ASK & DISCUSS
INDEXHave you ever taken you name off the credits?
8 years, 11 months ago - Andy Conway
Scriptmag have revived an excellent old post from their archives with Aaron Ginsburg's account the script assignment from Hell.
When to Undo Writing Credits – A Ridiculous Journal of Eventual Success
September 6, 2016
"I didn’t recognize the title of the screenplay. In fact, flipping through the dense 120-page document, I didn’t recognize anything. The characters, the dialogue, the plot were all clearly written by somebody else. So, why on earth did the title page claim this script was written by me?"
http://www.scriptmag.com/features/when-to-undo-writing-credits-ridiculous-journal-eventual-success
It makes me wonder, how bad does it have to be for you take your name off the credits?
Is it ever a good idea?
Has anyone done it?
And if you did, what effect did it have on your career?
Only members can post or respond to topics. LOGIN
Not a member of SP? JOIN or FIND OUT MORE
8 years, 11 months ago - Dan Selakovich
99% of my career is/was fixing films in trouble. I always signed non-disclosure agreements and never got a screen credit. That was the deal and it was good to always be working. But when studios started to eliminate their indie arms, and instead poured money into the huge films, that work started to dry up. Well, it's still around, but the budgets are so low that they can't afford me. What is regrettable is that I can't use these films I saved to find work. While I've never taken my name off of a film, not having credits is a bad, bad, thing. And only if I'd experienced what these guys experienced, would I do it. They were right to take their names off.
Response from 8 years, 11 months ago - Dan Selakovich SHOW
8 years, 10 months ago - Paul W Franklin
My friend wrote a film called 'Tooting Broadway' (which job he got from this website), which was a decent enough script.
But thanks to a producer who wanted to appeal to the Attention Deficit generation, about 20 mins were cut, meaning half the story didn't make sense. He seriously hates the final product (renamed 'Gangs of Tooting Broadway', despite a major lack of gang involvement), and he was thinking about removing his name from the credits.
In the end he didn't.
Response from 8 years, 10 months ago - Paul W Franklin SHOW
8 years, 10 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin
Incredibly common - Book of shadows:Blair Witch 2 was originally a thematic exploration of illusion/delusion, subjective and objective truth, almost a smart thriller. That's not the released version which is pretty horrible.
Response from 8 years, 10 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin SHOW
8 years, 10 months ago - Lee 'Wozy' Warren
I took my name of a feature once as director. The lead actor was also the producer and so didn't want to listen to reason about the script. However, over the years I regretted doing it as I then couldn't use it as evidence that I actually directed a feature.
Do think long and hard about doing it before you actually do. It's hard to change your mind later and relationships can get lost.
Response from 8 years, 10 months ago - Lee 'Wozy' Warren SHOW
8 years, 10 months ago - Pam Beddard
This thread nudged me into looking up how Alan Smithee's career is getting along. Now nudging the 90 credits mark it turns out: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000647/?ref_=nmbio_bio_nm
Response from 8 years, 10 months ago - Pam Beddard SHOW
8 years, 10 months ago - Dan Selakovich
Pam, the DGA protest credit was retired in 2000. So that's all there will be, I'm afraid.
Response from 8 years, 10 months ago - Dan Selakovich SHOW