87. The following appeared in an ad for a book titled How to Write a Screenplay for a Movie.
Writers who want to succeed should try to write film screenplays rather than books, since the average film tends to make greater profits than does even a best-selling book. It is true that some books are also made into films. However, our nations film producers are more likely to produce movies based on original screenplays than to produce films based on books, because in recent years the films that have sold the most tickets have usually been based on original screenplays.
Discuss how well reasoned... etc.
This advertisement for How to Write a Screenplay... concludes that a writer is more likely to be successful by writing original screenplays than by writing books. The ads reasoning is based on two claims: the average film tends to be more profitable than even best-selling books, and film producers are more likely to make movies based on original screenplays than on books because in recent years the films that have sold the most tickets have usually been based on original screenplays. I find the ad unconvincing, on three grounds.
First, the mere fact that ticket sales in recent years for screenplay-based movies have exceeded those for book-based movies is insufficient evidence to conclude that writing screenplays now provides greater financial opportunity for writers. Ticket-sale statistics from only a few recent years are not necessarily a good indicator of future trends. It is possible that fees paid by movie studios for screenplays might decrease in the future relative to those for book rights. Moreover, the argument is based on number of ticket sales, not on movie-studio profits or writers fees. It is possible that studio profits and writer fees have actually been greater recently for book-based movies than for those based on original screenplays.
Another problem with the ad is that it assumes a writer must make an either-or choice from the outset between writing books and writing screenplays. The argument fails to rule out the possibility that a writer engage in both types of writing as well as other types. In fact a writer may be more successful by doing so. Writing in various genres might improve ones effectiveness in each of them. Also, writing a book may be an effective first step to producing a screenplay. In any event, the ad provides no justification for the mutually exclusive choice it imposes on the writer.
A third problem with the ad is its ambiguous use of the word successful. The argument simply equates success with movie ticket sales. However, many writers may define writing success in other terms, such as intellectual or artistic fulfillment. The ads advice that writing screenplays is the best way to achieve writing success ignores other definitions of success.
In conclusion, this quick pitch for a book is based on simplistic assumptions about ticket sales and writer fees, and on an overly narrow definition of success in writing. To better evaluate this argument, at the very least we would need to know the number of years the cited statistic was based on, and the extent to which ticket sales reflect movie studio profits and writer fees.
职场口语:他不生我的气?
外企必备口语:如何和他人预约
外企英语:不能不会的“10个英语单词
职场口语:如何打电话租车?
职场口语:你是?
职场口语:我能请假吗?
职场口语:需和老板讨论的九个问题(上)
职场英语口语情景交际之面试与实习篇:我接受了另一个更符合我要求的工作
职场英语:被开除
职场口语:我要离职
职场口语:如何向客户介绍公司
外企必备口语:工作中称呼方面的礼仪
职场口语:英语广告的词汇特色
职场口语:部门会议Departmental Meeting
外企必备口语:如何用英语表达自己的观点
职场口语:灵验了吗?
职场英语:如何拒绝上司
职场口语:向上级汇报Reporting To Headquarters:Risky Business
职场口语:如何向客户介绍自己
职场口语:出差常用20句的英语口语
职场口语:如何称呼对方
职场口语:在外企office常用的电话英语10条解析
职场英语:英文广告中的句型特色
外企必备口语:如何接待来家做客的同事
职场口语:出差用语经典例句
职场口语:办公室里常用的英语口语妙句
职场口语:出差常用语
职场英语口语情景交际之面试与实习篇:我来应聘实验室助理职位
职场英语口语情景交际之面试与实习篇:面试单元之介绍个人信息 3
职场口语:如何转接客户来电(1)
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |