I stumbled across this great interview with Ridley Scott from The Hollywood Reporter (alien, blade runner, gladiator one and twoETC. For screenwriters and filmmakers, some of the best advice comes from the simplest insights, wisdom, and perspectives.
Here we’ll discuss Scott’s recent advice and insights on pitching and developing concepts, as well as my own, based on my years as a professional screenwriter and my time working in development as a script reader and story analyst at Sony Pictures elaboration.
Ridley Scott style fast pitch
“I said, ‘Narrow it down to something very simple and brief — tell me this movie in two sentences,'” said the iconic British director.
The truth is, pitching isn’t as hard as it needs to be. Screenwriters are usually the ones who make it harder on themselves.
The self-evident truth is that the story choke (in this case, the one or two sentence core concept that captures the essence of the story, its protagonist, central conflict, and genre) is what matters most to the storyline. of.
Read more: A simple guide to writing a synopsis
If you write a lengthy query email detailing your love of writing and film and go on to talk about a competition you entered or why your story is a good fit for Company X, please know that only What really matters is the simple and short two sentence quote.
For query emails sent to managers (don’t ask agents, as they will only be close to deals in the pipeline), development executives, and producers/production companies, keep it short, sweet, and to the point. What they really care about at this point is your story. Engage them as quickly as possible and the rest will fall into place, as long as they want to know about you, your writing, and whether they want to consider your screenplay or you Used for writing assignments.
Read more: Writing the perfect letter for your query script
When it comes to pitching in person, most screenwriters don’t realize that most Hollywood meetings aren’t about pitching. Hollywood town hall meetings are all about getting to know you and your work and seeing if you’re a good fit to work with. Of course, you may be asked more in-depth questions about your script. In this case, you just need to know your story, the intended themes, and the characters inside and out.
Most actual pitch meetings are held for filmmakers who need to pitch their potential projects or their vision for the assignment to studio executives, networks, streamers, and production companies.
For screenwriters, in addition to attending pitch meetings, those one- to two-sentence synopses are what really make your script sell better.
Ridley Scott on the set of Napoleon (2023)
Give your story a ticking clock
Ridley Scott said: “You should ignite the idea, and in the middle of it, you have to have a fuse – a time bomb. When you just have [characters] Doing something for the sake of something is dangerous.
Take, for example, his latest production work, Alien: Romulus.
based on his continued alien Franchising (he directs alien, Prometheusand Alien: Covenant), the producers’ latest episode follows a group of young scavengers trapped in an abandoned space station that’s about to crash into a planetary ring within 36 hours. Yes, of course, there’s at least one xenomorph alien involved. But the added element of a ticking clock plot device raises the stakes for the story and characters.
This doesn’t just apply to science fiction and action stories. The ticking clock drawing device can be effectively used for any Genres, including drama. Trust me (and Scott). Adding such devices can make your script ultimately more satisfying while also allowing you to tell the story you want to tell.
Read more: Must-read analogies for teaching “raising the stakes” in screenplays
Alien: Romulus (2024)
Don’t chase trends – figure out what’s next
“Television is a big basket full of balls. Every now and then, something like this happens Montenegro family and game of Thrones This affects everyone, and then they rush to that ball to replicate it, but it’s too late. That’s my job as a director – what’s the next dance?
Catching up with trends is really only possible in Hollywood itself. I’m talking about the major networks, studios, streamers and production companies. They are often able to stay in tune with what is coming and track it well – and they are more likely to catch any trends early. They have the money, they can pull the trigger quickly, and they can hire the best writers, directors, and actors.
But even for them, it’s quite difficult.
For new or undiscovered screenwriters, chasing trends isn’t worth your time. By the time you identify a trend, develop a concept, write a script, market the script, and get the representation and connections to get the script to a studio/network/streamer/production company, the trend is most likely over, and the powers that be are likely There have been attempts to cash in on this trend.
Instead, try to be a trendsetter.
Easier said than done, right?
What are you able All it takes is giving Hollywood what they want. What do they want? It’s quite simple. They wanted what audiences usually want – something familiar but fresh. Please allow me to explain. As consumers of content, we are pretty risk-averse. We don’t like taking risks. When we go to the theater or look for something to watch on a streaming platform, we tend to choose content we know we will enjoy. Why? Because it’s safe.
Screenwriters can offer something familiar, but they can also offer something new – by turning the familiar on its head.
Genre mixing is a great way to achieve this. It gives the audience something familiar that draws them in, but then gives them the excitement of experiencing a new twist on something they usually enjoy.
If you want to avoid genre mashing but still want to find a way to subvert a familiar concept or genre, all you need to do is subvert expectations. Certain concepts and genres have universal go-to elements—familiar elements. To offer something new, tap into these expectations and subvert them.
Read more: The power of genre-blending scripts
“Thelma and Louise” (1991)
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Sound advice and words of wisdom from one of the finest filmmakers, Ridley Scott. Sometimes the best advice is the simplest. Thanks, Ridley.
Read more: The best pitching advice from screenwriter Twitter
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Ken Miyamoto has worked in the film industry for nearly two decades, most notably as a studio liaison and then as a script reader and story analyst for Sony Pictures.
As a production writer, he participated in numerous studio meetings with companies such as Sony, DreamWorks, Universal Pictures, Disney, Warner Bros., and numerous production and management companies. He previously signed a development deal with Lionsgate and has had several writing assignments, including starring Anne Heche, Sean Patrick Flanery, Billy Zane, James Brolin, Haley ·The miniseries “Blackout” starring Duff, Brian Bloom, Eric LaSalle and Bruce Bucklina. Follow Ken on Twitter @ken电影 and Instagram @KenMovies76
