Q: Should I write "to the market" or write what I want?
“Japanese-style
horror? Aisle 4…”A: Yes.
By “writing to market”, the questioner is asking whether or not spec writers should take advantage of the hot buying trends in the screenplay market. Those trends certainly exist. The alternative is to put your own instincts and passion first, and if that means you’re selling straight-leg jeans when everyone wants bell-bottoms, well…that’s life.
The truth is that doing both ain’t such a bad idea, particularly if you’re still trying to solidify your place in town as a professional.
When I started out writing comedy screenplays, the success of Ace Ventura: Pet Detective had set a clear trend. Everyone wanted what they called “character driven comedies”.
I had a choice. Ignore the trend and write the kinds of comedies I tend to prefer, or embrace the trend, get hired, and then deal with the first-class problem of pigeonholing later.
I surfed the trend.
Still, nothing was stopping me from continuing to learn my craft and explore the kind of writing I wanted to do. Happily, I was able to get employment writing movies that were more my style (although, ominously, those haven’t quite gotten made yet).
Writing is still one of the lowest overhead businesses on the planet. Pretty much every time you’re faced with a decision of writing one kind or screenplay or another, the best answer is to write them both. If you can’t afford to write both, then pick the one that will make you happiest.
After all, life is short. Besides, the trends just changed while you were reading this.
Coming up next, a discussion of “orphan works” and a review of fellow blogger Alex Epstein’s book Crafty Screenwriting.
Life is short, and unless the current market/hot genre reflects the best vehicle for me to effectively tell a great story, then screw it.
I have more faith in a good story finding its way eventually than something that simply fits the bill of “what’s hot” now.
~ Joey
Writing specs is probably the only time when you have the freedom to go as far as you want with a story. You have the possibility do something you are truly passionate about and that translates into a better script. Passion in the page, passion off the page.
So I chose to write about subjects I’m truly passionate about and only when I feel I have something to say. But, given that at any given time I have two or three projects I feel driven to write, I will chose the one I feel has the best chances of getting read.
I say getting read, because I know that it is very unlikely that a spec will be bought, much less produced. Which brings the follow up question: Is is better to have a great spec, written with such passion that it comes off he page, one that shows you at your best, or, have a spec script that follows the trend?
Daniel Landry
The problem with following trends is that you’re not alone. There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of screenwriters out there chasing the same trend. And when you and all the other screenwriters finish your specs, there’ll be a glut in the marketplace and your idea will no longer seem fresh. Also, it only takes one film following a particular trend to bomb to kill that trend.
In my opinion, you should write with an awareness of the marketplace, but don’t cater to it. Sure an exec or agent will tell you what ideas are hot right now, but in three months (when your spec is finished), there’s the danger that the idea will be passe. What they are really looking for is the NEXT trend. So write ahead of the curve.
I try to find a story I want to tell that fits into what audiences want to see. Unless it’s a genre I have no affinity for at all, it’s not a bad game to play. I like the challenge. And I can get it out fast.
I’ve spent too many years writing just what I like. The shelves get to be a bitch to dust with all those scripts sitting on them.
as long as he is reading the actual trends in script sales and options, and not reading the box office.. as we know what is hot in sales now won’t see the big screen for 18+ months (so if Done Deal reports 11 similar gangsta rapper bio-pics, then forget it)
I’m not a pro like some of you here, just an aspiring amateur, but it seems to me that following trends is a waste of time. Sure, you need to be aware of the marketplace, as someone else above mentioned, but I don’t think that writing something with big green cartoon dollar bills in your eyes (cue “Cha-ching” sound effect) is the way to go. You’ll likely end up writing something derivative.
Also, following trends is unpredictable as public tastes change moment to moment; you’d do better playing the lottery. The most glaring examples: last year Passion of the Christ became the most profitable R-rated film of all time, so one would think reverant biblical epics are what’s hot this year, but maybe not because this summer one of the most profitable movies is turning out to be March of the Penguins, so then one would be led to believe that wildlife documentaries are hot, but wait…. You see what I mean? In conclusion, a writer is better of going with a good story, well-told, with interesting characters.
Seems the lesson to be learned is this:
Don’t follow what’s hot, simply avoid what’s not.
I completely agree with Craig and disagree with some other posters. To me the BEST shot one has is to write a high concept comedy (or action or thriller) that has many juicy rolls for actors and can be made relatively inexpensive. This isn’t a trend as much as what Hollywood would take a chance on a newer writer for.
The fact is it seems Hollywood will always be looking for the next Liar, Liar, Wedding Crashers, Home Alone etc. Perhaps I’m wrong but I’d bet Liar, Liar would have a damn good shot of being bought now. It seems the trick is to find some high concept idea that NO ONE has thought of that an exec can see the movie poster by the log line. I have several friends of late who have broke in, all of which did so with high concept comedy. The script IDEA made people laugh.
Sometimes I look at log lines by amateurs on places like Done Deal. Not only are the ideas bad but they’re often expensive period pieces where the opening shot will cost $50 million or very personal dramas that no one will buy. I read these ideas and think that’s not a movie. Who the hell would want to see that?
Maybe I’m too market driven but it seems that writing some $100 million post civil war epic will never get bought buy a first time writer (it took Cold Mountain 10 years to come to the screen.) Nor will that “slice of life” about your grandmother. In short I think a high concept, familiar but original idea — white bread if you will — has a better shot then anything else. Of course then it has to be written VERY well.
all i’m interested in is producing entertainment. as such, i always write to the market. as such, i always write what is my passion
it’s about entertaining a darkened room full of popcorn munching people. it all about that and nothing else. if you’re writing something else, switch to theater or novels
James—
I don’t think any of us are suggesting writing a big budget civil war epic or obscure personal drama (at least I’m not). High concepts are extremely important. I think you can run into problems when you follow trends, especially in comedy.
A comedy writer friend of mine who broke into the industry post American Pie was gearing up to write his new spec. He wanted to write a quirky off-beat comedy. His agent told him hard R gross-out comedies were hot and he needed to write one. Good idea at the time, since American Pie, Something About Mary, Scary Movie etc. had recently been huge hits. So he went off and wrote his hard R gross out comedy. The problem was, six months later, when he was ready to send it out, Tomcats, Say It Isn’t So, and Slackers had all come out and bombed. Congress was criticizing the industry for marketing R rated films at pre-teens and suddenly R rated gross out comedies were out of vogue. My friend had written a very funny script, but nobody wanted to touch it. So what did he do next? He wrote his offbeat comedy, the script he originally wanted to write, and sold it.
You’re right about certain types of movies, Liar Liar, Home Alone, etc being viable in the marketplace today. They’re great concepts that are well executed and would certainly sell if they hadn’t been made already. But I don’t think those ideas were trend-followers, they were more trend-setters.
Louis,
I agree. Perhaps I should be clear: I think it’s important to write something that is high concept, commercial AND something you’re passionate about.
I agree 100%, running out and writing lets say a wedding script (after Wedding Crashers) might sell. But then again if 3 wedding movies come out and bomb of course it won’t. That seems like a CRAZY way to work. On the other hand if one has a wedding script maybe this is the time to get it out.
I try to combine commericial ideas I’m passionate about that I think could find an audience. In addition I try to write movies I’d like to see.
It’d never watch a movie or see something sell and try run out and write something like that…
“The fact is it seems Hollywood will always be looking for the next Liar, Liar…. Perhaps I’m wrong but I’d bet Liar, Liar would have a damn good shot of being bought now.”
“You’re right about certain types of movies, Liar Liar… being viable in the marketplace today. They… would certainly sell if they hadn’t been made already.”
Hmmmm….
In 1990 my then-partner and I pitched the LIAR, LIAR concept to nine companies. Nine companies turned us down. Four years later, I mentioned it to David Friendly in a general meeting at Imagine. A minute later we pitched it to Brian Grazer. He said, “We’re going to make this movie.” Three years later — seven years to the day since I wrote down the initial idea — we went to the world premiere of LIAR, LIAR.
I’ll let you draw your own conclusions.
Paul,
I understand it’s difficult either way. I simply meant that high concept comedies (Like Liar, Liar) seem to have a “better” shot then lets say a period piece or slice of life. However I don’t see ANY GENRE as being “easy”.
Paul G,
Your experience confirms my personal observations. Liar Liar is a great concept and wonderful story, but it took an extraordinary convergence of people and events to bring it to the screen.
That extraordinary convergence of people and events is my definition of a film.
DL
I spent the first four years of my career ignoring the market, convinced that a story well told had the power to win the hearts and minds of studio execs. Each script got a similar response: “Wow, really love the writing, fascinating subject matter, nice…” after which the conversation would segue to “So, do you have anything more commercial? Thrillers? Horror?” Finally I stopped trying to change the system and began writing for it. Now I’m selling things.
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