copyright and other career advice

Question
QUESTION: so would i be the main owner as in 60% or would they have full ownership I have no problem with them having then own part of it but can i own most to overrule any decision i seriously been putting 6 years into this gimmick and i don't want it to be a waist and they make it look like a joke like how they did victoria first she was a accomplished psycho diva going against big stars like trish and jazz and then making her become a clumsy jobber and also from your opinion would you think my gimmick has a future in the wwe and if not how can i make it better into something having a undertaker presence but something like the next generation of that like a evolution instead of a gothic persona more like if you seen the "evanescence" song "bring me to life" video something like that if you ain't see it youtube it and that's what i'm talking bout gimmick being born from a mysterious city full of tall building and lights my gimmick would be something of creativity like the rage being the bodyguard of the sorrow a lone wolf for example misunderstood and sad mysterious but exciting and compelling people to learn more and more about a look of sheer beauty but if mess with unleashed aggression follows but if you see the video "bring me to life" you probably get a idea what i am talking about and when you do let me know how can i bring that anger and sorrow and fear of loneliness and i also want to add something such as a alter-ego such as my anger and sorrow such the sorrow has pity for mankind but the anger has pity for mankind and two other evanescence songs would explain my character such as the song "lies" and the song "going under"

ANSWER: Hello again Jason.

When it comes to those kinds of things, every contract is set-up differently.  I would not know how much the WWE looks to own, but any negotiation of this magnitude should be handled by a contract lawyer or a trademark lawyer familiar with laws to protect you and your intellectual property.  I understand how you feel, but part of wrestling is being willing to accept that unless you own and run the company, you are the head writer of the show, you have enough money to make Vince and his team give you what you want, or are really a good salesman, they run the show and you are a character on it.  It's their vision for the whole show, not just your gimmick.  

Re-reading some of your posts and watching the youtube, I also feel that your making the character too difficult for the average wrestling fan to understand.  Use this as a simple tool for if something works or not...a single person is intelligent; people are stupid.  If you make the gimmick too smart or highbrow, the average fan will not care about it because they don't understand it.  Simplicity is paramount when you are dealing with a mass group of people.  Nobody understood the "Rocky Maivia" gimmick because very few of the people watching were born rich or were world class athletes, so the fans turned on it violently.  "The Rock" was easy to relate to because that was stuff people wanted to say, but couldn't build the nerve to say.  They lived vicariously through The Rock.  

The average fan doesn't watch a play or an opera because they don't want beauty, grace, and culture in their lives.  The average fan will watch Die Hard over A Beautiful Mind.  That's part of making a fan or a lot of fans care about your character.  They have to be able to relate to some part of it.  It doesn't matter if its like Stone Cold and they hate their boss and wish they could do what he did, or Rey Misterio's height (about the ability to overcome an adversity), or even Goldberg's Intensity.  Something about the gimmick (and even the person portraying the gimmick) has to touch the fans and make them care.  If you character is as beautiful as Jessica Biel, as graceful as Mary Lou Retton, as strong as Bill Kazmaier, and as articulate as Barrack Obama, and has nothing that people truly care about, that person would be forgotten.

It sounds like you have the look down, now it's that finding something that connects with the crowd.  I was able to connect with crowds by making myself to appear better then they are, so they want to prove me wrong.  I received alot of heel heat, but when I moved from Texas to Colorado, I got a, "We Will Miss You" chant.  I still recieve emails from fans 2 years later.  Find something in yourself that you can see yourself doing (what I mean by that, if you can't bring yourself to act gay, don't be a gay character as an example) and start to work on it.  The acting classes will help.  Focus on the crowd and what the crowd wants or may want to see.  Remember to keep it simple and easy to understand.  

I'm not saying at all to dump the gimmick that you have invested 1/3 of your life on.  I'm just saying that you can fine-tune it to something that the crowd will understand.  Use your modifications in front of the crowds that you are working now.  Be willing to have the crowd totally hate the idea (in a bad way).  That way, you can learn more about what works and what doesn't.  If you are worried what the crowd may think, use it and find out.  At least then, you will know.  Take notes, watch the tapes, ask friends to come to the show and be honest with you about what they think.  A non-wrestling fan will give you the honest input you are looking for.  If he doesn't understand what you are trying to do without an indepth explanation, it doesn't work.  If you only have to explain minor bits (like angle information for choice of words or the name of the town) and they get it, it works.

Storywriters in the WWE (most of whom are not wrestlers or former wrestlers) will change up a character based upon a lot of information.  Quarterly hour ratings on the Nielsen system, advertising revenue generation by numbers, fan reactions, letters received, input from focus groups, input from Vince, and many other things.  When a character changes, it could be for a variety of reasons.  In Victoria's case, the feud with Trish has played itself out and they kept her on tv until they could come up with something.  Nothing else really did materialize.  So when a gimmick goes through a change, there could be any number of reasons.  The changes are made with input from focus groups, the worker themselves, Vince, and other workers.  Usually, if they are modifying a gimmick, they see it as salvageable and want to make it stay on tv.  The ones they don't want to save, just disappear (Adam Bomb, Mortis, Paul Christy, Sal Sincere, and Xanta Klaus among others).  

I know that was alot to digest and may have put you alittle on the defensive, but I like the passion you have and the desire you have to get it right.  Its very admirable when I see people I train that don't want to show up until it's showtime and wonder why they are jobbing.  

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: so how could i switch this gimmick into something simple but direct,would it be more simple to just make my image like a wolf beautiful to look at but dangerous to fight with and keep a gothic/emo persona about myself and is it good to have the look of beauty for the ladies and the beast like fighting for the men also would a gimmick of arrogance such as if what you say doesn't matter and what ever i want ill take kind of gimmick or should i stick with a simple I'm calm and relax and only say things when absolute important really i don't know where i should really take it i guess the foundation would be that I'm a gothic/emo that has the beauty of a wolf and the attitude and ring presence of a beast doesn't like to mocked or made fun of and strives for being the alpha.....hmmm i think i got the connection with the crowd most people feel as if they are a omega wolf in a pack which means not important and want to prove that they are wrought something an not being a follower to one day becoming the leader other known as the alpha wolf let me know if this is a good idea and give any input on how i can make it into a success or any other ways to connect to the crowd I'm kind of at a creative block on how can i make this gimmick really something fans will love and want to see every week i really want to become a legend i just cant see how to get to the first step of this gimmicks foundation

Answer
Hello again Jason.

I think for the independent circuit, you just about have it figured out.  Be goth/emo in your appearance and say very little.  Be intimidating with you face, your eyes, your actions, and your presence.  When you are disrespected or somebody challenges you, go after them with reckless abandon and destroy them.  After you have destroyed them, intimidate the crowd again with your face, your eyes, your actions, and your presence.  That's how I would do it if I were booking your gimmick.

Now I also say that you should keep this in mind...no first gimmick is enough to make you a legend.  Be willing to adjust or start over.  Be flexible with people who do gimmick development and storyline for a living.  Also remember, Vince rarely takes a new guy with no real reputation and lets them have their own gimmick.  Even Mick Foley had to change to be Mankind before he was just plain old Mick Foley.  

Legend is made by the man or woman, not the gimmick they have.  The only exception I can think of on this might be the Undertaker, but he put the gimmick over by playing it to the crowd to fear him.  The gimmick could have been given to Sean Morley and it wouldn't have gotten over as well.  No matter what the gimmick is, you still have to put it over.  Hope this helps.