Hollywood or Me: Who Would Make a Better Movie

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Peregrine

New member
Let me get one thing straight right from the get-go: yes, it's fairly obvious Hollywood would make a better movie than me. Bear with me.

I have an idea. I'm in the process of putting it down on paper right now, and I really believe it could go somewhere - somewhere big. It's kind of a controversial idea for a movie, but that's part of its appeal. It's supposed to make people think.

So I have a difficult decision ahead of me now. Put it down on paper and try to sell the idea to a major film production company - which would promptly provide all the funding needed, not to mention remove my creative control over the project, kill the controversial aspect to 'sell more seats', and cut me out of any profit it saw, assuming I could even get anyone to glance at it, which will never happen - or make it myself. I could maintain creative control and keep it the way it's supposed to be, but it would undoubtedly be a low-budget movie, and there are tons of action elements that would require a lot of budget to get on the screen.

I need guidance. Do the smart thing and try to sell it to a film production company, or do the right thing and try to make it myself?
 
Welcome to the forum!

Assuming a few things: you're a first-time / un-produced writer; you do not have agency representation; you are not, through personal or professional relationships, connected to a studio with the power to develop, produce and distribute filmed entertainment.

If all of those are correct, you have little choice but to sit down and personally write your project into a screenplay. There are excellent books and guidance here for doing so. Regardless of whether you intend to shoot the project yourself, or you only want to solicit outside interest, you must not include camera directions. Again, not knowing if you are a bonafide writer on a scripted series or someone still in school with no experience, that is an important, universally accepted guideline.

You should put your idea into a synopsis and treatment concurrent to writing your screenplay. Develop an elevator pitch and tag for the property. As you do these things, do whatever possible to make inroads with people at all levels of the business, above and below the line.

To quote super agent, Neil Sussman, "I don't know you. I don't know your work. But I think you are a genius. And I am never wrong about that."

Good luck!
 
Hi Peregrine,
Your idea is probably crap. The best thing would be to make it yourself without the expensive, boring action elements. Show the finished DVD at festivals or your basement and see if anyone likes it. You will have a lot of fun.
vic
 
Peregrine, welcome to DVXUser!

As stated previously, it would be difficult to get picked up by a studio if this is your first time at bat. Is it unheard of? No. Is it extremely rare? Yes.

That said, Erik pretty much summed up what you want to do to improve your odds. At the end of it, you may have to shoot it yourself, but I guarantee you will come away from the experience with a ton more knowledge. And that translates to even better chances the next screenplay.

Look at it this way: If a studio doesn't buy your screenplay, you won't have to give up creative control and you can shoot it how YOU envision it.
 
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Well, I've seen what Hollywood has done. I haven't seen what you've done. I'm going with Hollywood.
 
This is kind of a dumb question really because I don't think you have a choice. Unless your idea is based on a pre-existing property or has somehow garnered the interest of Will Smith, your chances of getting Hollywood's attention are not very good right now. But the only person in the way of you writing and making your low budget version is you.
 
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