First of all I'm still sick. Running a fever, have a hacking cough and rattle in my chest, etc, still fighting of the nausea, etc. I don't feel up to going rounds with anyone.
And of course what do I end up doing?
Okay. You all know I've been writing/rewriting a project that a writer friend of mine hooked me up with way back Feb/March. Well, this writer "friend" and I have had a tumultuous relationship at best for the last year.
Last year he reads one of my scripts, loves it, says it will get made, etc etc etc, wants to help me "polish" it so that he can get a writing credit, etc etc etc. I was reluctant to do it, Steven says well if he has contacts, why not, as long as I get full creative control - which is what I was promised.
Of course, that isn't what happened. This person loved loved loved my stuff until someone else criticized it, then all of a sudden *I* am an idiot. WTF?
So when he approached me on this project I was a little wary. It was a script he claimed to have hated, but it was a vampire script and that's what they wanted. He hated the script so bad that he said that the professional consultant who read it and gave it a consider did so to "be nice" and drum up business.
But whatever. So I pitch the idea, the producer wants to see it under certain specifications. I rewrote it to those specifications and the first story I heard was that the producer was "on the fence" to send it on but there were several problems that were fixable in a rewrite. I start on said rewrite and that's when I hear more bad news - that the production company has already done a gothic vampire love story and didn't want to do another one. So the story I hear there is that the producer guy has an idea and wants to know if I can write it. We get on a conference call and he tells me what he wants, we discuss things and I walk away with a good idea what he wants.
Writer friend is chomping at the bit to read what I've written so I send the first act (first 30 pages). He tears them up, says they suck, can't tell me why - it was a day full of arguments and insults etc. That's when he tells me that the producer guy didn't think I could pull it off and that he really wanted Writer Guy on the project. I'm beaten down at this point and say FINE, we'll do the cowriter thing but I really do get creative control with this thing. So he says yeah yeah yeah.
He decides that he doesn't like a certain element of the story. I tell him why that element is there, what purpose it serves, etc, and he says ok fine. But every time I change anything else, he's right back harping on this element which is basically a personal preference. I say I want it, he says he doesn't - whatever. I'm supposed to have creative control, right?
Finally at three am the following morning after a night full of back and forth with this guy, who is very condescending (I need him, can't make it without him, can't hit dramatic beats to save my life etc) I break down and very nearly give the project over to him because I just can't take it anymore. This was like working for my ex boss, and there's just not enough anti-psychotic drugs on the planet that would make me navigate that minefield twice.
I hold out, he throws in the towel and it took me a day to get my stuff together to keep going with the project. The way I looked at it, the producer guy knew that element was there and if he had a problem with it, he would have said so. He had no problems telling me what he liked and didn't like on the phone. This guy is a professional. He didn't get to where he is placating some unknown writer.
Well you all know from there the guy likes this stuff. He tells me that it's better than most vamp scripts he's read, and way better than most scripts turned in for this kind of budget. He was very positive, very encouraging. When he gave me his notes and I didn't agree with one of the storylines he introduced, I told him why and he was ok with that.
I had to hear from Writer Guy after that that I was just being stubborn and blowing it because I needed to listen to what the producer said. The producer had apparently called Writer Guy and they discussed my story at length, which bothered me a little bit. I'm the writer, I'm the one with the product - concerns should be brought up to me. I don't think I'm being unreasonable here, but Writer Guy apparently thought so. He says that's just the way things are done.
Well I didn't like it so I distanced myself again from Writer Guy to pound out the draft in the week I promised the producer. He was very pleased that I got it done, now he has more notes etc.
Well apparently the producer called the Writer Guy again today to discuss my story (this is all according to Writer Guy, btw) and apparently the producer was under the impression that I didn't make one change he had asked me to. The thing was, I had, but I had left one reference in there to the way it was written previously on accident. Had the producer guy talked to me about it I could have cleared it up, but I have no idea what Writer Guy said - he's turned on me before, I've no confidence that he stood up for me at that point.
When I got ticked off today when he told me he was all bent that I was upset - like I'm being a baby or something and I don't think I am. It just makes sense to me if the producer wants to work with me that he WORK WITH ME. Writer Guy is a fickle yes man who believes everything everyone else in the world says over me, and I don't trust that he's got my best interest at heart. When I told him that he got all pissy and called me ignorant and that was just the last friggin straw.
I told him that we were done, I blocked him everywhere and I wrote the producer guy to tell him that Writer Guy and I have parted ways and any further notes/discussion on this story should be directed at me. I don't know if I've totally blown what I've worked my ass off for the last month and a half but you know what? It's not worth this.
I don't deserve to be treated like dirt just because someone else cannot learn how to conduct himself professionally. A few days ago Writer Guy was raving over my script on how good it was, asking me to help him rewrite his own script, telling me it was time to ask for money because the story was done. Then the producer guy points out something that isn't even a problem and his tune changes.
I'm so over it.
One day I will break down the door and get something sold. I know now what I have to offer. I'm good at what I do, and I don't need to be put through the wringer by someone like this for any reason whatsoever.
I'm not going to sell my soul to the devil for a thirty pieces of silver.
This girl is much smarter and much more talented than that.
And I deserve better.
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