It’s great to have some screenwriters visiting too. Yay! That’s a great idea to storyboard your own scripts. More writers should try that even just as an exercise.

Poke around in the Archives and pick away at what little of my brain is left these days.

~K

K

I guess the first question would be, “Do they have any money?” (Yes, I can be shallow like that.) Are you SURE you’d get paid? If you’re not sure, I’d stay away from it myself. No brainer there.

If there is money and you *will* get it, then I’d do this: ask them how they feel about the script and if you have any freedom with it (and how much). If they come across as ‘in love with it’ and won’t change anything, then you could forget it or take the money and do the best you can with it.

When presented with crap, I just have the attitude that I did the best job *I* could do and that I didn’t write the thing. Just like how actors take on crappy roles for the money or experience. They know it’s a cheesy movie but do the best they can with what they’re given.

It’s not your responsibility to overhaul their script or even tell them it stinks. You can point out where things aren’t clear for you and suggest a few things to improve it, but after that I’d leave it.

If it’s worth the trouble and you are getting paid, then do it. If not, then consider passing on this one.

My humble 2 cents.
K

Let me first say, it’s a movie that has a chance at making it production.

And I pretty much agree with you about not being able to pick and choose. I mean, I’ve worked with bad scripts before just fine and it wasn’t a problem for. Thanks to imagination, my liking of drawing and the fact there were actual descriptions of scene and characters. With this one, it’s absolutely no character description and no real setting and the dialog isn’t much help because everybody talks a like. Now, dialog isn’t an issue for me, because that’s not what I’m boarding. But, it seems more like I’m reading notes instead of an actual script.

And the deal, right now, there is no contract at this point. I haven’t agreed to anything, yet.

Maybe, what I really should have asked was how do you tell people that their script, idk, needs a little work without coming off as a snooty tooty? lol.

I don’t want to take over nor do I just want to leave ‘em hangin’ with a bad script. You know?

Well, I guess there could be such thing. A script can always be fixed…but if it’s THAT bad, it would have to be on the writer’s end. A storyboard artist can only do so much. And someone has already approved the thing if it got to the storyboard stage, so you really couldn’t do an overhaul without permission anyway.

If you get a bad script and they tell you not to change anything and it stinks, you can suck it up and make the best of it.

Or yes, of course you can always turn down a job. But if you are on a contract for 6 shows and you just don’t like one of the scripts, I would say no. You can’t just refuse that one and pick and choose the best ones. In animation they are on a schedule and you have to take what you’re given. You’d just have to make the best of it.

But if it’s an independent project and the script is horrible, use your best judgment. Do you want to spend all that time on it if it stinks?

Hope this helps a bit.
K

First and foremost, I have to thank you for the advice you’ve given me about an animation gig. I don’t know if you remember. But, I just wanted to say thanks for that.

My question is, as a storyboard artist, is there a such a thing as a script that just can’t be ‘fixed’? And is it okay to turn down a job because of the script?

I’m glad you found it too. Poke around in the Archives and enjoy. If you ever have any questions, just ask.

K

I’m really glad to have found your blog, its so helpful especially since i’m doing storyboarding and video production classes right now, its great to get insights and learn from people and places beyond my classroom. Thanks again!

soh fia