SCREENWRITING AXOIMS FOR A LONG CAREER: Underpromise, overdeliver. Don't turn in a 1st draft, it should be at least the 5th. Don't act emotionally to notes. Digest then respond. The studio / producers are your partners not your enemy. Your next job is determined by how you did on your last. - ThreadSky

shannonandswift.bsky.social • 105 days ago

SCREENWRITING AXOIMS FOR A LONG CAREER:

Underpromise, overdeliver.

Don't turn in a 1st draft, it should be at least the 5th.

Don't act emotionally to notes. Digest then respond.

The studio / producers are your partners not your enemy.

Your next job is determined by how you did on your last.

Comments

tarlos25.bsky.social•105 days ago

Analogies can be made for many other careers or even just random projects.

macronid.com•105 days ago

This is actually really sound advice for computer programming.

The only tweak would be replacing "studio / producers" with "project manager / clients."

agent53.bsky.social•104 days ago

Or, treat them all like an arch-rival and become the villain of your own screenwriting story.

colin0reilly.bsky.social•104 days ago

Dudes you are rad.

I was an intern at NLC 100 years ago when ya pitched Hickel on FvJ & blew the fucking room out yall were like 8 Mile pitching comic book films.
As a member of the public and comic book fan i DEMAND you adapt DCs Transmetropolitan as a streamer show fuck yeah.
GatorFarm4Life 🐊 🙏

shannonandswift.bsky.social•104 days ago

Holy shit you gotta be kidding! That was a seminal moment for us. Love that you were there! And we'd love to do TM - feel like it was in dev at WB. Still is maybe? And GF4Life indeed - we are still trying to get that made lol. Closer every year. Thanks for the awesome memories you made our night!

colin0reilly.bsky.social•104 days ago

That’s rad!!! Thank you for the follow it’s an honor!!!

jbharrisauthor.bsky.social•105 days ago

Feels like it could be true for novelists too.

comrademay.bsky.social•104 days ago

And don’t forget to edit your work 😄.

shannonandswift.bsky.social•105 days ago

(Yes, I see the typo. And yes, if you point it out in a dickish way, you catch a block. We're trying to create a better world here)

daophos.bsky.social•104 days ago

Nothing wrong with Yiddish Axoims

derekasaff.bsky.social•95 days ago

Took me three times to even see it AFTER you pointed it out. Thank god my wife proofreads for me!

precipicespace.bsky.social•105 days ago

I need some support on some screenplay ideas... Here’s one:

https://medium.com/@tonygoldenps/spycraft-tradecraft-and-stagecraft-ee96ba44bf6a

mizzmarsha.bsky.social•103 days ago

👍

newshittv.bsky.social•105 days ago

5th draft sounds about right…

strikefaceshow.bsky.social•105 days ago

This list is too much . What will screaming into a pillow and tearing my coffee-stained polo get me?

g-e-filtefish.bsky.social•105 days ago

Also, explosions...

livvie5995.bsky.social•105 days ago

I don’t even want to read my own first draft, why would anyone 😂

robtobin14.bsky.social•105 days ago

And for God's sake... don't quit your day job.

bryanteohmusic.bsky.social•105 days ago

These are good axioms for creatives working in entertainment in general tbh

vicvaughan.bsky.social•104 days ago

Yes, most of these can be directly applied to all the performing arts. Especially that last one!

theredterra.bsky.social•105 days ago

What career? This business is in the middle of full collapse.

somesynthguy.bsky.social•104 days ago

I’d go with be a diligent proofreader so your headlines are correct 😳

colliewobbler.bsky.social•105 days ago

Check your spelling… 😉

chickvodka.bsky.social•105 days ago

Yes. And always remember Ai is absorbing your signature style so always throw in a poison pill. And never forget these things must be handled………..delicately.

timwestland.bsky.social•105 days ago

So glad you guys are here

san-deee.bsky.social•105 days ago

📌

pakadama.bsky.social•104 days ago

Good axioms for writing in general whether it’s a scientific paper or whatever.

qtarantino.bsky.social•105 days ago

Don’t turn in a first draft. Thats some good advice because J tend to do this, KNOWING I shouldn’t.

locke-n-load.bsky.social•104 days ago

These post are so obnoxious. Feels like I'm at work on LinkedIn.

lemonyfreshpine.bsky.social•105 days ago

If they're "partners," why do writers make so much less?

shannonandswift.bsky.social•105 days ago

Because the studios are the ones putting up the money.

lemonyfreshpine.bsky.social•105 days ago

Then why say partner when it's obvious they play a more managerial role and the writer subordinate to that? If anything they're playing the role of exploiter. Which in the sense of class antagonism would make them at the very least adversarial.

shannonandswift.bsky.social•105 days ago

No. They're our partners. The good ones have the same goal we do: a great movie.

theredterra.bsky.social•105 days ago

I've yet to meet one of these "good executives" who see writers as "partners." I have entered every relationship with hope springing eternal only to be bullied, cheated, and crushed by these fickle dummies whose careers often last only 5 or so years before they become realtors.

lemonyfreshpine.bsky.social•105 days ago

Yeah but most aren't the good ones, their goals usually tend to lean towards profits. The art takes a backseat to money, you're describing outliers. At least if we're talking WB or Disney, two companies pushing slop and killing talent and good projects. Idk, thanks for sharing.

thisilove.bsky.social•105 days ago

I think you maybe left out the part where you just bring a bunch of cocaine? And then say things like "coolcoolcoolcoolcool"

cinematicrex.bsky.social•105 days ago

Great points!

bomuchoki.bsky.social•103 days ago

All of this is great advice💯🙏

maryfilmmaker.bsky.social•104 days ago

thanks

l-a-wallis.bsky.social•103 days ago

I live by the second one

colbyday.com•105 days ago

All incredible! Don’t turn in a 1st draft is EXTREMELY important!!!

shannonandswift.bsky.social•105 days ago

We mentor lots of writers who have just broken in. You'd be surprised how many have said 'Well, we're turning it in rough because we know there will be changes.' This is the surest way to ensure your time on your own project will be short.

qtarantino.bsky.social•105 days ago

I learned to turn in what you think is the best because you may not get another opportunity.

colbyday.com•105 days ago

Yikes!!

shannonandswift.bsky.social•105 days ago

I had one writer tell me "I always leave a scene in there I know is pretty bad, to draw their fire on the first round of notes. I call it the 'Clay Pigeon.' I said please don't do that anymore because you are the one holding the gun and the Clay Pigeon is your feet.

aggiebrett.bsky.social•103 days ago

As I read that I was thinking "that's either brilliant or insane and know which way my head and heart are leaning on the issue..."

🤣

timwestland.bsky.social•103 days ago

I cannot even imagine forming a thought like that.

shannonandswift.bsky.social•103 days ago

Writers are smart. But sometimes, they out think themselves. A good piece of advice I've heard is 'calculate less.' Just do your absolute best to hit it out of the park every time and be a pleasure to work with. That's the key.

hmtayyab99.bsky.social•105 days ago

Let's follow each other

koreancowboy.bsky.social•105 days ago

Thank you for the good advice

haroldkrieg.bsky.social•105 days ago

The hardest part is trying to find a tv/film literary agent that is willing to take a chance on an unknown writer.

harry-lewiston.bsky.social•105 days ago

OMG, it's the same for software development!

jayfingers.com•103 days ago

📌

jacobstevenmohr.bsky.social•105 days ago

I just turned in my first-ever screenplay! My drafting process is weird so what I gave them might be between the 3rd and 5th draft. But I feel pretty good about it!

azarinevil.bsky.social•104 days ago

The studio/producers are not your partners. My last job as a screenwriter saw them steal 2 of the 3 scripts they hired me to write. They produced the movies under Tencent and didn't pay me a cent. Studios are not your partner, they are the client and they will sometimes try to screw you.

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