 Ball began writing American Beauty as a play in the early 1990s , partly inspired by the media circus around the Amy Fisher trial in 1992 . He shelved the play after realizing the story would not work on stage . After several years as a television screenwriter , Ball revived the idea in 1997 when attempting to break into the film industry . The modified script had a cynical outlook that was influenced by Ball 's frustrating tenures writing for several sitcoms . Producers Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen took American Beauty to DreamWorks ; the then @-@ fledgling film studio bought Ball 's script for $ 250 @,@ 000 , outbidding several other production bodies . DreamWorks financed the $ 15 million production and served as its North American distributor . American Beauty marked acclaimed theater director Mendes ' film debut ; courted after his successful productions of the musicals Oliver ! and Cabaret , Mendes was , nevertheless , only given the job after 20 others were considered and several " A @-@ list " directors turned down the opportunity . 
 Ball began writing American Beauty as a play in the early 1990s , partly inspired by the media circus around the Amy Fisher trial in 1992 . He shelved the play after realizing the story would not work on <a href='negative_concord' title='1'><mark>stage</mark></a> . After several years as a television screenwriter , Ball revived the idea in 1997 when attempting to break into the film industry . The modified script had a cynical outlook <a href='null_relcl' title='2'><mark>that</mark></a>was influenced by Ball <a href='null_genetive' title='3'><mark>'s</mark></a>frustrating tenures writing for several sitcoms . Producers Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen took American Beauty to DreamWorks ; the then @-@ fledgling film studio bought Ball <a href='null_genetive' title='4'><mark>'s</mark></a>script for $ 250 @,@ 000 , outbidding several other production bodies . DreamWorks financed the $ 15 million production and served as its North American distributor . American Beauty marked acclaimed theater director Mendes <a href='null_genetive' title='5'><mark>'</mark></a>film debut ; courted after his successful productions of the musicals Oliver ! and Cabaret , Mendes was , nevertheless , only given the job after 20 others <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>were</mark></a> considered and several " A @-@ list " directors turned down the opportunity . 
Ball began writing American Beauty as a play in da early 1990s , partly inspired by the media circus around the Amy Fisher trial in 1992 . He shelved tdaplay after realizing the story would not work on no stage . After several yrs as a television screenwriter , Ball revived thdadea in 1997 when attempting to break into thedalm industry . The modified script had a cynical outlook was influenced by Ball  frustrating tenures writing fir several sitcoms . Producers Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen took American Beauty to DreamWorks ; the dan @-@ fledgling film studio bought Ball  script fir $ 250 @,@ 000 , outbidding several other production bodies . DreamWorks financed the $da million production and served as its North American distributor . American Beauty marked acclaimed theater director Mendes  film debut ; courted after his successful productions of the musicals Oliver ! and Cabaret , Mendes was , nevertheless , only given the job after 20 others was considered and several " A @-@ list " directors turned downn the opportunity .