You sell a screenplay like you sell a car. If someone drives it off a cliff, that's it.

Summary

This quote suggests that selling a screenplay is akin to selling a car, with the writer having little control over what happens to the work once it is bought. Just as someone who buys a car can choose to misuse or destroy it, the fate of the screenplay lies in the hands of the buyer. Once sold, the writer loses control and has no say in how the screenplay is received, produced, or ultimately treated. It highlights the unpredictable nature of the film industry, where the success or failure of a screenplay is out of the writer's control.