The Moral Premise on The Weam Namou Show

Weam Namou (WEE-am NA-moo), one of my students from years ago, continues to write books and make documentaries. She recently asked me to be the Vice President on her non-profit's Board of Directors of a 501(c)(3) she started called Unique Voices in Films. https://uniquevoicesinfilms.org/

I agreed, and now we're in the throes of trying to make a documentary and a feature narrative. One of Weam's geniuses is to conduct a weekly cable TV interview show. It's not that so many people watch it, but that in the process she gets to know dozens of influential people in S.E. Michigan where we both live. Thus, she has a great network.

In helping her on her feature script POMEGRANATE, which I like very much and have agreed to producer for her directorial debut, we went through the story's structure, using the 8-foot tall story diamond I keep behind a door in my office. That her in the picture on the right posting a beat in Act 3.

So, a few weeks ago, she had me on her show a second time to talk just about the Moral Premise. It's below on YouTube.  It's basic, but informative, I think.

WGA v. Talent Agencies Draw a Line on the Marble Floor

There has been a war brewing between screenwriters and talent agencies in Hollywood. But the frustration is felt most, I think, by independent producers who try to attach talent to a project in order to secure distribution or a funding deal...but can't.

Communicating in Hollywood is like stacking blocks made from inflatable plastic packaging material. They're easy to lift but impossible to build anything stable unless their crammed in a box and otherwise deformed.

Mark Litwak

Some of you may know of Mark Litwak the super entertainment attorney from LA who has helped thousands of independent filmmakers, if not with direct production counsel, then with his entertainment contract templates which I've used for years.

His blog is always interesting because he gets into the nitty gritty of the dealings in Hollywood that are impossible to negotiate for the uninitiated...but somehow get done.

The first link below will take you to his very good explanation of the coming war, and (secondly) why it's difficult to get anything done in Hollywood. I can attest it is true, even for A-List that I've been in meetings with. Even those on the deep inside find it very difficult to get things done....as Mark explains.

This is why I am always encouraging young screenwriters to find friends who are filmmakers to make their own films. Forget Hollywood. Of course, you have to write it cheap so you can afford it, but getting stuff done is ultimately more satisfying that spitting into the Santa Ana Winds.

Enjoy: https://www.marklitwak.com/blog/wga-v-talent-agencies

and here's a little more background from Variety just a few weeks ago.

https://variety.com/2019/film/news/writers-guild-hollywood-agents-negotiations-1203169747/