Exactly right. This has been my experience, too. People with “talent” often assume it should come easier so they get more frustrated (and take it more personally) when they face a struggle, whereas those “without talent” (a misnomer in the first place) often understand and accept the struggle from the outset, and thus do more and persist longer to overcome. I learned early on that some who I thought were shoo-ins wouldn’t go all the way and others I completely overlooked would surprise me. So now I don’t attempt to be the predictor - I let people show their true colors. Persistence is more important than talent, by orders of magnitude.

@@fastscreenplay exactly that's why I've learned that I need to keep learning and improving regardless. Who would have thought with all the trouble I had in school with stuff like writing that I'd be writing and shooting my own films. All you have to do is learn and stick with it and if you feel that you're stagnant, just learn and do more. Like you said it's hard to predict but 9 time out of 10, I wouldn't put my money on someone with talent but rather with someone who persists.

Thanks Shane. Always passionate - the frustration comes when I’m feeling like I’m the only one who is. Haha

Happy to help. And yes, you can do this.

I’m going to be building it with the folks who complete FAST Screenplay, as it develops the skills I need writers to have. But if you’re not interested in joining FAST Screenplay, it’s all good; and I completely understand. I thank you for your interest and support! Reach out if I can be of any help!

Entirely the right attitude, thanks for sharing. I do also think there’s more opportunity even outside of the traditional path, which can make the journey a little less reliant on taking shitty jobs… but personally, I look back on all the shitty jobs I did fondly, as they always taught me something I didn’t know.

@@fastscreenplay And thats exactly the point. As writers and filmmakers, we have to know life. We have to know how to solve problems under pressure. We have to know how real life stuff works to make our work believeable. You have great content here among a lot of useless timewasters. Hopefully more people will find this honest stuff.

@@AlicanErenKuzu Thanks mate. Agree completely!

I could do a deep dive on that guy’s comments alone (originally that’s what I wanted to do, but made it less about him here). Basically, I think it comes from having a dream early on, not having any sort of sensible strategy, spinning in circles for years, having the industry change directions on you, and then being stuck with the original dream but unwilling to adapt it to new realities. I think we’re all guilty of it to some level. But the only way forward is forward, not backwards. So hopefully it’ll click for him. If not, there’s not much anyone can do to help. Thanks for the comment!

Hey! I'm "That Guy" from the comments! Yeah, I have a bit of an attitude because "Mr. Screenplay" here is just a "Producer" not a true writer. He wants to hire writers to make movies and TV shows it seems. Doubtful he can write a Grocery list on his own. My gripe comes from his "rainbows and butterflies" lingo that says you just keep writing and you'll make it and have that great attitude and you'll get in. Well, be prepared because ultimately that is NOT how it works at all. And you young guys listening to that crap was me 30 years ago, the "young guy" listening to that total bullshit that got me nowhere. This industry will chew you up and spit you out. The secret is to write something bulletproof that YOU like and that they can' t pass on. All I am saying is just don't fall into this guy's trap.

@@scottrichardson6226 Maybe start listening to what I actually say and not just what you desperately want to hear. All you want to hear (and promote) is confirmation of your own grievances - a way to excuse your lack of success. Maybe you were not good enough. Maybe your ideas weren’t as viable as you thought they were. And you need SOMEone to lash out at, so why not lash out at this guy on KZfaq calling attention to it? Here’s the thing: If you’re as good as you say (and think) you are, why not DO what I’m advising? You would have everything you want within 2-3 years. But you won’t action ANY of it. You just keep coming back (and what kind of pathetic behavior is that, by the way) and ranting endlessly about demonstrably outdated and simply WRONG ideas. Why? You know why? Because you WANT young writers to have the same miserable failure you’ve experienced. You’d rather others have an awful outcome than do the simple work required to achieve success in TODAY’S world. You’d rather pretend (and promote the idea) that the industry today is the SAME as it was 30 years ago, so you can justify your own lack of creativity and adaptability. It’s no longer sad. It’s become aggressively more pathetic and deliberately destructive with every new post. Look at you. You’re attempting to grab your 15 minutes of fame in my friggin comments section! Literally everyone is cringing for you right now. It’s time to wake up, Scott. If you are as great a creative writer as you imagine, and as deserving of top-level success as you keep claiming you are, PROVE IT. Get out there and MAKE something. Write an indie worthy of notice. Write something someone can produce for $30k and get an investor and a local film producer and get it made. Blow us away with your ideas and stories. Because shy of that, your words are meaningless. It’s all bluster. You are ENTIRELY all talk. Your words and opinions and counter arguments are EMPTY without action. I prove myself again and again and again and again. Everything I do helps writers. My position is demonstrated over and over and over and over. And yet all you ever do is try to destroy it to cover your own shortcomings. It’s time to grow up or get lost. Stop being a poisonous force in the world. Stop being poisonous to yourself. Thanks.

@@scottrichardson6226 I had another look at your comment. And it seems you really haven’t heard my message at all. You really think I promote the idea of “keep writing and you’ll make it” (“rainbows and butterflies”)???? You get THAT from my videos? Oh Lordy. Maybe try actually LISTENING to what I’m saying. I have NEVER said this was easy. I only say anyone can do it (but that most won’t). :) Also, I see where you’ve gone wrong. You think the secret to success is to “write something bulletproof that YOU like that they can’t pass on”. THIS IS INCORRECT and will PREVENT you from achieving your goals. First, there’s no such thing as a “bulletproof” screenplay, because screenplays are living documents. They can, will, and MUST change to meet the shifting needs of a production. Thinking of the goal as being to create a “bulletproof” screenplay is to imagine a “correct” or “winning” outcome, which misses the point of the exercise entirely. And second, “THEY” can ALWAYS choose to pass on your script… so setting that as your target is a recipe for disappointment and disillusionment. “They” have an ever-changing landscape they’re trying to navigate. And to say Yes to your project is to commit years of THEIR life to your project. Understand that the goal is ALIGNMENT with their needs and wants, and you can create something that serves you both. THAT is the key to success. (And THAT is my message, which you continually overlook and distort). Turns out my “trap” is a set of tools to help you succeed. Put your head out and maybe you’ll be able to see it. I won’t hold my breath.

@@fastscreenplay I watched a writer/producer on KZfaq today, and stupid me I didn't get his name--large guy, reddish purple patterned shirt and glasses and white hair, white beard. He pretty much went over the process. Yes it was grim, but it was true. He covered it all, shit pay, writing for nothing (like Harlen Ellison raged against--rightly), the system and on and on. Funny deal recently: I have been writing to shoot for a position on "Ghosts" US version and have written a treatment for another series in the "Breaking Bad" universe (about what happened to Walt's 70 million--a new guy finds it and the new series is off!). In EVERY case my query letters have been bounced back "can't deliver, can't forward" See? More of the same impossible shit that just continues on, somebody gave them a chance, but nobody else gets a chance I guess. I just waste paper, ink and stamps for nothing! Like I say, If my writing sucks, tell me to fuck off and go away, I totally get that! but give me the goddamned chance! In the end you still are all smiles and handshakes, rainbows and butterflies and you will destroy your younger thinner skinned scribes who walk into this tree-shredder business without being prepared! I lost out on an urban planning job once, blew a crucial interview question. I know because they asked it twice and I missed it both times. Why? Because my teacher in college left me short changed so I lost my chance at the job--NEVER forgot that!

Thanks for letting me know. And if there’s anything I can do to help, let me know and we’ll dig even deeper into it.

Don’t write low budget because it’s “easier”. Write it because it’s a strategic stepping stone, and because it develops both the craft and the discipline you need for the bigger budget levels. What you’re describing is stream of consciousness writing and an unfamiliarity with the needs of the professional arena. You can certainly have fun and enjoy the creativity of just writing, that’s perfectly valid. But to actually get films made (films plural), you’ll need to approach it more deliberately than that, if for no other reason than the filmmaking team will need it.

If you’re interested in hiring a screenwriter, let me know. I’m building a stable of writers who can work with you to develop your project. It’s not cheap (it’s usually a service employed by production companies) but it’s the quickest way to get there. If you’re simply looking to get your idea into script form (ie, if you’re not a production company or hiring for a business objective), I always recommend learning the skills yourself. You’ll be amazed at how l strait forward it is to actually make this a reality.

@@fastscreenplay Thank you for the quick reply! I am interested, is there another website to contact you at for writers?

@@MunroeE-do7so We’re still building the website for that side of things. In the meantime, reach out to us at help@fastscreenplay.com and we can discuss your needs.

@@fastscreenplay Thank you!

I don’t have plans for it at the moment, as I’m investing that time into the Breakthrough Space group (we do 1-8 hours of live sessions each week). So I’m looking to upload new short videos (or medium-length videos like this one) for the time being. I might begin doing it again; it’s just a question of time.

Thanks for the kind words. And yes, FAST is 95% applicable to novels as well. In fact, we often have novelists go through the system, and they always rave about it. The reason is that what I do is process-driven rather than technique-driven (eg story formulas, etc), so it’s applicable across the board. If you ever want to join us, check it out. It’ll help with the novel AND a potential screenplay if you ever decide to. ;)

There’s no quit in me - I’m not posting to KZfaq at the moment but I’m going stronger than ever and have figured out exactly how to get to the target. Thing is: It’s not about one screenplay at this point. It’s about building the engine that generates an endless stream of viable projects. One screenplay - even me going off to make one movie - doesn’t really do much for the bigger goal. And these days it’s the bigger goal that keeps me inspired. So, it’s not about greenlighting anything. I’ll be producing the films written by people who have completed FAST. And that looks set to begin next year. We shall see!

Search this channel for my video “Writer’s Block Instant Cure”. You’ll be writing five minutes from now. :)

Hey brotha I hope this helps, but I believe writer’s block comes from place of “ignorance or naiveness” in the politest way. Every time I am faced with writer’s block it’s with something that I don’t know. If you’re facing writers block take a step back and look at your story beats/characters and make sure you know exactly what is going on. 9/10 times it’s always something that you dk t know as well as you thought you did. Get that birds eye view on whatever problem you have and that helps me figure it out ‘

I’m not sure I understand what you mean by “so that you have something physical to show”. Could you elaborate? I’m not looking to “show” anything. I’m looking to build a studio that produces many hundreds of films - which can only happen if the development framework is solid and consistent (which is why I’ve made that my focus). Are you saying that I should make nonviable films? Because I don’t see that as a solution to the problem, but I’m open to new ideas if you think I’m missing something. Let me know.

@@fastscreenplay I'm just saying, in principle, you might be garnering more enthusiasm from people casually chiming into what it is you're doing if you were taking risky actions and displaying those vein attempts publicly, cause the next onlooker might be like "Damn! I knew exactly what he was missing! What's he working on next? I might be able to help." I'm just saying you've done more public "talking" than public "doing", and actions speak much higher volumes, even if said actions are colossal misfires. Make sense?

@@thesweetidiot6741 No, I’m not understanding. Are you saying that because I haven’t been making films (and instead seem merely to be talking about it) that THAT is what’s causing writers to not follow through on their writing, or applying successful strategies? Because I’m not understanding that link. Or are you saying that I myself would have more success? Or be able to build the studio faster? Or maybe that I’d have more personal authority (that people would agree with me more) if I was making movies instead of making KZfaq videos? I’m just not clear on what you’re pointing out as the problem. Because making a film is not the problem. Even finding a single viable project isn’t technically the problem. The problem is being able to find or generate them consistently. I think I may be solving a problem different to the one you think I’m expressing, but I need more clarity on your comment before I can know for sure.

@@fastscreenplay I guess I would classify as taking the cynical route and say that if your system hasn't had consistently effective results after, say, ten years, you need to fall back on the traditional route of just going solo and just write, produce, and direct a single kickass project. Return to refining FAST only after you've become established. Prompting aspiring writers to develop this necessary skill set is redundant because it isn't motivating. Telling people to "just DO this" presupposes that writing is a rational endeavor and so much of it is not. It's no wonder to me that you've seen so many enthusiastic participants fall away, it's because the allure of a "system" that's designed to get you where you're trying to go inevitably eliminates the uncertainty that goes along with the writing experience. People sign up thinking you're gonna hold their hand, and when you don't (as you can't, and again, I assume you're not intentionally misleading them), they feel betrayed and mislead. An indie film studio has to happen by great luck, great resources, or great risk. It can't be manufactured out of thin air. It doesn't happen.

@@thesweetidiot6741 Oh, okay. I understand. You’re dismissing whatever I’m saying because you don’t agree with the path I’ve taken. No worries. To each his own. (For the record, the suggestion is completely detached from the video and its message, which is why I was confused.) :) Also for the record, we have a fantastic success rate, for those who actually complete the system as instructed. It’s just that too few follow through and actually DO it (our stats are about twice as good as the average, meaning that if only 5 percent of people who start writing a movie complete their script, with us, about 10 percent would - not bad, but I need to improve it to actually have an engine to fuel the studio). And as I am not looking to make a film (I already did that, twenty years ago), your suggestion denotes a misunderstanding of what I do and what I’m building, and the complexities involved in doing it. Which is fair enough. There’s really no way for you to see what I’ve seen, so I can’t fault you for filtering it through your lens. So, you’re free to dismiss what I offer based on your perspective. It’s all good. I’m just confused about why you’d bother watching my videos if you think so poorly of me, or find it impossible to imagine that the 20 years I’ve spent doing all this could possibly reveal things you don’t see - things upon which I base my decisions? Anyway, thanks for commenting. And I’m sorry you don’t find it motivating. When we eventually prove this to your satisfaction, I hope you’ll enjoy it then. :)

@@PhdCorner Well, as they say "shit happens." No bones about that--especially in this new world we live in. Not a lot of "ANY" job openings, no matter who or how good you are. The new economic model has of course spread to the film industry. But then again, maybe it's only happened to me?

What makes you think you’re a world-class writer?

@@scottrichardson6226 And why are you looking for “job openings”? Have you really not watched ANY of my videos? Are you really ONLY commenting? Maybe next time, let’s actually WATCH the video and then comment on its content. We get that you’re this great unappreciated genius and all, but I’ve given you the exact path to getting to your target. If you’re not going to take the path, can you find some other KZfaq channel to troll?

@@fastscreenplay What makes you think you are a "Producer?" I may not be the pinnacle of the writing world, fuck, I know that! But I am still A-list! Starting in college I always had that premise, the hook for a story and the set up way before anyone else and after that? The story is just fill-in-the-blanks baby, it writes itself! Get me in with Vince Gilligan or the "Ghosts" US Team and I will show you! Remember Kelly's Heroes? When Telly Savalas asked a wine sipping and cheese eating Donald Sutherland why he wasn't in his tank? "it's broken" he was told then finished "I don't know what makes them work---I only drive them." He was not a tank repairman, but one heck of a tank "commander!"

@@scottrichardson6226 “Blah blah blah blah, I’m a genius, I was robbed. Get me in front of Vince Gilligan and I’ll show you”… even though you’ve done NOTHING to get YOURSELF there - and refuse to even ADDRESS the strategy I’ve laid out in front of you on a silver platter (for free). By the way, if you’re “A-list”, by definition you can get the very meetings you’re complaining you’re not getting. Yet another demonstration that you do NOT have the skills you imagine you have. But yeah, keep on plugging your ears and complaining about how you’ll show me. 🤦🏼‍♂️