The Screenwriter’s Screenwriter
Over at Go Into The Story — http://www.gointothestory.com/ — , Scott put up a link to a brief interview with screenwriter, Joe Eszterhas – scroll on down a bit to find it. To me, Joe Eszterhas is the screenwriter’s screenwriter.
I’ve read both of his books — Hollywood Animal and The Devil’s Guide To Hollywood — about Hollywood and screenwriting and liked them both. But after watching the very brief interview of Mr. Eszterhas, I searched the web for something more extensive. And, I found it.
Click on over to The Bat Segundo Show (http://www.edrants.com/segundo/bss-73-joe-eszterhas/) and take a listen. The intro is irritating, but the interview is worth the torture 
Let me know what you think about ol’ Joe. Love him? Hate him? Why?
Keep Writing,
Mike
After watching the Fora TV spot and then listening to the segundo interview, I’m seeing Eszterhas in a new light.
I’m pretty sure it was professional jealousy driving my belief that Joe must be a monumental con artist to sell such awful screenplays for such enormous prices. So much for so little. Time and again.
Watching and listening to him… yes, he IS a swaggering pirate. But a good-hearted pirate… unless you’re a critic, in which case he will feed you your OWN heart.
The best advice he gives — and something that gives me great encouragement — is to spec, spec, spec. The logic is irrefutable: 1) less room for others to sabotage the story on its way to La Fin, 2) probable higher payday, especially with the possibility of a bidding war, 3) it might not sell today, or this year even, but so long as it’s out there, there’s a chance somebody somewhere will like it and buy it.