Should Screenwriters be Humble?
What's the nicest way to ask someone to read your script? It's a question commonly posed by screenwriters, and what follows is my response:
Forget humility. Is politeness enough to make me want to put down the most important thing in my life, and replace it with something of yours?
No. Not even close.
So what is enough? Sometimes it's money, right? Sometimes it's star attachment, and sometimes it's production on another feature, but I'm guessing you can't promise those things, right?
It has better be something in your script, because right now that's all you have.
Imagine for a moment that I have a child, and you're trying to take money out of my household budget to produce a movie. What is so goddamned great about your script that it's worth starving a little baby?
THAT's the thing you tell me when we meet. Don't tell me you need me. Listen, my baby NEEDS me. On the other hand, if your script is so great it's worth killing babies over, then I NEED YOU!
Give me the information that makes the value in your script clear, and THEN exercise some humility. Let me know you've been paying attention to my career, and tell me why you want my input instead of someone else's.
Remember. My time is the food in my baby's mouth, and that's what you're asking for. Is your script worth it?
If so, you'd better make that clear!
If not, why are we talking about it?
Forget humility. Is politeness enough to make me want to put down the most important thing in my life, and replace it with something of yours?
No. Not even close.
So what is enough? Sometimes it's money, right? Sometimes it's star attachment, and sometimes it's production on another feature, but I'm guessing you can't promise those things, right?
It has better be something in your script, because right now that's all you have.
Imagine for a moment that I have a child, and you're trying to take money out of my household budget to produce a movie. What is so goddamned great about your script that it's worth starving a little baby?
THAT's the thing you tell me when we meet. Don't tell me you need me. Listen, my baby NEEDS me. On the other hand, if your script is so great it's worth killing babies over, then I NEED YOU!
Give me the information that makes the value in your script clear, and THEN exercise some humility. Let me know you've been paying attention to my career, and tell me why you want my input instead of someone else's.
Remember. My time is the food in my baby's mouth, and that's what you're asking for. Is your script worth it?
If so, you'd better make that clear!
If not, why are we talking about it?
You could not be more right about this. It applies to any artistic entrepreneur and just about anyone looking for investors in their business or connections in their career. Humility has a place, but that place is NOT in a sales pitch!
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Screenwriter has their right to be proud of their work, but they have to maintain humility. It is because, being humble can help you in all aspects in your life even in making scripts.
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your article is so informative and interesting. nice shared.
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In creating a blog or an article you must be proud of it.
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Writers be proud of your post unless you just over limit your humility.
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Creating an article or a blog you must be proud of it, just don't over use your authority to write or should I say be true to yourself.
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Of course, all of us should stay humble. Being humble is marked by meekness or modesty and not arrogant or prideful. It is also define as low or inferior in station or quality.
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Nobody wants to listen to a person that is full of themself. However, I do believe that a screenwriter should be able to take pride in their work verbally. Saying, "yes, I did write the movie in a way that the audience could associate with the characters..." should not be a bad thing. Take credit where credit is due!
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