My other other job is developing projects with my wife for money and friends for free.
My official title is President of Development of Taco Night Productions, which is to say I’m the only person in development at this production company.
We just got a movie rewrite job, and I want to celebrate that for her and me. It was another one which I helped completely retool. It’s a movie based on a book.
Many of the projects that have been picked up have been after I’ve helped tweak, refine, and streamline the story through the lens of what’s believable (actor brain), what’s compelling (story structure), what’s funny (sketch/comedy brain) and troubleshooting (using what’s there and enhancing it while addressing the problems stated by producers).
Of the projects on which I’ve contributed, 4/5 have been bought/hired to do the work.
I’ll take that batting average any day, and if anything it tells me I should try to widen the scope of projects I’m involved with.
Here’s what I can offer as far as where the industry is at - existing IP, existing IP, existing IP.
Most production companies are buying and making stories about things that either are already written (proof of concept), or actually happened and are crazy compelling true stories. These true stories are especially attractive if they’re about somebody being a scam artist.
This trend is so thorough that it makes me bemoan that we are giving these vile people any more resources (attention), and makes me wonder if there isn’t some glorification of chicanery. I think what we pay attention to is important.
I think, like all trends, it’ll subside, and soon the pendulum will swing to new ideas some day. But they have to be better than the real ones.
Another compelling thing - 90% of all information has been made in the past 2 years*. That makes me really interested in very specific historical pieces that are relevant now. Like when all the workers (plebes) in Rome went on strike and sat on the hillside until the upper class (optimates) realized that they couldn’t run the city without them. Reminds me of the Great Resignation happening now.
Hit me up if you have a project you got notes on from any network executives, or just want fresh eyes on a piece. I’ll give you specific notes along with my reasoning for those.
*https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130522085217.htm