you'd call 'masters' like Sorkin and Kaufman) like David Koepp and Roberto Orci. Oh, and the guys that wrote the last few Bond films...Purvis and that other guy. Actually, Kaufman's a director now, isn't he? But he was famous as a screenwriter first.

Let's see...five screenwriters, top of my head?  Mike Figgis, Joel & Ethan Coen, Diablo Cody, Nicholas Pillegi, Bill Monahan and Shamalayn. Usta know the guys that wrote Casablanca, but it escapes me at the moment...Epstien? (Not Juan)...

I'd be happy if I earned enough screenwriting to buy a really nice guitar. Nicer than my wife would ever let me get with any "real" money...

I think John August is a good writer, and he's a homosexual.

Whoops, am I derailing?

Shelton Shelton. You've had me laughing all evening. I may have to join your fan club. Do i have to be gay?

Greg Mclean...one of my faves...he'll be hitting big time very soon.  Watch out for him.  Well, you don't literally have to be looking out for him to like smash into you or anything...but...oh sorry...WTF?

Oh yeah, Greg Mclean is a writer that I'd call out in my 1st 5 faves...off the top of my head.

Quoted from bert Try to name 5 famous screenwriters.  No googling -- off the top of your head. There are probably a few of us here that can do it, but the general public -- never.

David Koepp, David Mamet, David Goyer, Johnathan Hensleigh and Steven E. De Sousa. =)

I just wanted to name the first ones that came to mind that I like. =)

EDIT: I could've gone the Cameron route. The Tarantino route. The Oliver Stone route. Fucking Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman... I wish those two were fucking dead. If anyone here is secretly Orci or Kurtzman, I despise you but I would like to know how you two keep getting jobs?