Current Events > Writers of CE, do you ever worry about the possibility of being pressured into

(+) Yeah! (+)

adapting a story that you wouldn't want to?

I'm working on a couple of stories with magical or supernatural elements to them. One of them has a team with an animal theme. If that story got turned into a movie, I'm worried that someone might one day want me to write (or at least authorize) a story in which my characters fought the Ninja Turtles. Or I'm worried that there might come a time that someone might knock on my door and ask me to do the next live action reboot of Nickelodeon's Avatar. On the other hand, I'm glad that Harry Potter doesn't do crossovers. I'd hate to be all, "I'm not transphobic. They drove a dump truck full of money up to my house. I'm not made of stone."

It's kind of pointless to worry about stuff like that, since there's seemingly no pattern to who gets pressured into what, but the thought still gets to me from time to time.

I promise you that authors don't get 'pressured' like that.

They get pressured into delivering their manuscript on time.

They get pressured to deliver what they promised.

But they don't even get asked to do these weird crossovers.

*drags a cigarette*

sweet summer child

ai123 posted...

I promise you that authors don't get 'pressured' like that.

They get pressured into delivering their manuscript on time.

They get pressured to deliver what they promised.

But they don't even get asked to do these weird crossovers.

I know these are old examples, but Mario Puzo was asked to write Superman: The Movie based off of the strength of The Godfather. They probably didn't put a gun to his head, but what do those two stories have in common? It was a clear case of, "You're talented. You can make this story work."

And Michael Crichton was absolutely pressured by Steven Spielberg into writing a Jurassic Park sequel that he never intended. Worse yet, he used virtually none of the material from the novel. And then Spielberg himself lost interest in the story somewhere along the way. I still like The Lost World: Jurassic Park, somewhat begrudgingly, but it is uninspired to say the least.

FortuneCookie posted...

I know these are old examples, but Mario Puzo was asked to write Superman: The Movie based off of the strength of The Godfather. They probably didn't put a gun to his head, but what do those two stories have in common? It was a clear case of, "You're talented. You can make this story work."

And Michael Crichton was absolutely pressured by Steven Spielberg into writing a Jurassic Park sequel that he never intended. Worse yet, he used virtually none of the material from the novel. And then Spielberg himself lost interest in the story somewhere along the way. I still like The Lost World: Jurassic Park, somewhat begrudgingly, but it is uninspired to say the least.

Yes, extremely successful name authors sometimes get projects pitched to them.

They get taken out for a very nice lunch and get offered a big cheque. They are free to say yes or no. They are just being offered work, that's all.

You make it sound like they sit trembling in their apartment, dreading the knock on the door, and the cry of 'you better do this TMNT crossover, or else!'.

Worry about this as an unknown author is like being a kid in a school play fretting about how they will handle their Oscar acceptance speech.

ai123 posted...

Yes, extremely successful name authors sometimes get projects pitched to them.

They get taken out for a very nice lunch and get offered a big cheque. They are free to say yes or no. They are just being offered work, that's all.

You make it sound like they sit trembling in their apartment, dreading the knock on the door, and the cry of 'you better do this TMNT crossover, or else!'.

Worry about this as an unknown author is like being a kid in a school play fretting about how they will handle their Oscar acceptance speech.

I mean, Hollywood can badger people into writing or directing certain films. They straight up tell you when it comes to screenwriting to anticipate that your first screenplay is going to go on a shelf and that they will offer you whatever idea they have lying around. If you say no to that idea, you don't have a career.

I know that being an author is different from being a screenwriter. But, should you end up working on a screenplay for a film adaptation of one of your stories, Hollywood can badger you into writing other screenplays.

Did you know that Disney attempted to purchase the company that published Harry Potter after J.K. Rowling turned them down? I could see myself being in a position where they would be like, "I know your story has the potential to be the next Star Wars, but we're going to turn it into an eight-part Disney+ series about a 16-year-old girl who discovers she's from a family of werewolves. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200 million."

Disney is straight up scary. They're like the Empire from Star Wars (conquer everything) crossed with the Navi from Avatar (need nothing, can't be bargained with). They need nothing. They don't need the next big franchise for little girls, teenage boys, or grown adults. They don't need fairies or dinosaurs or robots. They have all that they could ever want or need. All they need is to get rid of the competition. They do buy and sell careers.

Given her transphobia, maybe it would have been better if Disney had purchased Rowling's soul and turned Harry Potter into a teacup ride based upon the sorting hat. But I don't want that happening to me.

FortuneCookie posted...

I mean, Hollywood can badger people into writing or directing certain films. They straight up tell you when it comes to screenwriting to anticipate that your first screenplay is going to go on a shelf and that they will offer you whatever idea they have lying around. If you say no to that idea, you don't have a career.

Screenwriters have agents whose job is to get producers interested in the scripts. People don't go around giving ideas to screenwriters and forcing them to write them.

Sometimes writers with a proven track record are hired (I.e: offered a job) to work on existing scripts.

I know that being an author is different from being a screenwriter. But, should you end up working on a screenplay for a film adaptation of one of your stories, Hollywood can badger you into writing other screenplays.

It's not 'badgering' it's a job offer.

Did you know that Disney attempted to purchase the company that published Harry Potter after J.K. Rowling turned them down?

Rowling always retained her character rights.

I could see myself being in a position where they would be like, "I know your story has the potential to be the next Star Wars, but we're going to turn it into an eight-part Disney+ series about a 16-year-old girl who discovers she's from a family of werewolves. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200 million."

They can't do any of those things without your permission.

Disney is straight up scary. They're like the Empire from Star Wars (conquer everything) crossed with the Navi from Avatar (need nothing, can't be bargained with). They need nothing. They don't need the next big franchise for little girls, teenage boys, or grown adults. They don't need fairies or dinosaurs or robots. They have all that they could ever want or need. All they need is to get rid of the competition. They do buy and sell careers.

Given her transphobia, maybe it would have been better if Disney had purchased Rowling's soul and turned Harry Potter into a teacup ride based upon the sorting hat. But I don't want that happening to me.

I hope your fiction is as imaginative as this.

You're worrying about things that only happen to a handful of extremely successful authors, who are also powerful enough to tell Disney to go away if they feel like it.

They literally tell you in screenwriting classes that they will shelf your first screenplay and offer you whatever is available. If you turn in a story about murder and incest in a small town and they ask you, "Would you be willing to do a screenplay about a dog that plays soccer," your options are Yes or I Don't Want a Career.

And big names get punished all the time. Keanu Reeves said no to Speed 2: Cruise Control and Fox didn't contact him to work on another project for ten years. He had other studios to work for, but their doors were closed.

FortuneCookie posted...

They literally tell you in screenwriting classes that they will shelf your first screenplay and offer you whatever is available. If you turn in a story about murder and incest in a small town and they ask you, "Would you be willing to do a screenplay about a dog that plays soccer," your options are Yes or I Don't Want a Career.

And big names get punished all the time. Keanu Reeves said no to Speed 2: Cruise Control and Fox didn't contact him to work on another project for ten years. He had other studios to work for, but their doors were closed.

My dude, you are basically a twelve year old basketball player who is making already plans on how to deal with a scummy NBA draft.

DrizztLink posted...

My dude, you are basically a twelve year old basketball player who is making already plans on how to deal with a scummy NBA draft.

Yes, that's it.

That's exactly it.

There's a variable that cannot be accounted for.