Screenwriters — Check Your Pride Or You’ll Pay in Hard Cash
Narcissism is killer for writers
Early in 1994, midway through my career teaching screenwriting at UCLA, the dean of the film school summoned me and the other program leaders for a meeting. California was experiencing a severe budget shortfall, he told us, and the legislature was reducing support for the University. All programs would have to drop one or another course in order to reduce their budgets by ten percent.
“Screenwriting can’t do that,” I protested. “We’re bare bones. We don’t offer a single elective; all our courses are required. We can’t compel students to take courses we don’t offer.”
“Fair enough,” the dean told me. “If you won’t cut ten percent, I’ll do it for you. We don’t have enough money. What else can we do?”
I heard myself say, “Why don’t we get more money?”
“And precisely how are we going to do that?” he asked.
Inventing as I went along, I said, “Let’s identify the ten highest earning screenwriting alumni. We’ll write a letter to them over my signature, not begging for money, but merely requesting that they phone me in order to discuss an important issue.” Instead of groveling for funds in a letter, I thought I could pick their pockets more successfully via a phone call.
