3 ms·

> They optioned 4-6 concepts and made pilots based on material from industry players. My daughter ran a screenplay critiquing service on the web. She read scri

by mchahn 11y ago

> They optioned 4-6 concepts and made pilots based on material from industry players. My daughter ran a screenplay critiquing service on the web. She read scripts for her daytime job so it wasn't a scam. She gave the customers what she said she would, for $50 a pop, but she felt guilty because none of the zillion submitters had a chance of their script getting picked up.

WalterBright 11y ago
> none of the zillion submitters had a chance of their script getting picked up. Kinda sad given the redundant scripts that actually get produced. How many Batman remakes can it take to get really bored? How many Star Trek reboots? Hangover 15? Buddy cop movie? Zzzzzzz....
- Robadob 11y ago
  As with games, sequels and reboots of existing stories and characters are far safer options than gambling on new IP. Sure there is the whole thing of Netflix (and presumably Prime Video), being able to collect enormous amounts of data, to identify what makes a tv show popular to their customers. But my limited knowledge of business suggests that the majority of attention will always be focused on safe money-makers.
6stringmerc 11y ago
She worked directly for Amazon? That's the only situation I'm referencing. I participated in a handful of other 'contest' like situations, one of which also ticked me off because they changed the process to suit their own preferences. As in, the stated process was pay $40 (or $90 for 1 page of feedback), 3-5 finalists would be selected, brought in for interviews, and from there up to 3 winners would be chosen. What happened? They got so many submissions that they broke out 5-7 different categories and had lists of 10 finalists within each category, and were going to move to some other kind of judging platform (social media votes?) in order to continue to narrow down to the eventual 3-5, then winners. That doesn't fit the definition of a scam, but it certainly isn't abiding by the rules. I didn't bother with any charge-back on my card, but felt pretty tempted at the time. "Contests" for art, in my experience, tend to be a waste of time and money unfortunately, because the enticement is so damn strong.
- mchahn 11y ago
  > She worked directly for Amazon? That's the only situation I'm referencing. No, I was referring to a similar but different situation. The point was that the odds of getting any script picked up was near zero unless you were in the industry. A friend of my daughter's got one picked up but he's been working in the industry in various capacities for ten years.
  - 6stringmerc 11y ago
    Oh I know that to be the case, and never thought otherwise. In retrospect you kind of validated my initial postulation - that Amazon's posturing that any scripts or material by non-industry folks had a shot. Thus, if even one of their first concepts had been sourced through Amazon Studios, I would have tempered my critique with that information...
bennesvig 11y ago
Those screenplay critiquing services can be super helpful. I used one and it helped show me through unbiased eyes the flaws in a screenplay I wrote. Though I'm sure she has to read a lot of awful screenplays (the one I submitted was bad though I didn't realize it until I got the feedback).

by mchahn 11y ago

WalterBright 11y ago

> none of the zillion submitters had a chance of their script getting picked up. Kinda sad given the redundant scripts that actually get produced. How many Batman remakes can it take to get really bored? How many Star Trek reboots? Hangover 15? Buddy cop movie? Zzzzzzz....

Robadob 11y ago
As with games, sequels and reboots of existing stories and characters are far safer options than gambling on new IP. Sure there is the whole thing of Netflix (and presumably Prime Video), being able to collect enormous amounts of data, to identify what makes a tv show popular to their customers. But my limited knowledge of business suggests that the majority of attention will always be focused on safe money-makers.

6stringmerc 11y ago

She worked directly for Amazon? That's the only situation I'm referencing. I participated in a handful of other 'contest' like situations, one of which also ticked me off because they changed the process to suit their own preferences. As in, the stated process was pay $40 (or $90 for 1 page of feedback), 3-5 finalists would be selected, brought in for interviews, and from there up to 3 winners would be chosen. What happened? They got so many submissions that they broke out 5-7 different categories and had lists of 10 finalists within each category, and were going to move to some other kind of judging platform (social media votes?) in order to continue to narrow down to the eventual 3-5, then winners. That doesn't fit the definition of a scam, but it certainly isn't abiding by the rules. I didn't bother with any charge-back on my card, but felt pretty tempted at the time. "Contests" for art, in my experience, tend to be a waste of time and money unfortunately, because the enticement is so damn strong.

mchahn 11y ago
> She worked directly for Amazon? That's the only situation I'm referencing. No, I was referring to a similar but different situation. The point was that the odds of getting any script picked up was near zero unless you were in the industry. A friend of my daughter's got one picked up but he's been working in the industry in various capacities for ten years.
- 6stringmerc 11y ago
  Oh I know that to be the case, and never thought otherwise. In retrospect you kind of validated my initial postulation - that Amazon's posturing that any scripts or material by non-industry folks had a shot. Thus, if even one of their first concepts had been sourced through Amazon Studios, I would have tempered my critique with that information...

bennesvig 11y ago

Those screenplay critiquing services can be super helpful. I used one and it helped show me through unbiased eyes the flaws in a screenplay I wrote. Though I'm sure she has to read a lot of awful screenplays (the one I submitted was bad though I didn't realize it until I got the feedback).