It’s Easy For A Great Script To Go Nowhere In Hollywood by Dr. Ken Atchity

[@DARKLYLIT]

I enjoyed how "matter-of-fact"' Dr Atchity is about the "business". It so great to hear so many of the people you interview talking about REALITY: How things REALLY work and REALLY are in the commercial world of filmmaking. It's hard not to resent the corporate "machine" for only greenlighting franchises: particularly the super-hero genre. The reality is, the world, since the mid-to-late 1980's has become much more money-oriented. The "suits" took over most everything. Accountants run almost everything...HOWEVER, there continues to be more content made than ever, including a lot more independent work. It's hard to make money from your "Art"/original stories, but you certainly can make it more easily now than ever in recorded history...well...film at any rate. And, as a writer, almost ALL the best writing is being produced for TV, not for theatrical release, so all you "Too Original" writers, have hope. There is a place for you. Just keep writing and get it out there!

[@Haannibal777]

DARKLYLIT You have got it right. A writer is just another contractor, not an employee. He runs his own business. It is therefore crucial for him to not only write but to understand the market, just like any responsible business owner. If the market is in TV, write for TV.

[@badrabbitpictures]

Thank you for this informative segment. I watch Film Courage videos religiously, and always end my viewing with something of value; this particular video however, hit me straight in the "Jelly-beans". It was as if Dr. Ken was talking to me directly. I wrote a 1 hour sci-fi/fantasy pilot, and did the whole run we all are familiar with...no luck. Then someone suggested that I should put my story in book form (I eventually had an entire season written). This person was a Television Executive in LA, who reviewed my work and gave some good insights. One of them was that due to the epic scale and scope of my story, a book format would be best, at least to begin with. Then the struggle of not being a "Known" author, slammed all the mainstream doors in my face. I eventually self-published "Chronicles of Atlantis, The Age of Prophecy, Vol.1"...which in my opinion, was not the best route to go...but it was the only one available. I personally believe that the very tight knit society of mainstream agents and publishers, do indeed hurt the entertainment industry. Has anyone noticed that we are slammed with "Reboots", "Re-makes", "Recycled" stories? If only the gates would be opened, or at least viable ideas be considered and not "Shot down", just because someone is an unknown...then maybe some fresh stories will grace the screens. THANK YOU FILM COURAGE...YOU ARE MY ONLY HOPE!

[@Haannibal777]

Abdur Mohammed I look at it differently. It is precisely because there is a breakdown in the market that allows an entrepreneur to thrive. Capitalism 101.

[@Doitforyoself]

you know, he's so right about one thing... being an aspiring original great writer means nothing if you don't have a commercial name behind your writing. When I was young I started to write my memoirs in memory of my mother, but I also wrote the story because there was this burning desire to tell it. To share my life and my struggles of what it was like growing up in Hell's Kitchen to a completely different world here in Oregon. A story I knew would touch the hearts of many if people just gave it a chance. In fact, to be completely honest, when my parents sent me to Oregon it was as if I had landed in the middle of Mayberry. I mean, people had blond hair and said "good morning", something I wasn't used to hearing or seeing living in the ghetto. Its a heartfelt story I wrote and rewrote until I felt it was ready to be published. Then, I paid for an editor to make it even better. Then after reading it, I rewrote again and again and again. After years of working labor intensive jobs and just being the man my father taught me to be both to family and to people, I felt I should take his advice and started querying publishers. Well, many years later my dream for a publisher to pick up my story never came true. It's even hard for me to write this because it's as if they didn't want the story but rather some famous writer that people already knew. I say this because I kept telling myself, "how could they not want it?" But as I got older and I suppose wiser, I learned that taking rejection shouldn't be personal, even though as a writer (and a jack of all trades) it feels very personal. So one day, I decided that it may be about the business side to a publisher but for me, it was always just about the story and getting it out. So, I decided what everyone else told me not to do and self-publish. It's as if it's gotten to the point now where it doesn't matter how well you write but rather how well did your last book do and that would be the only way a publisher would consider you. Anyway, I managed to get into a few local stores and just tried to be as positive and excited as I could every time I shared it with anyone who wanted to know about it. Today, I now write screenplays and recently submitted one to the Final Draft Big Break Contest. It's funny, not long ago I was lying next to my wife of 27 years (met her in the 6th grade ) and said to her I sometimes feel like Rocky and how there was a scene where he comes home from training, beaten and tired and lays beside Adrian while she still sleeps and utters to himself, "I just wanna go the distance." I think that's how most writers feel. They just wanna place somewhere--anywhere in their writing, some form of validation and I get this. But, at the end of the day, you really have to write for yourself not for anything else because writing I don't think is glamorous. It's just hard work but when you're done with a story, you always feels so much better. It's just a means to an end in a life that can be so difficult to live in, but that if you keep writing, it can also be a therapeutic way of getting even through the toughest times. on that note, if anyone is interested in reading an excerpt from my memoirs it is on Amazon. Wallace Park: A Memoir.

[@unleashed4138]

Reading this is an eye opener. I write my own material. It is shame that Hollywood don't value writers, not even original material. You have some original material writer's that are good. Your story is very interesting and should have been produced. This makes no sense.

[@Nautilus1972]

And then what? It's what's after the memoirs that makes you. When you have to write about something other than yourself. That's writing. Think of a great writer that write only about themselves.

[@ClintLoweTube]

Eddie Regory Im gonna go the distance.

[@KimTownsel]

Interesting how he bridged the script world of Los Angelos and the manuscript world of New York. A producer once read a manuscript I wrote and encouraged me to write the screenplay version as an exercise to tighten the book. He was right. While neither version has yet sold, the screenplay actually was a Nicholl semifinalist, Acclaim winner, and placed in other competitions.

[@jeffmcmahon3278]

So good to have someone spell out how it really is (even though most of us were already suspicious of it.) It sometimes makes me question why the hell I'm even bothering to write stories. And then I realise it's what I really want to do - and the doing is its own reward.

[@ClintLoweTube]

So I'm just gonna keep writing.

[@FJRamosArt]

Great stuff on this KZbin Channel. It seems like we're living in the safe era of storytelling. Makes sense why Superhero movies dominate the box office. The best route is to promote yourself and your own stories. The challenge is in what format or style to begin executing your story? A book, Audio book, Comic, Graphic Novel, Storyboard, Documentary style video, A video game? P.S. why all the youtube ads just for a 13 minute video?

[@davemckay4359]

The, just keep going aspect of writing. Everyone sucks, at first, but to achieve anything, you have to do it more than any person would normally do.

[@ClintLoweTube]

I disagree with 1 thing: it doesn't matter if you're not Stephen King, you just have to write as good as him.

[@BigHenFor]

Lol. You assume the bean counters know what good writing is. If HBOs bean counters knew what good writing was they would have kicked the showrunners to the kerb after Season 7 of Games of Thrones.

[@contrarian8870]

Except Stephen King WAS writing exactly "like" Stephen King when he wrote "Carrie" and it still got rejected by 20 or so publishers. Why weren't these 20 publishers recognizing his "writing" like Stephen King? Because "writing like Stephen King" sells once you've establish a brand (after decades).

[@nikolausbaker3856]

Encouraging 👊🏻

[@highvibr]

Great insights!

[@scottslotterbeck3796]

Takeaway: If you're not Steven King, you're screwed. The bean counters run everything. And they are nothing if not risk adverse. Sad for both gifted writers and the public.

[@ClintLoweTube]

Scott Slotterbeck But if you write as good as Stephen King you're in!

[@indiesindie1984]

Not necessarily. It means you have to include a marketing and branding plan, if you expect to make some money or gain some fame. It's a lot of work, but it's doable. It's a DIY world with the Internet at your fingertips.

[@tichondriusstormrage]

What did he mean when he meant he's hoping to auction the meg? If he already sold it 22 years ago what is he trying to do with it now? Thanks for another awesome video!

[@melodymundy5985]

Discouraging

[@milicamancic1]

Am I the only person annoyed by his pronunciation of niche as nitch? Or is it a word that I am unfamiliar with? Great interview anyway. Thank you

[@phomjachana]

Niche has two pronunciations. One is nitch, one is neesh.

[@Darfaultner]

The highlight of this was learning that capitalism has killed art... Wait, oh, you said "highlight"? I thought you said "soul-crushing moment".

[@Vstrum]

DanteDarcangelo There’s always a path for truth, I think more artists are not admitting to the fact that they want money more than they want to believe they do. If money is only seen as a resource to live and produce more art, then art is very much alive and just takes passion and tunnel vision

[@sunriseeternity300]

interesting to listen to this on the day of Stephen King testifying against the merger.

[@MiguelExhale]

👂🏿

[@Nautilus1972]

Misleading title - that was only the last bit where he discussed that - but great stuff. Diversify.

[@trevorprimenyc]

Here is a review of The Meg, if anyone is interested: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHitaZxpiL5nY7s

[@ElinBodil]

That was kinda depressing..

[@ViperChief117]

There’s one error. Twilight is a movie that very few people actually like.

[@dimariobell8499]

ViperChief117 sigh

[@WanderingWeirdly]

Studios don't care if it's liked. They care if it's seen.

[@Morevids101]

Enough people liked it enough to watch 4 of those.

[@Darfaultner]

In your room