In the U.S. and Canada, BIG FISH will be coming out on DVD (and presumably, VHS) starting April 27, 2004. You can already pre-order Big Fish from Amazon and other sites.
Archives for 2004
British Film Awards in London
I just returned from London, where I was attending the Orange British Film Awards, also known as the Bafta’s. Big Fish was up for seven awards, including Best Adapted Screenplay. We won exactly zero. But it was a very fun time, and truly an honor to have been nominated.
A few observations:
- Stephen Fry is much, much better than any other awards host I’ve encountered.
- The British don’t capitalize acronyms if it’s possible to pronounce them. Therefore Unicef supports people with Aids, while SBC stock is listed on the DJIA .
- Scripts are five pages shorter when printed on A4 paper, the European standard.
- The English are much smarter about binding scripts. Instead of brads, they use clips that go through two holes and fasten in the back.
- British phone numbers are wildly inconsistent. At least three times, I had to ask a native how to dial a number.
- London has an alarming number of traffic cameras. Borderline Orwellian. In Los Angeles, we have cameras that can catch you running a red light. London has cameras that can measure your average speed between two points, or determine whether your car was driven inside a certain zone on any given day, and charge you a congestion fee. Americans would revolt.
Franchises and the original writer
I would like to know more about franchises such as ALIEN. Seems as if a script has a definite potential for a sequel, it has a franchise built around it. I’ve read the story of the original screenwriter that wrote the initial ALIEN, before Ridley Scott got to it. It seem that he didn’t participate in the sequels at all. So can an “idea provider,” or a script writer, or anyone at the initial state of the development secure a place in the franchise to be made around that idea? How does one go about starting it the right way?
–Simion
Moscow
Ultimately, it comes down to contracts. Many writer’s contracts will state that the original screenwriter has the right of first negotiation in terms of sequels, spin-offs, or other uses of the underlying material. Hopefully, when your lawyer was making the deal for MAXIMUM MAYHEM, your brilliant spec screenplay, she included this kind of language. Otherwise, there’s no guarantee you’ll be the one writing MAXIMUM MAYHEM 2.
Movies that are made under the auspices of the WGA have some special provisions that get you paid even if you don’t write the sequel, generally by way of residuals. But it’s no substitute for having that protection in your initial contract.
By the way, it’s not just screenwriters who are concerned with staying on board a franchise. Producers have a vested interest in making sure they’re not booted off the gravy train. Their contracts are just are as tightly drawn to keep them involved in the life of a franchise.
Getting a job from a pre-visualization
I am going to be a writer/director. I have done neither professionally before, but I have previsualized the movie with my script. My question is what’s the next step? Can I just call the studio for a appointment to show them the pre-viz, or do I buy the Hollywood Creative Directory of Agents and Producers and send it to each one of them and maybe they will be impressed enough to show it around to get a deal?
–Geoff B
Nova Scotia, Canada
For readers who are unfamiliar with the term, a pre-visualization consists of artwork — often animated — which demonstrates the look and style of a film before it’s shot. It’s a technique often used for movies that involve elaborate set pieces (such as battle scenes) to help all the departments plan and budget for the work ahead. For instance, when prepping for CHARLIE’S ANGELS: FULL THROTTLE, the helicopter stunt at the opening was extensively animated before a frame of film was shot. That way, the director could focus on getting exactly the pieces he needed, replacing the roughly-animated polygonal figures with real angels.
But that’s an expensive Hollywood movie. Why would Geoff want or need pre-visualization?
Well, if he’s trying to do a movie that has a very different visual style, it might help. For instance, the upcoming SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW has an incredibly stylized, retro-futuristic look, achieved by computer animation and actors shot against green screen. The only way the director could convince a studio (in this case, Paramount) to gamble on the project was to shoot an extensive pre-visualization that explained his vision.
If Geoff’s movie is a simple romantic comedy, or a cop drama, then pre-visualization isn’t necessary, and probably won’t help him get a deal. But if his movie is more unusual or elaborate, it just might.
Since it sounds like Geoff is starting out from scratch, without any contacts, his “shotgun” approach of going through the Hollywood Creative Directory might make sense. Whatever he sends out — a videotape, storyboards, artwork — should be absolutely professional, concise, and well-edited. I wouldn’t send out the script until people respond.