Personality Goes a Long Way

by Julie Gray

Recently, I had lunch with a WGA writer who was on the second shift at the picket line at Warner Brothers. He’d written a James Woods movie a few years back, among other projects, and had a lot to share about being a working writer. He said something that struck me - working in this town is 20% talent and 80% personality. Having moved in the circles that I do, which includes both aspiring and established writers, this statement struck me as fairly accurate.

Now the last thing I want, as the founder of a story notes and coverage business, is for aspiring writers to read that quote and think - terrific! I can just jot out anything because I’m such a fun/smart/cool/interesting person that it won’t matter!

Untrue. Guess which % of that mix gets you in the door in the first place? The talent. A poorly written script by the funniest, nicest, most witty, erudite person in the world will not yield a lunch over which to show off those amazing qualities. Because the bottom line is the words on the pages. Once those pages attract interest, then go to lunch and be your wonderful self.

I recently witnessed something pretty painful along these lines. Let it be a lesson to all of us. A very good, very experienced writer had the attention of a producer and was in line for a high profile and lucrative non-guild job. I had the vantage point of being close to and doing some related work for the producer as part of this project. The writer, a friend, was obviously very excited about this tremendous opportunity. Really excited. Super, duper excited. Anybody see where this is going? Again, I had front row seats for this. The producer was absolutely going to hire this writer - but first, he had a deadline to meet related to the financing of the movie. He had to fly to London and meet with financiers. He had to do a great deal of homework to be ready for the meeting. The writer - we’ll call her Cheryl - knew this. But still, she emailed the producer several times a day - had he decided? Did she have the job? The producer was good-natured at first. Chill, he said, in completely different, more sophisticated words. She did not chill. She kept asking. The producer grew irritated. The writer grew truculent. Perhaps she should just move on? She has other projects to work on, you know. CHILL, the producer said. Hey, I’ve been a writer in this business for thirty years, Cheryl said, I’m a professional. Tell me if I’m hired. And that - dear readers, was all she wrote. She promptly lost the job.

I can’t work with a person like this, the producer shared with me. The writer had been needy, annoying and ultimately unprofessional. The writer showed no patience, respect or understanding for what the producer was needing to take care for the project. And that was that. The producer moved on. The writer absolutely had this job in the bag.

20% talent. 80% personality. Though I felt bad for the writer - really bad - I think this that working with the writer would have been a nightmare for the producer. So in the end, it’s better. But that writer will be sorry for a long time to come that she blew this opportunity because she was neurotic and impatient.

I have met and worked with a very large number of writers in my lifetime. Heck, I’m a writer myself. And writers - well, we can be a funny lot. I happen to be a bit anomalous; I’m extroverted, easy-going and patient. Some writers really have a hard time being social. Others are neurotic and manic. Others are pretty normal. We really run the gamut. I’m not advocating a personality change if you want to write entertainment - you are who you are and your writing does, for the most part, speak for itself. If you are not a cocktail party kind of person, surely you can cope in a polite way, just for a little while. You have to step up to the plate if you want to work in this very competitive world, that’s the bottom line. Because this business is built on relationships. And nobody wants to work in close quarters, for several months with someone who is impatient, ego-driven or needy.

Wait, wait, you say - what about Scott Rudin! Or James Cameron? Yes, but you see, these are powerful director/producers. Of course they can be rude and awful. I’m not saying it’s right, but they are at the top of the pile. Writers - well, sadly, we are pretty much at the bottom. So we have to make nice. Entertainment is an intensely collaborative business. Yes, there are plenty of jerks in this business. But we writers start and stay on a lower level and while your amazingly genius script will get you in the door - your cooperative, easy-going, relaxed and cooperative manner will keep you there.

Julie Gray is the owner and founder of The Script Department, a story notes and development service which features some of the top story analysts in the industry. She is also the creator of The Rouge Wave blog, "a happy little corner of the screenwriting universe..." Julie lives in Los Angeles with her teenaged daughter, shih tzu and several birds. You can meet Julie at this year's Great American PitchFest where she will be teaching "The Top Ten Things That Readers Hate" from 9-10:30am on Saturday, June 21st. You can also contact her directly by emailing julie@thescriptdepartment.com.