There I was having lunch with a fellow corporate zombie when
he suddenly asks, “you are going to write about us in your blog, aren’t you?” As we gazed into each other’s eyes over a
laminated table and a plate of bad chicken chow mein we slowly dissolved into
flashback…
Okay, melodramatic nonsense aside, I was approached some
time ago by said corporate zombie, who also happens to be an actor, with a
proposal. He and two actresses were looking to take greater control of their
careers by generating their own content, specifically by making a web series.
All of them were “older” actors (as in not 18-21 and
straight out of film school) with full-time jobs and they were willing to pay
for good scripts. It seems they were tired of auditioning for the unpaid
student film grind and being overlooked for younger actors or, egregiously,
models that had a “certain look”. They intended to approach three writers in
what amounted to a tender system. They would then pick the successful
candidate.
My initial response was, “hmmmm, no, not so much”. Without
sounding vain (okay, maybe a little vain), I wasn’t going to “bid” for a web
series. Besides, now that I’m working again, time is of the utmost premium and
I have a feature script to work on.
However, as I’ve known this actor a while and he’s a good
guy (don’t let this go to your head, Leon!), I said I would meet with them,
listen to their ideas, and if they wanted, I could write a one to two page
proposal (for a fee). If they agreed to explore it further we would talk.
The meeting is set and it’s in the lobby of the Hyatt Hotel
in the early evening after everyone has finished their work commitments. “Pretty
upmarket”, I think, more used to cafes and pubs as the standard meeting
environment.
I don’t know one of the actresses and the other one only by
work she has done on another web series. I make an early faux pas by ordering
alcohol only to watch everyone else order tea. Okay, not that sort of meeting
then. But, damn it, I’m a writer!
Introductions are made, small talk conducted then it’s time
to get down to business. What is it they want? Now, for actors, I found the
initial discussion fascinating. They were talking about where the series would
be set. Related to questions of
budget and how they would finance the series and all these types of things.
Then it hits me, they will also be the producers if it’s their money they’re
putting up. Little warning bells go off as it means I would be writing for them
while also, technically, working under them.
Anyway, I finally get around to asking, “yes, but what would
the web series be about? What do you want to say?” This launches us into a
discussion about things I’m on much more solid ground about – theme and story
and character and tone.
Now, I can be pretty charming and engaging when I want to be
and we’re all hitting it off in fine style. So much so that by the
end of the meeting it appears I have been “hired” and the tender process
scrapped. I have no real idea what this thing is yet but everybody seems
positive.
The next meeting is on home turf – the big Dome in East Vic
Park. I’m still not sure what the series is about as the ideas so far (based on
the actors’ suggested locations) seem very dry. But then that magic all writers
crave happens – someone says something in passing and my screenwriting brain jumps about 23 steps and suddenly I know what I want to write. I pitch this new
idea – a subversion of what they originally proposed – and it is
enthusiastically embraced. Now I get excited which is absolutely vital if I’m
going to write this thing as possibilities open up all over the place. I have a
sense of tone and place and possible storylines and characters.
The next meeting and a director is in attendance. Likes the
idea, speaks very well, has interesting stories to tell. Another little warning
bell goes off in my head as the actors are talking crew and equipment and
marketing and all sorts of other things and I am yet to write a single scripted
word. But passion and enthusiasm isn’t necessarily guaranteed by all parties working
on a project so there’s that at least. What is far more relevant to me is how
many episodes and of what length. The initial response is 10 episodes of 5-7
minutes each.
Later I am asked for an idea of my fee and we agree on a
figure to write a “bible” for the series and then a per episode amount. I am
mindful that this is their own money and I am appreciative that they want to
conduct this as a professional transaction.
Plans are being made for a website and marketing tools and
ancillary content, all manner of things. But that’s not my concern. My first
task is to produce the bible by 1 October – character breakdowns, story arcs,
episode guides, themes, the world of the series; basically everything I need to
write the episodes.
I haven’t gone into specific details of the project as that
is the actors’ province to announce when they are ready. There is a working
title, a tag line, a whole lot of early notes, and a slowly coalescing idea in
my head of what this is…
I’ll know a whole lot more in a month’s time!
