Being a newbie screenwriter/ producer I've been in the funny/exciting/hell journey of trying to get my work greenlit. We're very close now, with the requisite director, Oscar nominated DP, acomplished rocker for the soundtrack and some minor starlets in talks to be attached... but these days it's not enough to have an exciting script, and talent attached. A new story that doesn't have a "brand" behind it is a huge risk. Today fear has it's grip over Hollywood like a Hobbit entering Mordor.
I've talked to many producers (some in good positions and some who lost their footing) and all agree. It's not the emerald city it once used to be. "If you're over 45 they won't listen to you, and if you are you better be bringing some cash". Case in point If Christopher Nolan haven't hit the it out of the ballpark with both Batman movies INCEPTION might have never seen the light of day. The concept was Nolans original screenplay from ten years ago (yeah that long). Many say the studio did it because they needed him for batmovie # 3. When the movie got going the industry mantra was "they' doing him a favor" - when it was screened they said - " Too smart for room, people won't get it" and when it was a runnaway hit the comment was "It was great but you can never tell"... But what really is scary is that Hollywood is downplaying Inception's success because its too risky. They don't want to be sweating bullets like when Inception opened months ago. They don't like it and they don't want it. Just imagine if Avatar would have failed 200 million and
all -- Blood would have been on the streets.
So what have they learned? That it was a one time chance and being the fact that it is they're going back to business as usual with remake # 4 of the prequel from the idea from a comic book that was based on a toy. Look at what's ahead this summer of 2011: a sequel to 2 sequels based on a park ride, a prequel to a sequel that was based on a comic book, 4 comic book inspired movies and a 5th instalment of a franchise that really nobody asked for... but why is Hollywood is doing this? Because if it sold before it can be sold again and if doesn't work the
executives can't be blamed since it was working before. The next batch of movies in production are a "Mousetrap" movie (based on the board game) an "Magic 8 Ball" movie based on the toy and "Stretch Armstrong" movie again based on the toy. Believe me folks, I wish I was making the stretch Armstrong thing up!
So how did it come to this? I was asking and researching and when my producer told me that my original script was OK but he could never sell it... but if I turned it into a "YOUNGER" version of my character and put teen oriented action in it he could... and I did and that is why yours truely is eating with an oscar nominated director of photography and a rockstar at some avant asian fusion restaurant in Abbot Kinney. Turns out the only people going to movies these days are males 25 and younger. So Hollywood makes movies for young males 25 and under period! Raunchy comedies, dumb action flicks, giant robots with urinating problems, blah, blah. And they eat it all up ticket after ticket. So should we blame the marketers that run Hollywood or the executives who put the OK? - Why should we? They're just like us desperately trying to keep their $2,000 a month leased Mercedes and model/actress mistresses. Like everyone in America today they don't want to loose their jobs! especially because they greenlit a interesting story about the depression of an American Senator, that nobody went to see ( because problems of a older rich guy don't concern young males under 25). But you say what about DVD sales? Netflix, cable, T.V. sales? They're not as great as 
you might suggest.
And the funny thing is we're ALL culprits here. We say ah it's too expensive, or we'll wait for the DVD and/or now redbox (who is also killing movie profits) and it's a slipery slope! I'm in my mid 30's and I've seen every "old person" movie this Christmas season to see some interesting movies but also to help the box office because it's like WWII out there - If we don't do our part the enemy will win. And the enemy is Hollywood's fear of new or good stories. One Studio head said a sad truth some years ago "We don't tell stories anymore we just sell products"... but it's what's keeping them employed.
So next time when you complain that Hollywood doesn't want your "spec" script or isn't making any "good" movies anymore, think back and ask yourself how many of those movies you went to the theaters to see and soon you'll be thinking... you have nobody but yourself to blame.
