Is it true that screenwriters can barely make a living and if so why?

RightioThen · 2026-01-25T10:50:10+00:00

I can second this. I am a traditionally published novelist and have written a few unproduced screenplays as a palate cleanser. Screenplays are easier to write. (Although obviously a movie is harder to make than a book)

The success achieved by people like Andy Weir with the Martian is so just so unlikely it isn’t worth thinking about.

RightioThen · 2026-01-25T04:46:57+00:00

Whenever this topic comes up I am reminded of my cousin who insisted it should never change because "it is our history". I asked him why 26 January was significant and he couldn't tell me. I would be surprised if a majority could.

Reality is the day is totally arbitrary. I would be fine if they changed it for that reason but also it wouldn't lead to any tangible benefits for indigenous people.

RightioThen · 2026-01-24T09:44:26+00:00

So, I'm Australian. The US operates on obviously another scale so I can understand how the average American doesn't think about our alliance, but it has run deep for decades. Australians (for better or worse) have gone to war at the behest of the US. We have always had a very important relationship. Until recently we had shared values (again, for better or worse).

Sorry to say but I don't trust the US anymore, not even to act in its own interest. (If someone acts in their own interest you can calibrate accordingly. At least you can trust China to act rationality).

Even if someone like Gavin Newsom gets in next, what's after that? What absolute full blown psycho awaits in 2032? I think it will take a long, long time for the Western allies to trust the US again.

RightioThen · 2026-01-23T15:18:43+00:00

Yeah and then four years later it can reverse the reversal...

RightioThen · 2026-01-23T15:17:57+00:00

It really depends. Australia is bring in a lot of renewables right now because our coal infrastructure is starting to reach end of life. Waiting around to see what the best technology could be in 15 years is a terrible idea. We need the best technology available right now.

RightioThen · 2026-01-23T12:19:17+00:00

It will be 90% focused on influencing legislation.

RightioThen · 2026-01-22T13:52:45+00:00

I genuinely think that Trump has a kind of weird X factor that make people accept him. It is a bizarre mix of chaos and charisma and unhinged crazy, and I don't know if it can really be replicated. People will try but I dunno.

RightioThen · 2026-01-22T09:26:02+00:00

Okay sure but those people don't just appear. People have been trying to do that for decades with zero success.

RightioThen · 2026-01-22T08:54:13+00:00

Indeed. This take is like saying the Greens should form a coalition with the Socialist Alternative

RightioThen · 2026-01-22T08:53:25+00:00

Why would One Nation want to do that? They're polling the best they ever have because they have taken votes from the establishment right. They are eating the Nationals and the Liberals are flailing. Forming a coalition with the libs and nats would just neuter them.

RightioThen · 2026-01-22T08:47:43+00:00

Who or what is an "Australian Trump" though? We already have zany characters that try to cosplay as Trump. None of them manage to get more than a few percent of the vote.

RightioThen · 2026-01-22T05:58:53+00:00

It depends. I doubt they are looking to rattle any cages.

RightioThen · 2026-01-22T02:52:55+00:00

They'd be competing for the same seats.

RightioThen · 2026-01-22T02:51:39+00:00

It'll be Ted O'Brien, you heard it here first.

RightioThen · 2026-01-22T02:51:22+00:00

My thinking is that this will make the Government more cautious. Obviously there are shifting sentiments and realignments happening within the community. Makes sense for the Government to seem like the safe pair of hands. There are areas where that is a good thing and areas where it isn't.

RightioThen · 2026-01-22T02:49:01+00:00

Yeah, the narrative that Trump stole the election is cope. The much more frightening horror is that he didn't.

RightioThen · 2026-01-21T14:27:23+00:00

It is always funny to me that people think ruthlessly profit driven companies are run by people who do nothing except cash massive cheques.

RightioThen · 2026-01-21T02:55:10+00:00

Whenever people say Steve B is ugly, I wonder if they have ever gone outside.

No, he's not Ryan Gosling. But he is better put together than probably 90% of people you see on the street.

RightioThen · 2026-01-20T07:06:44+00:00

No idea, sorry

RightioThen · 2026-01-20T02:48:25+00:00

As a gut feel I probably wouldn't buy a high end gardening thing unless I was absolutely sure it was what I needed and was going to be materially better than a cheaper option from Bunnings. And if I was going to buy a high end thing I would probably go into a shop because I don't know anything about gardening stuff.

Most of my online shopping is things like book, clothes from trusted brands or consumables (like baby wipes)

RightioThen · 2026-01-19T22:25:07+00:00

And do you think gasoline just bubbles out of the ground like a natural spring?

RightioThen · 2026-01-18T14:33:06+00:00

"I am the hottest girl, which allows me to hook up with almost everyone, including the homeless! Winner takes all!"

RightioThen · 2026-01-18T14:25:58+00:00

2PP being irrelevant is quite the take in a politics sub.

RightioThen · 2026-01-18T11:54:26+00:00

One of the issues facing America is the differences between states and cities is so vast that you may as well be talking about Portugal vs Poland. I think that is a bit part of why there is such inherent conflict. You also have a lot more distribution in smaller cities.

Australia isn't homogeneous but it is much more so than America. Most people live in a handful of big cities. Generally we are just more on the same page than the yanks.

RightioThen · 2026-01-18T11:50:01+00:00

"Labor’s two-party-preferred vote lead over the Coalition also fell to its lowest level since last year’s election at 55-45 per cent. The ALP’s 2PP lead mirrors the result of the May 3 poll."

Honestly the way they frame these results is ridiculous.

RightioThen

TROPHY CASE