Scott - let's get the Clooney and Fox quotes going. Too often is it implied that Hollywood stars understand where the content comes from. Also recommended - Christopher Plummer bashing Malick at the 2011 Oscar roundtable discussions: "He's in desperate need of a writer". http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/christopher-plummer-says-hell-never-work-with-terrence-malick-again It's great stuff. I think writers on every level need to be reminded that producers, directors, DPs, and even tabloid-laden A-listers are craving quality content from screenwriters. It's empowering. Run it.

And that should be *don't understand, in the second sentence. Apologies.

The third quote, regarding the thread, is courtesy of Sir Ben Kingsley, according to the article.

Thanks, Michael, you're right. I'll update the OP.

For every decent script that gets turned into a crappy movie, there's a director and a lead actor who agree to participate. And without their connivance, these movies would not get made. IMHO, it would be nice, for once, if the people responsible actually took the blame. Especially the actors.

I can't shake the notion that Joel Edgerton's comments were aimed directly at Adam Sandler. Huh. Newbie here, been reading daily for the last week or so. Just want to say thanks to Scott for the site, and to all who contribute comments. It's so refreshing to read threads in which people respectfully disagree and never——not that I've seen, anyway——never resort to pettiness or name-calling. We're all working at roughly the same thing in the end, right? Enjoying this little corner of the web immensely. Cheers.

It is inevitable that the traditional movie industry will die and evolve just as the music and book publishing industries have. And just as new technology-based distribution platforms are the primary factors that have upended those two, the same will happen to movies. It has to, or those of us who really love movies -- instead of Hollywood commercial crap -- will have no entertainment. It's sad, but true. And meanwhile, the process of making movies and building a global aujdience via YouTube or its next iteration, will democratize the process -- albeit it with a different and less lucrative economic model. And Hollywood will have brought on its own demise.

Christian, that's one of the great things about the community that gathers here: On the whole smart, informed and thought-provoking comments, but positive-minded and supportive of our collective efforts as writers. So welcome and thanks for introducing yourself!

John, one can't help but think that one layer of subtext behind the whole SOPA thing is a reach by the studios and their mega-corporate overlords to gain control over "technology-based distribution platforms." That said I'm following what Apple does quite closely. They blindsided the music industry with iTunes. Now they're making a play for book publishing. And there are all sorts of rumors about their iTV initiative. Does Apple represent the new paradigm for content creation and distribution? Whatever transpires, I suspect it's great news for writers, filmmakers and other content creators. People will always want entertainment no matter how they get it. And with the Long Tail getting longer, even creators of niche content are finding ways to make that work from a monetary standpoint. In other words, good time to be a writer!

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