 Ball did not expect to sell the script , believing it would act as more of a calling card , but American Beauty drew interest from several production bodies . Cannava passed the script to several producers , including Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen , who took it to DreamWorks . With the help of executives Glenn Williamson and Bob Cooper , and Steven Spielberg in his capacity as studio partner , Ball was convinced to develop the project at DreamWorks ; he received assurances from the studio — known at the time for its more conventional fare — that it would not " iron the [ edges ] out " . In an unusual move , DreamWorks decided not to option the script ; instead , in April 1998 , the studio bought it outright for $ 250 @,@ 000 , outbidding Fox Searchlight Pictures , October Films , Metro @-@ Goldwyn @-@ Mayer , and Lakeshore Entertainment . DreamWorks planned to make the film for $ 6 – 8 million . 
 Ball did not expect to sell the script , believing it would act as more of a calling card , but American Beauty drew interest from several production bodies . Cannava passed the script to several producers , including Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen , <a href='null_relcl' title='1'><mark>who</mark></a>took it to DreamWorks . With the help of executives Glenn Williamson and Bob Cooper , and Steven Spielberg in his capacity as studio partner , Ball was convinced to develop the project at DreamWorks ; he<a href='been_done' title='2'><mark></mark></a> received assurances from the studio <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>—</mark></a> known at the time for its more conventional fare — that it would not " iron <a href='None' title='4'><mark>the</mark></a>[ <a href='negative_concord' title='5'><mark>edges</mark></a> ] out " . In an unusual move , DreamWorks decided not to option <a href='None' title='6'><mark>the</mark></a><a href='negative_concord' title='7'><mark>script</mark></a> ; instead , in April 1998 , the studio bought it outright for $ 250 @,@ 000 , outbidding Fox Searchlight Pictures , October Films , Metro @-@ Goldwyn @-@ Mayer , and Lakeshore Entertainment . DreamWorks planned to make the film for $ 6 – 8 million . 
Ball did not expect to sell da script , believing it would act as more of a callin card , but American Beauty drew interest from several production bodies . Cannava passed the script to several producers , including Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen , took it to DreamWorks . w/ tdahelp of executives Glenn Williamson and Bob Cooper , and Steven Spielberg in his capacity as studio partner , Ball was convinced to develop thdaroject at DreamWorks ; he done received assurances from the studio ——ed known at thedame for its more conventional fare — dat it would not " iron [ no edges ] out " . In an unusual move , DreamWorks decided not to option no script ; instead , in April 1998 , the studio bought it outright for $ 250 @,@ 000 , outbidding Fox Searchlight pics , October Films , Metro @-@ Goldwyn @-@ Mayer , and Lakeshore Entertainment . DreamWorks planned to make the dam fir $ 6 – 8 million .