Three Reasons Someone Might Not Read Your Script
~ by Max Adams
~ originally published on Bang2Write
Many thanks to Max Adams aka CelluloidBlonde for today’s shot in the arm – I recognize everything she describes here, having probably done them myself years ago AND having been on the receiving end now! Go Max …
Number One: You Have No Idea In Hell Whom You Are Talking To – And You Don’t Try To Find Out Before Shooting Off Your Mouth
This just happened to me recently. I have been working on and researching the updated expanded edition of Screenwriter’s Survival Guide, so I have been showing up in person in forums online. Partly to get a feel for what’s out there these days on the internet. Partly just to start being a face and presence again since the book is coming out and that is sort of helpful if you are selling a book.
So –
I’m on Script Chat, which is a Sunday night Twitter live chat forum, just text, but nice, they get some good guests in there and it can be interesting. And there is this kid in there talking about “strong female characters” he wants to put in action Westerns. He has decided he is going to save female characters I guess and change the face of the industry. And I probably should have stayed out of it, but I finally said, “Listen, don’t do that, Hollywood doesn’t like female actions leads and the last Western Hollywood made real box on was Unforgiven, if you are trying to break in, this is a really bad idea.
There were a couple of back and forths, then the script chat went on and I forgot about it. Until he showed up again in my Twitter feed. And again. And kept tweeting me about how a strong female action lead in a Western was a great idea and I was clueless and confused. The point I hit my lack of patience is when he informed me he was “just trying to help me out.” That’s when I blocked him.
Don’t do this. Don’t harass pros online. Especially don’t do it telling them you are “helping them out.” You will not just annoy them, lose a possible helpful source of information — and get blocked. If you really go out of your way to make an ass of yourself and be annoying they might remember your name and tell anecdotal stories about you at Hollywood cocktail parties.
Number Two –
Photo Credit: Michael J. Canales