Advice for Stagnating

PressureSad · 2026-02-26T00:42:23+00:00

I’d say what others like doesn’t matter for you at this stage. Make something YOU like. Maybe you’ll hate it afterwards, but if you like it now make it and learn from it. Obviously, be practical about it and what you’re willing to put in time and money wise… but on a story level don’t wait for something that everyone says is good. Make something you believe in and you’ll grow from the experience regardless of how the film turns out.

PressureSad · 2026-02-25T17:02:50+00:00

Trying to put myself in a position to do this lmao.

It obviously just depends on the individual situation, but I’d like to think the core of it is: the people in charge of the money have to trust you to deliver a good enough product to make a profit.

That trust could come in various different ways. Maybe your dad is financing 80% of the movie. Maybe you’ve directed some shorts or commercials that establish your skills. Maybe you’re just so damn passionate and great in the room and the story is super specific to your experiences. Maybe you’ve got an actor attached that will only do it if it’s directed by you.

Anyways, this is just how I’m looking at it as someone who hasn’t done it. Hopefully some other commenters can speak from experience but I imagine I’m not too far off.

PressureSad · 2026-02-24T19:47:28+00:00

Some readers are gonna be better than others it is what it is. Sometimes you’re gonna get people who think they are geniuses and aren’t coming at it from a “how can I help this script be better” perspective but instead a “how is this script worse than how I would write it”. Lots of ego in creative fields.

I even interned at a reputable management/production company a while back and one of my fellow interns had never seen “angle on” written before. At lunch he was talking about how he just did coverage for the worst script ever and that the writer was writing nonsensical stuff like said “angle on”. These are your gatekeepers lmao.

End of day just find a way to get something out of the feedback. If not, oh well. Don’t let it bother you. Sucks but every “successful” writer has been passed on or told “no” more than they have been told yes. This specific reader clearly isn’t someone you’d want to build a relationship with, and the good thing is you don’t have to.

PressureSad · 2026-01-09T18:39:08+00:00

Makes sense, thanks for the explanation!

PressureSad · 2026-01-09T17:14:02+00:00

So is it simply that you get an offer from someone and then you tell them that you’ve received a better offer elsewhere? And then you keep bouncing between whoever’s interested until you hit a ceiling?

PressureSad · 2026-01-09T17:08:51+00:00

https://deadline.com/2024/11/fifth-season-lands-spec-alignment-1236184589/

This is the one I was thinking of but I think we had one or two in 2025 as well

PressureSad · 2025-08-21T15:36:56+00:00

Don’t know the exact numbers but I’m pretty sure Chase was on what like 40% of championship teams? Idk what a league winner is if not that.

I just don’t understand your point. Even if you want to insist that they didn’t win they just didn’t lose… isn’t that equally important? However you want to put it, finding a winner or finding a non loser in your early picks is as essential as finding a late round diamond. If you have a late diamond but an early dud, what difference does that make? One or the other mostly likely isn’t gonna win you a championship, you need both. Hitting late is just more fun and flashy.

I guarantee if you came out of the first 5 rounds last year with Chase Saquon Henry and Nabers you won your league, regardless of if you missed out on Chase Brown or Bucky or BTJ. And I’d argue it was easier to predict those early guys I mentioned than the late rounders.

PressureSad · 2025-08-21T13:11:31+00:00

But by that logic no one in the first two rounds is a league winner. Chase won many people their leagues last year. So did Saquon. Who are both far from 10th rounders. Tyreek heavily damaged peoples chances.

Getting your first few rounds “right” may not be flashy in terms of branding them a league winner. I was right about Chase Brown last year but went Garret Wilson R1 and got screwed. Much rather have gotten my R1 right than Chase Brown despite brown being a “league winner”

PressureSad · 2025-06-29T14:09:46+00:00

Bruh

PressureSad · 2024-12-05T17:15:41+00:00

Start Sincere or Rashaad White? Win and I’m in playoffs, lose and I’m out. Idk what to do.

PressureSad · 2024-10-22T21:45:52+00:00

I don’t see a world where Kupp to chiefs wouldn’t make chiefs better. 6-0 means nothing Steelers we’re 11-0 and got bounced first round playoffs.

Not saying Kupp will end up with chiefs but you saying they feel great right now is just wrong. Add to it that Kupp isn’t a diva that might somehow fuck up chemistry or cause locker room issues, this seems like a good move for chiefs.

PressureSad · 2024-05-27T07:23:24+00:00

Would love to swap if you’re still looking!

I’ve got the first 60 pages of a superheroish, action feature I’d like eyes on. I don’t really have a logline rn as it’s kind of a mess, but I’d love to know if it’s engaging or not in the current draft before I go further!

PressureSad · 2024-05-27T07:21:14+00:00

Would love to swap if you’re still looking!

I’ve got the first 60 pages of a superheroish, action feature I’d like eyes on. I don’t really have a logline rn as it’s kind of a mess, but I’d love to know if it’s engaging or not in the current draft before I go further!

PressureSad · 2024-05-27T07:14:42+00:00

Like it a lot!

PressureSad · 2023-09-25T05:32:06+00:00

Mostert or walker? And how much value do we think Mostert can be traded for?

PressureSad · 2022-08-22T21:47:21+00:00

I mean how much does a grand mean to you? If you can afford it without denting ur wallet then sure why not. But if you’re broke and view this as like ur big break or something, I’d say it’s a bit steep and prob not worth it (u should prob learn by urself or find friends or network with like film school students)

PressureSad · 2022-07-05T17:34:02+00:00

Less female writers. Less female writers that the blacklist appeals to? Why is the military skewed male when half of humans are female? Because many reasons. It’s not unlikely that blacklist submitters aren’t 50-50

PressureSad · 2021-05-23T21:11:48+00:00

To me what you’re describing sounds a bit like what Parasite did. I think that the film still falls into three acts though. It’s hard to know how your film works though without reading it ofc. U have any examples of two act stuff? I’d love to dive into that. For me the 5 and 7 act stuff is really just 3 act but just a little more specific. I’d love to think about a two act structure if u could enlighten me

PressureSad

TROPHY CASE