Recession: Part Duex
Just a follow on to yesterday’s post.
I got to wonderin’…. has the recession affected WHAT Hollywood is buying? In particular, adaptations -vs- spec scripts. Here’s what I found:
|
January and February Sales |
|||||
|
Year |
# of sales |
Adaptations |
% of total |
Specs |
% of total |
|
2007 |
138 |
54 |
39% |
24 |
17% |
|
2008 |
116 |
51 |
44% |
28 |
24% |
|
2009 |
151 |
73 |
48% |
24 |
16% |
It would seem that the percentage of spec scripts purchased is holding steady – the 2008 figures for specs are skewed because the writer’s strike ended in February, 08. But what is interesting is that the purchase of material to be adapted into screenplays is on the rise — approximately 5% per year.
What does this mean for the unproduced screenwriter? IMHO, not much. You will still have to write a damn good spec. Good enough to sell? Hopefully. But reality speaks: Write a damn good screenplay — which becomes your writing sample — which gets you an assignment to adapt one of those ‘48% projects’.
That’s a wrap and,
Keep Writing!
