THE HOLLYWOOD GAME

An Interview By Hal Croasmun

Every chance we get, we need to peak on the other side of the curtain and see how the screenwriting world really operates. Many times, it is surprising the difference between what really happens in the "Hollywood game" and the myths that are proliferated.

In another Hollywood interview, I'd like to present MARK TROY -- a working screenwriter without the typical screenwriting story.

HAL: Tell me about the success you've had in this business.

MARK: Success is how you judge it. I started out as a playwrite, which basically means that I worked for many years at five dollars a year. But in the long run, I've had about 35 plays produced all over the World. And what that does is give an insight into actors and working with producers, working with directors. It prepares you for the movie business.

But success in the film business is a whole other problem. Everyone wants to know what movies you've written. I was told that if you come to L.A., you have to come with 10 scripts. Well, I didn't have enough time for that, so I wrote one. I wrote it completely incorrectly. Too much dialogue, not enough action. I'm sure my margins were off and I capped the wrong things.

I sent it to a lawyer in L.A.. No name, no nothing, because I figured if I went low on the totem pole, I'd have a shot. And I sold it!

I had been in L.A. two days. Didn't even have a phone. And what happens when you sell your first script is you sell more scripts. Since then, I've set up projects at Columbia, sold a script to Arnold Schwarzenegger, did a script for Castle Rock, have a script at Fox that is in development.

You'd say "Hey, you're really successful." None of those movies have been made. I've had some low budget flicks made, which I wouldn't recommend. But I see my success not in the filmmaking business. I'm in the scriptwriting business. I write a script, I sell it, and I buy a house. Yes, I'd like to see Tom Hanks in my movie. But I'm really in the spec world.

In the spec world, I have a pretty good track record of writing and selling on spec. At the same time, I do rewrites for various companies. And I do script doctoring, mostly for television shows.

HAL: Wow, so you have some interesting stuff here. Do you write in any specific genres?

MARK: I mostly write comedies. On spec, I write what I want to see and what will entertain me. You have to be in touch with the theme of the piece. I like thrillers, but I don't emotionally connect with them. So I write what turns out to be mostly romantic comedies. I did a rewrite on a Morgan Freeman thing.

When I do rewrites, like on a cop show, it's usually "What can the funny cop say as he's walking away from the dead body?" That's what they use me for.

HAL: From your experience, what makes a script good enough to sell?

MARK: The obvious answer is a name actor and money. But that is why bad things get made is because someone knows a big actor and they get attached and there's a movie, but no one paid any attention to the script.

But you're asking about what is on the page that will make it sell. Two things. One, brevity is very important. A lot of the scripts I see in classes I teach, they're trying to write a novel in screenplay form. Screenplays are not written in English. Not in complete sentences. You may want to say "He stands up from the desk and graciously walks to the door, tips his hat and exits." But the truth is "He exits." And you don't have time or space to tell Bruce Willis to tip his hat unless it is essential to the character.

The reason that scripts connect to people is the space between your head, your mouth, and your fingertips. If you can get what's in your head to go to your mouth and speak the dialogue where it is entertaining, and get that information to come off your hands onto the keyboard, then someone else will relate to it. It is that relationship that a stranger in his office a year after you wrote your script has to connect to something that was in your head a year earlier that gets people saying "Wow, I get this."

Many writers can tell you what they want, but they can't seem to get it out their fingertips.

HAL: What do you think the solution to that is?

MARK: The solution is the more it is in your head, the easier it is to get out. It's like you can get a headache or you can get a migraine headache. And you need a migraine to sell a screenplay. If you live with this script and it becomes a big part of you, when you finally let it out, the emotions will flow naturally. But if it is vague in your head, then it will be vague on the page.

If you keep it inside you, if you let it build up and live with these characters as if they were real people, then it will come out with all the guts, emotions and character that you need. That's how you are going to affect a reader. That's what is going to get them to buy it.

By the way, you got to do that on the first page! As well as the other 100 or so.

HAL: Tell me about what goes into that first page.

MARK: It's so funny, because I had this meeting today. These producers have an idea they'd like me to write. Now I like to write the whole script before I show them anything, but they asked me to do only the first 10 pages. I said "Why do you want only ten pages?" Now I know why, but I asked just to see what they thought. The producer said "If it ain't in the first ten pages, if I don't know the story in the first ten pages, then someone else may not like it. And the deal's done. Show is over." I think he's right. Scripts are sold on the first ten pages.

The main character I pitched is a depressed, lonely guy who works at a supermarket and the producer says "Really, well I hope the first ten pages isn't that. Cuz I don't want to see a lonely guy for ten pages. How about one page. Can I have him be lonely for one page?" Producers are so paranoid that you are going to do something they aren't going to like.

HAL: So how do you operate in that environment?

MARK: You've got to keep writing. People stop for all kinds of reasons. I know a lot of people who came out with me from New York and I ask them what they're doing and they say "I'm working on the clown script." I say "The clown script! You were doing that in college. Don't you think it is time to move on to something else?" And they say "No, no. I think I got it right." But they won't get it right. You can't. Just get it to where it needs to be and let the world make a decision if it is right or wrong.

HAL: That's interesting because it is true that even if it is right for you, it may not be right for that producer or for the A-list actor who wants it rewritten.

MARK: I did a script and the studio wanted to send it to Robin Williams. So they wanted me to rewrite it for Robin Williams. Then it dawned on me that if I did that, no other actor could play the part if Robin turned it down. So I would have wasted eight months.

HAL: One of the things you said is we should decide what kind of writer we want to be -- assignment, rewrite, or spec. Can you tell me the difference between those and the different strategies you'd apply?

MARK: I'm a spec writer because in this fantasy world I live in, I see myself more artistic than business. Coming from the theater, we write what we feel in our heart. We write without a movie star in mind. I write from character to story. A lot of screenwriters write from story to character. "How about this? A big ghost turns into a marshmallow man and we'll name it Ghostbusters."

If you want to create a new franchise, you need to be aware of that consciously. If you want to get a rewrite job, you need a strong spec to get those jobs. But as a rewriter, your job will be to bring the voice out of the other writer. You're basically going into his head and making his head go to his fingers to get the story out. So you're reading his mind.

If a producer gives you an idea for a script, you need to get into his head and get it out on the paper.

There are sub-categories, too. Are you in the independent world? Can you write SPANKING THE MONKEY? And do you know who to get that to when you're finished?

HAL: So "rewrites" means a writer presents a writing sample and then makes improvements to work that a studio or production company has already bought.

MARK: Right. When you get an agent, you hand your script to the agent. They'll always say "What's this for?" The agent has to know what to do with the script. So you tell him. "Well, this I want to sell. This is my new spec." or "I want to use this to get assignments. Send it out, but they can't buy it." Not that you couldn't sell it, but you often get pigeon-holed. "Oh, this is my spec. It will never sell in a million years, but I got six jobs from it." Everyone has a script like that. I have one. No one bought it, but I get work from it. It's a great little script that will never sell. But it gets me work.

HAL: What strategies would you recommend for writers to break into the industry?

MARK: I don't do the business side while I'm writing. If you're writing a script, that's all you do. You can't do both at the same time because the strategy actually involves removing yourself from the equation.

I had a student of mine call saying "I finished his script. Now what do I do?" So I asked him what he wanted to do. He said "Get an agent." I'm wondering why. An agent never got anybody work. There are so many better places to start. You know, mingle, schmooze, that's how you start.

Find out who works for who...and do it quickly because tomorrow they'll be fired. Find out who has money in town. Who has a film ready to go that has your tonal quality. Find these people and bother them without being a pest. As soon as an assistant answers the phone, they're your new best friend. Be nice to them and try and get your script there.

I'm not big on agents. If you have a lawyer, you can do business. In this town, you spit and hit an actor, and if the actor spits, he hits a lawyer. If you can find a lawyer, you can get your script to anyone. There are lots of entertainment lawyers who wouldn't mind putting a script in an envelope and taking money if it sells. You don't need the agent. You're going to do all the work yourself anyway. It's about finding someone who likes the script you wrote. Of course, that is opposite of everything I do, which is basically sit home and keep the door locked.

Another strategy is to write a play and get it produced. I have a student who I suggested this to with one of her ideas. She said "I don't think I can finish an entire play." I told her to write a short play. Just two characters doing one act. She did and sent it to some production houses and got it produced! It's a little short piece, but who knows who is going to see that. By the way, nobody knows it is a small piece. She has a play produced. I would milk that until I'm eighty.

The way I got the assignment at CastleRock was because I had a play locally and someone came and saw it. It got nice reviews and the director knew someone who knew someone and I got a couple of weeks later from CastleRock and they pitched me a story and I loved it.

Get your name in print. I know it is silly, but do a magazine article. You're a writer, that is what you are.

HAL: Have you had the experience of having your name in Variety and did it make a difference?

MARK: Oh yeah. And by the way, you can hire any PR guy to get your name around. I did a thing for the L.A. Times about shared writing credit. Of course, I'm very down on group writing. Like the FLINTSTONES had something like nine writers on it. I think that is where crap is born...in a room with nine writers.

I wrote this article for the Times slamming everyone about that issue. Guess what? I got calls from everyone. All the writers called my agent saying "He's dead on the money. It's so true." And the producers were a little more tentative. In the two weeks that followed, I was booked with meetings. Which is surprising because it was a big F U about the FLINTSTONES. But it doesn't hurt you. Nothing hurts you anymore. An actor can hold a store up with a gun and get a three-picture deal out of it.

Any time you get your name out, it is valuable. I had a guy call me and said "A friend of mine just optioned my script. No money, 'cuz it was a friend." I said that's great. Now find someone who can get a little thing in the reporter that says "Joe Smith optioned John Smith's script." I think it is important to milk these things. You're only hot the day you sell something.

HAL: Talk to me about pitching. You just had the ultimate pitching experience, didn't you?

MARK: Okay, I'm in the room. Pitching is interesting, because basically, you're pouring out your heart and they're just staring at you. I'm bringing in my take on an idea the producer had. I had this real strong opening with these two neighbors who are fighting. So I went in and everyone's nice to me and I have my Coke. He says "So what are you thinking about the story?" I said "I have an idea. I think we can get it to work. It starts out with two neighbors fighting with each other and--" He said "NO!"

You know, that happens and you're finished. Everything after that doesn't matter. You got to think really fast. I changed gears completely as if I never said it. Plausible deniability...like the President <g>. So later, if they say "they're not neighbors." I can say "Who said anything about neighbors? Of course, they're not neighbors."

I try to get them involved in the conversation. In pitches, it is always good to point to someone and say "What he said, I like." Even though you know in your own heart that you said it. So I did that about 150 times because I'm backtracking from my opening faux-pas.

I'm a firm believer never to write anything without a three line pitch -- Act one, two, and three in one sentence each. So I asked them for some time to put together a basic pitch that includes their ideas. And they agreed and tell me they want me to be the writer.

Everything went great, and just as I was about to leave the room, the producer says "Listen, I think you should know something about me. I'm very specific about what a script looks like on the paper." I completely agreed with him. I named off the usual -- lots of white space, easy to read, no shot direction, etc. He said "I'm not talking about that."

He throws me a script and I open it. He tells me to read it. "Interior, mansion--" He barks out "I hate that! I hate the word mansion." He throws me another script. "Read that." I open it and read the heading. "Interior, country house, morning." I looked up and he said "I like that." Now, how am I supposed to guess the difference between those two. Mansion, he hates and country house, he likes. What about apartment or office or White House? Which of those will he like?

He said "When you have three dots, don't skip a space and start the word. You start the word right after the third dot." So I go down the list of normal questions -- Cut to's, continued after the character name, etc. He said "I'll leave those up to you...but I don't like dogs." And this went on. I couldn't write the notes fast enough to keep up with all his crazy preferences. They were so extraneously stupid, I started thinking "If I take this job, it's going to be a nightmare. How am I going to know what to do?"

Every producer is the same. They all have their things. You just have to roll your eyes and act like what they said made total sense. That goes from the first pitch until the final draft. You're dealing with someone elses moods and notions. Let's be honest, they're not writers. They're too big to admit what they don't know. And we have to put up with it because you don't want to make enemies of the people who could say yes to your deal.

HAL: You're right, they all have their own idiosyncrasies.

MARK: Yeah and most of them don't affect the script or the movie or someone paying nine dollars to see the movie. It's so unimportant, but you've got to maintain those relationships.

I wrote a scene and a lady fell down. I wrote "She's so big, she's nine and a half months pregnant." She was pregnant in the movie, but not that much. I liked 9 1/2. It was kind of a joke. But they wrote "Make that eight months pregnant." I told them it was a joke, you know, an exaggeration. But they kept writing notes to me. It went on for months. So I got so pissed that I wrote "She gets out of the garbage bin and she's 14 months pregnant." That actually worked better.

HAL: So what works when it comes to pitching?

MARK: Pitching is acting. You have to be very verbal. Get your story out there. Fill the room with it. And I'm not saying to come in with pictures and diagrams. I wouldn't pitch shots either. They're not going to buy it because you know how to move a camera, they're going to buy a straight-on story.

So tell your title and genre. Give them your three lines. These should be well written and energize the room. Then look around. If they're still awake, if they're still smiling...which is rare. Then give them the quick ten minute rundown of the story. The high points. The set pieces. As you're telling it, you're going to hit the first act, then the mid point, then the completion of the second act...

Don't tell them the ending. Just stop right there. I think the best thing that could happen is that they guess what the ending is. Because, let's be honest. You're not going to surprise anyone in this business. I mean, let's face it, if you tell them a romantic comedy and they guess that the guy and girl get back together and you say "Oh, no. They break up," they're going to look at you crazy anyway.

So if you can stop right before the ending and have them really interested, then the best thing you can hear is "Let me read it."

And ALWAYS take a drink if they ask you. Why? Because if you get stuck or they ask you a killer question, you can pause, take a drink off your Coke and get some quick thinking time. It's a good prop to have when you need it.

HAL: How do you build relationships in this business? If someone comes to town and are brand new, what do you suggest they do?

MARK: First, make sure you have a great script, and another one. Because if you meet the best agent in town and he reads your script and loves it, the next thing he'll say is "What else do you have?" Then you've got to submerge yourself in it. This may be silly, but I'd buy a good seat to the opening of MAMA MIA and I'd go to the party and I would mingle.

You should meet actors, because they have connections. Some of them have worked on films or TV shows and know directors. Even if the actors you meet have only done a local play, chances are they will know someone. I went to a local theater and ended up sitting next to Frankie Avalon. It's about submerging yourself in with people who are working.

Maybe you consider writing something for an actor or director who has had a little success with a short in a film festival. Maybe you write him a short and start the relationship that way. Cultivate relationships that way.

When you call producers, the best friend you can have is that assistant. Because the assistant may be there longer than the producer. Or the assistant becomes the next producer. Everyone in Hollywood becomes your friend. Because as a writer, they will be higher on the totem pole than you...whatever they do, they'll be higher than you.

HAL: What do you say to screenwriters who have four or five scripts behind them and are ready to market one?

MARK: If you're going to indy's, get a good poster, because the Indy world likes to see the visual. In an indy director's mind, if he can see the movie, it's already done. So that is one big benefit for going to an indy. Because, if they fall in love with it, they do it, period.

It's not that way with a studio. A studio may buy the script for a million bucks, attach stars and a director and then it may sit there for five or ten years and never get done.

If you're going to studios, the bigger the script, the more powerful an intermediary person you're going to need. If you're going for Julia Roberts, you're on a long waiting list. I wrote a script for Tom Hanks and two days after I handed it in, he won the Oscar. My script went from the top of the pile to the parking lot. He could call the shots and suddenly had every person in Hollywood pitching him bigger projects. The power shifted in that split second. There is that danger if you're writing a big script.

In that case, I would spend 90% of my time looking for a high powered agent. If you're playing the game in the middle ground, small studio movies, you can find a good boutique agent in L.A. and that will work.

You've just got to play the game. That is what Hollywood is, it's a game. You schmooze, network, find a connection any way you can. Don't tell anyone I told you this, but--

HAL: No, I won't. I'm just going to put it on the Internet.

MARK: Yeah, right. Anyway, when I was first looking for an agent, I was in a meeting at Paramount and after I left it, I picked an agent I liked and sent him a letter and I told him that the guy at Paramount said he was a really top-notch agent. Now, he never actually said a word about the agent.

About a week later, I get a call and go in for a meeting. Then agent says "So the VP at Paramount said I was a hot-shot agent, huh?" And I said "Yeah, yeah, he really likes you." And he goes "I think I did some work with him a while back, but I don't remember. That was very nice of him. So, ah, I think we should work together." I just bluffed. I just lied about the whole thing. Sometimes, you just have to have a little guts. They're going to play games with you until you're 100, so it's okay for you to play some games, too.

People love to know that someone else is talking about them. It's like seeing your name in the paper. Showbiz is just that -- SHOW-biz. You got to have fun with it.

Mark Troy (playwright/screenwriter/script doctor)

Mark Troy has had over 35 plays produced around the world including "Desperation" (Best Short Play; Samuel French, and produced as a short film), "Belladonna's of the Court" (Five Valley Theatre League awards including Best Comedy) "Birdy" (Best Short Play, Chicago Dramatists), "Jell-O-Boy" (Best Short play, West Coast Ensemble), "Century Village Boca" & "Everyone I Know & Salking & Dancing" (Finalist Best Short Play, Actor's Theatre of Louisville). "Mutilation" (Best Play, Double-Image Theater -- Dramathon)

Produced Off-Broadway; "Going Home", "Avenues" "Peking Duck" & "A Jewish Booty Call" (also director). His play "Kosciuszko Bridge" was chosen by the Writer's Guild of America as part of their AFTA Play Reading Series.

Other plays; "The Secret Nymph of New Hyde Park", "New York Scenes", "Getting You Bupkus", "Aggravation", "Family Calamity", and others have been produced in Los Angeles, Bucks County, PA, Australia, and Canada. His plays"X", and "The Proposal" are being published this winter by Maine University Press. His play "Getting You Bupkus" has just been named as part of the Malibu Play Festival for production in November 2002.

Mr. Troy has a number of feature films in development including; "Sweet Tooth", Columbia Pictures (for Arnold Schwarzennegar and produced by Norman Lear), "The Old Country" (for Tom Hanks at Castle Rock Entertainment under the tutelage of Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel), "Face", Saratoga Entertainment (the producers of "Go") and "Nanny's Little Helper", 20th Century Fox. Mark has also been developing an animation project for DNA Productions, "The Macaroons" and recently completed "Office Hours" for Lewis Newman Productions as an independent feature.

Mark also teaches screenwriting and playwriting at Learning Tree University (accredited through the UCLA Writing Master's Program) and works privately as a script doctor with television writers for many network and off-network programs. Mark has written the quintessential article on "Shared Writing Credit" for the Los Angeles Times. He is often asked to speak at Sherwood Experimental College, The California Writer's Club, and film writing classes and theaters across the U.S. Email: mmtbupkus@jps.net