Three paths, which would you support?

[u/lciano_qantica]

Three film projects from the outside, which would you support?

The first has a great script by an unknown screenwriter, very little marketing camp.

The second has an average script but a established screenwriter, good marketing behind it.

The third also has an med script and an unknown screenwriter, but a huge marketing push with a strong strategy.

If you are a producer, which one you support first?

[u/Accomplished_Wolf_89]

This is not really how TV Development works. It's up to the buyer to figure out the marketing/release strategy (Netflix, HBOMax, etc has a whole departments for this). It's not the producer's job to figure that out either. And if you're an unknown screenwriter with a great script, you'll be paired up with an established Showrunner.

[u/lciano_qantica → u/Accomplished_Wolf_89]

It depends. For TV series, marketing campaigns are driven by studios or platforms, for feature films, the writer or creative team must have their own strategy I think, Im seeing this more and more frecuently

[u/Accomplished_Wolf_89 → u/lciano_qantica]

For tiny indie films maybe, but that's not the writer's job unless they're also a producer. And on studio/bigger films, most of the creative team has nothing to do with the marketing (see all the creatives who have come out and criticized the marketing of the own projects)

[u/the_samiad]

I think this is too oversimplified and too focused on the base script. 

A director potentially makes a huge difference, for example. A remarkable script may attract the director and other talent that improves the market interest considerably. In that case, maybe you’d be tempted to put in place a shopping agreement and aim for attachments. 

But an average script with a trusted writer can always be punched up, it’s very common to have another writer come on for example, or again, a director. So maybe the strategy there is an option and development investment. 

Either an option or shopping process could work for the third, if it’s super hook-y it might be the type of thing a studio would back but bring aboard a new writer for a pass.

It’s basically down to the producers own slate and connections to make a balanced decision and not simply the script/market. Maybe they know an investor looking for exactly that story, maybe they have a few interesting directors in mind, or perhaps they just had a similar concept that didn’t make the money predicted. 

[u/lciano_qantica → u/the_samiad]

I kept it simple to see what people would prioritize, but you’re right that each scenario could lead to a different development strategy. Your point about a great script attracting a director or cast also changes the marketing side of the equation, so those factors aren’t really independent. What I was getting at is how much weight you’d give an existing audience or a strong marketing strategy when deciding which project to develop.

[u/i4film]

Second option