Hey all, J.C. here again with Round Two of my coverage and thoughts from the Nashville Screenwriters Conference. The second panel I will be discussing is the panel Derek Haas hosted with guests Jeff Lowell, Malcolm Spellman, and Tim Talbott.
The panel was titled, “Who the Hell is Going to Buy My Script?” And subtitled, “What the Studio World, Indie World, and Television World are looking for from Spec Writers.” I don’t think either of those topics were hit dead-on, but there was still some interesting and fun discussions with each of these guys.
The panel opened with Haas introducing each of his panelists. I was quite happy with the loud ovation that Balls Out got when he mentioned it. It’s nice that there are others out there who get it and also have my odd sense of humor.
Each of the panelists got their start with spec scripts. Jeff Lowell has sold a few specs over the last five years and had this to say about why he does specs: “I write specs because I find that once you break in, people forget you have a voice.” Lowell got his start in television by writing specs of existing shows and sending them to everyone that he could. Finally, with his thirteenth or fourteenth spec, he got in the door. Haas said of selling specs, “Most of us started with a spec sale and I still think that’s the main way to get in.”
Tim Talbott took an idea from a college film he did and worked it into a feature that eventually led to an agent. He and Spellman also talked about the genesis of why they went viral with Balls Out: they had no other choice. “All four of our reps said no.” Talbott added, “My manager said that we can’t send this out with our cover on it because it will damage our reputation around town.” They eventually parted ways with certain reps and found new ones that would take a chance on Balls Out.
Talbott then went on to add that the script for Balls Out has now been downloaded over 30,000 times and has led to a lot of opportunities for the pair even though the script hasn’t sold. Not only that, but Balls Out is the only script released exclusively to the internet first to make the coveted Black List.
Which brings up the next topic that a lot of up-and-coming writers think: “I have to sell a script to be a writer.” Everyone of the panelists discussed how this train of thought isn’t good for you. Talbott, in the case of Balls Out, had this to say: “There is a lot of value to a spec even if it doesn’t sell. As of right now Balls Out hasn’t sold but we’ve met with everyone in town.”
Lowell had a similar story about a spec that didn’t sell, but got him a lot of attention: “I wrote a black comedy, [it didn't] sell. About Hollywood, [it didn't] sell. And in the span of a few months I had 15 meetings. All the meetings started the same way, “Hilarious script, we’ll never make it. What else do you have?” As most of you out there know: getting a foot in the door is the hardest part, so even if your script doesn’t sell, you have gotten further than a lot of writers have.
And then there is also always the fact that, in most instances, you can reclaim the rights to your script. This is what happened with Haas and Brandt’s spec script, The Double, from pitch to the screen. The first time they took out The Double, they took it out as a pitch and Haas stated that it lasted one pitch. “It was with a producer who was an older guy and we meet outside the office and he tells us, ‘Guys, I might fall asleep during this pitch.’ So we get in there, we’re on the edge of our seats, we always try to pitch with energy, and we look over and he’s asleep! Needless to say it didn’t go well and we fired him as a producer and eight years later we’re making it without him.”
For whatever reason [MGM] decided they weren’t going to make it and there’s this nifty thing that the Writers Guild has called reversal rights. We got paid very little at the time. Then you can get another production company to come in and pay the same amount to get the rights back. We got the rights back, Richard Gere [signed on] and with that we got the financing and are making it as an indie. It’s a fifteen million dollar spy thriller and studios don’t make 15 million dollar spy thrillers.”
Later, another interesting topic was brought up: being typecast as a writer. Haas talked about how in Hollywood everyone is put in a box. If your spec is comedy, then they only want you to write comedy. Spellman talked about how he had to prove he could write other genres, “I’ve had to re-invent my career two times and both times it was with a spec. I got put in a box, which is typical in Hollywood, then that genre died so I had to write something else. The spec that got me Hot Wheels is another script that will never get made.”
Oh yeah, if you didn’t know, Malcolm Spellman is writing the new Hot Wheels movie for Warner Bros. He is also working on a feature with Jamie Foxx.
So, then, do you have to write something commercial to get noticed by agents or anyone in Hollywood? I personally believe that you should just write whatever comes natural to you and you feel good about. Here are Spellman’s thoughts on the matter, “I spent 2 years working on a script that I thought would fit the market. Every time I’ve done something it’s been something that doesn’t fit. Writing for the market has never worked for me.” And Haas gave his advice as well, “You just have to write something really good that shows your voice.” He went on to add, “A lot of times writers say [readers] didn’t get it, but it’s not that they didn’t get it, it’s that the storytelling isn’t good enough.”
A good way to help hone your storytelling skills is simply by watching movies and reading scripts or hell, even plays for that matter. Haas told a story about inspiration when it comes to writing, “I’m always fascinated when I hear that people want to be screenwriters, but they don’t watch movies or television. It’s your job and if you’re too good to watch them, then I don’t see how you can be a successful filmmaker because so much of what you see might trigger another idea. I was on a panel with the guys who wrote The Hangover and I asked them, ‘Did you guys go to Vegas and one of your buddies got knocked out and then you came up with this plot?’ And they were like, ‘No, we were watching Dude, Where’s My Car and thought: this thing’s s****y!’”
Here is a couple more questions that were asked by audience members. When asked if there is a future in viral scripts Spellman said, “Yeah, it can work. If you write a great script, something will happen.”
Anyone who has sought out advice on what to do with your first script after you’ve written it has surely read that you shouldn’t send it out or you should put it in your desk for a few years, etc. Here’s the exchange that happened onstage between Spellman and Talbott. You guys out there can decide for yourselves what to do with it. Trust me, chances are it won’t be the worst idea that execs have heard (but it might be.)
AUDIENCE MEMBER
Should I send out my first script?
SPELLMAN
No! No!
TALBOTT
I have a different opinion. I worked in a subway for two years and did the only thing I could do, which was write. We took a short film we did in college and expanded it into a feature and worked on it for two years and it got me an agent. I don’t think you have to write ten scripts. If you watch enough movies and read enough scripts there’s a sort of absorption of what a movie is.
SPELLMAN
Don’t do it.
Check out more:
Nashville Screenwriters Conference @ nashscreen.com
Derek Haas’ official site @ derekhaas.com
Derek’s Popcorn Fiction @ popcornfiction.com
The Robotard 8000 (Tim Talbott and Malcolm Spellman) @ therobotard8000.com
Contact J.C. @ E-mail