Sad truth?

Denial is not a river in Egypt.

This is gonna be a very cynical post. Not news to any of you - but just a strange ramble I went on this morning. I am not angry and bitter - although some say that whining is just anger being let out through a small hole...

Let's pull back the curtain on Hollywood for a second.

It lays out this way:

To really make it as a writer - you either have to be one of two things -

1) Extremely talented and very mainstream.

Or

2) A game playing whore...

Um. Well - maybe not just two - but those things certainly play into the mix.

I would love to think that the success that I have brushed against has been because of 1) but more and more I think it's because of 2).

My film had a greenlight with a mini-major. We waited two years for the stars schedules to line up - and we finally had a start date. We were ready to go - and 6 weeks out - the lead drops out saying he never agreed to that date.

I found out later that his agency was trying to kill the project the entire time - and never planned on letting him do the film.

Now - a few producers later - we are getting ready to get back in bed with the same group and a new, more supportive agency and a more defined contract.

Is it the right thing? No.
Are they doing this because I'm talented...? No.
Have I become a whore? Quite possibly.

I met with a producer on the Paramount lot yesterday. Great guy - very charismatic - very excited. Liked my script. Wanted to talk projects - but when he heard I worked for Discovery - he immediately handed me an incredibly intellectual treatise on a very tricky subject that he and a favorite director of mine are trying to get on the air as a series.

That ended up being all we talked about. He wants me to help him with Discovery.

I want him to help me with my film career...
but..

I said... Sure - even though it is a subject I don't have a connection with.

I left Discovery to make films - and the guys in film want me to help them with Discovery. Everytime I'm out... They pull me back in....

See? I'm a Whore.

Here is a big problem out here as I see it.

Everyone relies on their people to do the dirty work.

You don't tell someone you don't like this - you tell their agents - because you don't want to make anyone mad. So you end up isolating yourself and becoming completely insecure because no one is telling anyone the truth and everything is being filtered through an agent. This in turn gives the agents all the power and they run the town by selectively telling people the truth that they want them to hear. And so no one knows what is true...

My agents are mad because I won't just be a writer. I won't just do what they say. I won't just listen and accept.

I'm sorry. I have been a producer/director for too long. Even though none of that experience counts out in LA - I have been on the other side of the table and know how things work. I refuse to be "spun."

I heard a story about how an A list writer had a great script and he was finally going to direct it. He attached a very A list actor - and for some reason - even with all the financing in place - they couldn't get the movie made. No matter how hard they pushed - the big star's agency just couldn't seem to find a hole in the actors schedule to get the movie up and running.

When if finally became known that if the writer were to possibly come into the family and join the actor's agency - it might make things easier - the writer left his agency and came over to the actors agency.

the movie was shooting with the month.

Another story.

A high level manager is married to a writer. Everyone admits the writer is no good. But the manager is very powerful and has very powerful clients. So the writer is always employed. Always. Everything the writer turns in is re-written - but the writer is never out of work.

This is how it works, people.

It's not good enough to be talented. It not good enough to be good. They both help - but it's not enough.

This is a silly little town full of ego and insecurity and all sorts of backstabbing and backbiting... And while it does make it fun and interesting... It is what it is.

This is not to say it is how everyone is. There are some of the greatest - nicest - most genuine people in the world out here. Really excited about you and what you represent to them -

$$

And they want to help you help them to make more

$$

So they will do what is in their power to get you where you need to be to bring in more

$$

So light up another cigarette and change the sheets. Time for another trick....

Wow. Sounds grumpy huh?


So what does that mean for all of us?

Well. I guess it means - know what you're getting into. Know how far you're willing to go. And fight like hell to hold onto whatever personal integrity you had coming in.


And don't look too deep into the abyss...

Time to put the curtain back.

I love Hollywood. All I gotta do is write the perfect script and everything will be peachy. They will love me and make my movie and everything gets easier and easier...

See? Denial is fun...