tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13294573.post951068018740697938..comments2024-03-28T22:40:10.893-04:00Comments on Cockeyed Caravan: What I Wish I'd Heard At Graduation, Part 4: Favors Are Serious BusinessMatt Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07319984238456281734noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13294573.post-53528436459808180002012-06-04T09:39:43.725-04:002012-06-04T09:39:43.725-04:00YES! Absolutely, that happens all the time. I...YES! Absolutely, that happens all the time. I've gotten jobs that way and I've passed jobs on to other writers. <br /><br />This is sometimes done because of subject matter: "That's a great idea, though it's not something I would know how to write, but I know a great screenwriter who would love that subject matter, can I give you his number?"<br /><br />Or it's because of pay: "I'd be happy to develop that idea for you, but I'm only taking work right now that's paid up front. If you need someone who's willing to work with you on a future-payment basis, I could give you some names of some hungry up-and-coming writers."<br /><br />I've even heard rumors that there was once a time in which people turned down appealing, paid work because they had too much work to do!<br /><br />I edited a documentary about the great Percy Sutton, one of the grand old men of Harlem, whose theory was that if someone owed him a favor, and he cashed it in himself, then that favor was gone, but if he introduced that person to somebody else and had them help each other out, then he'd have two favors. Before long, he was the most loved man in Harlem.Matt Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07319984238456281734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13294573.post-28198333277750814092012-06-04T03:53:29.715-04:002012-06-04T03:53:29.715-04:00I can see how it helps for crew and actors to do f...I can see how it helps for crew and actors to do favors for each other. Most projects have many crew members, many actors.<br /><br />But are not screenwriters in competition with each other?<br /><br />How are favors between screenwriters given or repaid?<br /><br />Will any screenwriter, learning of a producer seeking scripts, say to that producer, "Never mind me. Here's this other writer you should hire."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13294573.post-11031377541520438992012-06-03T19:06:59.055-04:002012-06-03T19:06:59.055-04:00For the most part, I'm thinking of film-making...For the most part, I'm thinking of film-making favors, such as crewing on sets or helping with post-production, since most screenwriters aren't just screenwriters. In this business everybody's always shooting something, even if they're not a director.<br /><br />But screenwriters do plenty of other favors for each other as well, including script consulting (sometimes on a tight deadline), outright script doctoring or full collaboration, pitching in as a writers' room assistant, agreeing to consider people for jobs based on a friend's recommendation, etc.Matt Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07319984238456281734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13294573.post-16958120458773431212012-06-03T18:02:12.013-04:002012-06-03T18:02:12.013-04:00Can you describe what kind of favors you're ta...Can you describe what kind of favors you're talking about in regards to screenwriting? Or are you just talking about help that low-budget filmmakers need in general?J.A.noreply@blogger.com