That what most people want these days is a simple product that's easy to swallow and doesn't overstimulate the brain. That is why the standards in art have been lowered, now "painting" a canvas leaving it blank is considered a masterpiece. That is why reggaeton is heard more than classical music and that is why the clubs are more crowded than the museums. We live in times where people hold a world of knowledge in the palm of their hands but prefer to watch sports scores, surf TikTok's and consume porn on apocalyptic scales. That's what I thought of what Scott said "Write something generic that will please the masses and entertain the audience like kids in a park". And Scott has only said what happens in the industry, nothing against him, but it is still sad and unfortunate.
I believe that Scott has a tendency to overstate exactly how wise industry-types are when dictating what sort of content “can” or “should” get made For example, he uses the term “verifiable audience” as if every past customer of some book/IP is magically “verified” to be a prospective theater-goer later But what if the new adaptation is a steaming pile of crap, like Amazon/Bezos’s Lord of the Rings flop? What about if the material doesn’t translate well to cinema, like with (I imagine) Dostoevsky’s “Crime & Punishment”, or even Zafon’s “Shadow of the Wind” as the author himself proclaimed? What about if the core audience simply “ages out” of the target demo by the time this new screenplay is greenlit, and we’re left with confusing analytics on what exactly its genre/tone should become? I respect the difficulty which comes with securing work as a writer especially nowadays, but we should always keep emphasizing that this approach Scott champions is simply one path toward financial stability: the “safe”, industry-preferred approach. And flies completely in the face of “breakout” hits such as Hereditary, Joker etc., which clearly had little concern with the “profitable” route instead of simply doubling-down on the strength of material itself and hoping audiences chose to “meet them halfway” for it.
He's mayonnaise made of ghost pepper. Pretty much the market is saturated and we need to make copy-paste films with just slight tweaks while writing so that the suits can twist it into the same shit.
I think Scott wasn't blunt enough since so many seem to have missed his message. In order for a script to turn into a movie someone has to bet millions of dollars on it that they may never see again if the film bombs. To mitigate this financial risk there needs to be some evidence that enough people will actually want to see the movie. If there is no evidence, sticking to a familiar template is the next best thing. You can always take a gamble on a weird experimental script, but please do it with your own money.
@@karamzing But then how do you explain all of the unconventional box-office successes which weren’t self-financed? What did those studios have which Scott’s company doesn’t?
I was just thinking... in what other creative field would no one bat an eyelid at the use of the phrase "original content", as if such material were so rare, as it certainly seems to be in mainstream western cinema?
Absolutely spot on. As an aspirational screenwriter I have taken classes on the business side so I can understand the pitfalls in the industry. I hope to someday also produce my own content and partner with the right distributor so I have complete control of my material. So many layers of the business that must be understood.
No, because the executives are the ones currently LOSING BILLIONS of dollars with their bad products, so you would be better to write something that you think is good and hope they agree and if the reasons they disagree are the same reasons Indiana Jones 5 flopped or whatever, then you know they will not buy that movie from you. So you can either take the short-term win and change it into something they WILL buy that will likely lose money, or you can be patient and hope for a meeting down the road with their replacement who will see the value in YOUR story that hopefully goes on to be successful.
“Advantage” is relative. Job security goes up, self-esteem goes down Unless you want to argue that there is similar self-image between writers who draft an original character-drama versus Emoji Movie 2
So... Find strength building within established structures because they work toward audience satisfaction and that is paramount to stidios but, put extra effort into telling the story uniquely and giving the story its own specific character; Don't fight against structure, use the strengths of genres and work toward giving your own specific spit and polish to the details. That's what stood out for me. Not exactly NEW information but to be reminded of it and to hear it from this particular perspective (Why am I reading this?) might provide deeper revelation for a lot of screenwriters.
I think there's a lot of this naive maverick attitude as there is in most creative fields, of wanting to reinvent the wheel, of wanting to be so utterly original (you know, just like everyone else does), as if no one had had that idea before and as if it were so easy. Like he says, try writing that cliche movie, see how "easy" it is. What is "easy" is simply identifying similar structures or storylines or plots or character arcs in a genre, and saying, hey look, it's all the same . Being able to identify something does not equate to being able to recreate it. Similarly, as I think other guests on this channel have stated, having an idea or framework or even treatment is not the same as having fleshed out a rough draft. One is basically the starting point, the other is some way to being the finishing line, though still quite far off.
I have so much respect for what this guy has accomplished in his career. I dont doubt his advice is more indicative if what Hollywood is. But his philosophy is exactly what I hate about Hollywood and hope will change
Haha, I laugh because I was about to write the exact same thing. He is the kind of producer I would never want to work with. I have a 25 year career in animation, I have worked with all kinds of producers. The best producers to work for are the opposite of this guy. The best producers are super passionate about their projects, they want to do something different and creative, they think outside the box, they take risks. They are not cold and analytical like this guy.
@@EasyZee69 Just out of curiosity, whom would you consider passionate producers of the type of content you prefer here? I believe Brad Bird was instrumental in spearheading the impact The Iron Giant had on audiences & the cast/crew alike, but that’s about all I remember. And maybe that one deceased gentleman from Disney who wrote a lot of songs for Little Mermaid and so on in the ‘90s Howard Ashman, I believe his name was
Scott... 'thanks' for such a clear, unadorned explanation of what works for audiences and the production companies. Your words will enable me to tune my work to meet what the market wants and needs. Listening to you will strengthen my voice in delivering entertainment for the target audience. Brian Couch
Honestly it's sad all these producers playing safe. People consume the same crap over and over again because nobody will have the guts to offer something new. There are zillions of new stories to tell, but these producers will shut the door because they are too scared due to things mostly unrelated to storytelling.
You don't have any restrictions in the indie cinema and 99% of the "let's take a risk" content is a complete sh*t. Don't blame them. They don't want to lose their money on something that won't work. It's not like you have a new Tarantino popping up every 2-3 years. Of course, some of the risk-takers do begin a revolution, but most don't.
If you want to learn this craft you have to read from the best of the best. Don’t read shorts from small time amateurs they are a waste of time. I’ve read 3 scripts so far. Taxi driver. Glengarry Glen Ross. Back to the future. But if you’re going to read features you need to watch the movie first then read the script so you can get a better understanding. Not only that but Also watching tips on how to get better on this platform have helped me alot.
This is depressing. Avoid clichés but remember that success comes from staying inside the lines. And when it's all done, your work is called 'content'.
This guy is always fascinating. He's not a script guru whose claim to fame is co-writing an early draft of one blockbuster; he's a professional who's put out a lot of movies that bring a lot of people a lot of joy, even if it's "small" movies for television. And anybody who wants to laugh at his output can wait until they have a parent with dementia who's too terrified to sleep for days after the slightest hint of violence or bad news on the television. The most jaded person can sit down for an afternoon of Hallmark movies with mom and have a pretty good time. People like this guy helped me & my sisters make it through a really difficult time as dementia slowly took my mom.
There is a kind of artistic sixth sense, so to speak, that makes us to say that there are some people whom we would not like to work with. Mr. Kirkpatrick is, alas, one of them. He is certainly a good guy and professional in his work, no doubt about that. But, unfortunately, he represents everything that artists/writers/creators do not like in today's Hollywood. When I look at the comments under the video, I see that I'm not the only one to think so.
It's probably not best to try to second guess what some executive wants when creating material. It's better to find the executive with the right fit once the material is created. I don't think about going with the idea of "what the industry needs" is good advice because it gets us where we are - a bunch of cookie cutter movies that eventually bore audiences. It's better to write the movie that YOU would enjoy seeing. I think there is something rather soulless about thinking of your work in terms of demographics and genre. I think it needs to speak to people first in some fundamental way and these other things are secondary.
Many times, executives' demands are illogical. None of the clients of a movie (i mean the audience) will say explicitly what they want actually from a movie. If the executives' perceptions are real, then all of their script choices should be converted into blockbusters. Executives are not Gods to predict the business potential of a script. Filmmaking is an art and it's not a scientific thing to apply metrics.
Executives definitely like to act smarter than they are, that’s for sure Hence the existence of box-office bombs But there’s also something to be said for the types of films which make money “on average”. Christmas movies apparently serve as a reliable income stream, for example
Great interview, and also a GREAT explanation why Disney's new Snow White will be such a giant flop. They have literally done the exact opposite of working towards the cliché.
I'm wondering why we still have this mentality that we must go through the executive of a movie studio. If you really want to make a movie, make a movie. Prove yourself. Make a trailer of a concept that you want to turn into a film. These people who decide what movies get made, they have no vision, no imagination. Show them something that they don't have to think about.
It's what most people want these days my friend, trash. A simple product that's easy to swallow and doesn't overstimulate the brain. That is why the standards in art have been lowered, now "painting" a canvas leaving it blank is considered a masterpiece. That is why reggaeton is heard more than classical music and that is why the clubs are more crowded than the museums. We live in times where people hold a world of knowledge in the palm of their hands but prefer to watch sports scores, surf TikTok and consume porn on apocalyptic scales.
@@peter_shadow7559 As James Gray said, that's because the audience is being "inculcated with nothing but trash... if someone eats McDonald's everyday and then you feed them sushi, they're gonna say what the 🤬 is this?!?" You have to give the audience what they didn't know they wanted and challenge them. I've changed friends' taste in movies and music just by feeding them a steady diet of great stuff unlike anything they've ever been exposed to before. Sometimes it doesn't connect, but most of the time they're absolutely blown away. Then they start searching out things that challenge and astonish them!
I don´t get the hate for him... He basically wants hamburgers, cause they sell. If you want to work on multiple projects over many years as a safe job, make hamburgers. If you can make cheeseburgers, great. Now the better you get, the more freedom you have to add to it. Bacon, multiple sorts of cheese, eggs, ... but it´s still burgers. He works in the burger genre, for cake or steak you clearly look at the wrong place and find them at another one. If you want to make something special, learn the basics first, get in the door, watch how the business runs in the back and do it then. If you know how it works behind, you can sell it to them with numbers and your records. He shows you this and many of you are way to fragile as seen in this and the last sections under his videos. And it´s not Hollywood, most of his contend seems more tv, direct to dvd style. That´s where you need a different kind of writer that´s not a 1 and done thing.
I love the Film Courage videos that have something to do with actually FILMMAKING. You are one of the best interviewers I know of in ANY field, whether it be art, social politics, or entertainment. But 4 out of 5 of your videos are about writing. The courage to write and the courage to make a movie are two different types of courage. You should separate videos like this into a new channel: Writing Courage. Which could be a thing in of itself.
Hi Bumdog! We have a filmmaking video going up tomorrow and another on Sunday. Also, here are a bunch of filmmaking videos - tinyurl.com/ytvvwbkf Hopefully there are some in there that you haven't watched yet.
“Content” “Buckets” “Utilize” Just as someone who loves movies, this is a sad state to affairs. It’s a business and an art, why do companies go into the business if they aren’t also invested in the art?
So are they suppose to keep making the same movies forever?? How will anything get a verifiable audience without trying anything new? You would think jumping through all the hollywood hoops the product would actually be good
Sounds miserable. Complete lack of talent and courage to make something exceptional redefined as pragmatism. This is why creative industries are a wasteland now.
He is the cinema equivalent of fast-food. Hopefully his particular angle on the industry makes much more sense from that perspective lol, he just considers it a means to an end
Are we not living in the "wiped out" period? Driving past the giant cineplex by my home with it's nearly empty parking lots I'm wondering? The movie (now content) industry does seem to be in a transition period.
1:13 I think that this is a good question, but (in my very limited experience) if you're a writer and you're very proud of what you've written, the enthusiasm for your project will naturally pour out for you and these questions will be answered organically. I don't think a detailed or "question by question" examination process is even needed if the writer/pitcher has a lot of passion for the project (again, because the enthusiasm and excellence will organically make themselves present and therefore more appealing).
It’s really funny with all the movement in filmmaking from the process of filming to writing that these people consist on reinforcing these old idea these all gatekeeper ideas. It’s such bullshit. The movie that’s probably will win the Oscars and be the most talked about movie this year is from a woman who never directed a film never wrote a script. They showed her how to do it. She directed the movie and I believe it’s going to win the Oscars.
He lost me when he called it "content". Nobody here is looking to make your next disposable piece of toilet paper. Write what is in you, people. If it's crap the first time, write it again. If it's shot poorly the first time, you've learned a lesson. Do, and then do better. It doesn't have to be another superhero movie.
Here's a question: Why are so many Hollywood movies so forgettable or badly memorable? How can they have access to so much talent, but use such little vision? Why must most movie scripts be tweaked to something it is not? What is the studio "trying to do"? Why can't studios make great movies that defy their own expectations? Maybe they find multiple new audiences?
So his advice is basically write specifically to what Hollywood wants. No matter what it is so if they for example want movies where people just walk around saying dog over an over again an nothing else. Writers need to write scripts or screenplays like that. Even those those movies do horrible in the theaters an they just lose them money. Basically people don't like them or go to see them. But writers need to ignore that an just write what Hollywood wants them to write. Thats the thing thats hurting movies nowadays. Because Hollywood is making movies an things that the majority of people don't like and what you see. I mean look at Disney for prime example look at how poorly their movies an TV shows are doing. So he wants writers to write scripts or screenplays to the likes of the people that. Are responsible for all of the movies an TV shows that Disney has been making. Even tho they are all basically failures that no one likes or wants to watch. Thats the opposite of good advice thats like teaching someone to drive. But instead of teaching then to avoid hitting people. You teach them to hit people to be a good driver. Actual good advice would be write what you want how you want. Then look for someone who likes what you wrote. This is why low budget independent movies are better then mainstream Hollywood movies nowadays. Because the independent filmmakers don't care what mainstream Hollywood thinks. They write their movies how they want in their way. Then as a result people like their movies more because they are completely original. They are not copy an paste movies so to speak like most mainstream Hollywood movies an TV shows. So to say to new writers or protential writers. To get anywhere just copy and paste the things from other movies an TV shows. Is bad advice because copy and pasting the same things from other things. Is not going to get them noticed by people. In that its the hole copy an paste formula that is going to cost writers their jobs. Because if all writers are doing is basically writing the same thing over an over again. A AI program can do that just as easily but the movie movie studio. Does not have to pay the AI an it can get the script or screenplay done faster.
Most "independent" movies are complete garbage. You're talking about very few that are actually good. Taking a risk is called "taking a risk" because you're talking A RISK (meaning: it prob won't work).
@@pawel1545 Yeas its taking a risk but all good writers take risk that's what makes them. Good writers is that they talk risk no good writer has gotten that way. By not taking a risk because taking a risk is how some. Writers an directors got themselves noticed like for prime example. A small writer and director by the name of Wes Craven no one in mainstream Hollywood wanted. To have any thing with the screenplay for the movie A Nightmare on Elm Street. Because they didn't understand it or want to take a risk on it. Only a small straight to VHS movie studio at the time liked what they heard an was willing to take a risk. On it an its name was New Line Cinema. Then to say most independent movies are a complete garbage. Is only your soul opinion an nothing else. Because some people say that most mainstream Hollywood movies are complete garbage. Especially nowadays so your own personal opinions don't make it a actual fact. Then
@@83shadow3 Have you read my comment? How many Wes Cravens are out there? He's an exception. Most independent films are garbage and it's not my opinion. People don't care for these films and don't watch them, distributors are not into them, and critics rate them low. But yeah, most Hollywood films are garbage too for the same reasons. It is what it is.
@@pawel1545 Here's the thing an my point because you fail to understand it. Independent filmmakers or movies are risk but they show more hart an soul. Because the writers have a story that they want to tell how they want to tell it. So it's more original an unique so it makes the writers actually stand out. Now people may like the movies or hate them but it's all personal opinions. So person opinions don't make it a fact. Now when it comes to movie critics they are not neutral they are thinking of only themselves. Those are the facts this is backed up by someone that reviews movies honestly. He was in good with a movie studio he had full access to their movies an to them. Until he was honest about a movie not being good for legitimate reasons. Then he was cut out of nowhere immediately cut out no communication no access nothing. He was just a normal person all of a sudden now if he was relying on them for money he would be in trouble. Because he would be out of work but since it's hobby of his it did not affect him. Now these so called "critics " you speak of that's not the case. They lie an make things up about movies to. Make movies sound good an to cater to the movie studios because if they say. Something the movie studio doesn't like about their movies they can easily be put. Out of work by the movie studios not allowing them access to their movies or their people. Because if a critic loses access to movie studios they no longer. Have access to movie premieres or early releases of their movies. They no longer get any interviews with anyone from the movies so that means. That the critics are out of a job because they make their living from that stuff. If they lose that they have no job. So these "critics " are just looking out for themselves they are not a neutral party like you think they are. Then when it comes to independent movies hardly anyone really knows about them. Because the mainstream Hollywood an mainstream media only wants safe and reparative movies. Because if the movie is somehow linked to a pre-existing IP it already has a built-in audience. So that's what mainstream Hollywood an mainstream media is looking for. But you would already know this if you seen the video Film Courage did. Where they where talking about if creativity is dead in Hollywood. Because Chris Gore says yes you need to look towards independent filmmakers for creativity. He basically says if you want new an original ideas that are different. You need to look into independent filmmakers because they take risks. The only reason that hardly anyone really knows about them is because they spread by word of mouth. Because all mainstream Hollywood an mainstream media wants is to play it safe. So they only like an approve movies that are guaranteed to have a built-in audience. Because that means guaranteed money for them. So you can't compare mainstream Hollywood an mainstream media. To independent filmmakers an movies because they are to completely different things. Because critics work to protect an promote mainstream Hollywood movies. Because they need them inorder to stay working. The movie critics don't rely on Independent movies. So basically anything that may be batter then a mainstream Hollywood movie they are going to talk trash about. Here's more proof of this allot of people like the movie The Sounds of Freedom or whatever it's called. But mainstream Hollywood hates it so big surprise the critics hate it. Because for a critic to like it would mean they would cross mainstream Hollywood. Then they would be punished by mainstream Hollywood for liking something they don't like. That critic would lose excess to the movie studio an its movies an its people. So you have given no actual evidence to support anything you said about independent movies. Because I just gave you facts with evidence that critics are not neutral. That they are only thinking about themselves and that means pleasing the mainstream Hollywood movie studios only. Because if writers fallow his advice from this video all they would be. Doing is copying the same exact formula that other have done an they don't stand out from the crowd. Then they may hurt their writing career because if they only write what the movie studio wants them to write. It can go against what the actual movie audience wants. Because the movie audience is getting tired of movies preaching to them an punishing massages. But if that's what the movie studios want an the writers write that. The writers will only be known for writing movies like that. Because it's bad advice to say to someone only write what you're told to write. By someone else that is not paying attention to what the actual audience wants. Because the audience is what actually makes the money. Because if no one likes your movie it hardly makes any money. Then you won't be hired again the movie studios don't care about. Writers or if they don't work again so it's bad advice to tell writers to do that.
@@83shadow3 Jesus Christ, you like long messages, don't you? I'm gonna keep it short though. It's not like I disagree with you about freedom of writing. I watch a lot of independent films. Some of my favorites are independent films, but most, to me, are bad/boring. And you can't say that critics and audiences don't matter. If you have an independent film and critics don't like it and the audience doesn't watch it and, if some do, they rate it low, then it means that it SUCKS. Some great independent films premiere at Sundance, Venice, or TIFF. They find their audience, and critics love them. And I like them too. However, it's a small percentage of the indie cinema. Most indie films are simply bad. I say this. Critics say it. And the audience says it. You may disagree all you want, but the film appreciated by the director's mother alone is not a good film in the real world.
I don't know how anybody gets a meeting with these people if they're not already related to them. It's not like film school gives you any useful business contacts after you pay the tuition.
They don't understand genres or structure???? I like when the title matches the content when I click on something, but I have no idea what it is I'm not supposed to understand here exactly if I am the Target Audience.
Here's what 99% of Executives Don't Understand: A movie that is produced to fit into a very specific slot is not a movie *I* would like to see. And I am not alone in that. It may find just enough audience to keep the monster running, but it will not be a movie people will talk about or re-watch decades down the road. Another thing many, MANY, executives do not understand is this: You need an audience. It seems simple, but stuff is produced with no regard of the audience. The audience you'll find in theaters these day comes from inertia: People go no matter what's shown. But the audience is not dumb. They'll feel when stuff is produced without regard for them, and the machine will stop working if you ignore that.
Talented writers pandering to the requirements of executives and the marketplace is how we got to the point where AI is now able to replace writers. I think it's becoming clearer that the studio model is no longer fit for purpose. Independent filmmaking is tough but in the long term it can offer a great deal more satisfaction for truly creative writers. A writer will do more creative work in advertising than in writing some of these TV shows that are being designed by algorithms.
They want you to write a remake and movies for the star they pick to highlight like Leonardo DiCaprio. Write for Star and not actors and that why Hollywood is in the red
Sounds like an excellent recipe for creating mediocrity, which is exactly what its done. This sort of thinking has done a wonderful job of lowering our expectations to the point where its rarely even worth watching trailers. This may be making you money but its killing the culture.
It's the nature of reality, I'm afraid. Art requires time, skill, and resources. Art has no intrinsic value in of itself, but people imbue art with value. No one want to give someone else money and resources to simply indulge in art.
What are your thoughts on this video?
That what most people want these days is a simple product that's easy to swallow and doesn't overstimulate the brain. That is why the standards in art have been lowered, now "painting" a canvas leaving it blank is considered a masterpiece. That is why reggaeton is heard more than classical music and that is why the clubs are more crowded than the museums. We live in times where people hold a world of knowledge in the palm of their hands but prefer to watch sports scores, surf TikTok's and consume porn on apocalyptic scales. That's what I thought of what Scott said "Write something generic that will please the masses and entertain the audience like kids in a park". And Scott has only said what happens in the industry, nothing against him, but it is still sad and unfortunate.
I believe that Scott has a tendency to overstate exactly how wise industry-types are when dictating what sort of content “can” or “should” get made
For example, he uses the term “verifiable audience” as if every past customer of some book/IP is magically “verified” to be a prospective theater-goer later
But what if the new adaptation is a steaming pile of crap, like Amazon/Bezos’s Lord of the Rings flop? What about if the material doesn’t translate well to cinema, like with (I imagine) Dostoevsky’s “Crime & Punishment”, or even Zafon’s “Shadow of the Wind” as the author himself proclaimed?
What about if the core audience simply “ages out” of the target demo by the time this new screenplay is greenlit, and we’re left with confusing analytics on what exactly its genre/tone should become?
I respect the difficulty which comes with securing work as a writer especially nowadays, but we should always keep emphasizing that this approach Scott champions is simply one path toward financial stability: the “safe”, industry-preferred approach. And flies completely in the face of “breakout” hits such as Hereditary, Joker etc., which clearly had little concern with the “profitable” route instead of simply doubling-down on the strength of material itself and hoping audiences chose to “meet them halfway” for it.
He's mayonnaise made of ghost pepper.
Pretty much the market is saturated and we need to make copy-paste films with just slight tweaks while writing so that the suits can twist it into the same shit.
I think Scott wasn't blunt enough since so many seem to have missed his message. In order for a script to turn into a movie someone has to bet millions of dollars on it that they may never see again if the film bombs. To mitigate this financial risk there needs to be some evidence that enough people will actually want to see the movie. If there is no evidence, sticking to a familiar template is the next best thing. You can always take a gamble on a weird experimental script, but please do it with your own money.
@@karamzing
But then how do you explain all of the unconventional box-office successes which weren’t self-financed?
What did those studios have which Scott’s company doesn’t?
These videos are surprisingly relevant to any creative industry, not just movies, and the questions are exactly what an artist would ask. Keep it up!
I was just thinking... in what other creative field would no one bat an eyelid at the use of the phrase "original content", as if such material were so rare, as it certainly seems to be in mainstream western cinema?
Absolutely spot on. As an aspirational screenwriter I have taken classes on the business side so I can understand the pitfalls in the industry. I hope to someday also produce my own content and partner with the right distributor so I have complete control of my material. So many layers of the business that must be understood.
No, because the executives are the ones currently LOSING BILLIONS of dollars with their bad products, so you would be better to write something that you think is good and hope they agree and if the reasons they disagree are the same reasons Indiana Jones 5 flopped or whatever, then you know they will not buy that movie from you. So you can either take the short-term win and change it into something they WILL buy that will likely lose money, or you can be patient and hope for a meeting down the road with their replacement who will see the value in YOUR story that hopefully goes on to be successful.
99% of screenwriters don't want to write to a cookie-cutter. That's a HUGE advantage for those that do 'get it'.
“Advantage” is relative. Job security goes up, self-esteem goes down
Unless you want to argue that there is similar self-image between writers who draft an original character-drama versus Emoji Movie 2
They don't want to, but end up doing it anyways???
you gotta feed the machine. MacD got a ton of Happy Meal plastic figurines to shift@@joshuaperrine2019
If writing cookie-cutter is your calling…good for you.
None of anything culturally significant in this world is that.
But it is a job.
how many blockbuster movies are regarded as 'culturally significant' I can think of 20 right off the bat. I'm sure you can too.@@TheWorld_2099
So... Find strength building within established structures because they work toward audience satisfaction and that is paramount to stidios but, put extra effort into telling the story uniquely and giving the story its own specific character; Don't fight against structure, use the strengths of genres and work toward giving your own specific spit and polish to the details. That's what stood out for me.
Not exactly NEW information but to be reminded of it and to hear it from this particular perspective (Why am I reading this?) might provide deeper revelation for a lot of screenwriters.
I think there's a lot of this naive maverick attitude as there is in most creative fields, of wanting to reinvent the wheel, of wanting to be so utterly original (you know, just like everyone else does), as if no one had had that idea before and as if it were so easy.
Like he says, try writing that cliche movie, see how "easy" it is.
What is "easy" is simply identifying similar structures or storylines or plots or character arcs in a genre, and saying, hey look, it's all the same .
Being able to identify something does not equate to being able to recreate it. Similarly, as I think other guests on this channel have stated, having an idea or framework or even treatment is not the same as having fleshed out a rough draft. One is basically the starting point, the other is some way to being the finishing line, though still quite far off.
I have so much respect for what this guy has accomplished in his career. I dont doubt his advice is more indicative if what Hollywood is. But his philosophy is exactly what I hate about Hollywood and hope will change
lol What a rollercoaster.
Haha, I laugh because I was about to write the exact same thing. He is the kind of producer I would never want to work with. I have a 25 year career in animation, I have worked with all kinds of producers. The best producers to work for are the opposite of this guy. The best producers are super passionate about their projects, they want to do something different and creative, they think outside the box, they take risks. They are not cold and analytical like this guy.
@@EasyZee69
Just out of curiosity, whom would you consider passionate producers of the type of content you prefer here?
I believe Brad Bird was instrumental in spearheading the impact The Iron Giant had on audiences & the cast/crew alike, but that’s about all I remember. And maybe that one deceased gentleman from Disney who wrote a lot of songs for Little Mermaid and so on in the ‘90s
Howard Ashman, I believe his name was
@@EasyZee69, in your 25 years, which animated movies pushed the envelope?
@@RajeshBhavnani , that is spot on.
Scott... 'thanks' for such a clear, unadorned explanation of what works for audiences and the production companies. Your words will enable me to tune my work to meet what the market wants and needs. Listening to you will strengthen my voice in delivering entertainment for the target audience.
Brian Couch
Nice interview Scott, thanks for the transparency and instructional guides for creatives!
Honestly it's sad all these producers playing safe. People consume the same crap over and over again because nobody will have the guts to offer something new. There are zillions of new stories to tell, but these producers will shut the door because they are too scared due to things mostly unrelated to storytelling.
You don't have any restrictions in the indie cinema and 99% of the "let's take a risk" content is a complete sh*t. Don't blame them. They don't want to lose their money on something that won't work. It's not like you have a new Tarantino popping up every 2-3 years. Of course, some of the risk-takers do begin a revolution, but most don't.
Indie cinema doesn't find much audience since early 2000s
If you want to learn this craft you have to read from the best of the best. Don’t read shorts from small time amateurs they are a waste of time.
I’ve read 3 scripts so far.
Taxi driver.
Glengarry Glen Ross.
Back to the future.
But if you’re going to read features you need to watch the movie first then read the script so you can get a better understanding.
Not only that but Also watching tips on how to get better on this platform have helped me alot.
This is litteraly hell for an artist.
This is depressing. Avoid clichés but remember that success comes from staying inside the lines. And when it's all done, your work is called 'content'.
I didn't very far yet. By Inside Lines, does he mean STRUCTURE?
@@Highland_Paddy no
This guy is always fascinating. He's not a script guru whose claim to fame is co-writing an early draft of one blockbuster; he's a professional who's put out a lot of movies that bring a lot of people a lot of joy, even if it's "small" movies for television. And anybody who wants to laugh at his output can wait until they have a parent with dementia who's too terrified to sleep for days after the slightest hint of violence or bad news on the television. The most jaded person can sit down for an afternoon of Hallmark movies with mom and have a pretty good time.
People like this guy helped me & my sisters make it through a really difficult time as dementia slowly took my mom.
Been watching Film Courage since the beginning. So much value with this channel
"Obviously, I'm very against cliches..." Yeah, obviously.
At 9:38 - “I’m not saying write cliches … but be very true to the cliches”
Uhh … ok
That old cliche line that producers love: "Give me the same but different."
@@WanderingWeirdly
Yikes lmao
Do those geniuses even bother to trying under their own instructions? Would slap them awake a little bit
There is a kind of artistic sixth sense, so to speak, that makes us to say that there are some people whom we would not like to work with. Mr. Kirkpatrick is, alas, one of them. He is certainly a good guy and professional in his work, no doubt about that. But, unfortunately, he represents everything that artists/writers/creators do not like in today's Hollywood. When I look at the comments under the video, I see that I'm not the only one to think so.
He mentions nothing of creative guiding principals, only spews garbage marketing think thats directly shoveled from studio marketing heads.
It's probably not best to try to second guess what some executive wants when creating material. It's better to find the executive with the right fit once the material is created. I don't think about going with the idea of "what the industry needs" is good advice because it gets us where we are - a bunch of cookie cutter movies that eventually bore audiences. It's better to write the movie that YOU would enjoy seeing. I think there is something rather soulless about thinking of your work in terms of demographics and genre. I think it needs to speak to people first in some fundamental way and these other things are secondary.
Many times, executives' demands are illogical. None of the clients of a movie (i mean the audience) will say explicitly what they want actually from a movie. If the executives' perceptions are real, then all of their script choices should be converted into blockbusters. Executives are not Gods to predict the business potential of a script. Filmmaking is an art and it's not a scientific thing to apply metrics.
Executives definitely like to act smarter than they are, that’s for sure
Hence the existence of box-office bombs
But there’s also something to be said for the types of films which make money “on average”. Christmas movies apparently serve as a reliable income stream, for example
great work Scott, very helpful
Great interview, and also a GREAT explanation why Disney's new Snow White will be such a giant flop. They have literally done the exact opposite of working towards the cliché.
I'm wondering why we still have this mentality that we must go through the executive of a movie studio. If you really want to make a movie, make a movie. Prove yourself. Make a trailer of a concept that you want to turn into a film. These people who decide what movies get made, they have no vision, no imagination. Show them something that they don't have to think about.
we need the whole interview now, please
🥳🎉🎂 Always happy to see another video from Film Courage!
Sounds to me like he saying screen writer should only write trash. Because that’s all the studio wants. More trash.
It's what most people want these days my friend, trash. A simple product that's easy to swallow and doesn't overstimulate the brain. That is why the standards in art have been lowered, now "painting" a canvas leaving it blank is considered a masterpiece. That is why reggaeton is heard more than classical music and that is why the clubs are more crowded than the museums. We live in times where people hold a world of knowledge in the palm of their hands but prefer to watch sports scores, surf TikTok and consume porn on apocalyptic scales.
@@peter_shadow7559 As James Gray said, that's because the audience is being "inculcated with nothing but trash... if someone eats McDonald's everyday and then you feed them sushi, they're gonna say what the 🤬 is this?!?"
You have to give the audience what they didn't know they wanted and challenge them. I've changed friends' taste in movies and music just by feeding them a steady diet of great stuff unlike anything they've ever been exposed to before. Sometimes it doesn't connect, but most of the time they're absolutely blown away. Then they start searching out things that challenge and astonish them!
informative topic, informative video.
Great video. Very informative
I don´t get the hate for him... He basically wants hamburgers, cause they sell. If you want to work on multiple projects over many years as a safe job, make hamburgers. If you can make cheeseburgers, great. Now the better you get, the more freedom you have to add to it. Bacon, multiple sorts of cheese, eggs, ... but it´s still burgers.
He works in the burger genre, for cake or steak you clearly look at the wrong place and find them at another one.
If you want to make something special, learn the basics first, get in the door, watch how the business runs in the back and do it then. If you know how it works behind, you can sell it to them with numbers and your records.
He shows you this and many of you are way to fragile as seen in this and the last sections under his videos.
And it´s not Hollywood, most of his contend seems more tv, direct to dvd style. That´s where you need a different kind of writer that´s not a 1 and done thing.
I love the Film Courage videos that have something to do with actually FILMMAKING. You are one of the best interviewers I know of in ANY field, whether it be art, social politics, or entertainment. But 4 out of 5 of your videos are about writing. The courage to write and the courage to make a movie are two different types of courage. You should separate videos like this into a new channel: Writing Courage. Which could be a thing in of itself.
Hi Bumdog! We have a filmmaking video going up tomorrow and another on Sunday. Also, here are a bunch of filmmaking videos - tinyurl.com/ytvvwbkf Hopefully there are some in there that you haven't watched yet.
“Content” “Buckets” “Utilize”
Just as someone who loves movies, this is a sad state to affairs. It’s a business and an art, why do companies go into the business if they aren’t also invested in the art?
Is this gentleman a manager? Thanks for the video. ❤
So are they suppose to keep making the same movies forever?? How will anything get a verifiable audience without trying anything new? You would think jumping through all the hollywood hoops the product would actually be good
Sounds miserable. Complete lack of talent and courage to make something exceptional redefined as pragmatism. This is why creative industries are a wasteland now.
He is the cinema equivalent of fast-food. Hopefully his particular angle on the industry makes much more sense from that perspective lol, he just considers it a means to an end
This is insanely useful information! 👍😁👍
Movies today are formulaic. The whole industry needs to be wiped out and started again from zero
Are we not living in the "wiped out" period? Driving past the giant cineplex by my home with it's nearly empty parking lots I'm wondering? The movie (now content) industry does seem to be in a transition period.
1:13 I think that this is a good question, but (in my very limited experience) if you're a writer and you're very proud of what you've written, the enthusiasm for your project will naturally pour out for you and these questions will be answered organically. I don't think a detailed or "question by question" examination process is even needed if the writer/pitcher has a lot of passion for the project (again, because the enthusiasm and excellence will organically make themselves present and therefore more appealing).
It’s really funny with all the movement in filmmaking from the process of filming to writing that these people consist on reinforcing these old idea these all gatekeeper ideas. It’s such bullshit. The movie that’s probably will win the Oscars and be the most talked about movie this year is from a woman who never directed a film never wrote a script. They showed her how to do it. She directed the movie and I believe it’s going to win the Oscars.
He lost me when he called it "content". Nobody here is looking to make your next disposable piece of toilet paper. Write what is in you, people. If it's crap the first time, write it again. If it's shot poorly the first time, you've learned a lesson. Do, and then do better. It doesn't have to be another superhero movie.
99 percent of writers DO know that. Very basic information. That question applies to any industry.
Here's a question: Why are so many Hollywood movies so forgettable or badly memorable? How can they have access to so much talent, but use such little vision?
Why must most movie scripts be tweaked to something it is not?
What is the studio "trying to do"?
Why can't studios make great movies that defy their own expectations? Maybe they find multiple new audiences?
Scott Kirkpatrick - Necessary Evil - The sequel to "Evil"
So his advice is basically write specifically to what Hollywood wants. No matter what it is so if they for example want movies where people just walk around saying dog over an over again an nothing else. Writers need to write scripts or screenplays like that. Even those those movies do horrible in the theaters an they just lose them money. Basically people don't like them or go to see them. But writers need to ignore that an just write what Hollywood wants them to write.
Thats the thing thats hurting movies nowadays. Because Hollywood is making movies an things that the majority of people don't like and what you see. I mean look at Disney for prime example look at how poorly their movies an TV shows are doing. So he wants writers to write scripts or screenplays to the likes of the people that. Are responsible for all of the movies an TV shows that Disney has been making. Even tho they are all basically failures that no one likes or wants to watch. Thats the opposite of good advice thats like teaching someone to drive. But instead of teaching then to avoid hitting people. You teach them to hit people to be a good driver.
Actual good advice would be write what you want how you want. Then look for someone who likes what you wrote.
This is why low budget independent movies are better then mainstream Hollywood movies nowadays. Because the independent filmmakers don't care what mainstream Hollywood thinks. They write their movies how they want in their way. Then as a result people like their movies more because they are completely original. They are not copy an paste movies so to speak like most mainstream Hollywood movies an TV shows.
So to say to new writers or protential writers. To get anywhere just copy and paste the things from other movies an TV shows. Is bad advice because copy and pasting the same things from other things. Is not going to get them noticed by people. In that its the hole copy an paste formula that is going to cost writers their jobs.
Because if all writers are doing is basically writing the same thing over an over again. A AI program can do that just as easily but the movie movie studio. Does not have to pay the AI an it can get the script or screenplay done faster.
Most "independent" movies are complete garbage. You're talking about very few that are actually good. Taking a risk is called "taking a risk" because you're talking A RISK (meaning: it prob won't work).
@@pawel1545 Yeas its taking a risk but all good writers take risk that's what makes them. Good writers is that they talk risk no good writer has gotten that way. By not taking a risk because taking a risk is how some. Writers an directors got themselves noticed like for prime example.
A small writer and director by the name of Wes Craven no one in mainstream Hollywood wanted. To have any thing with the screenplay for the movie A Nightmare on Elm Street. Because they didn't understand it or want to take a risk on it. Only a small straight to VHS movie studio at the time liked what they heard an was willing to take a risk. On it an its name was New Line Cinema.
Then to say most independent movies are a complete garbage. Is only your soul opinion an nothing else. Because some people say that most mainstream Hollywood movies are complete garbage. Especially nowadays so your own personal opinions don't make it a actual fact.
Then
@@83shadow3 Have you read my comment? How many Wes Cravens are out there? He's an exception.
Most independent films are garbage and it's not my opinion. People don't care for these films and don't watch them, distributors are not into them, and critics rate them low. But yeah, most Hollywood films are garbage too for the same reasons. It is what it is.
@@pawel1545 Here's the thing an my point because you fail to understand it. Independent filmmakers or movies are risk but they show more hart an soul. Because the writers have a story that they want to tell how they want to tell it. So it's more original an unique so it makes the writers actually stand out.
Now people may like the movies or hate them but it's all personal opinions. So person opinions don't make it a fact. Now when it comes to movie critics they are not neutral they are thinking of only themselves. Those are the facts this is backed up by someone that reviews movies honestly. He was in good with a movie studio he had full access to their movies an to them. Until he was honest about a movie not being good for legitimate reasons. Then he was cut out of nowhere immediately cut out no communication no access nothing. He was just a normal person all of a sudden now if he was relying on them for money he would be in trouble. Because he would be out of work but since it's hobby of his it did not affect him.
Now these so called "critics " you speak of that's not the case. They lie an make things up about movies to. Make movies sound good an to cater to the movie studios because if they say. Something the movie studio doesn't like about their movies they can easily be put. Out of work by the movie studios not allowing them access to their movies or their people. Because if a critic loses access to movie studios they no longer. Have access to movie premieres or early releases of their movies. They no longer get any interviews with anyone from the movies so that means. That the critics are out of a job because they make their living from that stuff. If they lose that they have no job. So these "critics " are just looking out for themselves they are not a neutral party like you think they are.
Then when it comes to independent movies hardly anyone really knows about them. Because the mainstream Hollywood an mainstream media only wants safe and reparative movies. Because if the movie is somehow linked to a pre-existing IP it already has a built-in audience. So that's what mainstream Hollywood an mainstream media is looking for. But you would already know this if you seen the video Film Courage did. Where they where talking about if creativity is dead in Hollywood. Because Chris Gore says yes you need to look towards independent filmmakers for creativity.
He basically says if you want new an original ideas that are different. You need to look into independent filmmakers because they take risks. The only reason that hardly anyone really knows about them is because they spread by word of mouth. Because all mainstream Hollywood an mainstream media wants is to play it safe. So they only like an approve movies that are guaranteed to have a built-in audience. Because that means guaranteed money for them.
So you can't compare mainstream Hollywood an mainstream media. To independent filmmakers an movies because they are to completely different things. Because critics work to protect an promote mainstream Hollywood movies. Because they need them inorder to stay working. The movie critics don't rely on Independent movies. So basically anything that may be batter then a mainstream Hollywood movie they are going to talk trash about.
Here's more proof of this allot of people like the movie The Sounds of Freedom or whatever it's called. But mainstream Hollywood hates it so big surprise the critics hate it. Because for a critic to like it would mean they would cross mainstream Hollywood. Then they would be punished by mainstream Hollywood for liking something they don't like. That critic would lose excess to the movie studio an its movies an its people. So you have given no actual evidence to support anything you said about independent movies. Because I just gave you facts with evidence that critics are not neutral. That they are only thinking about themselves and that means pleasing the mainstream Hollywood movie studios only.
Because if writers fallow his advice from this video all they would be. Doing is copying the same exact formula that other have done an they don't stand out from the crowd. Then they may hurt their writing career because if they only write what the movie studio wants them to write. It can go against what the actual movie audience wants. Because the movie audience is getting tired of movies preaching to them an punishing massages. But if that's what the movie studios want an the writers write that. The writers will only be known for writing movies like that.
Because it's bad advice to say to someone only write what you're told to write. By someone else that is not paying attention to what the actual audience wants. Because the audience is what actually makes the money. Because if no one likes your movie it hardly makes any money. Then you won't be hired again the movie studios don't care about. Writers or if they don't work again so it's bad advice to tell writers to do that.
@@83shadow3 Jesus Christ, you like long messages, don't you?
I'm gonna keep it short though. It's not like I disagree with you about freedom of writing. I watch a lot of independent films. Some of my favorites are independent films, but most, to me, are bad/boring. And you can't say that critics and audiences don't matter. If you have an independent film and critics don't like it and the audience doesn't watch it and, if some do, they rate it low, then it means that it SUCKS.
Some great independent films premiere at Sundance, Venice, or TIFF. They find their audience, and critics love them. And I like them too. However, it's a small percentage of the indie cinema. Most indie films are simply bad. I say this. Critics say it. And the audience says it.
You may disagree all you want, but the film appreciated by the director's mother alone is not a good film in the real world.
A pitch is usually this meets that....example: William Goldman's Ghost and the Darkness...Lawrence of Arabia meets Jaws...no joke...that's a pitch
I don't know how anybody gets a meeting with these people if they're not already related to them. It's not like film school gives you any useful business contacts after you pay the tuition.
Most of the films lately have been LOSING money on trend for at least a decade now, so..........
They don't understand genres or structure???? I like when the title matches the content when I click on something, but I have no idea what it is I'm not supposed to understand here exactly if I am the Target Audience.
Here's what 99% of Executives Don't Understand: A movie that is produced to fit into a very specific slot is not a movie *I* would like to see. And I am not alone in that. It may find just enough audience to keep the monster running, but it will not be a movie people will talk about or re-watch decades down the road.
Another thing many, MANY, executives do not understand is this: You need an audience. It seems simple, but stuff is produced with no regard of the audience. The audience you'll find in theaters these day comes from inertia: People go no matter what's shown. But the audience is not dumb. They'll feel when stuff is produced without regard for them, and the machine will stop working if you ignore that.
Talented writers pandering to the requirements of executives and the marketplace is how we got to the point where AI is now able to replace writers. I think it's becoming clearer that the studio model is no longer fit for purpose. Independent filmmaking is tough but in the long term it can offer a great deal more satisfaction for truly creative writers. A writer will do more creative work in advertising than in writing some of these TV shows that are being designed by algorithms.
Possible
They want you to write a remake and movies for the star they pick to highlight like Leonardo DiCaprio. Write for Star and not actors and that why Hollywood is in the red
Sounds like an excellent recipe for creating mediocrity, which is exactly what its done. This sort of thinking has done a wonderful job of lowering our expectations to the point where its rarely even worth watching trailers.
This may be making you money but its killing the culture.
It's the nature of reality, I'm afraid. Art requires time, skill, and resources. Art has no intrinsic value in of itself, but people imbue art with value. No one want to give someone else money and resources to simply indulge in art.
Wowwowwow…. Wow.
i'm convinced this channel is run by a studio exec. imagine putting out Content™ like this during the strikes.
so you saying screenwriters are basically mini studio marketing heads? No wonder such great films are being made these days.
My first screenplay involves working class people, with the exception of the movie theater owner.
And now you know why modern moveis/tv/books are complete garbage.
In today's market - the #1 Priority is "How is this screenplay Anti-White?"
Why is there so much garbage out there then? Do the Executives not see quality, or are they only looking for a quick, safe way to make money?"
This is a business for the juggler, not the genius.
Lol so his ideas earlier on were right - the stories he pitched at the end though were like LOL holy shit those are terrible
Scott Kirkpatrick explains how garbage gets made in Hollywood.
This is why everything sucks now.
Cliches and tropes that Development Execs LIKE they call "proven elements" lol.
1)must have diversity
2)must have Marvel jokey jokes
3)must have strong female schooling weak men
So many things wrong with this interview.
Scott is kind of the antithesis of “creative writing”. He wants tween girl movies with dogs…🫠
I mean, if audiences keep watching this fluff then hey 🤷♂️