Greer Ruled Contrary to Established Case Law

Academy Award, WGA, BAFTA-nominated A History of Violence screenwriter Josh Olson has an interesting rule in the people’s voice this week
I will not read the fucking script
I simply have no interest in reading your script sucks. None whatsoeverWhat is not clear on that? “I will not read the script sucks.” There is nothing personal about it, nothing loaded, nothing complicated. That’s pretty simple, right?
If this seems unfair, I’ll make a deal. In return I asked to read the script of shit, I will not ask you to wash my fucking car, or take my fucking picture or represent me in court shit, or get my shit gallbladder, or fuck it is that you do for a living
Whatever time we have spent together has, I’m sure has been nice for both. I quite enjoyed that conversation he once had on the structure and theme, and why Sergio Leone is the best director who ever lived. You’re a lovely person. Yes, we bonded, and yes, I wish you luck in all your endeavors, and would be my endless excitement of hearing that he had sold his script, and had become the best movie since The Godfather Part II
But I will not read the fucking script
But if you’re interested in growing as a person and recognize that it is, in fact, that is the cock in this situation, please readAt this point, is due to standing firm in the conviction that I am an idiot.
I called you a dick. You put me in this place where my only option is to accept their demands or be the bad guy. Since you have created this situation. Yes That is correct. That, my friend, is the very definition of a dick move
Recently I was cornered by a young man of my elementary knowledge
I doubt that we have exchanged a hundred words. But he is seeing someone I know, and cornered me in the right place at the right time, and asked me to read a summary page two for a script that had been working for the past year. Was the presentation of the synopsis of a contest or program, and wanted a professional opinion
Every time I pick up something from the other pile, I feel guilty that I’m ignoring my friends. If I read yours before any of that, I’d be a horrible personNow, you typically have a standard response to people asking me to read his scripts, and is the simple truth: I have two piles next to my bed. One is scripts of good friends, and the other manuscripts and books and scripts my agents have sent to me I have to read for work. Every time I pick a friend script, I feel guilty that I’m ignoring work.
They always go for that, because nobody believes that you can put your script down once you startMost of the people. So I tell them I read, but if I can put it down after ten pages, I will. But sometimes you find yourself in a situation in which the guilt factor is very high, or someone who plays in a relationship or a perceived obligation, and it is difficult to escape without appearing rude.
How long can it take two pagesBut hell, it was a two-page synopsis, and there was no time to go into any song and dance, and it was just easier to take.
Weeks, is the answer
And so I will not read the fucking script
Rarely takes more than a page to recognize you’re in the presence of someone who can write, but only a sentence to know that you’re dealing with someone who can not
(By the way, here’s a simple way to find out if you are a writer. Because, you see, writers are also readers.If you disagree with that statement, you’re not a writer.
The death of the hero, not even mentioned. What was delivered was, in essence, a barely coherent list of events, some connected, some not. The story describes clearly of great importance to him, but he had not done anything to convey their specificity to an impartial reader. A phrase that describes a scene in the next describes the people to appear at his funeral. If desired, to allow for the fact that this man had never written a synopsis before, but that’s no excuse for the inability to form a decent sentence, or a total lack of facility with language and structure. The characters wander aimlessly, doing things without reason, disappears, reappears, be arrested for crimes without a name, and make wild, life-altering decisions for any reason. Could go on but I will not. This is the kind of thing that you get a negative point D in any class of first year CompThe middle of a paragraph is devoted to describing the smell and texture of a piece of food, but the culminating event center of the film is overlooked in a sentence.
And because we believe that, in his opinion the writers do not work with any kind of real relationship. You will receive an inept piece of writing without thinking twice, because it has to be a writer to be a screenwriterMovie Scripts is widely regarded as the easiest way to enter the movie business because it requires no training, skill or equipment. Which brings us to an ugly truth about many aspiring screenwriters, screenwriting suggests that in reality do not require the ability to write, only the ability to reach a cool place that history would be a cool place. Everyone can write, right?
The unfortunate continue writing scripts of shit and ask me to readSo. I read the thing. It really hurt. If anyone can talk about being a writer, you’re not a writer. And it hurt me, man. If I can talk about being a writer, I’ve done you a favor, because now you are free to pursue his real talent, whatever it is. The lucky ones find out what that is. Because here’s the thing: not only cruel to encourage the hopeless, but you can not deter a writer. And for the record, everyone has one. And the truth is, to say something positive about this would be the nastiest, meanest and most dishonest I could do. I was dying to find something positive to say, and there was nothing.
They never do, of course. What they want – always – is encouraging, even when there is nothingWhat they want is a hard a few notes to give the illusion of honesty, and more pats on the head. He was frustrated by the responses he had received from friends, because I felt they were easy for him, and he wanted real critical. To make matters worse, this man (and his girlfriend) asked me to be honest with him.
Do you have any idea how hard it is to tell someone who has spent one year wasting time? Do you know how much blood and sweat goes into this criticism? Because you want to tell the truth, but wants to be absolutely sure that this is an honest and humane. I did more re-write e-mail that shit than I did in my last study of three projects
He was more interested in telling their story than being a writer. My first project was ridiculous. The main point made was that he had been the victim of a fallacy that nails a lot of rookies. I started with specific notes, and after a while, I discovered that he had written three pages in the first two paragraphs. So I threw, and when that was done, I would come up with something that was relatively brief, to the point, and considered as hell. It was like buying all the parts of a car and start to build before you learn the basics of auto mechanics. That was not the right approach. You will learn much in the way, he said, but never have a car that runs
(I should mention that while I was composing my reply, got the final movement of fans, and sent me an e-mail saying: “If you have not read, do not, I have a new project. Read this” In other words, “The project he said he was ready for the entry of professionals, it was not true.”
I advised him if all he wanted was the story, must find a writer and work with him, or if you really wanted to be a writer, start at the beginning and take some classes and start studying seriously
And the inevitable consequences – a week later, a mutual friend asked me: “What is this movement that brought Dick I heard Whatsisname?And you know what? Because for all my hair pulled by the weight and seriousness that he gave his request for one, professional real criticism, his response was a terse “Thank you for your opinion.” I have not been disturbed.
Because if I had said “No” then and there, there was still thinks I’m an idiot. The only difference is that I would have had to spend all that time trying to communicate with care and honesty with someone who just wanted a pat on the head, and, more importantly, not have had to read that horrible piece of shitSo now this man and his girlfriend think I’m an idiot, and the truth of the matter is, the story really ended when I gave the damn synopsis.
It is your decision. This should be clear – when you ask a professional for their take on the material, not only asking to take one or two hours of your life, you are being asked to give – for free – the knowledge, vision and the ability of years of work. No different than asking his friend the painter to paint the room during their free timeYou should not be reading from a professional, even if you think you have an inside, and even if you think it’s not a huge imposition.
A guy told Picasso that he would pay to do a drawing on a napkin. There is a great story about Pablo Picasso. Picasso took a pen and hit a draw, he gave the boy, and said: “A million dollars, please.
Exclaimed the boy. “It only took thirty seconds!”A million dollars?”
“Yes,” said Picasso. “But I took fifty years to learn to draw in thirty seconds.
It could even happen to call a friend in the movie business and help you sell, and soon, all your dreams come true. Like asking the professional cad for free reading, the man simply did not have enough respect for the artist to think about what he was requesting. You might look with new respect. If you think it is only by time, then ask one of your non-writer friends to read it. Heck, you might even enjoy your script. But I
I will not read the fucking script