Breaking Into Hollywood
Breaking Into Hollywood
By Bill Lae
You’ve heard about it. You’ve thought about it. Some do it. More fantasize doing it. Have you ever really stopped to think about it? No, seriously. If we were talking about any other business that produces a product or service, would you actually talk about breaking into it? “I broke into Nuclear Physics! Yep. One night, I had this idea about subatomic particles and then BANG! I was in.” Or: “I broke into architecture. I told Trump about my childhood dream of a glass tower and he had to have it!” ‘Sound ridiculous? It is. It just could not, would not happen, Sam I am. I bet it’s just as hard to “break into” pig farming. Pig farmers aren’t going to want to risk their valuable commodities on someone that hasn’t “worked the farm.”
I would venture to say that those that need to break in rather than earn their way in have nothing of value to exchange or they haven’t the experience necessary to walk in and “get the job.” After all, isn’t that why robbers break into banks? They’re not there for an exchange. They’re there for the taking. By all means, shoot for having a studio exec put his hands in the air, but not at gunpoint. If you have something of value, especially extreme value (like a great script), then there is no need to break in. The doors will open. They’ll throw their arms in the air with glee. (Once Hollywood has it, your script may end up looking like the pig farmer’s pigs got a hold of it, but that’s another story.)
You are welcome to enter the gates and trade in Hollywood when you have something of value. Having something of value usually entails having spent the time, energy, and effort to create it, mold it, and sculpt it. This may be bad news to some, but I’m gambling that it’s good news to you just as it’s really good news to the people (writers, producers, directors, actors, etc) serious about contributing in Hollywood. Often, hopefuls are depressed by the “numbers.” You’ll hear or read the bad news: “Each year, the studios receive over a million screenplays: a hundred are optioned, fifty are made, and forty of those aren’t spec.”
The good news is that 99.9% of the spec screenplays are indistinguishable from what the pigs are prolific at generating. (It’s been said that the brown layer of smog hovering over L.A. is not from car exhaust but the stench of bad scripts.) The writers of such screenplays could hope for nothing more than to “break-in.” (Some do. Some of this stuff does get made. I bet you have five examples on your short list. Me too.) It’s true that some people have one great script or performance in them without any real experience or education, but those with staying power must know their craft. A more accurate cliché’ in Hollywood is that “every overnight success is years in the making.” Rather than trying to break in, I challenge you to earn your way in. So, if you’re hoping to be the William Hung of Screenwriters, just remember that Ed Wood wasn’t a success until long after he was gone, and I’m positive we won’t be seeing or hearing anything more from him.
For more info and incredible programs for helping you ‘break in,’ please check out www.scriptwritercentral.com.
By Bill Lae
You’ve heard about it. You’ve thought about it. Some do it. More fantasize doing it. Have you ever really stopped to think about it? No, seriously. If we were talking about any other business that produces a product or service, would you actually talk about breaking into it? “I broke into Nuclear Physics! Yep. One night, I had this idea about subatomic particles and then BANG! I was in.” Or: “I broke into architecture. I told Trump about my childhood dream of a glass tower and he had to have it!” ‘Sound ridiculous? It is. It just could not, would not happen, Sam I am. I bet it’s just as hard to “break into” pig farming. Pig farmers aren’t going to want to risk their valuable commodities on someone that hasn’t “worked the farm.”
I would venture to say that those that need to break in rather than earn their way in have nothing of value to exchange or they haven’t the experience necessary to walk in and “get the job.” After all, isn’t that why robbers break into banks? They’re not there for an exchange. They’re there for the taking. By all means, shoot for having a studio exec put his hands in the air, but not at gunpoint. If you have something of value, especially extreme value (like a great script), then there is no need to break in. The doors will open. They’ll throw their arms in the air with glee. (Once Hollywood has it, your script may end up looking like the pig farmer’s pigs got a hold of it, but that’s another story.)
You are welcome to enter the gates and trade in Hollywood when you have something of value. Having something of value usually entails having spent the time, energy, and effort to create it, mold it, and sculpt it. This may be bad news to some, but I’m gambling that it’s good news to you just as it’s really good news to the people (writers, producers, directors, actors, etc) serious about contributing in Hollywood. Often, hopefuls are depressed by the “numbers.” You’ll hear or read the bad news: “Each year, the studios receive over a million screenplays: a hundred are optioned, fifty are made, and forty of those aren’t spec.”
The good news is that 99.9% of the spec screenplays are indistinguishable from what the pigs are prolific at generating. (It’s been said that the brown layer of smog hovering over L.A. is not from car exhaust but the stench of bad scripts.) The writers of such screenplays could hope for nothing more than to “break-in.” (Some do. Some of this stuff does get made. I bet you have five examples on your short list. Me too.) It’s true that some people have one great script or performance in them without any real experience or education, but those with staying power must know their craft. A more accurate cliché’ in Hollywood is that “every overnight success is years in the making.” Rather than trying to break in, I challenge you to earn your way in. So, if you’re hoping to be the William Hung of Screenwriters, just remember that Ed Wood wasn’t a success until long after he was gone, and I’m positive we won’t be seeing or hearing anything more from him.
For more info and incredible programs for helping you ‘break in,’ please check out www.scriptwritercentral.com.
posted by Derek Rydall at
12:59 AM
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