How and Why Do Bad Movies Get Made?

You pay for your popcorn, your drink, and your candy, and then sit down in that comfortable reclining seat as the lights go down in the theater or you lay back on your couch and click play on whatever streaming platform. Two hours later, you lean back and grumble to yourself, “How did that movie get made?”  

It usually isn’t just a complaint about the script, the cast, or some bad set design. It’s about witnessing a product that seemingly had everything going for it, but falls short in your eyes.

Whether you’re a frustrated screenwriter trying to figure out why “bad” movies get made, or a dedicated movie lover that feels utterly cheated or let down, here we will walk you through how and why “bad” movies happen. Particularly from an inside-the-industry vantage.

We’ll cover a few things in particular:

1. The shifting definition of “bad” when it comes to movies.
2. The different types of movies that consciously walk the line.
3. Five major production patterns that can turn a decent concept into disappointing execution.
4. What all of that means for you screenwriters out there in this seemingly unpredictable environment. 

Here’s some truth to start. The word “bad” is a slippery term when it comes to movies. Oppenheimer may seem high brow when compared to, say, Armageddon. However, the latter is an iconic and entertaining ride that was loved by millions, despite some ever-present lunacy and lack of plausibility (“Why didn’t they just train astronauts to work the drilling equipment?”). It doesn’t mean Armageddon was “bad” compared to the Oscar-winning Oppenheimer. Both movies set out to accomplish different things - and both did so successfully.

• A movie can be technically competent, but feel lifeless.
• A movie can be chaotic and weird, yet still become a cult favorite.   

Sure, there are objective red flags.

• Disjointed structure
• Inconsistent tone and atmosphere
• Inconsistent character behavior
• Tone and genre mismatches

But, remember, some movies are written, developed, and produced to hit a niche audience, not Oscar or Emmy ballots. 

Prime examples can be found on platforms like Lifetime, Hallmark, and Tubi. These network and streaming channels have fan bases that love over-the-top melodrama, formulaic genre samples, or light and simple fare. They find their audience and serve them without aiming for art-house or critical acclaim.

At the other end of the movie spectrum, you have huge studio films with big budgets and even bigger expectations. These movies can afford longer schedules and bigger budgets. But they also carry massive pressure. They may prioritize spectacle over coherence, or marketing over storytelling. But big names and amazing special effects won’t always save a weak script.

Both of these models - Lifetime/Hallmark/Tubi or Big Studio Tentpoles - can lead to “bad” movies, but for very different reasons.    

If you’re a screenwriter trying to make sense of what you’re seeing out there, don’t default to “bad” movies happening because the screenwriter or director failed. Don’t get frustrated that your otherwise amazing scripts are getting overlooked while “bad” movies are being greenlit and produced every week. Understand that there’s often a context you need to recognize. 

Beyond the context above, here are five sometimes inescapable production patterns that everyone should keep in mind. Understanding them can help movie lovers realize why disappointments happen, and help screenwriters navigate the system, prepare better scripts, and manage expectations. 

When the release date is fixed, deadlines are tight, rewrites are rushed, directors and their crews are forced to cut corners,and post-production time for editing gets squeezed. Imagine a script being fairly solid but open for more nuance. However, the studio needs cameras to start rolling tomorrow. Suddenly, there’s no time for nuance or major fine-tuning. 

“Well, why don’t they make sure the script is solid before production is greenlit?”

When you’re dealing with TV networks or streaming channels needing continual new content to fill the schedule slots or search engines, you need to make as many movies as possible throughout the year, far more than studios ever produce annually. 

Most of those types of Movie of the Week (MOW) scripts have tighter deadlines than studio movies - usually allowing for only one month to write the script and just a couple of weeks of rewrites before the script is needed for casting, location scouting, and eventual production starts. And when production does start, budgets are low and the director, cast, and crew only have three weeks to make the movie. 

When you’re talking about major studios, tens and hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake, so they often greenlight projects while a script is in development. Why? Because it’s going to take time to package the script with a director, producer, and star talent, three essential elements necessary to get financing. On top of that, studios are forced to get ahead of the game by managing the open scheduling windows for those people as well. The stars have to align, and that alignment only lasts for a few months. 

Rushed productions are the norm within the film, television, and streaming industry. There’s no escaping it. 

If you’re a screenwriter, the best advice to avoid this unavoidable dilemma is to build constant clarity and momentum in your script. Structure your script well enough to where the bones hold if things on the outside of it are rushed.  

The original vision of a screenplay can get diluted through the development phase. The more writers, development executives, producers, directors, and actors in the mix, the more changes there are being made. Everyone involved is going to want to leave their mark - and everyone involved is going to have their own vision. 

It’s a difficult balancing act. For screenwriters, the best thing you can do is try to hand in a “final” draft that is resilient, with strong character logic, clear motivations, and consistency in story and character. Don’t get caught up in relying on things being fixed in rewrites or eventual post-production edits. Make the original draft’s quality and delivery undeniable from the get go. 

The initial script may be strong, but a lot can happen along the way as the movie goes through production and into post-production. 

• The director may have a different vision, leading to inconsistency.
• The editor may not get the coverage they need to make scenes and sequences work.
• The cinematographer misses the intended tone and atmosphere that matches with the concept, story, and characters. 

If anyone on the production chain has a misstep, or issues don’t get communicated and rectified, the story can collapse. 

Too many test screenings, two many hands in the cookie jar, or even too much neglect can and will lead to mishaps that can’t be fixed by the time deadlines approach. 

When every cut of the film is overly-scrutinized or issues within a cut are overlooked or ignored, the movie can fizzle. Even when the original script is strong, these types of over-analysis or oversight can derail what was deemed a sure thing way back when the script made its way up the ladder. 

If you want to do your best to avoid this from happening with your scripts, write a draft that can survive both of these extremes. Something that is clear and concise, but still flexible and open for further interpretation.

As much as we can and will defend screenwriters, we can’t deny that sometimes the script just isn’t where it should be when those tight deadlines come about. 

Sometimes it comes back to the draft. 

• Unclear characters goals
• Holes in logic
• Pacing that drags
• Concepts that aren’t delivered to their full potential

Whether you're writing on assignment, or submitting a spec script for consideration, always deliver the best possible version you can. Leave no stone unturned. Make sure your draft is tight, dynamic, and structurally sound. Be hard on the words you’ve written, the scenes you’ve created, and each line of dialogue and scene description you’ve conjured. 

Your script may fall victim to any and all of the factors above, but at least you’ll be on the better end of the odds if you make sure the draft you hand in is the best possible draft you could have written. 

No one in Hollywood sets out to make a “bad” movie (for the most part). It’s just so difficult to make any movie, let alone a “great” one. The ones most revered - those that hit you in the gut or leave you floating out of the theater - are lightning in a bottle. 

Movies are a collaborative medium. There are many cogs in the cinematic machine, and movies are like houses of cards - if you pull out a single one, the whole thing can fall down. 

It’s easy to be cynical and pessimistic when it comes to movies. Finger-pointing is easy. Any movie lover can Monday morning quarterback a movie when they don’t understand how difficult it really is to even get a movie made, let alone have all of the stars align to produce and release one that is flawless, or even a solid 8 IMDB rating or 60% or more Fresh Rating on Rotten Tomatoes. 

Cinema is subjective. What you may think constitutes a “great” movie can be drastically different from someone that thinks the same flick is a boring mess. 

It’s important to remember that many movies are catering to a particular demographic - an audience that has specific expectations (or lack thereof) in what they want to see in theaters or click on at home.

Movie lovers all have different turn ons and turn offs. Just because one movie wasn’t for you, doesn’t mean it should be deemed as objectively bad. It may just not have been your cup of tea. 

If you’re a screenwriter trying to understand the industry expectations, don’t fall into the trap of cynicism and pessimism. Don’t waste time blaming Hollywood for creating trash while your “amazing” scripts aren’t getting noticed. Instead, dig deeper and look more into the reasons why those scripts are getting made. Maybe there’s something you’re missing. Or maybe you can find a way to serve those clear Hollywood needs and wants, while also offering something new, fresh, original, and unique along the way.

If there’s any secret to success in screenwriting, it’s finding ways to make the familiar new and fresh again. Audiences love what is familiar. Because of that, so does Hollywood. It’s the screenplays that offer audiences and Hollywood those comfort foods, while adding a little spice here and a little twist there to create a new trendy dish.