Writers spend most of their time alone in a room with their computers. Writing. They rarely go outside to see if the weather has changed whilst writing to tight deadlines. What happens when a studio finally says yes to one of your screenplays and invites you to the filming of ‘your’ movie a year later. Do you stay or do you go? Are you prepared to take the comments, the flak if you don’t have the next Silence Of The Lambs evolving in front of you?
If you’re already had some success as a screenplay writer you’ll know that the film isn’t yours. You may have written the first two or three drafts to get the sale and then you may have written another couple of drafts to get it to the pre production stage. Your screenwriting is then owned by the studio, until it’s passed to the director and storyboard artist. Next it belongs to the editor and finally it belongs to the audience. It belonged to the producer all along.
Albert Torres who wrote the screenplay to the movie ‘Henry Poole Is Here’ believes it’s good for a writer to be on set and available in case of situations where the words don’t actually work live and need some minor quick changes. He speaks of film crews being surprised to seeing a writer on set and how it’s so rare.
Hollywood actress Kirsten Dunst, star of Wimbledon, Spiderman, and Mona Lisa Smile barred a writer from the set of her new movie after he allegedly criticized her acting ability. This involved author Toby Young who wrote the book on which the new film - How to Lose Friends + Alienate People - is based, and visited the set on several occasions.
It was on his second visit that he thought he was making helpful comment about her performance to the producer. Dunst found out, probably didn’t want the ‘help’ and asked for the writer to be off set.
That shows one of the dilemmas of being on set. Who can talk to a star and what can you say/not say to them if you are allowed to speak to them or make comment via a crew member? Extras aren’t allowed to speak to stars, let alone look at them. What are the rules for writers? There aren’t any except most producers will try to keep writers away from a set because what the director does with your words may not be what you intended.
Well, to be honest it will be quite different because the movie that was in your head when you wrote it will obviously be different to the movie in the director’s head. You may take offence to this new version and you might want to argue your point. The director won’t want that (except for the one you’ve just thought of who always wants a writer on set and requests their assistance!).
Stay at home is the best advice, wait for the premiere. You won’t get so angry or upset so early in the process. Once it’s out at the movies it’s too late anyway. If you have to go on set, keep your distance, say nothing and be available if requested to launch into that last minute re-write for the superstar.
Once invited, you’d just have to go, wouldn’t you? Really.
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