FEATURE: 31 JULY 2007

Nick Ward, Robin Scholes, Trevor Haysom, Matthew Horrocks

Producers Trevor Haysom (In My Fathers Den, Possum, Crush) and Robin Scholes (Once Were Warriors, Broken English, Rain, Crooked Earth, The Tattooist) joined screenwriter Nick Ward (Stickmen, The Ferryman) and guest MC Matt Horrocks (producer and former NZFC Development Exec) in the July Writers Room to discuss the expectations, dynamics and complexities of the writer/producer relationship.

Expectations

Writer Nick Ward expects three things from a producer: money, a good working relationship and respect.  ‘Although it’s show business and not show friendship you have to ensure you get on well together because your relationship might last a long time’. He cited Whale Rider as an example of a project that took 10 years to complete.  ‘You don’t want it to feel like an arranged marriage you’re trying to escape’, he said, adding ‘the writer needs to know the producer will stand by them during the tough times and not bring in another writer.  It’s the nature of a project that more people will be involved at a later stage. You have to believe the producer will form a united front with you and protect the story and characters’. Respect works both ways. ‘The producer should respect you, offering support as you try different ideas, trusting you will deliver on time, believing you know the story and the characters you’re writing and that you fight for things only because you believe in them’, he said. ‘In return I have to respect the opinions of the producer.’

Commitment, mutual respect and friendship are important for Robin Scholes.  The producer takes a risk when committing herself to a writers story because there is no certainty that the end product will be successful.  The script must make a terrific impact to attract finance and a good cast, so the producer expects commitment from the writer to attain that level.  A producer has to stand by a writer and only bring in another writer as a last resort.  Commercial requirements can complicate the relationship too. ‘Sometimes you must do things to the script to make it more marketable and this can be a compromise for the writer. You have to see if they are willing to go there’, she said.

Dynamics

Trevor Haysom emphasised the importance of a collaborative relationship. ‘It’s not an us versus them business. I try hard to be as close as possible to the writer because working together gets the best out of both.’

Ward cautioned that too many writers were inclined to see producers as the bogeymen.  He said writers sometimes worried too much about the necessary give-and-take with producers. ‘They are our mates’, he said. ‘We cant get anything done without them. We need each other.’ Haysom added: ‘A producers view can be valuable during development.’

Scholes said both the producer and writer must understand the market.  A producer must ensure that the idea they are commiting themselves to fits into the marketplace, and have a sense of where the money will come from to fund it.  The idea should stand out not only as a strong New Zealand story but because it has originality and a deep emotional truth.  ‘In New Zealand we don’t really have bankable directors or stars compared to Hollywood so the story has to be unique.’

New writers should approach their chosen producer with an extended outline that clearly illustrates the strength of the idea.  Established writers may prefer to write a script. Matt Horrocks said that once a producer shows interest in a story, the writer should ask questions to ensure that the producer is on the same page as the writer.  ‘Ask them what they like about the project, what their strategy is for getting the film made’, he said. ‘Let them explain in their own words – an important test to ensure they really understand your idea’. Horrocks said a producer should be up-front, and whilst not knowing everything, be able to explain clearly and simply how they plan to make and finance a film.  ‘Their answers should be convincing’, he said. ‘They should respect you enough to share this information because the game plan is yours together.

The producer should offer a simple deal to the writer including how the rights will be owned, what needs to be done within a specified time frame, how much the writer will be paid if the film goes into production and what reverts back to the writer if the film does not go ahead.  The New Zealand Writers Guild can advise writers on these issues. When meeting with producers Ward advised writers not to agree to anything spontaneously.  ‘Don’t try and come up with answers immediately. Go away and think about it.  The dialogue should be continual.  Find a buddy in the industry and ask advice from each other.’

Haysom cautioned that a new writer must do their homework and try to choose the right producer for their story.  Shorts can attract producers to emerging talents. Script editors are important for developing new writers too.  Haysom said working with a first time writer can be exciting because of a fresh approach. Scholes said writers should be open to partnership rather than scared someone else will steal an idea.  She encouraged writers to seek more information. ‘People have written books on the subject, or you can network in the industry.’

Complexities

Financial pressures are inevitable and may involve changes for a story.  A producer should strive to protect the writer and the heart of the project. Multiple investors are common and the producer must maintain their relationship with the writer and consolidate links between all parties.  Scholes said future problems can be avoided by taking on the right people at the start, ensuring consensus with investors. ‘The challenge is to keep the money and prevent the changes and requests from endangering the story.’

The story should be clear to secure the right investors. ‘The project should start off with an idea that the writer thinks they can write and the producer thinks they can sell’, said Scholes. ‘As you go down the track of executing that idea you should be getting more knowledge of what you have so that investors understand it.’  The producer must understand the writing process too.  ‘When you’re on the same team, it helps to understand what the other is trying to do’, she said, ‘more producers attend writing workshops than writers attend producer workshops.’

Filmmaking is unique because in most other business situations the product is obvious. ‘Trying to sell a script involves people having to visualize the product’, said Scholes. ‘It’s important when people read the screenplay they can see the characters and images. Unfortunately most scripts fall short.’

If a relationship goes wrong it could mean the producer has failed to do their job well enough from the start.  ‘You haven’t done a good enough preamble with the writer before committing and so don’t know clearly what the projects about’, said Haysom.  ‘If it becomes obvious that you want to make a different film to the writer or director then you havent done your homework’. The producer tends to own a project because they own the dollar and the project drives many of the decisions. Sometimes a writer must let go but Haysom said that is rare.  ‘But if that’s the idea you want to see up on the screen then you have to do all you can to make it happen’, he said. ‘That’s part of the passion of the producer and thats important.’

Scholes said the producer must avoid dissension by choosing project participants with exceptional care.  Searching for an investor for a one-off drama was like throwing bait into a deep dark pool for very few fish. ‘You have to trawl and trawl until you find that one person in the world who wants to make the same film you and the writer want to make.  They are a rare commodity and if you get them right they will fight along with you’.  She said it was easier to find like minded people for genre film funding.  ‘The market knows what you’re selling’, she said. ‘There are certain rules and as long as you obey them, with a few twists, then you should be able to get the right person on board to assist you rather than dissent. But a script for a genre film must incorporate an original twist or it will not find buyers in the crowded marketplace’. Haysom described himself as a producer who was less interested in genre films and this was an example of how a writer should look for a producer with similar interests.

Ward emphasized the collaborative nature of filmmaking. ‘You hear many people exclaim they’ve written a movie when they haven’t what they’ve written is a script. It takes a lot more people to make it a movie.  In effect, they’ve written a selling document targeted specifically at investors’.

A ‘dream writer’ or project doesn’t necessarily present itself as obvious during development.  ‘As long as the writer relies on their gut instinct – that first thing they saw in the first draft, the thing that spoke to them – then they’re on the right track and will draw a good producer towards them’, said Haysom. Ward agreed: ‘Most importantly it’s in the script. If it’s a great script then the right people will get on board’, he said.

Nick Ward, Robin Scholes, Trevor Haysom, Matthew Horrocks

‘The massive turnout for our writer/producer night this month shows that writers are eager to gain a better understanding of how to choose and work with producers’, said Rebecca Kunin, Executive Director of Script to Screen. ‘Script to Screen understands how crucial the writer/producer relationship is to the development process.  We hope that advice from our experienced panel will help both writers and producers to build positive collaborative partnerships, as these creative partnerships are vital to the health of the screen industry as a whole.’