Giving money to horrible screenwriters.

[kogase]

Why do horrible screenwriters still have work? How come the guys who wrote "The Tuxedo" were offered a job again after making that horrible movie? Think of any movie you've seen in the past 10 years that was absolutely awful, then go look it up on IMDB. There's a very good chance that the person/s that wrote that movie wrote movies before that one, and wrote movies after that one. Why do people still pay them for churning out their garbage? Is there really such a lack of talent in the entire country that the studios can't find a half-decent writer to give them a script that isn't so gratingly awful as 90% of tripe Hollywood churns out? I just don't get it.

 

[neutralizer]

Maybe scripts that Hollywood think are good, don't turn out that way to the audience. Some people are just tasteless.

 

[pontifex]

you can't have a hit all the time.i would think people who write for a living are going to have ups and downs depending on many factors.

just because they wrote 1 bad movie doesn't mean every other movie is going to suck.

 

[kranky]

The problem is you are judging quality of content. That's far down the list of criteria when Hollywood evaluates material.

First is: Will it make money? All else is secondary. The only exception is if some high-powered executive wants to make something a pet project (perhaps because it furthers an agenda he/she is passionate about, or will impress the Entertainment Elite). In that case it can get a green light even if there is no potential for making money.

For example, look at how many simply awful movies have been made with this formula: R-rated, lots of nudity, bathroom humor, profanity + low budget + one recognizable actor + plot based on young adult activities. They probably made money anyway, because there is a guaranteed audience for such movies no matter how bad they truly are.

They also care about whether the writer can deliver a filmable script. They have to be assured the writer can at least produce a work which can be brought to the screen. If the writer can't do that, there's not going to be ANY movie.

Another factor is if the writer ever had a hit. That triggers the "Who knows, lightning may strike twice" justification.

And one more factor is the industry is very insulated - outsiders are not welcome. There's no real opportunity for a non-player to even get a script read by someone who could do something with it.

It's like if you were in a fraternity and were planning a big event. No matter how lousy the members might be at putting such an event together, you aren't going to go to someone outside the frat just to have a better event. You'll just make the best of it using the people you already have.

 

[kogase]

Originally posted by: pontifex
you can't have a hit all the time.i would think people who write for a living are going to have ups and downs depending on many factors.

just because they wrote 1 bad movie doesn't mean every other movie is going to suck.

Writers just like this guy, who has a long list of atrocious screen credits, yet still gets payed good money to write. How about her? How about this guy, who already has two (pathetic) credits to his name and has four more on the way? It boggles the mind.

 

[jadinolf]

Originally posted by: kogase

Originally posted by: pontifex
you can't have a hit all the time.i would think people who write for a living are going to have ups and downs depending on many factors.

just because they wrote 1 bad movie doesn't mean every other movie is going to suck.

Writers just like this guy, who has a long list of atrocious screen credits, yet still gets payed good money to write. How about her? How about this guy, who already has two (pathetic) credits to his name and has four more on the way? It boggles the mind.

Notice that they are relatively young? I live in a town that is loaded with 50 plus screenwriters. They are now bouncing checks here,