Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Why I didn't send you my script


Here in the land of aspiring screenwriters we are so cynical. So many of us are terrible writers who think we're great, just like those American Idol wannabes who warble at the first round of auditions and then promise we'll see them again someday on a stage surrounded by lights of denial. You can't spit in this town without hitting some jackass with a screenplay that's going to revolutionize Hollywood and show us all how it's really done.

So yesterday when I said I had confidence in my screenplay, I can see why a lot of people hesitated to believe I had the goods to back it up.

I received a lot of requests, both publicly and privately, to send my screenplay to other writers so they could read it.

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I interpreted most of those requests as tests. Oh she has confidence, does she? We'll see about that. When I'm done with her, she'll be weeping in the shower and cutting herself.

Now granted, some of these people offered to read my script when I was having problems, but most of them only offered after I said I had a good script.

And that tells me that they aren't looking to help me. They're looking to see if I'm as good as I say I am.

Look, if you want to know if I can back it up, okay. Say so. Email me and say "I'm curious about your script. Can I read it?"

I'll send it. I like the script, I'm proud of it, and it's registered so you go right ahead and read all you like.

I've been working with someone who wishes to stay anonymous, someone who has helped me heaps and piles in improving this script. We have gone back and forth, argued and discussed, read and reread the script for months now. I also have a writers group that has read it and given me notes. I have agonized over all those notes and now I feel like my script is high and tight like Dolly's breasts.

So when people offered to give me notes yesterday I was a little surprised and my initial reaction to some of you was probably not the best one I could have had. I'm just not sure how to take it when I say "I'm finished with my script!" and everybody immediately says "Oh let me give you notes! You're not done until I say you're done!"

Or at least that's how I took it.

7 comments:

  1. I just wanted to read the script. I like zombie movies, and I like the writing on your blog.

    I'm not out to bash the script. I'm not out to heap praise on you. I'm not out to make you back up your shit.

    I thought it would be a fun read, and maybe I could help if something didn't work for me.

    That's all.

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  2. Thank you, Matt.

    And goddammnit I wasn't talking about you.

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  3. Just because I'm paranoid, doesn't mean they're not after me.

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  4. Anonymous2:39 PM

    First, congrats! I'd like to read it just because I like your blog and the way you've talked about it and how it's evolved but, I have so much other stuff to read it wouldn't be fair to request it and not read it.

    But I do want too! :)

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  5. Anonymous3:59 AM

    I also love the zombie genre and constantly giggle with excitement when someone twists the genre or comes up with something unique (why does Shaun Of The Dead always rear it's festering head here?)and I will tackle my own stab into it one day as I have a controversial angle myself in my idea book

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  6. I remember when you first wrote in your blog about having this zombie movie idea and it seems to have gone through one hell of a process.

    You know, some people say a script is never finished... until you say "ok, now I confident this is my best work I can do!"

    And yes, I want to read your script. I started to read some of mystery man's stuff today and feel like I am back reading again. I'll write you an email!

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  7. "I feel like my script is high and tight like Dolly's breasts."

    Have you seen Dolly lately?

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