Aarthi Ramanathan at 2013-11-10 17:39:03:
God, thanks for reading my mind today, Scott! I was just discussing the odds with my husband like ten minutes ago (go figure) but the hell with the odds - going to keep writing until I get a few really damn good scripts!
Sean Z P Harris at 2013-11-12 07:54:44:
What percentage of the 65,000 each year would you guess are (1) superb, (2) good, (3) average (4) bad, (5) terrible?
Scott at 2013-11-12 22:23:52:
There's no way of knowing, Sean, but the only number that matters is the "superb" category... maybe "good" with "distinctive voice" or "strong concept". As to that number? Well, there are about 100 spec scripts that sell. Probably another 100 or more that get optioned. Two or three times that many land writers representation. There are several hundred movies produced and released each year, each of these representing at least the perception that they are strong scripts. So what does that mean? Perhaps 1000 scripts every year hit that sweet spot. But that is conjecture. Bottom line: The odds are long. And each of us needs to be aware of that. Do not believe anybody hawking an approach that guarantees success or promises some sort of secret system that will translate into getting signed, making a deal, etc. Go in with your eyes open. Have an honest conversation with yourself: Do I have the sheer grit and persistence to pursue this creative path for a decade or more knowing I will face LOTS of rejection? That said, if you are truly PASSIONATE about writing, about movies, about telling stories, and you believe you have the TALENT necessary to compete against the best writers in the business, if you KNOW in your soul that you will not be happy unless you pursue this dream, you have one shot at this thing called LIFE and it is imperative for you to learn the craft and practice it to the best of your abilities... Then it's a no-brainer. You HAVE to take that leap... no matter the odds.
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