Once your screenplay is complete, how do you get a screenwriting agent? Image via Wikipedia
Somewhere in the world someone has just finished the first draft of his first screenplay – ever.
Full of enthusiasm, the unknown screenwriter breaks out a hammer and puts the final touches on the two brass brads that hold the 90-120 pages together. It is at this point when this writer asks himself the obvious question:
“How do I get my movie script produced?”
This is the point when things get confusing. Should the unknown screenwriter send his screenplay to contests, to agents, to the family friend attorney who is willing to pose as the “entertainment attorney” and hopefully shepard the script through the guarded gates of Hollywood?
Or should the first time screenwriter decide instead to send the work to producers? And what if somebody steals the idea? And why don’t producers accept unsolicited screenplays? UGH!
“Allow me to offer some perspective.”
One of the reasons I am excited you’re reading these words is because I can help you avoid my early mistakes. What I just described was me a decade ago. I was still in York, PA. I had just finished the first draft of my first screenplay. And frankly, I thought I was brilliant. I thought my story was awesome. And I actually thought Hollywood would just knock down my door.
Of course it didn’t happen like that. After I wrote my script, email was the new thing. So I started sending email querys to various production companies. And surprisingly, a few companies did respond to me. But after I sent out my script, it wasn’t long until I either got a rejection letter or heard nothing. Back then, I still had a lot to learn.
“Would you like me to tell you the secrets of getting your work produced?”
Ok. I don’t have all the secrets. The truth is, if you have an amazing script that is totally polished, marketed towards your intended audience of producer types who have a history of producing your type of work – and you have a way of accessing them and getting your brilliant work read, then your success is (a little more) probable.
But for the rest of us, taking that route is an eroded path and (in my humble opinion) requires that you ask too many people for permission. I mean, doesn’t it make you feel a little whorish to ask so many people for validation? “Please read my screenplay, it’s great!”
“UGH. I hate asking for permission.”
And agents? Forget that route. At least right now. Yes, you can send out query letters and market the heck out of yourself. But if you’re an unknown screenwriter living outside of LA, the odds of getting your work read are slim to none.
Remember, agents make a living getting material sold. And chances are, those folks already have a dozen clients. They don’t have time to take notice of your material unless your work already has buzz.
So how do you break through? Here are 5 screenwriting tips… (But I don’t think you’ll like them.)
- Quit asking permission. Production is getting less expensive every year. Produce your own material.
- Seriously. I know it sounds crazy, especially if you never considered producing your own material.
- Grab a $2000 dollar DSLR camera and start shooting projects on the weekend.
- Surround yourself with your local film community. Get some help.
- As your confidence builds, write a feature that can be done on the cheap.
- I recommend horror comedy or something memorable and controversial.
- When your script is complete, get a creative production manager to break down and budget your script.
- Once you have the budget, start raising money.
- When you get the money, decide to direct or hire a director, cast and crew.
- Then make your movie.
While I know most screenwriters would rather just write a script and then ask someone like me to produce it – I got news for you, don’t do that. Stop asking permission. Instead, I want you to start thinking like an entrepreneurial screenwriter. I want you to start thinking like a producer. I want you to make your movie now!
Of course, a large majority of screenwriters will think these ideas are bonkers.
If that’s you then please ignore me and keep writing query letters. For everyone else – It is far better to have your work produced than to put it in a dark drawer, even if you have to produce your first screenplay yourself.
About Jason Brubaker
Jason Brubaker is a Hollywood based Independent Motion Picture Producer and an expert in Video On Demand distribution. He is focused on helping YOU make, market and sell movies more easily by growing your fan base, building buzz and creating community around your title. He is also available for speaking engagements.
Good points. I’d also mention that many filmmakers make a sold income stream by putting out cheaply produced movies online, via platforms like iTunes, Amazon and Hulu.
A few points. First, when was the last time you went to see a film that was made by some guy with a digital camera and his friends. 10 million dollars is considered a low budget. And that’s not including promoting/distributing it. You’re probably better off making a bunch of short YouTube videos and hope one goes viral and a production company gives you a job. At least you’ll be making money doing what you enjoy.
Second thing, even if you know people in the industry, everything has to go through the system. Which means you will need an agent. Example: I know the head of one of the largest cable networks. He refuses to even listen to any of my ideas and won’t allow me to use his name when submitting material. If the network has anything even close to my idea in the works and he’s listened to my pitch, the lawsuits will probably cost him his job. As you can see by some of the junk that is being put out, Hollywood makes plenty of money recycling old shows, or over promoting bad ones from established writers.
Also look at some other facts. If Spielberg’s child had some crappy script, and some kid from Iowa had an awesome script, which one do you think will end up a blockbuster film?
If you enjoy writing, do it. And do it a lot . And get your lottery ticket every week. That way you’ll at least double your chances of getting rich!
I have many good ideas; one finished script, and about 7 scripts i’m working on, Quite frankly much of the stuff Hollywood producs is drivel. But I know that for an unknown living in NJ it is very difficult to get a script sold, but I will continue to achieve this goal. What do you think about INKTIP?
what were the companies who wrote back?
can you help me find an agent, who can sell my script to the top three studio?
I agree with Pat. I am also a published author but getting there was, I’d say, a bit ridiculous. I think the same should hold for publishing companies. If someone paid me a considerable amount to just ‘read’ a copy of an unknown script, I would have a new and enjoyable job. With screenplays, you can’t tell me that Hollywood can’t simply hire 1,000 students from the local college to read and critique each submission and get paid $100 per hour doing it!! If the script gets a high enough evaluation, then it could be passed around for a second look and eventually make its way to someone of importance. Hollywood would probably find scripts left and right and produce much better material then some of the crap that is produced today.
My understanding is that screenplays, from unknowns, seldom get read because time is money. That being the case, how about offering an agent a fair market rate to read the damn thing? Say, about $100 an hour? If the average screenplay is no more than 120 minutes, that’d come out to $200, or about $100 an hour, give or take. That should make any agent happy, especially if he or she is having an off day and needs lunch money to wine and dine a producer or a director. Sounds like a winning idea to me. But who the hell am I? I’ve only been writing for fifteen or twenty years and still can’t get an agent to respond to my query letters, let alone get a screenplay read. I would doubt my ability, except that I have published a novel and am generally considered a pretty good writer. If you hear of anybody who needs lunch money and has enough integrity for an honest exchange, let me know.
Im interested
Im interested