I'm taking the GMAT Saturday and am hoping to get some feedback on my latest essay for GMATPrep. I (hah) decided to try submitting it to GMATWrite and the thing was smart enough to realize my essay was off topic. I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on my writing and how I might improve it, or just what you would rate it.
Thanks so much!
The producers of the forthcoming movie 3003 will be most likely to maximize their profits if they are willing to pay Robin Good several million dollars to star in it - even though that amount is far more than any other person involved in the movie will make. After all, Robin has in the past been paid a similar amount to work in several films that were very financially successful.
The producers of the forthcoming movie 3003 argue that by paying millions of dollars to hire Robin Good, who has had several very financially successful films, they will maximize the profits afforded by the movie. However, in arguing so, the producers make several unsubstantiated assumptions and ultimately present a very weak argument with dubious support.
One major flaw in the argument put forth by the producers is the assumption that several of Robin Good's other financially successful films were successful because he was in the film and not that he happened to star in films that would have otherwise still been just as successful without his involvement. The producers, rather naively, don't credit that Robin Good's other movies may have been extraordinary for any other reasons, such as great direction, a compelling storyline, a very agreeable cast, or a host of special effects. For example, Avatar, one of the most wildly successful movies in modern times, is world-renowned for its incredible use of computer graphics. However, one way that the producers may strengthen their claim is by researching whether people watch movies primarily because Robin Good is in them.
Second, even if several of Robin Good's other films were very financially successful, the producers provide no information about how many of Robin Good's other films have not been successful, yet by hiring Robin Good, they expect to maximize profits from 3003. For instance, if Robin Good has starred in 30 movies during the past five years, and has had three films become very financially profitable, neither is he most likely the best candidate for the role nor should it be worth the budget to hire him. Even if we were to assume that Robin Good is a wildly successful individual, we can not claim that he would be the reason that any given movie is successful. For example, Tom Cruise, who is one of the most successful actors in America today, has a decent slew of subpar films among his many successful ones. In order to strengthen their argument, the producers could provide additional evidence about Robin Good's track record: if every single one of Robin Good's movies was financially amazing, their argument would be a lot more compelling.
Finally, even if Robin Good is the reason that many of his films are successful and even if he has an impeccable record, it's unjustified to argue that hiring him would maximize the film's profits. In their argument, the producers fail to consider that any other very skilled actor could replace Robin Good at a fraction of the cost. Further, if, by hiring another actor, production costs go down significantly, it would be worth it as the movie could yield a much higher return on investment, even if overall ticket sales for the movie are down 10-20%. Life of Pi, one of the most successful movies in recent times, hired very new actors but went on to win a variety of awards; there is no reason that 3003 can't strive for the same.
In summary, the argument presented by the producers is neither persuasive nor sound. The producers make a host of unsupported assumptions in reaching their conclusion, which, in its current form, renders their argument invalid.
