Changing scenario in Bollywood and Hollywood industry.
Unreasonable demand by producers.
12-12-22
A must read for every writer and producer.
INDIAN FILM INDUSTRY.
In olden days producers buy scripts/ screenplays after paying the writer. Now there is a new trend among Indian producers.
When a story writer tries to sell his fiction for movie production, the first thing the producer will ask him is , have you got approval from OTT? Only after that he will ask about the budget for the movie version of his story. Not every story writer is working in the film industry. How can a story writer work on budget?
Ultimately it is the producer who is going to spend millions to make a movie out of his story. First he should listen or read the synopsis or treatment , instead of asking the writer about the budget of the movie version. With years of experience the producer should be able to work out on budget after understanding the story. If he cannot then he should ask the director. They will be able to give you a rough estimate.
Next producer wants the story writer to rope in the hero and cast for his story. This is ridiculous . Casting is the work of a casting director , not the work of a story writer.
There are two types of stories for film making. High budget requires star value, read style without substance to bring box office collection you need star value. Some stories do not require star value. It needs real actors who can give life to the characters .
Budget. If a story writer says his story requires a leading star then can the producer afford to spend one billion INR just for star value ?
Every producer should be capable of seeing business opportunities in a story with his decades of experience in film making. casting and making a budget for the movie version of the story should be his decision.
My question for Indian producers , why should you insist story writers to get OTT approval and a hero cast call sheet if you are going to spend money for making a movie as per your budget ?
Giving unnecessary demands on writers is not a business proposal. Story writers are not working in the film industry then how do they calculate the budget for the movie version of his story ?
HOLLYWOOD PRODUCTION HOUSES.
Unreasonable demand by Hollywood production houses.
Four of the leading Hollywood movie production house producers were also interested in making a movie version of my novel " Eternal Love" for Hollywood production .
Four of them demanded that I send the screenplay of my manuscript. Name of the Hollywood movie production house and producer are withheld because of a confidential letter. mentioning names on my blog is like insulting them. So no names.
But all of them made unreasonable demands like screenplay, script deck, cinematic trailer and marketing evaluation.
We story writers spend hundreds of dollars to get our book published and the Hollywood production house wants writers to spend thousands and thousands of dollars for their unreasonable demands. Tell me how can they justify their unreasonable demand?
When they choose our story for movie production. They should know that story writers are not screenplay writers.
Every movie production house Will have an in-house writer for modifying the screenplay, to adapt fiction for movie production. If those screenplay writers cannot modify the story or Adapt fiction for the screenplay , why do you need them ?
These same producers have no problem if your book is a best seller in the market . Then why two different yardsticks for fiction?
Instead of looking for best selling books in the market, look for stories with unique concepts. With your two or three decades of experience in film making you should know which story is movie material or business opportunity
They should have known that the story is the foundation of every movie. NO story = No screenplay, No producer, No director, No hero, No movie. That's the fact .
Here is my suggestion for producers and production houses for getting good scripts. Instead of reading dozens of screenplays, each one of them 120 to 180 pages, ask story writers to send their copyright registered and published book with ISBN to send synopsis or treatment to your production house. Instead of searching for a good story you will have hundreds of synopsis/ treatment from each genre.
Synopsis or treatment is not more than five pages long, find time to read movie material or business opportunities from your collection of stories , instead of reading 120 or 180 pages of dozens of screenplays
Remember , almost all the movie versions of fiction made for movies are hits. .
Neither synopsis nor treatment tell you about presentation by writers . It tells you about the main story . Subplots are dotted lines that connect the main story. Can you make a movie out of synopsis? A big NO.
Presentations are made by subplots . It's like Salt . It's presence cannot be found but it's absence can be felt .
Story is all about the presentation by the story writer. Without subplots You cannot connect with characters, audience, create three act structures, with events and conclude chapters .
Dialogues are emotions which connect with the audience . Where in the logline or synopsis you will find dialogue?
That's the reason I am saying it's all about the presentation by the original writer. In the film industry they call it 'execution' by the director. Either way it is all about the ' presentation' .
Here is my last nail on your arguments
" If movies are all about the" execution" by the director, then the story is all about the " P R E S E N T A T I O N " by the writer. Jivan.
Stories are not all about great logline or synopsis! They are just hooks. What if the story presentation is bad or the writer screwed up the story ?
If they are asking for your novel for movie production it is because they know your story can make money. They should also know that story writers cannot write a Hollywood standard of screenplay.
Pay money and buy copyright of the fiction from us. Get the screenplay written and make a movie. That's not our problem.
In olden days even Hollywood adapted fiction for movie production without even making unrealistic demands from story writers.
Nowadays story writers should be able submit the following materials for the approval of their story for Hollywood movie production.
1) screenplay version of novel
2) film pitch desk
3) cinematic trailer
4) marketing evaluation
Such unrealistic demands are not encouraging story writers, only causing more disappointments among writers.
Now tell me, even after they are getting all the required materials, why do some of them make flop movies? If you are saying filmmaking is a speculative business, it is just another excuse. Some of the production houses are giving consecutive hits.
Instead of demanding materials, ask whether the writer can modify the story for a lesser budget. Every writer can modify his story.
If they want to adapt a story for foreign country your writer can do it but it needs story discussion because of our cultural differences.
Everything is possible if only there is open communication. Communication with story writers can save lots of money for producers. Find time now!
xxxxx
The new trend among producers and production houses.
Producers are NO longer making movies !
If only investors are willing to invest money in script producers will make movies.
That's the reason production houses demanding script deck, screenplay, cinematic trailer and marketing evaluation form writers.
Even CEO of major movie production house cannot take individual decision on script. He needs to get approval from board of directors or from investors.
Even with decades of experience in film making producers are no longer confident which script will make money for them. They are no more taking risk only playing safe.
Indian production house insist on screenplay and OTT approval from writers if they wants to sell their story or screenplay for movie production.
In olden days one individual producer will decide script. He risk his money to make more money.
Future is not promising for writers.
Jivan
