ORIGINALITY vs CREATIVITY vs COMMERCIALISM:

A Follow-up with Steve La Rue

As a continuation from his talk at this year’s London Screenwriters’ Festival, development executive Steve La Rue has kindly forwarded us some updated and encouraging news of how the predictions he and Dave Reynolds made back then are being realised now and why we should be writing our own personal stories. Over to Steve…

SANTA MONICA, CA — As the delegates from the 2014 LSWF continue to work on their screenplays, I wanted to touch base and to follow-up on this panel discussion as Hollywood continues to roll out the Superhero Movie news and Television Pilot developments.

The major headlines from this panel discussion were: Tell Your Personal Stories and Don’t Chase the Superhero Trend.

So, in the news everyday here in Hollywood, there’s a new Superhero Movie either getting greenlighted or cast and a TV series adaptation getting a pilot commitment on the hour. That’s the trend to be aware of but not to chase. Look at the repercussion of the trend, instead.

One film I want to point out to the delegates at LSWF is #BOYHOOD which just won Best Film from the LA Film Critics as well as Best Director for Richard Linklater. This week, both the Screen Actors Guild and the Golden Globes have awarded multiple nominations, as well.

This film is a very simple story that is lovingly told and very creatively produced…a perfect example of counterprogramming against 800 pound gorilla films like THE HOBBIT, etc.

(Note to Delegates: I can’t wait to see THE HOBBIT!)

Thanks to BOYHOOD, Hollywood is going to get in the small, personal story Game now that they see it succeeding. Commercially, this film is a watershed project, and this is great news for those writers working on very intimate creations.

There is a market for Personal Stories.

For those who don’t know, BOYHOOD shot over a period of 10 years, one week/per year at a cost of $200k per year. It will easily turn a profit, especially, if it receives some Oscar love, as predicted by many critics. So, an Original Story that is Creatively Produced can also be Commercial.

So, continue to be brave and explore your own life and tell your most challenging, personal stories. They don’t have to be overly complex, either. Just honest and authentic.

In TV News, networks continue to be influenced by Trends in Film.

The super-hero genre continues to make its presence felt as SyFy Channel just announced it’s developing a Superman Prequel series, KRYPTON, in hopes of duplicating Fox’s success this season with the Batman-inspired prequel, GOTHAM. Over at CBS, they are developing SUPERGIRL; at TNT, they are working on TITANS; Netflix has JESSICA JONES; and at AMC, they are adapting the comic PREACHER.

Personal Stories that are making Commercial Headway in TV…include TRANSPARENT, a series that’s on everyone’s TOP TEN LIST of BEST SERIES OF 2014.

ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK continues to influence and challenge the networks to be bolder programmers.

Television is getting more creative, as well, demonstrated by the Repertory-Style casting of series such as FARGO, TRUE DETECTIVE, and AMERICAN HORROR STORY. Fox has ordered a pilot called SCREAM QUEENS, which will feature a different cast each season, as well.

Pilot Season is well under way here as the networks hand out either script or pilot commitments to worthy projects.

With relatively new players such as NETFLIX and AMAZON, however, pilot season is now year-round and not just confined to the traditional broadcast networks’ schedule.

Steve La Rue

Links to the others blogs on Steve at the LSF

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LondonSWF Team( Team LondonSWF )

Posted by a member of the London Screenwriters’ Festival team.