Shia LaBlog

Hello,

So hands up, who knew when they sat down to write their first screenplay, that Shia LaBeouf would be an antagonist in your writing? Anyone? What a strange, absurd subplot to have in your life as you pursue an elusive screenwriting career.

I do really appreciate the absurdity of it all. So I never feel upset when I read his name in news about screenwriting contests.

Before I really begin today's blog I will give a brief update about myself and my own writing. Today is my deadline for my alternative history short. Hoping to get that put together soon after this blog. I had a nice weekend with some friends. That's taken 3 days out of my life between partying and the recovery from it. We ended up in a lovely little pub upstairs somewhere in the city. A small, quant place that looked like it belonged in "Only Fools And Horses". There was a "no phones allowed" rule that was very strictly enforced. A friend was given a stern look when he had his phone out. The barwoman was highly annoyed when she learned he was using his phone to pay for a drink. I hope she had an emergency meeting with the rest of the staff the next morning over this. So I'm now back to writing and this blog.

Shia LaBlog

For those who don't know, Shia Labeouf is an award winning screenwriter. Honey Boy had it's premiere at Sundance and was later released by Amazon Studios. His scripts have entered contests marketed to "aspiring", "up and coming" screenwriters and has placed in and won in these. Every so often you might find news of his latest screenwriting adventures with contests and the reaction of other writers.

When looking through comments and the thoughts of others on this, it seems to come down to two type of thinking.

1. It is not right that an established professional, someone who surely has contacts in the film Industry, in Hollywood itself, be taking an opportunity away from those without that access.

2. It may not be right for him to have a script entered but if we as writers want to succeed in the film industry, we better get used to competing with professionals in what seems like unfair circumstances. Let's focus on our writing to "beat" the established pros.

I will mention that some contests have amended their entry requirements to stop current and established writers from being eligible in winning their contests. Reminder that winners of these contests are usually receiving valuable exposure to Industry professionals so it seems fair not to award current professionals this.

I have been thinking of the argument for allowing current professionals, Shia or others, into the contest. Eventually we will all have to compete against seasoned writers for that new TV gig or Marvel Phase 5 movie. Maybe it is OK to allow a filmmaker with Shia's connections and resources to enter. It also allows an "aspiring" writer such as myself (I am a writer, not actually aspiring, you're reading this aren't you?), the chance to compete against a professional just like I will hope to do once I am an established writer. I can see the argument in this but I think it misses one aspect, which I hope to lay out now.

I think we need to remember that writers entering contests, whether winning them, pacing in them or not placing at all, are writers who will improve as storytellers, the more they can soak up a filmmaking environment. Preferably the more quality filmmakers you surround yourself with, the better you become.

If I can move away from writing and move onto football/soccer.

A feature of football which is becoming more rare these days are football trials As you might guess it is a trial day for hopeful footballers looking to be found by a football team's scout or coach who is watching the trial. Dozens of hopeful's get put through their paces. These will often be amateur football players, maybe people who had a bit of experience with a professional teams youth setup before getting released and are looking to make their way back into the professional ranks. Like screenwriting contests, these trials are organized by both legitimate and less so agencies. Like with screenwriting contests, it is best to do your research before handing over any money to them in hopes of getting found.

Now you go along to the football trial, hoping to do such a good job a watching scout might be interested in speaking to you. You show up to the football pitch to see the other hopefuls. You might even know that one man there used to play as the goalkeeper for Manchester United's under 16 team. But all in all, you feel confident you can stand out.

And then, let's pretend, Tottenham Hotspurs forward and South Korean international Son Heung-min, walks past. He's here to take part in the trials. You learn that he wants to show any potential scouts that he can play in defense. His team aren't giving him that opportunity so this, it seems, is his way of showing scouts he can play there.

As he warms up, you enquire to the organizers if he should be playing. You are informed by someone that if you were to be scouted successfully here today, you might end up on a professional team and be facing players of Son's caliber. So you are going to have to just outwork him and hope you get noticed.

Now the trail goes ahead. Son, even though he plays in defense, is the clear man of the match. Some scouts didn't even know he played for Tottenham but were still impressed. The scouts look at him, mentioning how his technique, decision making, stamina is superior to the others.

I would wager that even if Son was not used to playing in defense, which requires different skills than as a forward, he still benefited immensely from the 7 plus years of professional training Tottenham had given him. Being surrounded by some of the best couches in the world. Playing with some of the best defenders in world football. Now that's not to say he had it easy. It's still a challenge to convert from forward to defender. Most people are not able to and fail trying to learn a new position. He still had a greater sense of what to do on the football pitch than the hopeful who had only played with and against amateur footballers.

I view that the same as Shia, successful actor, writing. Of course he needs to develop different skills to write a screenplay than to act on camera. But he has had that filmmaking "training". He probably has a much much greater sense of what can and can't be filmed than most "aspiring" writers. He must have spoken to more working writers and soaked up some knowledge from them.

There is another footballer I think of in this scenario. Irish international and right back Seamus Coleman. Seamus is a player who has been Ireland and Premier League club Everton's first choice right back for almost a decade. He has personal accolades

• FAI Under-21 International Player of the Year: 2009, 2010

• PFA Team of the Year: 2013–14 Premier League

• Everton Player's Player of the Year: 2013–14

• Everton Supporter's Player of the Year: 2013–14

Everton, in January 2009, signed Seamus for £60,000 from League of Ireland side, Sligo Rovers. Currently, the English Premier League is ranked number 1 in terms of quality amongst European leagues. The League of Ireland is ranked 40. I highlight this to show the gap in quality found in both leagues.

Seamus took some time to get his way into the Everton starting 11 and his then manager has admitted in interviews he did not realize how good he would become. He has spoken about how it took coaches some time to bring Seamus up to speed with the standard of defending, technical skills required for the Premier League. They had seen talent in the young defender, but needed to develop him.

This is the way I see screenwriters. Surely, at least, the majority of us entering contests. I hope we all have enough confidence in ourselves to know we are good and know we can and will get better. We can enter these contests and potentially win but we have to develop our talents all of the time. We know we can write the next Batman, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars but we also know that is in the future. When we improve our own writing. With the help of working with talented filmmakers.

After all, aren't we all happy to work in a collaborative environment like filmmaking is? Take my superhero short for example. Hopefully the future will mean that it will be its own short film. Currently it has been rewritten with the help and notes of a director and it has majorly improved. I love the idea of directors, actors, editors, you name it, helping me become a better writer. I hate the idea of thinking I would show up with a screenplay and expect that each and every word is perfect and cannot be made better. That doesn't appeal to me. I want us all to have some fun with storytelling.

If I was to win the Script Pipeline Screenwriting Contest 2022 then I am awarded, besides all of the assistance that is invaluable to me, $25,000!!

$25,000?! For my writing? If that happened I would certainly be shedding tears. (When I'm alone, I have to keep my cool guy rep going). That is a massive amount of money to receive and the help given to the winner beyond that is fantastic. Good luck to every winner and I hope they can continue the momentum and go onto becoming professional, full time writer working on the major franchises and stories of their dreams.

However, if Shia Labeouf. Son Heung-min, and any other current and professional writers are my competition. Who I had to compete against and beat to earn that recognition. Then $25,000 starts to feel a little bit less. Certainly if you pay me that money now for a script I will bite your hand off, if in ten years time and you offer me this after I finish writing Grogu: The Teenage Years, then I am asking you to pay me more. After all, I am an established writer. Which means you are buying my years of training, developed writing style, knowledge etc. Not the contest winning Kevin who had more talent than skill.

If I am beating Shia Labeouf in a writing contest, or Son Heung-min in a football battle, then I will expect to earn what they would look for. If "aspiring" writers accept that they must battle against established writers during this contest/trial days, then I think it's strange for "aspiring" writers" to accept "aspiring" levels of pay.

Minor Modifications, written by Shia Labeouf, won the Winter 2020 LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL SCREENPLAY AWARDS . Earning a $1,000 Cash Prize. This was a year after Honey Boy was released. I think everyone is different but I think if "aspiring" writers were offered $1,000 for their first piece of writing that a lot would take it. Take it and hope to move up the pay scale with more practice, recognition and development to warrant a pay increase. I am guessing a professional writer is not going to accept $1,000 as a fee.

I get the desire to want to face down any roadblock. If someone like Shia, who seemingly has more advantages than you, is in your way then you can just outwork them. Show everyone you don't fear the challenge. That's great. I also get the part of how it is just unfair at a basic level. These contests are advertised as opportunities for writers to get a foot in the door. I believe most writers, probably most filmmakers, are convinced they can always improve. Nobody is a perfect storyteller. I am certain that the more I find myself on a studio lot, writer's room, whatever else, that I'm going to learn new techniques in storytelling, how to write better for a director, clearer with a budget in mind.

So when I see the latest Shia Labeouf - screenwriting community news, I don't really view it as "time to outwork him" or "how could he take this opportunity from us". I see someone who has been surrounded with a high level of filmmaking talent. Much more than the writer who feels very isolated with no nearby filmmakers to connect with.

I just think of the enjoyable absurdity of unestablished writers needing to have absolutely flawless storytelling abilities. In an industry all about collaboration. An industry built on entertainment. Maybe "aspiring" writers should bluff it more and pretend they do know everything?

By the way my last comedy feature was favorably compared to some Mel Brooks work so definitely message me with a number plus a few zeroes attached and let's get filming.

Thanks for reading

Kevin