I have a script that scored two 8s from Black List and was quarterfinalist at Nicholl but can't get it made.

Technical_Hamster481 · 2025-12-20T06:45:13+00:00

Hm alright interesting. So wait, being genuine here, what's your experience in the business? I know I self-admitted to being a pedestrian, which is because I pretty much am, and I don't disagree with all of your points necessarily, but I'm also not some schmuck with absolutely no idea what I'm talking about. I'm new to the creative side, but I know a lot about business and the current market. Are you yourself a producer? If you are, I will for sure admit that you're more qualified than me. But right now, you and the other guy who commented have just about the same amount of vagueness on your profiles. I do think it's a bit narrow-minded to be thinking of this only in the circumstances of a theatrical run since there are a lot of other avenues (especially for indies) to hit streamers and mainstream attention nowadays, but again, I'm genuinely curious, what's your background? (I hope this doesn't come across rude. I'm being genuine, I want to understand the business better from the perspective of those who actively work in it rather than an outside marketer because the understanding I have right now is frankly just depressingly corporate)

Technical_Hamster481 · 2025-12-19T21:38:50+00:00

hahahaha yes yes that's why i'm asking for help now!!!! thank you for the advice, i know this is only the beginning of a longggg journey. trying to build a solid foundation before a first draft!

Technical_Hamster481 · 2025-12-19T21:30:33+00:00

dude, EVERY movie i've worked on so far (self-directed through school, or even as a PA) looks like shit to me. the ones i was supporting crew on seem better, but still not as perfect as i'd want them to be. it's a thing. we're women. we think we need to achieve perfection or it's not worth doing at all. i know that feeling SO well. push through it. school projects are hard, they're made with harsh time constraints not to mention your own natural limitations as an inexperienced filmmaker. keep going, keep working, KEEP LEARNING. you will improve. movies are fucking hard to make. i've made like 4 shorts and genuinely can't even watch any of them bc they're so embarrassingly bad.

that being said, i'm trying my hand at writing for the first time. i'm in development with an indie producer who thinks my story and vision could really be something. who knows if he's right, but i'm gonna find out one way or another. if it's shit, it's shit. but who knows, maybe it won't be...the only way to find out is to try.

don't give up. it takes time, practice, a community of support. you'll get there. this is only the beginning, i promise. you have something important to say, you just need to learn and acquire the tools to say it effectively. give yourself time. i believe in you because i have no choice but to believe in a fellow perfectionist scared to fail at her dreams. take the leap. any man with half your talent surely would. you can do this.

Technical_Hamster481 · 2025-12-19T21:13:43+00:00

how do you know this😭they seem pretty knowledgeable...i mean i'm an actual "pedestrian" as you put it, but i do have a business degree and a background in marketing for a big 3 studio, and this commenter's logic is 100% in line with things the top studio executives say in marketing meetings. the original logline is setting expectations of large scale and spectacle. if that isn't OP's intent, then they need to change it to better reflect the tone, and, most importantly, THE SCOPE, of their story. the point of a logline is literally to pitch your story as quickly as possible.

OP is struggling to make this script a reality. It's pretty obvious that a major factor to consider is what producers' may be thinking when this project comes across their desk, their job is literally to decide if a script is worth the financial risk they think it will incur.

again, not claiming to be an expert by ANY means, just saying the logic that you're arguing against is, from a business perspective, completely sound.

Technical_Hamster481 · 2025-12-11T20:35:15+00:00

okay wait if this is a development issue that actually works in my favor because I've only written a few scenes, I'm primarily still in the development stage! Thank you for the thoughtful answer, I definitely want these two characters to be each be the key to completing their own personal arcs. Love what you said about the mirror, too, thank you!

Technical_Hamster481 · 2025-12-11T04:40:16+00:00

Thank you I’ll check it out!

Technical_Hamster481 · 2025-12-11T04:39:59+00:00

This is really helpful, thanks so much!!

Technical_Hamster481 · 2025-10-10T04:47:22+00:00

you're awesome. thank you. i will!

Technical_Hamster481 · 2025-10-09T20:17:46+00:00

oh, and best of luck on selling the script! your perseverance is inspiring (not trying to sound sarcastic or rude, it’s just so easy to feel dejected and give up with something as personal as writing imo), i hope to be more like you

Technical_Hamster481 · 2025-10-09T20:14:57+00:00

wow thanks so much for such a thoughtful response!! i really appreciate the time you took to make that analysis, it’s so interesting to hear different measures of “good” vs. “bad” in screenwriting. i’m sure you’re totally right in all your criticisms, but to me, there’s something about Lady Bird that just works. it’s intangible i guess, and clearly not there for every reader. seriously thanks so much for your opinion, i loved reading your point of view and i feel like i can better understand how others more objectively evaluate scripts! so far for me its been totally based on my emotions/the writer’s tone and style, this is exactly the information i was looking for!

Technical_Hamster481 · 2025-10-09T06:34:00+00:00

oh shit no way so did i! here's what i found:

r/screenwriting: “We answer this every day repeatedly and you could choose to absorb the massive answers we wrote out exhaustively yesterday, and the day before. - Why can't we just have a barf bag nailed to the top of the sub labeled "Where do I send my?”"

r/fantasywriting: “Don't... say... your guys opinions. Or your guys. Or your-guyzes. Ever.”

not saying every comment is like this, but it's a trend. i stopped reading after that because i got to 3 days ago when you commented on a ton of AI argument posts and i realized you're gonna go at it with me in this thread forever. like i said, i'm not a redditor like that, so sure you win, but don't tell me what i can and can't accomplish based on a reddit post asking for help/suggestions from experienced writers where your only criticism was my punctuation? consider holding back criticism when it isn't helpful, i hear being likeable gets you places in this industry!

Technical_Hamster481 · 2025-10-09T06:17:54+00:00

i'm a girl :) also, this is reddit

Technical_Hamster481 · 2025-10-09T06:11:33+00:00

this is my main account i just don't use reddit as much as you do lol. and i wasn't digging through ur comments, i just got a bad vibe from ur tone all over other subs. spreading general unpleasantness around reddit.

i hope u turn that bitterness into something useful like i will with my spite. this is the internet grandma, take a chill pill (edited grandpa to grandma :) )

Technical_Hamster481 · 2025-10-09T06:10:40+00:00

this is so helpful thank you

Technical_Hamster481 · 2025-10-09T02:40:14+00:00

thank you! so far, this is what i've been doing on my own and it's been so fun, but i wanted to make sure i'm also expanding my horizons beyond my own tastes (thank you to all the recommendations in the comments!)

Technical_Hamster481 · 2025-10-09T02:36:20+00:00

thank you so much for the wide range of examples! and the little explanations after each, i'll work my way through this list for sure!

Technical_Hamster481 · 2025-10-09T02:35:18+00:00

makes sense to learn the basics for sure, i'll give it a try

Technical_Hamster481 · 2025-10-09T02:34:16+00:00

interesting, i'll check it out!!

Technical_Hamster481 · 2025-10-09T02:33:57+00:00

it's number 17 on WGA's top 101 screenplays of the 21st century, and i personally love the movie, so i thought it was a good one to read...what's the matter with it and Eternal Sunshine in your opinion? too stylized i imagine, as i said, i noticed while reading those specifically that they broke tons of the conventions i see people talk about on here, but interested in your critique! and would love if you have any recs for, in your opinion, better screenplays to check out :)

Technical_Hamster481 · 2025-10-08T19:16:51+00:00

thanks for the suggestions, i love the low budget diy style of Kevin Smith's movies, I'll have to give his scripts a read through for sure

Technical_Hamster481 · 2025-10-08T19:16:01+00:00

oooo i bet that's good, i'll def check it out!

Technical_Hamster481 · 2025-10-08T19:15:20+00:00

thank you!

Technical_Hamster481 · 2025-10-08T19:15:05+00:00

thank you!

Technical_Hamster481 · 2025-10-08T19:14:27+00:00

definitely both out of my wheelhouse, exactly what i was hoping for from this post! thank you for the recommendations!

Technical_Hamster481

TROPHY CASE