You’ve spent lots of time thinking about your idea and now its time to be honest about it.
Before we get into that we really need to talk about how film works.
Okay so simplistically here’s the cycle of a film:
You write your script, it gets picked up by a production company, they make it, a distributor picks it up, and it’s in the cinema, then goes to DVD, then eventually TV.
Okay so the area I want to focus on before we even write a word is the distributor and exhibitor bit. After you’ve made your film you will have an exhibitor screening, where the cinema chain will watch your film and then decide whether they want to book it. I’ll repeat that. Whether THEY want to book it. Now why should they screen your film if they get another showing of STAR TREK in there and make money?
My point is this: before setting out to write anything I always ask myself of the idea is it:
- Strong enough that people will lave their homes to see in the cinema.
- Is it a DVD only idea.
- Is it a TV idea.
I’m not downgrading TV but some ideas are better suited to the small screen. You want people to pay money for your idea. Is it really good enough? Is it?
I think this part of the job is really hard. You have to take a sieve to your ideas and be really honest about them. Can you see exhibitors really booking your film? Be really honest. That might mean your slate shrinking from 6 ideas to 2. But who cares…as long as those two are strong. That’s all you need.
NEXT MONDAY: THE LOGLINE.
