...what draws you to a specific script?

I'm curious as to what folks here read/write the most and in which genre they participate in more frequently than others.

Why do you read/write in that genre?  What inspires you to write in that genre?

I'm mostly a Fantasy/Science Fiction writer myself.  Big budget blockbuster material.  I can write thrillers that are lower in budget and high in concept, but they don't often come out too well.  As for Action, I can write good Action, but sometimes folks get lost in the story and don't get what I'm trying to show.

I'm also decent at Horror scripts, but I've been told my "mind is ludicrously demented" in regards to some of the stuff I come out with.

I write good horror and I like writing action and adventure, as well as westerns, and urban fantasy. I also like drama... and sci fi, historical fiction and thrillers. I can write to any budget and see constraints as a pleasurable challenge rather than an obstacle to creativity.

I honestly don't have a favourite genre. I suppose my favourite genre is whatever genre my current script happens to be.

I prefer darker stuff. Used to LOVE horror, but I'm probably more of a thriller fan these days. Can be any kind of thriller though.

I totally hate comedies and rom-coms especially.

Dramedy is my fave to write and watch. But I do have a dark side that I tap into sometimes. Not so much for horror, which I love to watch but suck at writing, but for psych thriller type stuff.

Quoted Text ...what draws you to a specific script?

I can be drawn to anything that is interesting. So, for the starters - the Log Line has to have some snap to it. I think I am more dialogue based then action based - so great dialogue will keep me reading, regardless of the genre.

Quoted Text Why do you read/write in that genre?  What inspires you to write in that genre?

The question needs to bifurcated. I'll read any genre. I write - for the most part - "dramedy".

In terms of what my personal preference to watch - in order (first to last):

Dramedy (e.g., As Good As it Gets, M*A*S*H, etc)
Romantic Comedy
Drama
Historical Dramas
Thriller
Sci-Fi
Horror

Quoted Text I'm mostly a Fantasy/Science Fiction writer myself.  Big budget blockbuster material.  I can write thrillers that are lower in budget and high in concept, but they don't often come out too well.  As for Action, I can write good Action, but sometimes folks get lost in the story and don't get what I'm trying to show.

Sci-Fi is low on my list, all there have been a few that I loved (Close Encounters, Star Wars, Alien).

Quoted Text I'm also decent at Horror scripts, but I've been told m y "mind is ludicrously demented" in regards to some of the stuff I come out with.

My least favorite genre - by far. One of these days I'm going to give it a shot if for nothing else than a learning experience.

I will read anything, not really picky on genre when reading, but if it has dinosaurs or has something about war history (anything from Ancient Egypt to WW2) then it will catch my eye a lot easier. Kingdom of Heaven is a good example of the type of history I like, one that's big on history and war and not so much on love stories.

Writing however.....hmmm not really sure. I first got into screenwriting about 4 years ago or so. Lost the drive to write due to what I was doing at the time, wish I didn't cause now I'm starting from the beginning again, I've only written short scripts back then, the ones that people liked were all drama basically, so, if anything, I think drama is my choice for short scripts.

I'll have to wait and see for feature scripts though, trying to pump out my first one, it's a historic war type story, got about 40 pages types out so far...and I am also taking a crack at horror, but this one is just in the planning development/stage so far.

Comedy seems to come to me, and I feel I have a decent handle on it, feature-wise. But drama always finds its way into almost everything I write. I guess sometimes the genre picks you, not the other way around.

Steve

I most frequent the horror genre, and thriller, so, of course I'm a fan of both more specifically I enjoy political thriller. I'm attempting to write in both genres. I feel as though both deliver the most bang for your buck. I would to write fantasy/sci fi which I consider similar to horror, yet more expensive.

I do greatly admire those who are able to write comedy. Especially, those such as "Little Miss Sunshine," "When Harry Met Sally," something that makes people think and feel good about life.

I'm also a huge, huge fan of animation films direct at both children and adults because it embodies what I mention before about a feel good story about a demographic that needs it most.

BLB

I am drawn most towards fantastical, imaginative works...such as Horror, Sci-Fi. The so-called Ghetto genres.

They tend to be terrible, but when done right are far more entertaining to me than other genres.

I find thrillers the easiest to write. I don't seem to get stuck the way I do with other scripts.


I dislike dramas in general. Particularly modern ones. Every one has gone through what most of them are about, be it relationships, death or whatever. I just find them dull beyond belief. I can do something more interesting in the hour an half than watching someone else do something "ordinary".

I like the idea of comedies...nothing better than something making you laugh..but comedy, with a few notable exceptions, seems to have died with Laurel and Hardy.

Horror appeals to me because I still see it as a genre that has never had a truly great film. Most critics would say the Shining, or the Exorcist...but neither scared me in the slightest...and I think that's imperative for a truly great Horror. I both live in hope of something truly special coming along, and see it as a challenge to write it.

Interesting to see the variations among writers here.  

I, personally, couldn't write a romantic thing if my life depended on it.  Something about romance just comes off corny/cheesy/cringe worthy whenever my fingers tap on the keys.  

I like to look at cool houses, not at cool blueprints of houses.
Likewise, I like WATCHING some film genres, but could care less about READING their screenplays.

To (reasonably) make a film you need a screenplay.
Reading a screenplay is a perfunctory task to ascertain the resources required to produce a film.
Who is the audience? Male, female, ages, their economical marketability?
What locations will be needed?
What cast & crew will be needed?
What equipment will be needed?
What budget will be needed?
Video & audio editing?
SFX?
Score?
And then there's the gigantic marketing machine that needs to be built, fueled, and maintained.


I enjoy watching scifi fantasy, especially with a sh!t ton of action and humor thrown in.
I enjoy watching intelligent rather than ribald comedy.

But writing is a whole other kettle of fish.

1/500,000 spec screenplays will be bought and produced.
3/4 films are writer/director.
May I suggest you write to direct yourself.

What're your production budget resources?
SciFi/fantasy looks like sh!te done on the cheap.
Adventure is WAAAAYYY too expensive for the indie filmmaker.
Action films involve things crashing, blowing up, and burning and actor injuries = $$$$$$$$
Dramas are a... are... not EVEN a dime-a-dozen. Dramas are worthless. (I don't see no 6/10/20 drama film DVDs bundled in the $5 bin.)
Comedy? Pfft. Good luck marketing a comedy with a no budget cast.
This honestly leaves horror as the genre that combines the economics of drama/comedy with the emotional draw of action/adventure. (I DO see 6/10/20 horror film DVDs bundled in the $5 bin.)

Do you want to write to... just write? ("Look at meeee!!! I'm writing!!!")
Do you want to write to get produced?

Do you want to draw up blueprints for houses just for fun?
Or do you want to build a house?

Interesting post, Ray.

I agree that dramas are almost impossible to sell. Every festival is full of them and no-one ever buys them. They have no market unless they are full of A-list stars and are marketed for the Oscar season. If you're going to write them, they'll really need to have some kind of unique aspect and be incredibly good.


Slightly disagree with your appraisal of comedy. Comedy is the easiest genre to sell as a writer, if you can write it. Comedies tend to be contemporary and cheap to make, and make a large return at the BO.

I've never thought in terms of genre. I will watch any genre or read any type of script if the idea interests me.

I get most of my motivation immediately after I awaken in the morning. I try to sort out what the genre is and how I can incorporate it into a story, if even possible!

Most of my dreams and passions are of sci-fi/action or horror/thriller. I don't care to write comedy although I'm funny as fuck - ha ha ha.

Westerns? Who gives a crap.



Tony.

I prefer writing SciFi / Mystery stories, I like how the limits of what is imaginable is endless here. Also like watching a nice Action movie. Absolutely dislike crime/detective stuff and I'm not very into comedy/romance either. I think good comedy and romance is a great side plot for every story, but as a genre of its own it seems too artificial to me.

Hey, Scar Tissue Films

I don't know why, the word "Drama," seems vague. I'm sure I know what you're talking about. Drama may have a hard time selling, however, don't all or the better films consist of drama. Maybe, conflict, is a better word, or melodrama. I don't, no, haha. Anyway, I enjoyed The Shining and The Exorcist, the latter being scarier IMO, but those films are date as well. I'm huge fan of history and context, and in context The Exorcist in 1973. Sheesh.

What are some of your favorites?

BLB

I really like war movies. But since I'm a history teacher that is also my favorite subject to teach. I also like superhero and sci-fi films as I was a comic book kid in the 90s. I don't know if I would like writing a history movie though. I think I would treat it too much like a research paper and less like a film.

I also like watching and writing westerns. They really lend themselves to simple but powerful stories and the genre is so versatile they can really be about anything. I have a film blog and recently wrote an article on the top ten modern westerns of the past 20 years or so and despite many in Hollywood claiming the genre is dead I would disagree. Some of the best films to come out in recent years have been westerns. Period. If anybody cares to read my article you can find it here and let me know what you think. http://thefilmbox.org/top-10/ten-best-modern-westerns/

I also have been itching to write a grand sc-fi film because I love Star Wars and want to try my hand at universe building.

That's awesome your a History teacher. I love history. I think writing a historical film would be difficult because I'd have a hard time with inaccuracies, haha.

It's weird whenever I watch westerns I usually enjoy them, and consider them a form of history film, a bit of nostalgic time. However, I haven't seen many of the old westerns, which I'm going to make an effort to now. I definitely agree that the western for whatever reason has the ability to deliver message a modern or not.

I've seen a few of the films on your list. 3:10 to Yuma one of my favs. Haha, I guess I'll have to checkout you're number 1 choice since I haven't seen it.

BLB

Oh dude, Tombstone is a tour de force.

Bo preference although suspense seems to be my strongest suit. Suspense covers it all!

Besides, I don't want to sell horror all the time- otherwise I can kiss that Biblical epic goodbye!

Quoted from DarrenJamesSeeley Besides, I don't want to sell horror all the time- otherwise I can kiss that Biblical epic goodbye!

The Bible is FULL of horror stories.

Gopherit.

For me, there isn't a genre I try to avoid. I actually like when the "bad guy" wins in the end.

Every genre has some drama in it, so I don't like to label a script strictly a drama. Some just have more than others. Even a great comedy needs a little drama.

Being a movie buff I enjoy reading scripts to famous films. Seeing what made the cut, and how the writer sets the scenes really intrests me.

Here is a list of my personal favorites.

Heat, Casino, Snatch, Clay Pigeons. Blow. Out of Sight. Stand by Me, Dogma, Scream, Childern of the Corn, House of 1000 Corpses, Vacancy. An Officer and a Gentleman, Bringing out the Dead, Natural Born Killers, The Zero Theorem, The Drop, Vanishing Point, The Magnificent Seven, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Blazing Saddles, The Good the Bad and the Ugly. Kingpin, The Big Lebowski, Arlington Road.....


Steve : I totally agree with your coment.

Tony: Haha... With you being from New York I can see why you wouldn't like Westerns.

Cameron: I read your "Modern Western" top ten, and would remove Django Unchained & No Country For Old Men from it. As great of movies as they are I personally don't consider them Westerns. IMO, Young Guns, Dances With Wolves, or even Back To The Future Part III would better suited for your list. It's a pretty good list of movies, but it just goes to show that the Classics are still way better than the Modern.

Thanks for the read.

Richard D, if you like when the bad guy wins, you might love the story I'm working on right now.

I like Sci-fi, fantasy, horror, suspense, terror, action adventure, action, animation and comedies.

I can write anything except comedies.   How good they are is up for debate

I will read anything that looks interesting.  I look at the tagline or logline or even a description.

Some of my fav films include:

Kramer vs Kramer
Exorcist
Star Wars
Omen
Alien
April Fools day
Lord of the Rings
and TV shows like
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Arrow
Flash
Fullmetal Alchemist
Legend of Korra
Grimm
Supernatural
The Good wife

So, as you can see, I have a wide range of stuff that I like to read and watch.