Thread: Holocaust
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Old 03-22-2010, 12:52 PM
WriteNow WriteNow is offline
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Tinseltown (Not Hollywood, it's a real town somewhere else)
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Sorry to hear the meeting wasn't a success. But look at it this way- you did learn something. And that something is that unfortunately, yes, many "players" in the Hollywood game are only in it for the money (and girls, and drugs, and feeling like a bigshot). Trust me, I could tell you some stories . . .

This is something everyone realizes sooner or later. Movie-making is a business and if the studios don't make money, they can't make movies. The best solution to this is to try and surround yourself with as many people who feel the same way as you as possible. Even if it means writing a short for a UCLA film student, at least you will be able to write the story you want and not have someone demanding it be changed to meet focus group demands or whatnot.

Also, it's important to just accept the truth that money drives the industry and try to marry your projects with what might be profitable at the time. Hence my "six scripts" rule- bleak sci-fi might not be in right now but if and when it comes back you are covered. (And then some.) And you can't take rejection personally, even though your scripts/treatments are very personal to you. You are very rarely being judged as an artist and most often are judged as an investment. There are myriad reasons they didn't want your treatment, none of them necessarily reflecting on its actual quality.

Now try and think ahead. Can you imagine where Hollywood is trending and then come up with a story you are passionate about that will fit into that trend? That way then next time you meet with an exec you can say "This will make you a fortune AND maybe win you some Oscars(you never know)." It will be a money-maker and a quality film, in other words.

You've got talent Rex, you're work here proves that. Learn to sell yourself (not your soul) and you will be a success in this business. I have no doubts at all-

(And lets see that Iraq vet treatment. Sounds interesting-)
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And remember- no matter what ANYONE says, not your next door neighbor or the head of Warner Bros.- keep at it. Eventually, you will succeed-

Last edited by WriteNow; 03-22-2010 at 03:18 PM.
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