Guido Segal, Screenwriter, Journalist, Film Critic, Instructor: I’d say that
the worst thing about being a writer or a creator is the lack of stability.
Film Courage: If we were going to take the same new screenwriter and they asked
How do I know I have a yes person who might be reading my script, so it's a person who
doesn't want to hurt my feelings or maybe there's an agenda they want to keep the friendship
for whatever reason. How do you know…how do you decipher someone who's just giving you fluff?
Guido: You mean professionally, it's something that's leading nowhere?
Film Courage: Feedback on a script so it could be a friend, it could be a manager, somebody that
just they just want to tell you yes. They want to keep you happy but it's actually not constructive.
Guido: Well what I would say is what do you want from feedback? You don't want…I mean of course
our egos need a little attention so when someone says I loved your script it's so good there's a
second where you appreciate it because you need validation but then there's nothing you can do
with that and if you're honest with yourself you don't really believe that your script is perfect
and I’m not saying that you should work on it endlessly because there comes a time when you
have to stop and you have to move on and there's a fine line between rewrites and
then just over rewriting it of course unless you're getting paid and then you have no choice
what I would say is you you try people out first of all this intuition I mentioned right so your
intuition says this person is mindful this this person might understand what I'm trying to do
they're generous with their time because a lot of people are they can be great individuals
they're not really generous because in order to read someone's script you need to take
time to read it and take notes and actually give them something back if you're just going
to read it in a hurry and and say like oh my goodness you're such a good writer great job
you haven't really done the work you haven't really considered
I know my script is not perfect that's why I gave it to you so if you feel people out you try it
usually you know when they give you notes that if it's gonna work out or not it's like
next time I think I'll go with someone else because you actually want honest feedback
like what did you like what did you connect with what's working what's not working did you find
anything outlandish or outrageous some people might even I mean hopefully not but they might
even get offended like why are you offended are you offended in a good way like is this is this
causing contradictions that make you think or is this actually offensive and I should reconsider it
in terms of topics writer content so I think it's trial and error and with time you find
your people with with the reps well that's that's a whole different chapter because reps I mean
i've had several over the years and it's hard it's almost like a love relationship you gotta
find your person and agent I mean agents you don't expect much in terms of creative
conversation with with an agent but with a manager you can not always though sometimes your manager's
notes might be this is not new enough I need something new because they're trying to sell
and it's like well I don't really know what to do with that what does that mean
what do I know what new is so that's it's different because they're not your friend
they can be but I mean there's mutual interest in that you produce something that sells and
they want to sell it but with colleagues and friends I feel like you gotta sense it like okay
this person cares this person is generous and a lot of people are not unfortunately
it's a tricky thing and I don't mean to contradict what you're saying but with generosity
I think that especially maybe here in la there are a lot of takers and I know that's not a popular
thing to say but I'm just going to say it and so I think when people they have to be guarded with
their time yeah that's the only thing I can throw out about that well I feel like la's a
double-edged sword in the sense that you gotta be here because this is where opportunity happens and
that is still true even though last year when the pandemic was at its worst I feel like you didn't
have to be here but usually you do with meetings in person at least or events events where you can
actually meet certain people and that's tricky too because the thing with networking I mean I'm i'm
transitioning to a whole different chapter well the thing with networking is that
you don't just go to parties and meet someone and get a job you gotta build
a relationship and the hardest part about la is actually building meaningful relationships
and it's about the work you produce but it's also about a personal connection that's real
people when you actually like someone and they like you back and you can have dinner
and you don't have to talk about work at dinner you're just hanging out
but if you if you have something to offer and they actually like you and you like them
the odds are they're going to call you so it's that it's not what you
do it's who it is about what you do but having a personal connection that's real doesn't hurt
sure I think that's where it's a challenge yeah and it is true look it is true that a
lot of people in this town are really desperate so they are selfish but also I mean it's really
they're trying to make a living sorry I'm really trying to be understanding with everyone like
you can get you can get upset and judge people and think they're superficial or that their ambitions
are over the top but it is a very competitive environment
and people are just trying to get jobs so try to find your people and and if someone is not
your crowd then that's fine sure and it's a very expensive place to live and it's competitive
not just jobs but survival jobs apartments everything so you're constantly in this loop
of competition waiting for something and so it's hard to maybe the generosity it's not that
they don't want to help someone it's just maybe they're all topped out I mean everyone's here to
quote unquote make it right and again whatever that means and I say that because everyone's
careers have ups and downs right and when you're at your lowest then maybe the next day
things just pick up incredibly so even for highly successful people nothing's guaranteed
right you might you might be incredibly successful making a lot of money and have a deal with
Amazon or Netflix or apple and then your show is a flop and then you're vanished right so I mean it's
ups and downs it's really hard to build meaningful relationship in a town where everyone's
trying to find their niche and trying to find stability I'd say that the worst thing about
being a writer or a creator is the lack of stability we all I think we all crave it
at some point that's why I like teaching because it gives me a certain stability and
a certain steady income right there's nothing wrong with having a plan b
for the times when things don't work out even I mean even if you have writing jobs
contract negotiations can take forever and I'll never understand why because I'm not involved
in that part but they might take months so you're waiting on a on a sure thing and you're going to
get paid and you're going to have just have to sit down right but reps and lawyers and there's
something going on behind the curtain that you don't get to see and you just have to be patient
so either find a hobby or get on a side gig I love teaching I love the interaction with students
I’ve done educational content I every once in a while I started out by making film related
content and then I ended up this year I wrote units on ethics and community for example and
I didn't expect that to happen that was exciting yeah but it's an income it's stimulating I learn
so you gotta open up like have different avenues open going back to what you said
about writing and it being hard I think you've posted that you like Gore Vidal
the author and I know he he's not worried about offending anyone or just saying what he feels and
one quote I have here from him is some writers take to drink others take to audiences
is there any anything I'm a big fan of Gore Vidal I don't know if many people nowadays are
i've read I mean first of all he's incredibly prolific I can't believe that man and by the
way he's he's overlooked in general he's his whole take on American history I mean he's
written about many relevant figures and periods of American history and
he's incredibly talented and insightful I especially love his rivalry with William
Buckley Jr there's a documentary called best of enemies and I think Aaron Sorkin at some
point was going to make that movie and I would have loved to see that
I just enjoyed it all and I envy or I'd say no I admire more than envy I admire how disciplined and
prolific he was in terms of writing or any kind of stimuli involved I am going to get I drink coffee
and write and in terms of audiences I try not to think too much about that because you you might
you might get lost thinking about like who am I writing for you just try to be very personal
and very honest and hope for the best that just hope that someone cares and one last follow-up
quote from Gore Vidal the four most beautiful words in our common language I told you so
who I mean look he was he was a pro contour so I mean I don't know what he actually means by I
told you so which is probably one of the worst things you can tell anyone no one's no one ever
reacted well to that sentence right but he did like to provoke a lot he liked confrontation
actually I think Vidal and and Buckley invented the the figure of the pundit I don't think
before 1968 when they had those presidential debates journalists broadcasting news was just
it tried to be objective the idea of having someone express opinions and debate it wasn't a
thing so I think I admire Vidal as as a novelist as a screenwriter as a playwright as a pundit
it's just one of those figures that I find him stimulating and I also admire his intellect.
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