Screenwriting : Thoughts on Rich Botto's AMA by Robert Franklin Godwin III

My take-away from Rich's AMA event yesterday was the advice to stay in touch with the trends of the movie industry. Reading the trades, talking to your contacts on the production end of the business is critical.  

I was in line ordering lunch at the Alcove on Hillhurst. The young dude next in line said, "that sounds good", and he also ordered the tuna melt. We all ended up sitting at the same table outside, seating is hard to come by at lunch. He worked at some indie production house and was bemoaning all the vampire movies that were in production. I took note as I was just starting my vampire novella. Those productions he mentioned are just now hitting the screens and streaming services. That lunch was three years ago.

The point of this short tale is that what you see on screen today started years ago. I see far too many posts suggesting because a current movie has boffo box office this indicates a trend to follow. I say, too late to close the barn doors, the animals have fled.

Keeping abreast of trends means networking with those in the trenches. Even the trades are lagging indicators. Rich's words on networking, building relationships, were the most important comments in his Q&A. Hopefully, more folks will follow the advice and be in tune with what producers see in their market research. Look through the windshield, not the rear-view mirror.

Thanks Rich.