My take aways: 1. Hollywood is a closed shop now more than ever 2. Accept the above and get over it 3. Closed shops recycle their own rubbish like drinking your own urine 4. Don't try to sell your script. Make your script into the best version of a movie that you can with what you have. 5. Just keep creating.
It's natural that when the risk of failure is high most people get scared and want to play it safe. It's the same in Hollywood as everywhere else. People under pressure stick to the people they know and trust. Hollywood is not a climate for excellence. Any excellence is purely incidental. Hollywwod is a climate where people struggle to survive.
Well with all due respect, she seems either naive or just … slightly dumb with regards to idea-theft, which other (stellar) guests like Rachel Ofori have warned us about on this very channel as a real & present danger. Studios steal ALL THE TIME: it’s literally called “Hollywood accounting”. But we’re all supposed to believe that somehow even though execs have NO moral qualms with stealing our money, they’re somehow still oh-so-holy enough to not steal mere IDEAS? Give me a break 🥱🙄
It's great! A very important education for me. I guess she has more experience to share than what you've presented so far. If that's true, can we have the whole interview? Peace and Love to You All. ☮⚘
Personally, I didn't become a screenwriter in order to make getting a job interview the highlight of the month, because meeting with an executive before you've signed a contract is just a job interview, basically. So, I used my savings to get some shorts made and went on from there to make a micro-budget feature. It wasn't very succesful, we lost money on it. We're now about to start pre-production on our second feature, another micro-budget, but double the budget we had the first time around. Right now, I'm working on a final script draft, but the film will be getting made. I know screenwriters who were attending those panels at film festivals where you pitch scripts to producers. This was back when we were trying to raise the budget for our first feature. And guess what? Yeah. My point? Don't hang around waiting for anyone to give you permission.
Good luck with your new project. I love to see writers become producers and directors. Please check out Tyler Perry, he epitomizes filmmaking success for writers who aspire to independence.
Thank you for bringing up such an important topic - because from the outside the process may look easier than it is, but as per what I am listing it is a more complex topic. Have a great day everyone.
So, now that I have a few scripts written (feature films), I need to start my own production company and make my own move, then figure out how to market it to the industry.
Amazing. I love everything this woman says and writes. I also think that a lot of the information out here is heavily creator focused, and not so much on the business (Exec) side. Hope to see more content about working on the studio or network side.
Thats why you should never pitch an idea without first getting an ip or making it into a book, stablishing your idea. It may get stolen if you present as just an idea
you never ever go to speak to HR. their purpose isnt to protect the worker but to protect the company. if you wanna be bullied and harrassed into being made to resign (or that they are going to find every thing to have motive for firing) then yes go to HR .
Here is our full interview with Shannan - ua-cam.com/video/EUd5hZL62MA/v-deo.html
My take aways:
1. Hollywood is a closed shop now more than ever
2. Accept the above and get over it
3. Closed shops recycle their own rubbish like drinking your own urine
4. Don't try to sell your script. Make your script into the best version of a movie that you can with what you have.
5. Just keep creating.
It's natural that when the risk of failure is high most people get scared and want to play it safe. It's the same in Hollywood as everywhere else. People under pressure stick to the people they know and trust. Hollywood is not a climate for excellence. Any excellence is purely incidental. Hollywwod is a climate where people struggle to survive.
I would also focus on writing and selling for Hallmark and Lifetime. I wouldn't go straight Hollywood today. Too much crap.
Thank you for the takeaway.
You can't win the game if you don't play ... Unless you create your own game at your own table...
6. the Writing Competitions at Script Lab are total B.S. and a waste of time and money.
As always, Shannan’s transparency about the business is priceless! Thank you.
Thanks for watching Anita!
Thanks, Anita!
She is SO good in her communication! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching Nicholas!
Love hearing her break anything down. Her thought process is concise and meaningful!
PLEASE tell me y’all got a full interview with Shannan. Need it. She’s awesome and so is the interviewer…as always.
@@ashaosira741 I've seen them already lol that's why I need a new Shannan interview. She's great!!
They usually post it in parts and then the full afterwards.
I wish they'd upload the full interview too!
Shannan's back!!! The reason I started following this channel! ❤❤❤
Me too🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤
Shannan is brilliant, a role model. Thank you a thousand times for this interview!
More to come!
What do you think about this video? Please leave a comment below.
It's inspiring
Well with all due respect, she seems either naive or just … slightly dumb with regards to idea-theft, which other (stellar) guests like Rachel Ofori have warned us about on this very channel as a real & present danger.
Studios steal ALL THE TIME: it’s literally called “Hollywood accounting”. But we’re all supposed to believe that somehow even though execs have NO moral qualms with stealing our money, they’re somehow still oh-so-holy enough to not steal mere IDEAS?
Give me a break 🥱🙄
If Shannon is my executive I've made it in the world.
It's great! A very important education for me. I guess she has more experience to share than what you've presented so far. If that's true, can we have the whole interview? Peace and Love to You All. ☮⚘
I think I stopped when she said at the beginning, "Yeah, so this is where the 'who you know' part comes in."
Personally, I didn't become a screenwriter in order to make getting a job interview the highlight of the month, because meeting with an executive before you've signed a contract is just a job interview, basically.
So, I used my savings to get some shorts made and went on from there to make a micro-budget feature. It wasn't very succesful, we lost money on it. We're now about to start pre-production on our second feature, another micro-budget, but double the budget we had the first time around. Right now, I'm working on a final script draft, but the film will be getting made.
I know screenwriters who were attending those panels at film festivals where you pitch scripts to producers. This was back when we were trying to raise the budget for our first feature. And guess what? Yeah. My point? Don't hang around waiting for anyone to give you permission.
Good luck with your new project. I love to see writers become producers and directors.
Please check out Tyler Perry, he epitomizes filmmaking success for writers who aspire to independence.
Thank you Shannan, for helping us understand those mysterious gatekeepers so much better
Great! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for bringing up such an important topic - because from the outside the process may look easier than it is, but as per what I am listing it is a more complex topic. Have a great day everyone.
So, now that I have a few scripts written (feature films), I need to start my own production company and make my own move, then figure out how to market it to the industry.
There's a few good interviews on here about doing just that. One brother made a profitable movie with just a thousand dollars. You can do it!
So many doors to unlock just to get a screenplay read... It's exhausting 😩
"day one, here you go..." No one is ever qualified for the job they just got ;) We all learn on the job...
Amazing. I love everything this woman says and writes. I also think that a lot of the information out here is heavily creator focused, and not so much on the business (Exec) side. Hope to see more content about working on the studio or network side.
These Rock!
Thats why you should never pitch an idea without first getting an ip or making it into a book, stablishing your idea. It may get stolen if you present as just an idea
Great video!
you never ever go to speak to HR. their purpose isnt to protect the worker but to protect the company.
if you wanna be bullied and harrassed into being made to resign (or that they are going to find every thing to have motive for firing) then yes go to HR .
This is why most TV and movies are bad. Same people, same ideas. Gotta open up and give opportunity to newbies.
So.. better make sure your story is good enough to make other people look good for recommending it to the higher ups.
I would love to hear about what’s on the chalk board.
More to come!
Thank you!!! You’re both wonderful and bring out the best in each other. Thank you again.
yeah the spec script is pretty much dead. 90s was a good time for spec scripts
She won me over by saying willy-nilly 🤌