Is 43 too old to break in?

Question

The company I have worked for the last eight years is shutting down. Owner got hired away by a top university to run the IT crew of their neuroinformatics research group. I have stock in another company that is about to go IPO. I love writing. Finished a mystery novel recently and working on another one. However, what I'm wondering is if I should also give a shot at being a screenwriter. After reading "Crafty TV Writing" by Alex Epstein, I know I am already too late for this year's staffing season.

No spec script circulating. No agent even. But from what I've read here in this newsgroup and elsewhere, I know that if I want to make a serious shot at being a screenwriter, I need to move to LA to be able to attend meetings on short notice, network, and network some more. However...
I am 43 years old now. Is that too old to be considered for a TV show's writing staff? Too old to break into the industry? Possibly too old for even movies? Over the years, I have heard that Hollywood likes its writers young. The preferred audience for most TV shows and movies is teenagers and young adults and I have heard it said that Hollywood logic holds that young screenwriters are sought because they can best write for this preferred age group. True?

If it is true, I will not move out to LA but move to some really cheap place to write my mystery novels. There is no age preference with novelists.If it isn't true, I will move out to LA. Having no kids or wife (or even ex), my plan is to do what I did in college. Land an evening or grave shift security guard post where you're allowed to read and write on the job, find a cheap apartment (or even room), and then just throw myself into writing TV spec scripts, movie screenplays, and novels while at my post. Not living off of my savings except for the move out there.

Not a lavish lifestyle but a liveable one for me. And when I'm not on the job and writing, I will network the best I can. Game plan being to pump out a few kick-ass spec scripts by the end of this summer, land an agent, get the spec scripts circulating, and then hopefully this time next year, get hired onto a TV show's writing staff. Meanwhile writing and pitching movie screenplays.

What I am asking here is about reality. Is my age going to be a handicap or not? If so, how much of handicap?
Scott
P.S. Feel free to email me if you'd like to give your advice in private. sj AT rpwsj DOT com

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]I am 43 years old now. Is that too old to be considered for a TV show's writing staff? Too ... that Hollywood logic holds that young screenwriters are sought because they can best write for this preferred age group. True?[/nq]
It's hard to say.
Here's the bigger problem, as I see it:
I moved to LA 7 years ago. I started making my living through my screenwriting about a year and a half ago. Granted, I was in films school for half that time, but, judging by my cohort of film school friends, I'm one who's breaking in fairly quickly.

You say you're 43. The real question is, really, are you prepared to still be breaking in when you're 49?
Because that's, optimistically, what you should expect. Sure, it happens faster for some people - but, of course, for some people, it doesn't happen at all.
Just something to think about.
-Ron

Usenet · Answer

@reader2.panix.com:
[nq:1]Here's the bigger problem, as I see it: I moved to LA 7 years ago. I started making my living ... for some people - but, of course, for some people, it doesn't happen at all. Just something to think about.[/nq]
Also, never, ever rely on breaking it as a source of income.
jaybee

Usenet · Answer

Hi, Scott...
The problem with your question is that, like everything else in life, there are no guarantees. That, plus the fact that movie making is arguably the most subjective industry in the world! Sooo... While there are a whole bunch of "rules of thumb" in the industry regarding age (which applies to television writing a lot more than film), it is equally as true (especially in film) that talent can get you over a whole bunch of obstacles. So when it comes to your age, it's what you make of it. And how willing you are to take on a journey that never comes with a road map.

Your novel writing is probably the best major focus initially. Which is not to say you shouldn't write a couple of killer screenplays, find an agent, and have them shopped while you continue with your novels.
Where you live is only hyper-critical to television writing. TV writing is always a "collaborative sport," and you must live within commute distance of the job. Living in L.A. may be useful in film, but with today's speedy and economical air travel, it's not the be all and end all it once was. Fact is you can pay for a whole lot of commute tickets on what you can save in rent alone by living someplace other than California. Lots of cities in this country today have fairly active and fairly well plugged-in film industry connections.

But it all depends on what you want out of life. LA has the sushi bars and coffee houses where you can watch what the celebrities are eating, if that's your thing. My personal choice is to live in Texas with 3,000 square feet to put my feet up in instead of 300 square feet and a lot of smog in L.A. for the same price. But everything is relative. Maybe a trip to the coast, if you've never been there, would be a useful evaluation tool. But also think about how much such distractions would impact on your creativity.
There are people who started trying to break intot he industry when they were in their twenties, and they're still trying to break in forty years later. Then there are people who started their writing careers at your age or older and met with huge success with their first outing. As I said, it's a journey without road maps. But if you think it's what you want to do, go for it!
Best of luck!
Caroline

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]You say you're 43. The real question is, really, are you prepared to still be breaking in when you're 49?[/nq]
But, hey, it beats being 50. I got an AARP/Hartford Insurance joint offer last week first thing AARP has sent me. It had a window in the envelope that read something like "For Someone who is SPECIAL because..." and then you open it and (surprise, surprise) it reads "because your old enough to be eligible for an AARP membership." GAG me. Does this really sell insurance?

RonB
"There's a story there...somewhere"

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Also, never, ever rely on breaking it as a source of income.[/nq]
Oh, but I wouldn't to make too many million$ not for a couple years anyhow. I'm not greedy.

RonB
"There's a story there...somewhere"

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]The company I have worked for the last eight years is shutting down. Owner got hired away by a top ... that Hollywood logic holds that young screenwriters are sought because they can best write for this preferred age group. True?[/nq]
Read "Successful Television Writing" by Lee Goldberg and William Rabkin to get a realistic idea of what your up against for television writing. (It's a fun book to read.)
Since you asked for advice in an open forum, you sometimes you get it from the village idiot. I'd hole up in cheap place to live write a few specs see if you get any interest in them and go from there.

Oh and title the first one "Neuroinformatics Research Group". That rocks!

Dale Fifty year-old, drooling, grampa geezer.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]The company I have worked for the last eight years is shutting down. Owner got hired away by a top ... is about reality. Is my age going to be a handicap or not? If so, how much of handicap? Scott[/nq]
IMO, you're being far too optimistic and impractical. This group is filled with middle-aged men still trying to break in. Keep the IT career and continue writing novels.
Robin

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]If it isn't true, I will move out to LA. ... handicap or not? If so, how much of handicap? Scott[/nq]
[nq:1]IMO, you're being far too optimistic and impractical. This group is filled with middle-aged men still trying to break in. Keep the IT career and continue writing novels.[/nq]
I tend to agree.
Anything is possible in the business, but still, the usual and expectable pattern is:
Write specs from wherever you happen to be. It doesn't matter at this stage.
Use specs to get read by an agent.
Get taken on by an agent.
Start thinking about moving to LA.
Get assignments.
Move to LA.
Continue to write specs.
Get more assignments. DELIVER THE GOODS.
Once you have a track record of PRODUCED work (5-10 years later) the agent should be banging on doors for staff positions.

In other words, Scott, you're hoping to get hired by the army as a Major when all you can reasonably expect is Private First Class in the Reserves.

A film is a ribbon of dreams.
Orson Welles

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]What I am asking here is about reality. Is my age going to be a handicap or not? If so, how much of handicap?[/nq]
This at http://www.artfulwriter.com/
"What's fascinating about this particular group is that it bucks a number of trends. I don't think any of the writers (save Benioff) is under 40. Quite a few are in their 50's. Most write challenging fare. If we're to believe the conventional wisdom, studios are frightened to death of older, high-priced intellectual scribes.
Turns out they're not, and that's good news for any of us in the business who plan on aging or being serious (I'm one for two on that account)."
Of course, the guys he is writing about are established. Still, the studio doesn't pay for potential, it pays for completed scripts. Which could be written by anyone of any age, in theory.
BTW, how old was the oldest screenwriter to make a sale? Anyone know?

Martin

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]What I am asking here is about reality. Is my age going to be a handicap or not? If so, how much of handicap?[/nq]
[nq:1]This at http://www.artfulwriter.com/ "What's fascinating about this particular group is that it bucks a number of trends. I don't think ... anyone of any age, in theory. BTW, how old was the oldest screenwriter to make a sale? Anyone know? Martin[/nq]
Don;t remember the exact numbers, but there was something in the news about a year (or so??) ago when a woman in her 70s (80s?) sold her first screenplay. Anyone remember? It was mentioned here.

Used to be that if age was an issue, you steered clear of studios unless you were a screenwriting hyphenate because the "suits" are allergic to age. But now that the studios are getting away from making movies directly and working more and more through prodcos, the issue is getting blurred. Somewhat. But the military's "Don't ask, don't tell" is still not a bad way to handle age.
Caroline
The blabbermouth

Is 43 too old to break in?

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