We want to believe that we work in a completely free creative environment. That whatever stories we make up, we will be able to have them translated to the screen and get an audience to watch them. But we forget that we actually work in an industry–a highly commercial business–and with lots of creative leeway, we must still know how to function within a certain (and constantly evolving) business model.

Does that mean that as a writer, I must only write what has already been written and tell the same old and tired stories? Of course not. Clearly, that is what you were suggesting at all. There is plenty of room for imagination.

The most powerful writers are the ones who can write to an audience–meaning those writers who understand the business of making and distributing films. Let’s not kid ourselves, we want as many people as possible to watch our films, a) for the sheer pleasure of connecting with an audience, and b) in order to be given the opportunity to tell more stories. It is irresponsible of writers not to consider the audience (niche or general market), and to do everything in their power to ensure that they’re being both creative and practical at the same time.

Recently, while tackling the shooting draft of a screenplay for a feature film that is fully cast and that I intend to produce this year, I was faced with the budgetary reality that a sequence that I had written would cost a significant amount of money. This signified that greater financing needed to be raised, and additional box office receipts needed to be collected in order to pay back my investors and realize any profits.

I could have argued with myself that the scene as written was perfect and necessary. It would have been a convincing argument. But since I am also the producer with a solid understanding of the current state of affairs in the business, I had to be practical about the matter and go back to the drafting table for that scene. This is an art house project targeted at two niche markets. If I don’t take that into consideration, I have no business writing or producing this or any other film.

In the end, during the rewriting process, the script didn’t suffer. That is, in fact, why I am a writer. I needed to dissect the scene psychologically and find other imaginative and visually stimulating ways in which to convey the same information, remaining within our budgetary parameters. And, of course, I found the way. Nothing has been sacrificed artistically in the process, I am happy to say, and I found that the challenge was exciting and hardly insurmountable.

So, Stacey, thanks for keeping it real. Your wise words ought not land on deaf ears nor discourage anyone from succeeding creatively and financially in the business.

I agree so much with what you have stated months ago, that I’ve been trying to apply it to my own work.

Anyone who applies this concept will be ahead of the curve. They have to think of their film from an investors POV. Why should this film make money? If you’ve already figured out the distribution/marketing at the begining stages, then the argument will be solved or at least not such an issue with investors. When your film becomes a magnet, drawing in interest prior to production, you become a “force to be recononded with.”