I love this, thank you. The reason I loved my grad program at Brooklyn College was exactly because Mac Wellman never did the fix/notes thing. He would hear the play presented and reflect back at us what he thought we were trying to do. It never crossed his mind to “make it work better” or that it was even broken. The more broken the better. It is a twisted world now where playwrights have become infantilized. They didn’t used to do that. But they didn’t used to produce women playwrights as much. Misogynist connection???
This is such a thoughtful and astute piece; thank you for writing. I work in television and a very common form of bad note is when a problem is identified - we lose pace in the second act - and a solution is offered - why not add a rampaging elephant? It disempowers the writer, and the dynamics of who gives the notes - producers, execs - puts a pressure on the writer not only to take the bad solution but to be grateful for it.
My armchair psychoanalysis of this is that many senior people in TV were once creative and took promotions into non-creative roles. Their diaries are full of HR and budgets and marketing. Which looks dull as hell. So when a script is perceived to be 'in trouble' they seize the chance to be creative and 'fix' the script, flattering their own egos, and ignoring the writer's intention.
Fundamentally this exhibits a lack of trust in the writer's ability to problem solve. And of course it's most damaging with newer writers, who are all too aware of who has seniority.
Truly feel this, Gina! I have had to deal with some rather toxic Bad Notes in my time so this Substack immediately caught my eye. I was blessed to have a guide at the time who saw what was happening and caught me from spiraling out of control, gently put me down and reminded me that I was the parent of my creative endeavor. While everyone else could give me parenting advice, I had the last word with my baby. This served me very well with the plays that I was writing after that and the way that I interacted with Bad Notes.
Yes, thank you ✨ My higher self always aspires to find the note behind every note but sometimes 🔪🔪🔪 or if I’m angry enough malicious compliance when I can get away with it dramaturgically 😈
Yes, thank you ✨ My higher self always aspires to find the note behind every note but sometimes 🔪🔪🔪 or if I’m angry enough malicious compliance when I can get away with it dramaturgically 😈
I love this, thank you. The reason I loved my grad program at Brooklyn College was exactly because Mac Wellman never did the fix/notes thing. He would hear the play presented and reflect back at us what he thought we were trying to do. It never crossed his mind to “make it work better” or that it was even broken. The more broken the better. It is a twisted world now where playwrights have become infantilized. They didn’t used to do that. But they didn’t used to produce women playwrights as much. Misogynist connection???
This is such a thoughtful and astute piece; thank you for writing. I work in television and a very common form of bad note is when a problem is identified - we lose pace in the second act - and a solution is offered - why not add a rampaging elephant? It disempowers the writer, and the dynamics of who gives the notes - producers, execs - puts a pressure on the writer not only to take the bad solution but to be grateful for it.
My armchair psychoanalysis of this is that many senior people in TV were once creative and took promotions into non-creative roles. Their diaries are full of HR and budgets and marketing. Which looks dull as hell. So when a script is perceived to be 'in trouble' they seize the chance to be creative and 'fix' the script, flattering their own egos, and ignoring the writer's intention.
Fundamentally this exhibits a lack of trust in the writer's ability to problem solve. And of course it's most damaging with newer writers, who are all too aware of who has seniority.
Coming back to reread this after getting bad notes yesterday. 🫶🏽
Truly feel this, Gina! I have had to deal with some rather toxic Bad Notes in my time so this Substack immediately caught my eye. I was blessed to have a guide at the time who saw what was happening and caught me from spiraling out of control, gently put me down and reminded me that I was the parent of my creative endeavor. While everyone else could give me parenting advice, I had the last word with my baby. This served me very well with the plays that I was writing after that and the way that I interacted with Bad Notes.
Yes, thank you ✨ My higher self always aspires to find the note behind every note but sometimes 🔪🔪🔪 or if I’m angry enough malicious compliance when I can get away with it dramaturgically 😈
Yes, thank you ✨ My higher self always aspires to find the note behind every note but sometimes 🔪🔪🔪 or if I’m angry enough malicious compliance when I can get away with it dramaturgically 😈