But I'm not sure what made this script worth so much money. My best guess is the PG rating. Most of the retold fairy tales out now seem to have R ratings.
In Snow White, there are evil fairies who are kind of mean although not in any memorable way, which would seem kind of edgy, I guess, had Killing on Carnival Row not been about fairy prostitutes.
It's retelling of a fairy tale, but it seems like every ten minutes a new fairy tale pops up with some kind of modern take. It's so trendy to retell fairy tales that I looked on Project Gutenberg a month ago to see what kind of cool Grimm tales I had overlooked. Do you know most of them are like three paragraphs long?
The consensus among those of us who've never actually made any money writing screenplays is, we don't get it. The script has some major dialogue issues and overall is kind of predictable except in places where the characters defy logic. On the one hand, it was easy to read. I had no trouble making it to the end, and I'm somebody who regularly gives up when shit gets boring. On the other hand, I just didn't get the wow factor.
I wish I understood. Does anybody get why this script made so much money? Is it the PG thing? I'd like to understand so I too can make that much money.
I was in the pitch meeting.
ReplyDeleteBasically, with the right director on board, it'd be Enchanted meets Alice in Wonderland.
And don't forget, this is only a first draft. There would be a lot of rewrites and polishes before this gets to the screen.illubcu
Fair enough. And I can see where you can compare it to Enchanted. That movie was exactly what it was supposed to be.
ReplyDeleteIt also makes more sense if it was sold off the pitch not just the script.
Still. Damn, that's a lot of money.
Emily - Where'd you get a look at the script? Guess I'm not following the right message boards.
ReplyDeleteEmail me, Kim.
ReplyDeleteread the script, and all you guys got GOT ,got to understand one really vital thing, this is just first draft to get things out there, and the producers know this, this script as it reads is one dimensional okay howey doey kind of thing, and the writer knows that, so chill out all you guys from blogs and forums, this is not really a script by some some writer pushing himself and herself on forums and blogs, this is written by an expert and he knows what he is doing,
ReplyDeleteYES, i agree with the right director this is a killer script and movie
i would re-write it on a shooting script level,
this story is going to rock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joe
The danger in that line of thinking, Joe, is that it implies that professional writers don't have to write a stellar draft to sell it. Many new writers already think all they have to do is think of a good idea and they'll make money even if the script sucks.
ReplyDeleteThis script doesn't suck, but it isn't particularly great, either. I don't know that it's the best lesson we can learn here.
holy batman,
ReplyDeletethey're going to stunt cast Anne Hathaway as the evil queen.
waiting for Nikki Finki to break this story.
Hay Emily, it's Joe here.
ReplyDeleteNeed some emergency advice here.
Just heard from Done Deal Pro
(in case you don't know its a blog where people go to f***** around);anyways, heard there that 5 writers (aspiring) on Done Deal who are thinking of these to adapt. And advise.
JACK AND THE BEANSTALK
CINDEREALLA
HUNCH BACK
SLEEPING BEAUTY
POCOHANTAS
As for me I want to adapt one or two of these, which one sounds like a good story. Here is my list to pick from.
The Wolf and the Lamb
The Bat and the Weasels
The Ass and the Grasshopper
The Lion and the Mouse
The Charcoal-Burner and the Fuller
Joe, I'd write whatever story spoke to me. The problem with following the trend of modernizing fairy tales is it's just that - you're FOLLOWING. By the time you get your script done this craze could be over, so only write something you feel passionate about, not something that's currently selling. Several of those adaptations you mentioned - particularly Shotgun Cinderella - have long been in the works and are already circulating in the market. By the time yours is ready everyone else will have gotten there first.
ReplyDeleteHey Emily, have you read Shotgun Cinderella? So many blogs talking about this script. Is the style like Lumet, Pollack, Tarantino, Michael Bay? How is it written, what's the tone and pacing like?
ReplyDeleteI would love to read it. Do you know where I can get a copy? And if you know the writer could you ask him to be guest on your blog and talk about the script.
Joe