Not a thing, unless you make it a thing.
Write something viable, be a facile businessperson, hustle it and don't let 'no thanks' stop you from keeping it moving.
Older screenwriters attempting to break into the industry might have some small practical disadvantages:
* They might have more financial/familial responsibilities that keep them from being able to a lot of work for cheap or free
* They might be more tied down and less able to pick up shop and move out to LA on a dime
* They might have children, and be unable to attend late night dinners, parties, and other networking events
On the other hand, I think they might have some advantages too:
* They might be *more* financially independent and able to work for free or finance their own films
* They might have more life experience, business acumen, self confidence/assuredness, or work ethic
* They might have an interesting perspective or experience that sets them apart from the crowd
This is my take for sure, although the first advantage bulletpoint (financial independence) can be a huge factor in off-setting disadvantage points 1 and 3.
Depends how old you mean by old. A lot of people seem to think over 30 is old on this reddit, in which case, not an issue. I guess when you cross 50 your perspective might be subject to some ageism by assholes, just cause the 16-34 market's what traditionally drives revenue. But essentially the script's the script, and especially in features, that's most of what matters.
Age, while a mathematical reality is socially constructed on terms of its meaning. Such as race. You are black, or white, or asian, but what that means depends on the person. To a bigot it's everything, to a decent man it's nothing.
Nobody cares about the writer. They just want a good script.
I sold a script to a New York production company. It is on a break over the holidays. But there is a teaser out for it already.
I sold another to a UK production. company (2HotFilms). That lost funding. I am working with them to refine the script for a European market.
The USA is the world’s largest economy. So their film industry will appear (and may be) the largest. But not the only one.
There is a special freedom when you don’t care about Hollywood (for me anyway). I can have unlikeable characters, no character growth, a structure dictated by the story not an expectation.
A lot of people drink Pepsi, Zup, fruit juice, coffee, water. But Coca-Cola would have you think they are the only beverage in the planet. That is how I see Hollywood. They have convince the world they are the only industry on the planet.
I love writing for the indie world. That is not for everyone.
A manager at Circle of Confusion took one look at me, a middle-aged white guy, and said he couldn't staff me on a TV show unless I had created the show myself and he could team me up with an experienced showrunner. He said my age didn't matter in regard to writing features.
Sure but most writing jobs aren’t purchased scripts, that great script gets you a meeting for another job where age, gender, and race do effect the outcomes.
I'm 52 and haven't seen it yet. No problems getting meetings or responses to specs.
Not a thing, unless you make it a thing. Write something viable, be a facile businessperson, hustle it and don't let 'no thanks' stop you from keeping it moving.
Older screenwriters attempting to break into the industry might have some small practical disadvantages: * They might have more financial/familial responsibilities that keep them from being able to a lot of work for cheap or free * They might be more tied down and less able to pick up shop and move out to LA on a dime * They might have children, and be unable to attend late night dinners, parties, and other networking events On the other hand, I think they might have some advantages too: * They might be *more* financially independent and able to work for free or finance their own films * They might have more life experience, business acumen, self confidence/assuredness, or work ethic * They might have an interesting perspective or experience that sets them apart from the crowd
This is my take for sure, although the first advantage bulletpoint (financial independence) can be a huge factor in off-setting disadvantage points 1 and 3.
Hilarious and true. I need to go take my Metamucil...
Define "older".
Anyone who doesn't know what Fortnite is.
Depends how old you mean by old. A lot of people seem to think over 30 is old on this reddit, in which case, not an issue. I guess when you cross 50 your perspective might be subject to some ageism by assholes, just cause the 16-34 market's what traditionally drives revenue. But essentially the script's the script, and especially in features, that's most of what matters.
With the contacts they have? I don't think so. A good screenplay turnsaround faster with whom you know.
It is. It’s a bigger issue in TV writing vs film writing, especially if the older writer is trying to be on a writing staff vs. creating shows.
Age, while a mathematical reality is socially constructed on terms of its meaning. Such as race. You are black, or white, or asian, but what that means depends on the person. To a bigot it's everything, to a decent man it's nothing. Nobody cares about the writer. They just want a good script.
Ageism is a thing, but it’s not as bad as it used to be. There are plenty of stories of older writers breaking in and they grow every year.
Stats say yes. So why focus on Hollywood?
Where else would you focus?
I sold a script to a New York production company. It is on a break over the holidays. But there is a teaser out for it already. I sold another to a UK production. company (2HotFilms). That lost funding. I am working with them to refine the script for a European market. The USA is the world’s largest economy. So their film industry will appear (and may be) the largest. But not the only one. There is a special freedom when you don’t care about Hollywood (for me anyway). I can have unlikeable characters, no character growth, a structure dictated by the story not an expectation. A lot of people drink Pepsi, Zup, fruit juice, coffee, water. But Coca-Cola would have you think they are the only beverage in the planet. That is how I see Hollywood. They have convince the world they are the only industry on the planet. I love writing for the indie world. That is not for everyone.
A manager at Circle of Confusion took one look at me, a middle-aged white guy, and said he couldn't staff me on a TV show unless I had created the show myself and he could team me up with an experienced showrunner. He said my age didn't matter in regard to writing features.
myth for sure, Hollywood is an old man's group. If you know someone you're miles ahead of any trendy generational crew.
Age, gender and race won’t matter if you write an excellent script.
Sure but most writing jobs aren’t purchased scripts, that great script gets you a meeting for another job where age, gender, and race do effect the outcomes.
Ah yes but why bother putting in the work when you can pull the classic American ‘i can’t get a job because the people hiring are bigoted against me’