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Some 36 hours after he closed a deal to direct TNT’s untitled Allan Loeb pilot, Gregory Hoblit has exited the cop drama starring Steven Weber and D.L Hughley over a clash with creator-executive producer Loeb. Emmy winner Hoblit, who has directed the pilots for such series as L.A. Law and NYPD Blue, made the deal without meeting Loeb. I hear he then sent notes to Loeb, some of them subjective but most pertained to time/budget cuts and ways to whip the script into shape with 3 weeks left until production start date. Loeb was reportedly “insulted” by the notes, which he described as hypercritical and arrogant, and gave producing studio Lionsgate TV an ultimatum that “it’s either him or me”. The studio asked Hoblit to apologize to Loeb. Hoblit, against the advice of agents and lawyer, called the studio and resigned, forfeiting the six-figure directing fee he would’ve kept had he opted to get fired. Loeb has been very busy lately. In addition to his TNT pilot, he also recently did a polish on the pilot for Fox’s Terra Nova pilot and has several features in various stages of development and pre-production.
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Well of course his agent and lawyers wanted him to keep his mouth shut as they wouldn’t get paid if he quit!… good for Hoblit (unfortunate name though!
I say bad on on his reps for not knowing Loeb would not be a team player and be all high and mighty with his ‘work of art’. We need more people with balls like Hoblit’s got, to stand up and say ‘I am not taking your hollywood pansy ass shit anymore and if you can’t see that hollywood is creating mostly shit on TV, then good luck to you and adios.
two thumbs up Hoblit.
When did it become noble to quit? ‘The director refuses to shoot this show because it is made with underpaid sweatshop workers?’ No. The writer is a pain in the ass? I can’t work under these conditions. Yeah, lets applaud that.
Yeah we should applaud it… Because for the money being paid, too many people just shy away from the conflict and end up turning in shit work out of spite. At least this guy said, “you know what? I can’t do this — and I’m exiting in a way that does not seek to enrich myself in any way” That’s pretty fucking rare in this town.
Most D-bag directors would’ve either forced the issue so they could get the go away payment. Or worse, shot a shitty pilot and then turned around and blamed it on every one else. The point of it is, the writer was pissed because his ego was bruised and the director said, I’m not playing in this bullshit whiny sandbox — I’m out.
Can someone please explain to me how screenwriter Allan Loeb has become such a force in Hollywood after just one “hit” Vegas movie by the name of “21″ ?
(I thought his Wall Street 2 was marginal at best, and Things We Lost in the Fire seemed more like a play than a movie) But the guy has the keys to the kingdom. So, um, why? And is success — judging by this post — going to his head? If so, what a damn shame.
um, he’s white. thought that was quite obvious.
Gupta. That’s an Indian last name.
I’m an Indian writer with no credits. There are lots of Indian writers in entertainment. Loeb encouraged me to write a pilot. I did, and he was nothing short of attentive and helpful throughout the process.
It’s incredibly irresponsible to cry racism where it does not exist. It takes the spotlight away from true evil.
Loeb gets hired because studios are more than happy with his output, and the profit they subsequently make from that output. Do you know how hard it is to write on deadline, with powerful people screaming at you? I don’t know, because I’ve never done it. And with your attitude, you never will either.
Write a great script. The only color people care about is green.
In fact, I doubt you’re even Indian, because any Indian I’ve ever met is raised with the idea that “racism” is a simple fact of life, and whether it’s “soft” or “hard” racism, hard work and talent is the great equalizer. Plus, for every person looking to deny you an opportunity becuase of race, there are 2 more looking to offer you an opportunity simply becuase of certain hardships.
Now stop whining, and get to work.
I agree. He’s got dirt out there on someone. Or more than likely he’s the guy in the room who can sell. Writers who are better at selling get a ton of stuff sold. When people start to realize that it’s crap then it doesn’t matter what they are selling.
Loeb is also kind of a dick.
Talk about the pot calling the kettle black…
Loeb has written one great script: The Only Living Boy In New York and has yet to write anything good since.
And has OLBINY been made, or will it ever get made? The answer is no.
Talk about arrogant… this guy is a hack. Just shitting scripts out because people are paying him. Hopefully his star will burn out eventually.
I applaud Hoblit for telling him to fuck off.
We’ve been hearing the name Gregory Hoblit for decades now.
We’ll never hear the name Allan Loeb past this year.
Horrible call on TNT’s part.
Really horrible.
Maybe the lesson learned is to not make a deal without having met the writer-producer? And if you have notes and ideas, uh, can’t you sit down with the guy and go, “listen, I am having some problems here and there, from my experience as a director, we are going to run into deep shit if we let this or that stand.”
Now, if the dude then still goes all high and mighty on you, then pull the plug.
On the other hand, welcome Mr. Hoblit, to the world of writers! You know, how you as a writer get treated every day in the world of movies. Or, if one takes a look at Suzanne Mozes’ investigative piece on James Frey’s “Fiction Factory”, in the world of modern publishing as well… (why has nobody at Deadline Hollywood picked this up? Mike Fleming seems to be only boasting author deals when it comes to publishing, why not pick up on the modern creative slavery industry?)
Hollywood never ceases to amuse me. An industry that portrays itself as the most collaborative industry in the creative world? Bull. Shit. It appears that whoever is on top treats everybody below them like crap.
This man directed the pilots for two of the most successful TV shows of the 1980s and 1990s. Obviously, he has more experience and skill in his left thumb than the creator of the series and all the network executives in the room, combined. If he had notes, there are probably serious problems.
And I feel sorry for the network execs who gave in so quickly. Imagine how big the ego of the “creator/executive producer” will be now. This will be fun to watch…..
How did Hoblit and Loeb not meet before a deal was done? There’s something wrong with this story. The creator/EP is part of the director selection. You chat, go to coffee, share ideas, decide if it’s a “fit”. There’s a missing piece to this story.
Not true. If it’s a high profile director, they may try to get him on board quickly and if there is no time for meetings between director/writer, studio won’t care. But writer (if is the EP) can refuse to greenlight director. I’m sure Loeb figured he’d be great, and a team player.
Clearly there’s more to this disagreement than time cuts and compressions for budget. It’s TV, and the reason the director is brought on board so late is that s/he’s there to execute the material, not to commandeer it.
Anyone who knows development understands that by this stage the script is the product of six different layers of process on which the prodco, studio and network have each given their notes to Loeb. At each level he’s had to rework the material to the satisfaction of all three parties until they’ll sign off on the results and greenlight the next.
For a director to start giving substantial notes at this stage — well, the train’s already on its way out of the station. There’s nothing to ‘whip into shape’.
And if YOU knew anything about development, then you’d know that the network or the studio execs would have stepped in and had their say– either agreeing with Hoblit or telling him to back off. Sounds to me like Loeb is pissing off a lot of people by threatening to take his marbles and run back to mommy. He’s a bitter little man who gives writers a bad name with this behavior.
Loeb already got used up and spat out by this town once. Then he twelve-stepped his way back into its good graces with these cookie-cutter scripts that “stoner-scan” well during the development process, only to yield incredibly middling, nondescript features. He’s also got the arrogance and thin skin of someone who very fiercely believes it is “his turn” now and will viciously defend the dog-door niche he’s carved for himself.
Genius.
Hilarious and predictable and sad that everyone blames the writer. I wonder how many of you have actually experienced the joy of working with a Hollywood director. Many — not all of them, but a good many of them — are absolute fucking assholes. Some of the pettiest, most egotistical pricks on the planet. Loeb has the keys to the kingdom? You’re a moron. Directors have the keys to the kingdom. Oh wait, except in one place…
TV.
In tv, the playing field is a bit more level. The writer can stand up for his story without fear of being unceremoniously shitcanned by the director. Wow. Shocking. The creator does not have to drop to his knees and swallow half-baked notes and opinions from a guy whose last four movies blew chunks and who breezed through his script over a mocha soy latte at Starbucks.
And for the jerk on here who admits Loeb wrote one “great” script, but still calls him a “hack.” You have the unmistakable air of a bitter wannabe who can’t figure out how his genius continues to go undiscovered day after day, week after week, year after year.
Try writing a great script sometime, pal. Loeb did, by your own admission. So guess who the hack is?
Please before you knee-jerk condemn the writer, consider this version of events. Loeb wrote a solid tv script. A script that was good enough to sell in a marketplace that’s frankly never been tougher. Hoblit got hired to direct on the strength of directing he did twenty years ago and gave some shitty, condescending notes. And Loeb called him on it. Hey, your notes are weak and, by the way, lose the attitude. Hoblit got his ego bruised and quit. Boo hoo. Poor Greg.
The show will be great without him. TNT apparently thinks so.
Jesus, Allan. I have emails from you that read exactly like this. As a supposed writer, at least try to cover your tracks a little.
If any other person in town felt like defending you, you’d think you wouldn’t have to do it yourself.
“Rock on, Allan!”?
You’re obviously a friend of his. Good. Tell him I said he’s a douche.
Now for some schooling, as you have obviously never worked in TV:
When a director comes on to direct a pilot, he DOES have say, he DOES have creative input. It is only in the day to day shooting of a series that a director is a hired gun.
I realize, “Rock on Allan”, that you don’t really work in the industry, you’re just a buddy of Loeb’s, and I’m sure you meant well, trying to school us all in the differences between film and TV… but the problem is, you don’t know anything. So please, call your buddy and support him via the phone, not on these boards by spreading misinformation. ugh.
You obviously can’t read.
Not once did I say a tv director has NO input. Not once did I say they should have NO input. I said the playing field is a bit more level in tv. I said they can’t fire a writer for defending his story, for pushing back on bad notes. Every one of these statements is true. Which is why you’ve based your argument on things I didn’t say. Argue the points or shut the fuck up, okay?
I’m not a friend of Allan’s. it just pisses me off to see people attack a writer for defending his story. It’s a shame the writers on Hoblit’s last four movies didn’t have the power to refuse his bad notes. Maybe the movies wouldn’t have sucked and he’d still have a feature career.
Hey Allan,
If this is not you then you don’t remember when some very nice, above-the-line, unmentionable people tried to work with you on your script to bring it to a consensus.
You probably don’t remember when you shut down the talks, broke off communication, and disowned the script. Why? Because you didn’t get your way.completely, even though the bigger names bankrolling the film were trying to make it agreeable to the three creative parties involved.
You probably don’t remember that, but I do because I was in the fucking room.
What you should remember is that filmmaking is a collaborative art and when people want to work around questions with you, you should.
Dickwad. All anybody wanted to do was make your script.
Hoblit has worked with the very best writers of the last two generations… he and Nutter and a handful of others are the best pilot directors and series setters in the business. For a show runner to go to war and lose a key piece of talent like GH speaks volumes about the show runner… and his about to be, very short run… not to mention an appendage or two. Hey, Gregory, I have a pilot I’d love you to direct; I will take every freaking note you have, too… most of them, anyway.
Once again, Hollywood proves to be ‘high school with money,’ except the men act like a bunch of silly prom queen candidates.
I agree with all the other commenters here (how often can one say that!). From a completely objective point of view, as someone who neither works in the industry or aspires to, but loves movies and spends a lot of time watching them – Loeb is an absurdly overrated writer. A hack. ‘Wall Street 2′ was a mess. ‘The Switch,’ which could have been promising (maybe even good), was lazy, devoid of laughs and depth and characterization, like a bad episode of a bad sitcom. As for ‘The Dilemma,’ I haven’t heard very promising things about the script. But yet the guy is suddenly hot. Why??
Reminds me of the story of Chevy Chase asking the studio to get Robert Towne to work on his MEMOIRS OF AN INVISIBLE MAN.
Towne agrees and attends the meeting, only to hear Chevy roll on and roll with demands about how he wants the script completely rewritten.
Towne listens quietly, then says, “Fuck it. Chevy, I’m too rich and annoyed [words to that affect] to do this.”
The Allan Loeb phenomenon absolutely mystifies me.
“21″ was fine I suppose, but that was co-written AND adapted and came across as a studio-processed version of existing material. Otherwise he’s written one disappointment (“Wall Street 2″) and two bona fide flops (“The Switch” and “Things We Lost in the Fire”).
And yet this town throws money at him like he’s the Only Living Writer in the World. Absolutely do not get it.
Loeb is Sheldon Turner 2.0!
ha!!!
Biz 101. Whoever’s swinging the biggest bat wins. That doesn’t mean, of course, they necessarily earned the right to even hold the slugger. Cliche, sure, but welcome to the jungle, kids.
Loeb is a pretty unpleasant guy and while writets get away with being like that in features, having a shit personaluty is not tolerated as much in TV. I feel bad for whoever is coming in to replace Hoblit.
Hoblit must have gotten used to making movies, where the director is king. Sorry, pal. The director is just another crew member in TV. His or her job is to simply not fuck things up.
It’s why TV is the much better medium nowadays.
No network would ever side with a director over the creator/EP. The director is there for a week of prep and a week of shooting. The creator/EP is hopefully there for the whole series run.
Again, a person who does not work in the industry.
Directors are only a hired gun in the day to day shooting of a series, on a pilot they actually contribute quite a bit and are hired to do just that.
Who are all these people who have never had a job in TV and why are they stinking up these boards?
Dude we got your point the first time — no need to keep reposting.
It isn’t noble to quit when you as the Director give mostly production notes to make the show doable and get smacked down? Good for the Director. Let the writer do it himself.
Maybe it’s noble if your notes don’t suck and you have a recent track record of success.
Hoblit doesn’t.
He is unhirable in features because his last FOUR movies have sucked. His notes and ideas and day-by-day direction caused four expensive studio productions to fail.
Unhireable in his chosen profession. Think about that. That’s Gregory Hoblit.
He might be a total gentleman but he’s certainly no story genius. He should have showed the writer/creator some respect (Loeb got him a job) and given notes that weren’t insulting and arrogant.
In TV, the writer is King. Sounds like director-for-hire Hoblit forgot that.
I’m sure you read that in a magazine somewhere…
and it’s true in the day to day of a TV show. BUT NOT A PILOT!
As a writer who has worked with directors on pilots I am telling you that their input and notes and EVERYTHING was invaluable. Maybe I was just lucky to get two who were amazing… or maybe I’m not a big headed little man who thinks he’s a genius. We jockeyed long and hard to get the directors we wanted and when they came on the project it was because we knew they would add their “touch” that we needed to make our COLLABORATION complete. It blows my mind that you people just spew out little butt nuggets of misinformation like, “In TV the writer is king”
Well I’m a TV writer and I DO NOT consider myself KING. I consider myself the creator of the material. To build something out of that material, I need others to help me. And I know how to work with them and get the best out of them. Loeb, does not. End of story.
I
In an ego driven world of writer vs director I applaud you as a writer the ability to see beyond your own craft and see it as a collaboration. If writers want total control, they should direct and produce as well. And for that matter, act in it too
Well, I hate to toss out the groan-inducing word “voice” when it comes to writers, but honestly, whatever that term may mean, Loeb clearly ain’t got it.
“Wall Street 2,” “Baster,” “21,” …I challenge anyone to find the singular and compelling “voice” in those scripts. The man churns out one bland, middle-of-the-road script after another.
And every last development person and exec in town will swear to you and up and down they’re looking for writers with an original “voice,” but then they turn around and throw money at writers like Loeb…and then wonder why audiences aren’t satisfied with their product.
From the outside, this appears to be simple: Alan Loeb is a d-bag.
Hoblit is a classy (albeit somewhat older) gentleman. He’s a ‘get’ for TNT. Hell, his series NYPD BLUE is part of what MADE that network.
I’m sure his notes were something like this:
“Uh, Alan, you have 68 pages and this pilot is an 11 day shoot. We need to make drastic cuts to get to time” or “dont you think this exposition is a little on the nose?” or “I havent seen any of your movies” or “I know you have some [important] deadline this weekend, but this pilot shoots in 3 weeks, so could i get some of your time?”
Meanwhile, Loeb grew up watching Hoblit’s great series. He might have been able to LEARN something thru this process.
But he threw a fit. And child-like studio Lions Gate backed his play. They cant get many to come there, and Loeb represents a giant investment for them. When he called the studio, the reaction should have been “hey Alan, 5 other directors passed on this. you are lucky to have someone in the DGA. Suck it up.”
Where was his middle man Pearl? Is he on this one? Why didnt he get in the middle and fix it?
As for the comments above about the writer being king … yes, he is king. Until he cant work in the collaborative environment of tv. Alan Loeb, you are no David E Kelley.
Cuts and changes to accommodate time and budget restrictions have to be done, or the project goes majorly out of control and the finger is pointed to everyone except the writer. Most writers refuse to make these kind of changes and most studio and network people want what’s on the page with no thought to the cost. Until the tally comes in…and “wow, how did THAT happen?” When you hire Greg Hoblit you are getting someone who can see what can be done for the money and time allocated, without sacrificing the heart and soul of the script.
Loeb’s a talented, mercurial guy. TWLITF and THE SWITCH show range. WS2 is from Oliverland.
What the hell has Gregory Hoblit written that he’s such an expert? Right, nothing. Just what the red hot and completely innovative television business needs, advice from the HART’S WAR guy, an old-timer whose theatrical releases are indistinguishable from the straight-to-video wall at Blockbuster.
Dude you’re missing the point, which is that both “TWLITF” and “Baster” were both flops. A writer shows impressive “range” when they can write a superb successful script in one distinct genre, and then write a super successful script is a wholly DIFFERENT genre; “range” is not writing two lame failures.
And selling WS2 as “Oliverland” makes no sense — are you saying that Stone wrote the script? I’m sure if WS2 was a big hit then that would just demonstrate more of Loeb’s stunning talent and mind-boggling “range.”
What makes Hoblit an expert is years directing television and working with writers/creators like Bochco. He understands the day-to-day business of television, that includes those little irritants like budgets and schedules. Let me as you: what has Loeb done in television that makes him an expert?
I guess you don’t mind working for a pain in the ass and probably would enjoy a casting couch visit to climb your ladder…when you are 89, you will appreciate your moral choices more then your sell out ones. And don’t try to compare apples and oranges, it’s such a cop out.
What are you talking about?
Normally I would side with the writer, but having met Loeb, not this time. Here’s a tip to Loeb, if you don’t like collaboration, go write a NOVEL. This business is all about collaboration, idiot.
He couldn’t write a novel dude! Novels require original voice, well-developed characters and plot twists that aren’t completely contrived. Plus he would have a hard time cutting and pasting his dialogue from scripts into Word format.
Here’s the thing. Whichever one was right (and the truth is probably somewhere in the middle) — the tv business is show-runner driven. Hoblit was maybe going to direct the pilot – and maybe a few more over the course of the first season (like Bryan Singer on House). If the show was a success, he would use the clout to restart his feature career, or be yet-another gunslinger for hire looking to collect EP checks by directing other pilots. Except for Danny Cannon and James L. Brooks, there are few “name” tv directors whose participation in a pilot carries some implication that they might actually direct the show on an ongoing basis.
By contrast, the showrunner probably pitched four years of story arcs, and has specific thoughts on how the show will be built over the longterm.
So it comes down to short-term vs. long-term investment. TNT went for the long game, which probably makes sense business wise. Regardelss of who was right, or the quality of the notes.
Loeb is not a show-runner. He is a writer. He has written in television before. But neither of those things makes one a show-runner.
He does have damn good agents, however. For whatever reason, they back him with everything they’ve got (and, yes, I’ve seen it first-hand). In the end, the good standing with his agency is the long-term investment TNT cares about.
I know what a show runner is. TNT is under the impression that’s what he is this time around. Whether they are just blowing smoke to attract talent — or whether he is making a shift from features, I cannot say.
Then again, he is being billed as the “creator”, when it is adapted from a book. So who knows?