This is awesome and I completely 100% agree.

Everyone on this site who writes as a profession needs to watch this.

sorry if I didn't put this in the right thread

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj5IV23g-fE

Quoted from Grandma Bear I totally understand what he is saying, but it's also easy for him to say. If you're a writer that has never had anything produced, it's better to do something for free and get credit than not get anything. At least in my opinion. You have to start somewhere.

But, when do you draw the line, Pia? That's where things start to get challenging. Is it once someone offers to pay you, you never work again and up your price from there? What if they want you to take a pay cut in order to more creative control? Gets kind of iffy in there after a while...

I have to agree with Pia. I have done things for free...and little money to try and get a foot in. I'm not going to be one that can write that giant big box animal. And it's not about making a million bucks for me. I just want to see some of my work produced and one day be able to make a little money doing something that I love. Sometimes people will take advantage of 'my type' but it's a chance I have to take.

Funny - but he's got a good back catalog, so I understand where he's coming from.

Where do you draw the line? At the point at which everyone else is getting paid. I've done free stuff and I've done paid stuff - if you like a project and there's no money at that stage, then do it if you like it. But if there is a budget, why should you as the writer miss out? That was his point - the woman who called him was getting a pay-check -- why shouldn't he?

I agree with him for the most part though I'm confused as to what kind of interview he did where he would want to get paid for its use. I wouldn't exactly call that work. Seems kind of petty to me. What else is he going to do with it? Sit on it? Probably. The guy has a history of that.

Great writer though.

Ha! I actually sent this to Scriptshadow and he linked it over his twitter. I think he honestly puts up a really good argument. Like yeah, he kind of sounds like an asshole but I can't really disagree with him.

This is something I'm struggling with recently.

Two of my shorts begins filming next month, and both those scripts I've agreed to let be produced free of charge.  Some of my friends/family are "THIS IS SO SURREAL!!!" and a few are like "So, are you getting paid" and when I say "No" they're like blah.  They think because I'm so young, that I'm being taken advantage off, when that certainly is not the case here.

But I agree with what Pia said, seeing as I am in that situation.  It's way better to do something for free, and you get a credit for it.  A writing credit.  And the excitement of seeing something your wrote on-screen.

It'd be a different story, however, if people were getting paid.  Another example.  I've recently been contact by a director/producer in Slovenia.  He wants to shoot a horror feature I wrote in August.  All the crew/cast have given up their own time to do it, and are doing it for free.  So, why should I be paid?  

If the director/actors are being paid, then that's a different story.  I would then asked to be paid.  It's only right, for without your screenplay in the first place, the production wouldn't even be happening.

Curt

Quoted from Forgive Funny - but he's got a good back catalog, so I understand where he's coming from. Where do you draw the line? At the point at which everyone else is getting paid. I've done free stuff and I've done paid stuff - if you like a project and there's no money at that stage, then do it if you like it. But if there is a budget, why should you as the writer miss out? That was his point - the woman who called him was getting a pay-check -- why shouldn't he?

I've had plenty produced.  Mostly fan films in Spain at this moment in time (see Robert Dows Capulito 1 and 2 on Youtube, if you understand Spanish that is).  I also have an upcoming short in production.

I am also working with Luis Rios on several upcoming fan films.

All of this, of course, is due to my commitment to writing and dedication to getting things done -- FOR FREE.

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^Above sits a line.  This line is when an established production company contacts me about one of my scripts (ever tell anyone I almost sold a fan script to Time Warner, Assassin's Creed, during the big fight for AC movie production rights back in Feb) then that is when I draw the line and expect a paycheque.  

Everything else is FREE-FOR-USE.  

Well, not my Guardian of Time saga, Last Rezort or Deep, those babies get bought, not given.

Lee