The Exploited Scriptwriters of the Film Industry
Posted on Wednesday, 2 March 2016
The
Exploited Scriptwriters
of
the Film Industry
by Apolinario Villalobos
Every time award-winning films catch the
limelight, quotes are heard from those who have seen the movies, to show that
they were first-hand witnesses of such eventful showing. It is true that actors
play a vital role in the garnering of awards, but without the appropriate and
catchy dialogues and dramatic cinematography, the whole movie would be nothing.
There is no question with the director who is considered as the life-giver of the
film. Unfortunately, while the actors who mumble the phrases are praised no
end, the scriptwriter who squeezed his or her brains to be able to come up with
juicy lines, is neglected, just like the rest of the essential members of the
“working group”.
Remove the scripts and a movie will be back
to the former “glorious” silence and subtitled past of the industry. What is
sad is that, the scriptwriters are among the lowest paid workers in the
filmmaking industry. As if the abuse is not enough, some directors have the
habit of practically “shredding” the lines according to his or the actors’
whim. One scriptwriter friend told me that his script was 70% redone, but
thankful that the title was not changed.
Sleepless nights are spent to complete a
script to suit a story line. Continuity is a very important factor to maintain
the flow of the story. A single inappropriate word can spoil a whole script.
And, some scriptwriters still had to consult references, especially, if the
material is historical just like the “General Luna”. As much as possible, the
scriptwriter has to be around while filming is going on, for whatever necessary
changes that have to be made on the spot and pronto!
If a script is being sold, during the
transaction, there is so much haggling that as much as 30% is lost from the
original price, and the worst thing that could happen is when the whole script
is redone including the title and a new name appears in the byline.
Those are the sacrifices of the
scriptwriter…neglected and underpaid. Just like the rest of artists, a
scriptwriter who does not know how to handle his earnings can die a pauper.
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