Carving A Path To Success Pt.59 (If you ever doubt why you are a screenwriter)

This is my first post of the new year...so HAPPY 2010 Everybody.  No onto business.
If you've ever doubted for a moment that all your work was worth it.  Consider this.

These films won an Oscar (Original Screenplay) Best Writing from 2000-2008

2000 (73rd) Almost Famous – Cameron Crowe
2001 (74th) Gosford Park – Julian Fellowes
2002 (75th) Talk to Her – Pedro Almodóvar
2003 (76th) Lost in Translation – Sofia Coppola
2004 (77th) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind – Pierre Bismuth, Michel Gondry and Charlie Kaufman
2005 (78th) Crash – Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco
2006 (79th) Little Miss Sunshine – Michael Arndt
2007 (80th) Juno – Diablo Cody
2008 (81st) Milk - Dustin Lance Black


Not convinced yet?


These films were Nomination for Oscars.  Have you heard of them?
WALL-E – Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon and Pete Docter
Ratatouille – Brad Bird
Letters from Iwo Jima – Paul Haggis and Iris Yamashita (screenplay and story)
Syriana – Stephen Gaghan
The Incredibles – Brad Bird
Finding Nemo – Andrew Stanton, Bob Peterson and David Reynolds
My Big Fat Greek Wedding – Nia Vardalos
Monster's Ball – Milo Addica and Will Rokos
Erin Brockovich – Susannah Grant

Oscar nods equal more acclaim.

Check out these numbers.

Titanic

Budget	US$200 million
Gross revenue	$1,842,879,955

The Dark Knight

Budget	$185 million
Gross revenue	$1,001,921,825

Avatar

Budget	$237 million
Gross revenue	$1,018,811,000

'
Finding Nemo

Budget	$94 million
Gross revenue	$864,625,978

People often focus on the actors, the director and the producers and neglect the most important element.  Writers are often treated as less than important by the industry; when in truth they are one of the most important.   The figures listed above are to show that a writer contribution is necessary and can lead to something awesome.  I can bet that none of the writers above automatically knew that they would win an award for a screenplay they wrote.  That is a pretty safe bet!  If you ever forget why you are doing all of this; then look at those numbers.


If you ever need something else to give you hope then perhaps this will help you.


"In June 2004, Ben Ramsey, who wrote the Big Hit, was paid $500,000 to adapt Dragonball Z"


I read his original screenplay and I liked it; however his vision wasn't what made it to screen.  Another case is Hancock.  Sure the movie made like six hundred million, but the original screenplay isn't what made it to film.  Sometimes all it takes is a good idea.


So if you ever need motivation; look at those numbers and imagine a portion could be in you pocket.