Wait that wasn’t funny?

And if the only people who know anything are the audience, why are you reading a blog by an industry professional?

Now, you take a deep breath…

NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING…..EXCEPT THE AUDIENCE

I added that last part, but true it is.

While your points are well taken, I think you’re incorrect that there is no point handing out screenwriting advice until your movies have been made and shown.

Consider that, just as Gottard’s “genius” was actually the byproduct of his financial and/or technical circumstances, so too was Orson Welles’ “genius” the byproduct of his technical inexperience. He just didn’t know that you just can’t do that, so he said “Let’s do it,” and was fortunate enough to have a DP who was good at problem solving.

So just because I haven’t had a movie made doesn’t mean I don’t have anything to say. Remember, some of the worst teachers are the people who are (or were) successful at whatever they’re trying to teach, because they try to get you to do it their way. People who were never successful don’t have that problem, but if they’ve watched a lot of movies and read a lot of scripts then they know the form well enough to have a valuable insight.

Recently I posted a blog about being addicted to the formula. I wonder, to what extent are the best movies a product of filmmakers with tons of experience, versus movies like Citizen Kane or American Beauty that were made by experienced storytellers who were making their first movies? Isn’t it possible that your knowledge and experience can be a liability? Can’t there be an advantage to being outside the tiny little box Hollywood puts itself in?

I’m not advocating not getting experience, all I’m saying is that the people who haven’t had their films made offer a valuable perspective – that of the outsider, who is closer to the audience than the filmmakers themselves, but is still articulate at expressing problems, trends, and themes in the film. It doesn’t mean that they’re right, but it doesn’t mean they’re wrong, either.