4 ms·

Do you think the writers wanted to work on an adaptation of a franchise they hated? Producers care more about targeting an existing market than taking any risks

Do you think the writers wanted to work on an adaptation of a franchise they hated? Producers care more about targeting an existing market than taking any risks, even if the result is a mediocre show.

mcpackieh 3y ago
> Producers care more about targeting an existing market than taking any risks Whatever they're trying to do, it's not that: https://i.imgur.com/yIzvm1d.jpg https://i.imgur.com/yIzvm1d.jpg
- boomboomsubban 3y ago
  The show was still profitable enough to make over three series, that's exactly what they're doing.
baud147258 3y ago
> Do you think the writers wanted to work on an adaptation of a franchise they hated? No one was forcing them to took up that job/stay at that company...
- fragmede 3y ago
  Other than homelessness and the total lack of a social safety net in Hollywood and the US.
  - red-iron-pine 3y ago
    bollocks, there are multiple unions that have (and currently are) fighting aggressively for writers and actors. and in the case of the witcher the talent and the writers had pedigrees, not like henry cavil wasn't in movies before, or since.
  - triceratops 3y ago
    Does that mean you should do bad work when you get a job?
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
triceratops 3y ago
So why not work on a franchise they didn't hate? I have bills to pay too. But when job-hunting there are some industries I simply won't consider.
- boomboomsubban 3y ago
  How many non-franchise fantasy TV writing opportunities are there? As nobody will consider trying their ideas, every job picked will likely have some compromises.
  - triceratops 3y ago
    Doing bad work on less desirable projects in the hope of getting more desirable jobs is an interesting strategy. I mean this is an industry where showing everyone your work is the whole point. They can all see exactly what you wrote; it's all open-source by default. The bottomline is that as a screenwriter you should do the absolute best work you're capable of, within the constraints of the project. If you can't do that because you aren't passionate about the franchise or whatever other bogus reason, don't take the job. You'll only hurt your own reputation.
    - boomboomsubban 3y ago
      While I agree that doing poorly is unlikely to help them long term, I also understand that the situation they're in is probably frustrating. They've likely done several other shows where they were told that ignoring their distaste and working hard would serve them well in the future, then the only options provided were more shows where they'd have to ignore their distaste and work hard. Eventually you'll try to cram your ideas into a project you aren't terribly fond of. To illustrate my point, while it's probably not a comprehensive list, I took a look at this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fantasy_television_programs https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fantasy_television_pro... and from what I can tell there is one fantasy show not based on an existing franchise airing after 2020. The Outpost on CW.
      - 3y ago

mcpackieh 3y ago

> Producers care more about targeting an existing market than taking any risks Whatever they're trying to do, it's not that: https://i.imgur.com/yIzvm1d.jpg https://i.imgur.com/yIzvm1d.jpg

boomboomsubban 3y ago
The show was still profitable enough to make over three series, that's exactly what they're doing.

baud147258 3y ago

> Do you think the writers wanted to work on an adaptation of a franchise they hated? No one was forcing them to took up that job/stay at that company...

fragmede 3y ago
Other than homelessness and the total lack of a social safety net in Hollywood and the US.
- red-iron-pine 3y ago
  bollocks, there are multiple unions that have (and currently are) fighting aggressively for writers and actors. and in the case of the witcher the talent and the writers had pedigrees, not like henry cavil wasn't in movies before, or since.
- triceratops 3y ago
  Does that mean you should do bad work when you get a job?
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]

triceratops 3y ago

So why not work on a franchise they didn't hate? I have bills to pay too. But when job-hunting there are some industries I simply won't consider.

boomboomsubban 3y ago
How many non-franchise fantasy TV writing opportunities are there? As nobody will consider trying their ideas, every job picked will likely have some compromises.
- triceratops 3y ago
  Doing bad work on less desirable projects in the hope of getting more desirable jobs is an interesting strategy. I mean this is an industry where showing everyone your work is the whole point. They can all see exactly what you wrote; it's all open-source by default. The bottomline is that as a screenwriter you should do the absolute best work you're capable of, within the constraints of the project. If you can't do that because you aren't passionate about the franchise or whatever other bogus reason, don't take the job. You'll only hurt your own reputation.
  - boomboomsubban 3y ago
    While I agree that doing poorly is unlikely to help them long term, I also understand that the situation they're in is probably frustrating. They've likely done several other shows where they were told that ignoring their distaste and working hard would serve them well in the future, then the only options provided were more shows where they'd have to ignore their distaste and work hard. Eventually you'll try to cram your ideas into a project you aren't terribly fond of. To illustrate my point, while it's probably not a comprehensive list, I took a look at this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fantasy_television_programs https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fantasy_television_pro... and from what I can tell there is one fantasy show not based on an existing franchise airing after 2020. The Outpost on CW.
    - 3y ago