tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post5736902052800647124..comments2024-03-28T10:16:38.716-04:00Comments on SleuthSayers: Me, Hitch and HollywoodLeigh Lundinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07921276795499571578noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-54152093196832671412012-03-15T00:44:06.659-04:002012-03-15T00:44:06.659-04:00Leigh Brackett said "money from Hollywood is ...Leigh Brackett said "money from Hollywood is nice, but don't count on it!"Jeff Bakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00316081079528920123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-15650167433543737842012-03-14T22:58:17.950-04:002012-03-14T22:58:17.950-04:00I know a mystery writer who had the saddest experi...I know a mystery writer who had the saddest experience in this category I ever heard. He sold the rights to his best (IMHO) novel to a big company. They lined up an Oscar-winning director and an Oscar-winning star. (Trust me, you know both of them.) Then director and star had a big fight and the project was dead.<br /><br />And since the company had the rights, not an option, I mean DEAD.<br /><br />Aargh.Robert Loprestihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-5024733066845565022012-03-14T22:08:13.572-04:002012-03-14T22:08:13.572-04:00Great post, Neil. I really enjoyed it. What an e...Great post, Neil. I really enjoyed it. What an eye-opener.<br /><br />--DixDixon Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11220791609338404147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-3529978405890560562012-03-14T13:34:12.831-04:002012-03-14T13:34:12.831-04:00I have had not one, but two episodes. The first w...I have had not one, but two episodes. The first was one who wished to make my story into a movie. When he sent me the script I couldn't believe how bad it was. I wrote back that it was horrible, and never heard back. The second is a little better in that a grad student in Canada is making a film of one of my (rare) westerns. No money, of course. In fact to date, no movie. I'm not holding my breath over that one either. Isn't this a great professionHerschel Cozinenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-11776502841597103152012-03-14T13:03:46.242-04:002012-03-14T13:03:46.242-04:00James - nice to hear someone else has had the stic...James - nice to hear someone else has had the sticky end of the Hollywood lollipop. <br />It just goes to show - oh, my ears and whiskers! - that Tinseltown is capable of everything. Including nothing.<br />Elizabeth, thankyou for the retro-diagnosis. I just knew you'd know.<br /><br />Thanks for all the kind comments. I forgot this morning to give a BIG thankyou to Leigh who inserted the images and thereby saved me from ignominy and ridicule.Neil Schofieldnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-10712328131868002612012-03-14T12:35:41.188-04:002012-03-14T12:35:41.188-04:00James, that's an interesting story as well. I...James, that's an interesting story as well. I love hearing about experiences like that.John Floydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04001712728130488485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-78218470017344046532012-03-14T12:25:04.046-04:002012-03-14T12:25:04.046-04:00Great story. I've had my own dealings with Ho...Great story. I've had my own dealings with Hollywood, one equally as bizarre.<br /><br />I've had several screenplays adapted from my novels optioned. One option had BIZARRE written all over it.<br /><br />To make a long story short, I got a call wherein I was told how bad the screenplay I sent was. Just awful. Then, immediately after telling me this, the caller offered a pretty tidy sum for an option.<br /><br />"If it's so bad," I asked, "why do you want an option?"<br /><br />"Because," the caller said, "if we don't get the option, someone else will, and the movie they make from this thing could be a blockbuster. We want to make sure that doesn't happen."<br /><br />It took a long time for my brain to compute what I'd just heard, and I'm still not sure I have a clue what he really meant. But the money was so good I grabbed it.<br /><br />Someone once described Hollywood as "life in a rabbit hole", but until that experience, I didn't realize how true that description really is.James A. Ritchiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06079259219969235678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-39703463497761154632012-03-14T10:49:50.727-04:002012-03-14T10:49:50.727-04:00Neil, I think you did great. Your several thousand...Neil, I think you did great. Your several thousand dollars was probably more than I got for either or maybe both of my hardover books for a Big Six publisher. And she paid for the lunch! I was expecting the punch line to be that she stiffed you on the check. The technical term, btw, is "projection." You were way out ahead of yourself with fantasy expectations (not that having those isn't fun sometimes--I figure that's what I buy with my occasional lottery ticket). And I'll give you the solution for free: One day at a time. :)Elizabeth Zelvinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13944424094949207841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-66595455749034889872012-03-14T10:07:47.087-04:002012-03-14T10:07:47.087-04:00Neil -- Thanks for the fun morning read!Neil -- Thanks for the fun morning read!Dale Andrewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10553503281187956955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-47264657002030420762012-03-14T09:40:05.751-04:002012-03-14T09:40:05.751-04:00I enjoyed this, Neil, as usual. I too came close ...I enjoyed this, Neil, as usual. I too came close to seeing one of my stories on the big screen, but the project eventually died a wheezing death. Maybe someday . . .John Floydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04001712728130488485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-38932049695740224562012-03-14T09:02:07.753-04:002012-03-14T09:02:07.753-04:00A nice piece that should be required reading for a...A nice piece that should be required reading for aspiring writers!<br />My film story didn't get even that far, but involved and option with Goldie Hawn's production company -for several years I was amused by the idea that my financial future might be impacted by a woman I remember doing go-go dancing on tv with funny slogans written on her tummy.Janicenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-68963420347302680852012-03-14T08:50:18.325-04:002012-03-14T08:50:18.325-04:00Neil, I had a great time reading your piece this m...Neil, I had a great time reading your piece this morning! Though I am still waiting for that call from H-Town, at least now I know what to do when it comes--first and foremost I have to develop a British accent; then, somehow, become witty. <br /><br />As usual, your posting is a delight.David Deanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13005457506363262838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-68397753873101057752012-03-14T04:25:52.161-04:002012-03-14T04:25:52.161-04:00Rob, you're right, as I've since realised....Rob, you're right, as I've since realised. But in the event, a piece of the net turned out exactly equal to a piece of the gross - zip.Neil Schofieldnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-87310252369446101772012-03-14T00:25:48.100-04:002012-03-14T00:25:48.100-04:00NET receipts? Oh Neil, don't you remember wha...NET receipts? Oh Neil, don't you remember what Mario Puzo said when asked if he had one piece of advice for inspiring authors?<br /><br />"Insist on a piece of the gross."<br /><br />Wonderful piece. And you got a hell of a lot closer to The Pictures than I ever did. I once had a film student ask my permission to use of one of my stories for a student film. I assume he then dropped out and became a plumber.Robert Loprestihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.com