Often the WPD worries about money more than the script. It’s harder, they reckon, to raise a million dollars than it is to write a crackerjack screenplay. Naturally, once they lock in the impossible-to-raise-budget, they’re itchin’ to pull the trigger. Whoa, hoss!
Just because your dad or dentist gave you the cash doesn’t mean your script is ready! Just because everyone tells you your script is fantastic, doesn’t mean it is! Just because actors agree to be in your movie, doesn’t mean you should start principal photography!
Chill. Do not be in a hurry. If an actor has a scheduling problem and you are desperate to shoot to take advantage of their availability... think long and hard. If you do six more months rewriting, and lose the actor, but end with a killer script... will that improve your odds of selling the finished film? You can sell an excellent movie with an unknown actor, but you can’t sell crap with famous names. Remember, getting the film made means zilch if you don’t sell it.
Be realistic. People who succeed look at the way things are (facts) and proceed from there. People who fail look at the way they wish things were (fancy) and move ahead on that basis... a sure-fire road to Crash and Burn.
Once Upon A Time, I went to an indy film Q&A screening... the WPD was actually proud of the fact he’d written the script in a few weeks. The movie was relentlessly horrible and deserved to be flushed down the toilet, right after the investor’s money.
This squandering of capital is enormously irritating because, in every town, there are only a limited number of wealthy people. Out of those few wealthy people, a tiny percentage will risk their money on an investment as insane as a motion picture. So, if some idiot convinces people to invest in their “vision” and the investment tanks, that moron has poisoned the well for the next ten filmmakers trying to raise hometown money for their films.
C’mon people, have a heart! Think about the next guy!
Investors often say, “I wouldn’t be able to tell if the script is good, just give me the business plan.” I say, “AT YOUR PERIL, RICH DUDE!” I went to an indy premiere and an irate investor turned to me (thank God it wasn’t my movie) and said, “I don’t know much but I sure could have told that script was worthless!” Needless to say that “passion project” got no distribution.
So... if you have the money, relax. Just cause you got the dough, doesn’t mean you must give in to the urge to spend it. Put it in escrow and keep beavering away until the script is bulletproof. If your script is not, you will make a bad movie and your investors will start rounding up feather pillows.
In the current financial climate, it’s very, very, very ,very, very difficult to sell a movie. Emphasis on very.
I have a buddy who’s directed ten feature films. His most recent independently-financed movie has well known actors, one whose mantel sports the coveted gold statuette. This is a group of people who know what they’re doing. They had a killer script, made a world-class movie, and... can’t get distribution. That screenplay was so good, it made me cry.
How good is your script? Do you still think you’re ready to shoot?
Think again.
For ideas on how to improve your screenplay so it's as profitable and distributable as possible, check out William's site, YourScreenplaySucks.com.
