Actors like my work, writers not so much.

B

brianluce

It's true, actors seem to genuinely like what I write, even for no pay, they're willing to drive two hours to my house, they email me, want to discuss the character etc. They're real actors too, with drama degrees from places like Julliard, endless workshops, commercial experience. writers on the other hand, generally think my scripts should be kept in the bathroom, not as reading material when you're doing your business, but as a first choice ahead of the toilet paper. And you know how they say your mom always tells you it's good no matter how bad it is? My mom, a writer herself, read my latest script and when I told her I wanted to produce it, she said, "Oh. Maybe you could just film the first half and then put, 'to be continued...' " Thanks mom.
Wondering if anyone else experiences this, perhaps the other way around?
 
Last edited:
Sort by date Sort by votes
Honestly, the actors and writers come from the fairly deep end, they're not kids or noobs. Interesting thing, a lot of the writers say, "Decent concept, but the characters are weak", and the actors often say, "I love your characters, so complex..."
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
brianluce said:
Honestly, the actors and writers come from the fairly deep end, they're not kids or noobs. Interesting thing, a lot of the writers say, "Decent concept, but the characters are weak", and the actors often say, "I love your characters, so complex..."
Click to expand...

Such is the director dilemma, especially without fundage which typically shuts everyone up. ;) You might try to find a semi-noob writer with something to prove that responds well to "Can you write to the directors concept and develop characters in a team effort?" At least you're starting out on even footing and collaboration was part of the deal. Selling writing to a writer is a losing proposition. :cool:
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I haven’t read your script - I don’t know the actors or the writers
you have shown your script to so I am answering from a place of
ignorance of your situation but from a place of experience as a
writer, director and producer. Take it or leave it.

Actors who feel they might get a job - even a non paying job - read
a script and speak to the writer/director from an entirely different
perspective than fellow writers. Degree or no degree, experience
or no experience, actors want to work. Not all of them, but enough
of them so they can skew your perspective.

Writers tend to see scripts from a perspective of personal taste - they
are not thinking of getting a job, they are seeing (perhaps) competition
and (without a doubt) what they, personally, would change.

Such an extreme - writers think your script should be toilet paper,
actors think your script is brilliant - leads me to believe there is at
least a little “ass kissing” on the part of the actors. And even experienced
actors and actors with degrees are not immune to a little ass kissing
when they want a gig. And even if we take that aspect completely out
the possibility we are left with actors who read a script from an entirely
different point of view than writers.

Have you never had an actor read a script and think not love it?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Questtion: Has a script consultant ever given you feedback on your script? I mean someone writers go to for feeback before they send out their scripts to producers, submit them to InkTip, or bring them to pitchfest? That will be a more objective source to know where you really stand.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I'm gonna go with Rik on this one. Sounds like some butt dressing is going on. I would definately listen to the writers. You could get some good pointers. As for the actors, do you ask them to elaborate. ie Why doyou think the character is cmplex? In what way?? etc.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Modern Day Myth Prod. LLC said:
Questtion: Has a script consultant ever given you feedback on your script? I mean someone writers go to for feeback before they send out their scripts to producers, submit them to InkTip, or bring them to pitchfest? That will be a more objective source to know where you really stand.
Click to expand...

Yes, I hired a script consultant to evaluate a feature script, he seemed to like the concept well enough and suggested some (excellent) adjustments.

I submitted a script to Zoetrope once and got, again, wildly divergent opinions. Exreme. Maybe that's just the nature of my style, people either hate it or love it. Overall, for anyone here, I don't think much of Zoetrope, there are a lot of people there that are only interested in what you can tell them, not what they can tell you about your work.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Don't believe an actor's praise. They WANT you to like them. As I mentioned in a recent post, one actor told me "This is exactly the kind of role I was looking for. I would love to work with someone like you. The story speaks to me. Etc." I hadn't even sent her the script.

I'm definitely not a writer. But generally I find, I like what I write. After a week, I read it again. I generally find that it's absolute filth, and I don't know what I was thinking writing that filth. So then I re-write it a few times until I begin to like it again. Then, if I like it, I like it. It doesn't matter any more what other "writers" say. Who are these "writers" anyway? Who is anybody, anyway. I love Larry McMurtry. A good friend of mine thinks he's "Texas trash." My friend, who is also a Texan, has never written a book either.

It's all subjective my friend. Rewrite that stuff, until it reads like something YOU would like to read. Tell everybody else to write what they please. (You may want your discussion with your Mom to be constructive. Ask her to tell you what she finds wrong with your story)

As I said, I'm not a writer, so don't take my advice... and good luck!!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top