QUESTION FOR THE READER: Political satires

A blog reader sent me this email: "How easy is it to sell a political satire that sheds a not-so-favorable light on a particular [Republican] party?"

Here's  are my two three cents:

First, "easy" is not an industry term I recognize.  What is this thing called "easy"?

Second, story is king.  Sure, producers want to work in certain genres, but the key is an intriguing story.  What does your script skewer? What is the point?  Is it clever?  Will it cause controversy?  WILL IT PUT BUTTS IN SEATS?

Third, it's no big secret Hollywood leans to the left.  Are they looking for films whose whole purpose is to bash the right? Rarely, because pure ideological films aren't big box office sellers, and thus will not make the investors happy.

(Remember: Shooting a film is relatively straightforward, compared to the enormous burden of paying for distributors, theaters, advertising & print costs, etc.  Only someone like Michael Moore who is willing to forego big profits can consistently do such films.)

More realistically, the script had a great story first  - - if it happens to be about global warming or social causes that they tend to care about, then that's a plus.

So what have we learned? That the deciding factor is money because they need it to stay alive in order to make the next picture. 

BTW, Hollywood really does want to make smart films.  A clever political satire that makes money would be the first choice over a poorly conceived comedy with a D list star ...but the audiences line up for comedies, not so much for dramas.