tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20291006.post7545096069149977685..comments2024-02-04T20:57:58.093-08:00Comments on Sex In A Submarine: Robbing From The Poor (Writer)wcmartellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18075242897910568801noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20291006.post-41682747407063419622013-07-11T15:24:14.230-07:002013-07-11T15:24:14.230-07:00On the subject of producers, there are three types...On the subject of producers, there are three types:<br /><br />Type one: Loves movies, grew up watching them, would pay to be a producer. Creative and talented. Only goes to the Hollywood parties to talk about movies. Type one producers are very rare.<br /><br />Type two: Loves the deal, lives for it, would pay to make them. You get 3 am calls from Type Twos, because they want to go over the deal again. Knows to stay out of the way of the creative people. Only goes to the parties to make deals. Type twos aren't common.<br /><br />Type three: Doesn't know movies, doesn't even like them, doesn't give a damn about film, only in it for the perceived glamor and prestige. Goes to every party in town -- throws a lot of them -- just to see and be seen and gossip. If something more glamorous came along, they'd be out of movies in the blink of an eye. Type three producer is almost every producer you'll ever meet.Screenplayed Outhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13200411028348927174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20291006.post-74026666403336000012011-01-26T03:33:49.278-08:002011-01-26T03:33:49.278-08:00Well said, brother.
I think one thing they should ...Well said, brother.<br />I think one thing they should do is ban movies being labeled as 'An *Insert Director* Film', which suggests that the director created everything to do with the film, even the script, and that they are the only person of any significance who worked on it. <br />In any other business, it'd be illegal. <br /><br />A play is not allowed to be changed, not one word, without permission from the playwright. This should be the same for films. <br />I've tried to collaborate several times with directors who think they can write. They make me sick. As you say, us writers don't tell them how to direct, so they have no right to meddle with our scripts.Dry_Icehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00938940811056902599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20291006.post-80682460931907374972010-05-27T03:03:45.157-07:002010-05-27T03:03:45.157-07:00I’m with you on this auteur theory thing – that is...I’m with you on this auteur theory thing – that is a newish idea that took off.<br /><br />It reminds me of when Frank Capra gave an interview where he kept talking about the “Capra touch”. He never mentioned his writer Robert Riskin. Riskin got made and sent Capra bunch of blank pages with a note that said, “Put the Capra touch on this!”<br /><br />What people forget is that directing is an interpretive art. A director interprets the piece through his/her sensibility. But that does not mean inventing things to feed their ego.<br /><br />It’s like being a conductor. A conductor conducting a Mozart piece does not change the spirit of the piece. Every instrument, player and the conductor are all serving the piece not their egos.<br /><br />The writing is the foundation on which everything else is built. <br /><br />Yes, film is a collaborative medium, but I can’t help but notice that people only say that when they want the writer to give in. No one ever says to a director that film is a collaborative medium. The only person who is every told this is the person who started with a blank piece of paper. <br /><br />And as for film being collaborative I have thought about this a great deal and it seems to me it is no more collaborative than a stage play. You have almost all the same crew people. You have lighting, sound design, actors, set designers, costume designers (sometimes choreography) and a director. But a playwright’s work is sacrosanct. <br /><br />Playwrights will work with people and will even take notes, but it is not a requirement.<br />The idea of collaborate isn’t used to bully the writer.<br /><br />David Mamet says that they always say to the writer, “Film is collaborative medium. But the part they don’t say is, film is a collaborative medium – bend over.Brian McDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14725832940943503641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20291006.post-52602203996427224482010-05-26T16:43:50.247-07:002010-05-26T16:43:50.247-07:00This a great post.
I once wrote a comic book for ...This a great post.<br /><br />I once wrote a comic book for Dark Horse Comics. When I turned it in and the editor told me that it wasn’t exactly what he had in mind and that he was going to make a few changes.<br /><br />When the book came out it had my name on it as the writer and there was not word written by me in the entire book. Really, not one word.<br /><br />People hated the book. It did suck. Later that year I ran into the editor at the San Diego Comicon and he said, “boy that book really turned out bad”. As if no one was to blame.<br /><br />But there was my name on the book as big as life credited as the writer. I got the idea that there should be such a thing as a “butchered by” credit. If changes that the writer didn’t like were made the writer could make the producer (or in comics the editor) take a “butchered by” credit.<br /><br />That way people wouldn’t blame the entirely for the bad product. I’m not the first person to say it, but it does suck that when a film fails the writer is blamed, but when it works the director gets the credit. What’s up with that?<br /><br />But with the “butchered by” credit people would think twice about their notes. They would only give notes they really thought would help the end product.<br /><br />It’s just a fantasy, but it would be cool to see that credit pop up on the title crawl after you’ve just seen a bad film.Brian McDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14725832940943503641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20291006.post-34559384109820734792010-05-22T14:40:02.795-07:002010-05-22T14:40:02.795-07:00I'm *really* old school. Film as a director...I'm *really* old school. Film as a director's medium is recent history - the auteur theory. For most of the history of film before that, film was a producer's medium... and most producers were screenwriters who had been promoted like Jerry Wald (etc). The great old films like CASABLANCA come from a producer-centric business model, where directors were changed in the middle of a film and often films had multiple directors with only one credited. This whole director-is-god thing is a new thing - and look what it has brought us? Time to really go old school.<br /><br />And the writers cashed their checks for NOTTINGHAM, not the film they made. When I cash my check, it is foir the best possible film from my screenplay - not the worst. Quality comes before my ego.wcmartellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18075242897910568801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20291006.post-240560960983108192010-05-22T13:58:47.593-07:002010-05-22T13:58:47.593-07:00Agree with a lot of this, Bill.
But I'm old sc...Agree with a lot of this, Bill.<br />But I'm old school about certain things.<br /><br />1) Film is the director's medium.<br /> You need 1 vision. You need it. It's chaos<br /> otherwise. I wouldn't have gone into this<br /> as a director like Ridley did...or as the producers <br /> did, but...<br /><br />2) Writers take their paychecks. <br /> They cash them.<br /> And then they trash everything.<br /><br />3) I worked heavy construction, putting myself <br /> through undergrad and then grad film school, and <br /> crewed on indie films -- while I wrote at night,<br /> early in the morning and many, many weekends.<br /> <br /> It's hard for me to hear the same complaints<br /> again from screenwriters about the hellish world<br /> of Hollywood screenwriting.<br /> <br /> No one put a gun to the original writers' heads.<br /> <br /> And I'm sure they cashed their paychecks.<br /> They don't like how their script was redone?<br /> Guess what?<br /> Take that same paycheck...and bankroll<br /> your own movie. <br /> Yeah, make your own film.<br /> Get your own vision up there, where you<br /> have absolute control.<br /> <br /> You've done that, haven't you Bill?<br /><br /> MARKTMARK11https://www.blogger.com/profile/09766136009338522766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20291006.post-6627665791205901422010-05-22T01:51:49.058-07:002010-05-22T01:51:49.058-07:00Bill,
I tremendously enjoy reading your blog. Th...Bill, <br /><br />I tremendously enjoy reading your blog. Thanks for this fantastic article!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07042221645312165487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20291006.post-2712075226629864252010-05-20T19:41:42.116-07:002010-05-20T19:41:42.116-07:00Hey guys,
In its first weekend, it already made h...Hey guys,<br /><br />In its first weekend, it already made half of its budget up, and is the number two movie in the country. So obviously something clicked that the uptight, rich, and Robin Hood (the ideal) hating critics and reviewers missed. <br /><br />Everyone said that, although the IDEA of "Nottingham" was a good one, it ended up playing out as "CSI: Nottingham," and Russell himself said that it was found to be just boring, which is why it was altered to its present format, which is by far better.<br /><br />People seem to miss the fundamental thing about Robin Hood these days. People compare him to Al Qaeda and terrorism, but he's not like that at all. It has become popular these days to bash heroes, and strip anything with an ideal down to something you wish to call frivolous and useless. <br /><br />As for the movie itself, I thought it was well done, and everyone I've talked to has agreed. Reviewers don't even seem to bother seeing the movie before writing reviews on it, or if they do see it, they have pre-conceived ideas and notions, and are no longer looking for the message or idea that the movie is trying to get across.<br /><br />And I end my part here with this: You cannot compare the classic, Errol Flynn, "Robin Hood" with Scott's, because they're two DIFFERENT interpretations, and two DIFFERENT stories, which just happen to use the same characters.<br /><br />Thank you for your time reading this.Merlin Chappuishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10701944017697844021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20291006.post-65365426640160690552010-05-20T13:51:48.089-07:002010-05-20T13:51:48.089-07:00Excellent post.
How you contain your anger is be...Excellent post. <br /><br />How you contain your anger is beyond me. You must do yoga or something.adrian mckintyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03349942973907386269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20291006.post-45778403569024085832010-05-20T06:42:24.524-07:002010-05-20T06:42:24.524-07:00Thank you so much for that expressive account. I c...Thank you so much for that expressive account. I can't agree with you more, particularly on the butcher process, irrespective of the collaborative aspects.<br />Often miffed by this reasoning behind becoming attracted to a great script and turning it into a sow's ear of a film, I would appreciate an insight as to what to do?<br />My own reasoning would be to do it oneself, though huge amounts of money is required and the fund providers would thus bring the whole silly process into full circle, I would wager.<br />Also I am sure a few attempts to create a studio (maybe like United Artists) or an independent group of filmmakers that don't like the system have ended up in similar circumstances to what they were fighting against.<br />There must be a practical way, with like-minded people, with expertise in respective roles available to bring a "just" fairness to the script and scriptwriter so the story everyone gets excited about actually gets made. Yes?SilverGreyFilmshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07369737986122122140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20291006.post-10203092233132242272010-05-19T11:39:36.555-07:002010-05-19T11:39:36.555-07:00And the price tag for "turning the most expen...And the price tag for "turning the most expensive meal you have ever eaten into something else"? <br /><br />6.7 million is what they ended up spending on the script.Third World Girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10998943340944452416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20291006.post-20503047254698485982010-05-19T11:23:47.591-07:002010-05-19T11:23:47.591-07:00Interestingly enough, I think the original script ...Interestingly enough, I think the original script had a bit of a political bent to it ... a figure of authority investigating a "terrorist" that history has actually glorified into a folk hero. It really is a shame we'll never get to see this movie.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06248304931932183983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20291006.post-28287034400223117572010-05-18T06:58:03.150-07:002010-05-18T06:58:03.150-07:00Could not disagree more. Robin Hood is Ridley'...Could not disagree more. Robin Hood is Ridley's most important film since Blade Runner. Funny, it's getting the same type of reaction. There are a few poorly joined parts here, but I'm sure he'll fix 'em for the DVD. His more ambitious films usually take a few cuts to get just right. Time will vindicate this film. But it's kind of nice to have a great film that everyone isn't jumping on a bandwagon for. Keep your Costner crap ha ha! I'll take this any day. Probably the best big-screen Robin since the last of the Hammer Robin Hoods.Vinnyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17431019698541377093noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20291006.post-77733911159796221062010-05-18T03:15:36.785-07:002010-05-18T03:15:36.785-07:00Amazing stuff. I've now linked to your blog fr...Amazing stuff. I've now linked to your blog from my review of Robin Hood for Film4, which I wrote before I'd read your post here. I actually didn't mind Robin Hood as it eventually emerged, but boy, does it seem like Nottingham would have been better.<br /><br />http://www.film4.com/reviews/2010/robin-hoodUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15216423044364247822noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20291006.post-86425356775070300682010-05-18T02:56:22.691-07:002010-05-18T02:56:22.691-07:00Wonderful piece.
Like you I don't understand ...Wonderful piece. <br />Like you I don't understand why they just didn't start afresh with a new Robin Hood idea. Why trample on someone's work like that? It's actually cheaper not to...<br />Reminds me of the Demi Moore film Striptease - which is based on a hilarious Carl Hiaasen novel. All the novel's humour and brilliance was taken out in adapting it into a script - and the two bore almost no resemblance to each other. There can't be a single person in the world who would like both the novel and the film. Not only was this truly wrong on an artistic and moral level, but it can't have made any commercial sense either.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01423497976580933812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20291006.post-30491875280353966402010-05-18T02:40:59.684-07:002010-05-18T02:40:59.684-07:00I would watch the sh*t out of Nottingham.I would watch the sh*t out of Nottingham.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16597976615352255074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20291006.post-91963841715491225812010-05-17T16:03:24.421-07:002010-05-17T16:03:24.421-07:00For archery being the focus, there wasn't anyt...For archery being the focus, there wasn't anything like enough. I'm a buff and there was really hardly any, not close anyway, just flocks of arrows shot off a cliff. Fish in a barrel. Boooring.<br /><br />And I see you showed the BBC version of Robin Hood, which was well-written, funny, endearing, and adventuresome. It wasn't very gritty, but my kids liked to watch it and we did too, so it has all that going for it.<br /><br />The script absolutely sucked, it had no conflict (Robin waltzes in and basically gets whatever he wants - the freakin' characters even mention it - CLUE writers!)<br /><br />But I had fun with it. I expected little and I got exactly that. I would have LOVED to have seen Crowe as the Sheriff, though!ssashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15527483283426518167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20291006.post-32241993835025630302010-05-17T15:03:38.494-07:002010-05-17T15:03:38.494-07:00Mr. M.: Complete sympathy here with the drastic t...Mr. M.: Complete sympathy here with the drastic things that can happen to a writer's concept and script during the tortuous process of getting "it" (whatever mutation it turns out to be) finally filmed. I too very much liked the might-have-been "Nottingham" and wish it had been made.<br /><br />But it wasn't. That said, sir, did you actually see this "Robin Hood" before writing this blog? Because it is NOT, in fact, "the same story we have seen a hundred times before." "Unique" is a tricky word, but I would argue that this "R.H." is at least quite different in that it's a "what if? maybe?" origin story, and certainly not "a rehash of someone else's hash," if by "hash" you mean the umpteen tellings of the Robin Hood legend that have come before. You may disagree, bemoan or hate what Ridley & Co. has come up with, but this "Robin Hood" is by no means a "same old, same old."<br /><br />Another thing: I believe that if "Nottingham" had to go, for whatever the reasons (including the title), this, our new "Robin Hood" should have been given a different title, one that made it a little clearer that it ISN'T yet another "Robin Hood and his Merry Men frolic in Sherwood Forest" story. (And maybe then all the die-hard Errol Flynners wouldn't be rending their emerald green garments in such distress.)<br /><br />What I did this weekend was to shake off as much of the nay-saying and negativity about this movie as I could, and see it. I enjoyed it thoroughly as an action/adventure story that was well acted (given the script!) and excellently filmed. And just think: maybe we WILL see "Nottingham" (or a rewrite thereof!) one day.Anne Lundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14813460279978839111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20291006.post-81068652501353373442010-05-17T14:56:27.519-07:002010-05-17T14:56:27.519-07:00Great write-up. Solid work, but the big thing you ...Great write-up. Solid work, but the big thing you missed is, Scott's "Robin Hood" isn't what we've already seen. It's a prequel to the legend of Robin Hood. Russell Crowe is Robin Longstride for the entire movie.<br /><br />That said, I totally agree with your qualms. Nottingham sounded real cool. But the fact is Scott and Helgeland ended up with a well done prequel.<br /><br />But hey that's just my two cents.Schofizzyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02814299074271784174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20291006.post-46809530489644226512010-05-17T13:17:00.551-07:002010-05-17T13:17:00.551-07:00The pre-Helgeland first draft by Reiff and Voris i...The pre-Helgeland first draft by Reiff and Voris is available on <a href="http://www.mypdfscripts.com/screenplays/robin-hood" rel="nofollow">Mypdfscripts</a>. [4.2 MB]Martin_Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06872780969179149381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20291006.post-22699111959741130222010-05-17T12:46:57.168-07:002010-05-17T12:46:57.168-07:00went to the movie last night, read the first draft...went to the movie last night, read the first draft of the script this morning (available at mypdfscripts.com). <br /><br />funny how you mention laughing at the one unchanged line - there was one phrase on p. 56 that made it into the film (albeit spoken by another character) but i chuckled when i saw it. amazing what sticks through all the rewrites<br /><br />i understand why they made the changes. the climactic battle at the end of the film is arguably more cinematic than the one in the script, though the original felt much more real and was more tense. as gritty as the movie is, the screenplay is a little more so. the story liberties in the film were more rewriting the legend than the script's revision of it which make the latter much more fresh than the former. <br /><br />after watching the movie, i couldn't help but think that of all ripley's films, this one seems most apt for a sequel. perhaps the original script could be reworked in a way as robin hood 2. however, i think it's highly unlikely any other version of "nottingham" will be made.samuel.x.killerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14864745416243476871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20291006.post-62589212738185967062010-05-17T10:06:00.743-07:002010-05-17T10:06:00.743-07:00That's right, but could the original writers g...That's right, but could the original writers get away with it? Since it's their idea and they pulled it off, they should be the ones getting a shot at the title... Perhaps they should use a front man and then reveal the whole truth once the movie is a success and covered in Academy Award nominations.mrswinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16121973088315971132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20291006.post-41515362066618132342010-05-17T07:31:18.395-07:002010-05-17T07:31:18.395-07:00Another writer and another studio can still make N...Another writer and another studio can still make Nottingham. The myth is in public domain so anyone can take a stab at it. That angle is still not exploredAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20291006.post-73664202985469694402010-05-17T02:21:31.579-07:002010-05-17T02:21:31.579-07:00Everything comissioned by the studio is owned by t...Everything comissioned by the studio is owned by the studio.<br /><br />And they have really good lawyers.wcmartellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18075242897910568801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20291006.post-29564917146622604002010-05-17T01:47:59.958-07:002010-05-17T01:47:59.958-07:00this was awesome.
The whole reason I want to be a...this was awesome.<br /><br />The whole reason I want to be a producer is so I can stop movies like Robin Hood ever happening.RJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14023360787306443593noreply@blogger.com