Scriptwriting? Why bother. Page 12
Scriptwriting? Why bother. I wouldn't, just keep writing and if it looks like a script then Hey ho
Quote: Ben @ 25th August 2014, 3:39 PM BSTIs that why your script got rejected? Purely for that one piece of action? I doubt it!
No it got rejected cos they nicked the idea...... set in nightclub..... animal poos on the dance floor
Quote: gappy @ 23rd August 2014, 3:33 PM BSTIt's incredibly difficult to make a living as musician - arguably harder than making money as a professional writer
A musician can always make a few bob (and sometimes a GOOD few bob) playing music in the street.
Have you ever tried selling comedy scripts in the street?
It ain't easy, mate. I can tell you.
Busking crowd-pleasing covers is arguably more depressing to most musicians than any amount of shelf-stacking.
The equivalent for a comedian would be to stand in the High St, pushing custard pies repeatedly into your own face and wetting yourself.
When it comes to discussing the unfairness of the process by which some people's writing is bought while other people's is rejected, there's always going to be masses of hot air generated but we're unlikely ever to get away from the central fact that success in almost every career comes from a combination of talent, application, personal connections and luck.
Those who have 'made it' will often downplay the influence of factors other than talent and hard work.
Those who have not 'made it' will often play up the influence of personal connections and luck.
At the end of the day, however, and in the final analysis when all's said and done, there are some very talented people who don't succeed in the comedy business and there are some people with no discernible talent who do.
That's life.
Quote: gappy @ 20th September 2014, 2:42 PM BSTThe equivalent for a comedian would be to stand in the High St, pushing custard pies repeatedly into your own face and wetting yourself.
You've seen my street act then?
I still believe that people who look to outside factors for their failure, rather than to themselves, will never, by their very nature, succeed.
They should knock it on the head and do something else.
Quote: Lazzard @ 20th September 2014, 3:07 PM BSTI still believe that people who look to outside factors for their failure, rather than to themselves, will never, by their very nature, succeed.
They should knock it on the head and do something else.
As a practical suggestion, that's a very good one.
Regardless of the rights or wrongs of one's own personal 'Why am I not succeeding?' arguments, the only way forward is to strive constantly to improve one's work and to keep submitting it.
Otherwise, as you say, one might as well pack it in.
I agree with Rood Eye and Lazard. Luck is hugely important but really is just at the very beginning. Luck gives you the one chance usually. All the rest of the stuff is required to run and keep running with it.
There are some f**king idiots in TV mind.
There's defo some f**king idiots in TV and I too agree with Rood and Lazard. Don't blame other people or the situation, thems just the rules you have to follow. You choose what action to take, and if you take the wrong or not enough action, then that's your bad man.
And, although I don't completely agree with 'you make your own luck', it is kind of true. If you haven't taken action or put yourself in a place where 'luck' will strike then you probably won't be struck.
And also, there are other ways in. If you're just sending scripts off and not getting anywhere, there's no reason you couldn't turn it into a stage show or standup act or ebook or blog or anything else. You're not owed anything, you have to go and get things yourself and stop being such a little bitch.
The "I could do better than that" mindset is another one to avoid.
a) Are you sure?
b) If a thing is bad - doesn't mean it started out that way. Everyone probably had high hopes at the beginning.
c) Prove it.
It's a philosophy commonly known as "shit + 1" i.e. if your target is to be a bit better than shit, then, again, don't bother.
Quote: Marc P @ 20th September 2014, 3:31 PM BSTLuck is hugely important but really is just at the very beginning. Luck gives you the one chance usually.
A very powerful woman once todl mne, you make your own luck. Mind you, she was the Goddess Fortuna, so I'm not sure it was that helpful.
If you don't have a deity to consult, then listen to Lazzard instead, arguably more insightful - his last post is gold.