Screenwriting Myths & Facts: Part 4

True or False

1. Projects that go into turnaround are often purchased by other studios and have a better chance of being produced

   That’s false. Turnaround projects have heavy costs that have accrued and which the new buyers have to pay before acquiring them. They have no better chance of getting produced.

2. Public domain properties never require the acquisition of rights from the original owner of the material

   That is true.

3. Residuals are checks sent to the writer for TV runs and DVD sales and are tracked by the Writers Guild

   That is true.

4. Dramas are well known for their "set pieces"

   That’s false. Action movies are famous for their "set pieces" which are big action scenes or sequences.

5. An attachment is either a star or director who’s interested in doing a particular project that makes it easier to set up and produce

   True.

6. A "leave behind" is the writer’s personal contact information that he leaves with the people he’s pitching to

   False. It’s a 1 page, treatment, or script that’s left for the producers to read after you’ve made your pitch.

7. Subtext is another term for scene description

   False. It’s the hidden meaning of what a character says. The opposite of that is called "on the nose dialogue".

8. "Tracking systems" follow a film's box office numbers during its run

   That’s false. It’s a method that’s employed by studios to follow hot scripts that enter the marketplace

9. A development fee is the money a producer gets upon the sale or option of any material

   True. The fee is generally $25,000.

10. Adaptations come solely from novels

    False. They can also come from short stories or plays.

About Steve Kaire

Steve Kaire is a screenwriter and "Pitchman" who has sold 8 projects to the major studios without representation. The last project he sold, he’s Co-Producing for Walden Media. A screenwriter for over 30 years, he holds a Masters in Dramatic Writing and has taught writing classes at the American Film Institute. Steve was featured on the Tonight Show’s, "Pitching to America" and was voted a Star Speaker at Screenwriters Expo three years in a row. His unique CD & Ebook, "High Concept - How to Create, Pitch & Sell to Hollywood" is a best seller. His website is: HighConceptScreenwriting.com.