The Coli's Screenwriting/Filmmaking Thread [Share tips, etc]

[Conz]

@Conz , I feel your pain about seeing your idea Already on TV, except I had my pilot done and spent a year on it.

thing is, my idea isn't even really that close, i just know it will instantly be called a rip off. ... and I'm very stubborn about the name, which worked so perfectly for the story.

Nothing worse than when i hear about a movie/show/etc that has a really cool, clever name but since people are absolute morons, the studio renames it to "The Thunder!" or thinks it's a good idea to just use the main character's generic ass name like it's gonna be marketable, "Greg Phelps!"

... although i did feel like that way about "John Wick" and people love that shyt.

 

[satireprod]

honestly, I've literally never watched a police/medical/legal network drama in my entire life. I'm talking cbs,nbc,fox,abc. they all look exactly the same, and they don't interest me in the slightest. the only "legal based" anything I can even think of that I love is "My Cousin Vinny," and I'm only citing that b/c it takes place mostly in a courtroom.

shyt, i can probably name all the network dramas I've watched in my lifetime on 2 hands, and they're all "LOST-ish" type shows or the occasional superhero.

for someone who pretends to write, and should be open to all genres, i barely watch anything.

No doubt, respect on the honesty, you focus on your specialty . Can't be mad at that. It's just tons of legal/political shows on cable/premium cable/streaming sites that it's hard to get away from them on accident but I feel you lol

 

[MenacingMonk]

Damn, non-creative people don't understand the feels someone has after that happens
Non-creative " Just come up with another great idea"

Creative who spent long nights on a project "Just like that huh"

I bounced back quick, but man, the first few days were an emotional roller coaster.

 

[Conz]

i do find it wild that I've never seen a second of Law and Order, or ER, or anything like that.

If you branch out to cable, I've watched plenty of shows that are on the periphery of those genres. Like I've watched the Wire, and shyt like Dexter which touch on those types of things obviously... but as far as sitting down and marathoning "The Good Doctor?" I'll sooner watch a cartoon for 3 year olds.

 

[Conz]

oh and the whole "they stole my idea" shyt sucks, but as someone who is NOT in the system, i can't get too mad. Every idea I have has probably been floating around Hollywood at some point.

Years ago i was writing a screenplay about a competitive eater, and i reached out the dude who wrote "Hot Tub Time Machine." he asked what i was working on, told me "oh i actually optioned a comp eating script, everyone's doing that, stop wasting time." this was a long time ago, but just because you haven't seen something on tv - like a brilliant pilot set at a beachclub - doesn't mean there aren't stacks of crap on agent/producer desks with the same thought process.

My first pilot was "The Office set in a gym." later found out that was one of the most popular spec ideas, and there were a bunch of filmed pilot type showcase videos on youtube (mine was better than all of them, but i digress.)

these are very basic "no duh" ideas though. If I was writing something about a plane that flew from LA to Vegas and then saw a show called "LA to Vegas" I'd be furious. ... solid comedy btw

 

[satireprod]

i do find it wild that I've never seen a second of Law and Order, or ER, or anything like that.

If you branch out to cable, I've watched plenty of shows that are on the periphery of those genres. Like I've watched the Wire, and shyt like Dexter which touch on those types of things obviously... but as far as sitting down and marathoning "The Good Doctor?" I'll sooner watch a cartoon for 3 year olds.

So it seems like you'll watch shows with Legal/Crime elements to it, but they're also character driven (Dexter) or have realism/everyday life elements (The Wire)
But straight legal procedurals you're like

 

[Conz]

So it seems like you'll watch shows with Legal/Crime elements to it, but they're also character driven (Dexter) or have realism/everyday life elements (The Wire)
But straight legal procedurals you're like

i guess?

I'm so anti-network drama i don't really get it... yet I'll sit through the entire "The Night Of" which i thought flat out sucked after the first episode.

 

[satireprod]

i guess?

I'm so anti-network drama i don't really get it... yet I'll sit through the entire "The Night Of" which i thought flat out sucked after the first episode.

Ok so The Night of would be considered a Crime Drama, Legal drama since it was centered around a case but it wasn' a procedural...like series where there's a case of the week might not interest you but the legal field doesn't stop you from watching a show

 

[steadyrighteous]

thing is, my idea isn't even really that close, i just know it will instantly be called a rip off. ... and I'm very stubborn about the name, which worked so perfectly for the story.

Nothing worse than when i hear about a movie/show/etc that has a really cool, clever name but since people are absolute morons, the studio renames it to "The Thunder!" or thinks it's a good idea to just use the main character's generic ass name like it's gonna be marketable, "Greg Phelps!"

... although i did feel like that way about "John Wick" and people love that shyt.

That's one of the most annoying things in the world.

To know that all someone has to do is read 3 pages before they'll figure out "oh, this shyt isn't the same at all!", but knowing the title and logline is all they care about.

 

[satireprod]

That's one of the most annoying things in the world.

To know that all someone has to do is read 3 pages before they'll figure out "oh, this shyt isn't the same at all!", but knowing the title and logline is all they care about.

Sometimes when I hear someone who hasnt read the script say "Oh it's kind of like..."

 

[steadyrighteous]

That site I posted a while back that has hundreds of TV scripts, pilots, pitch docs and bibles was closed but the same guy/people started a new and neater collected version.

For my brehs who like to read:

https://sites.google.com/site/tvwriting/home

 

[CodeBlaMeVi]

Finished my first feature script and now typing it.

 

[MenacingMonk]

That site I posted a while back that has hundreds of TV scripts, pilots, pitch docs and bibles was closed but the same guy/people started a new and neater collected version.

For my brehs who like to read:

TV Writing

Downloadable?

 

[steadyrighteous]

Downloadable?

Yeah.

Everything opens as PDFs and you can download 'em.

 

[Poetical Poltergeist]

I find it easier to write about real life experiences and stories from others about real life situations. Been on a comedy kick, trying to finish a short that to me is hilarious.