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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.)

1. Quit asking permission. Production is getting less expensive every year. Produce your own material.
2. Seriously. I know it sounds crazy, especially if you never considered producing your own material.
3. Grab a $2000 dollar DSLR camera and start shooting projects on the weekend.
4. Surround yourself with your local film community. Get some help.
5. As your confidence builds, write a feature that can be done on the cheap.
6. I recommend horror comedy or something memorable and controversial.
7. When your script is complete, get a creative production manager to break down and budget your script.
8. Once you have the budget, start raising money.
9. When you get the money, decide to direct or hire a director, cast and crew.
10. 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.

Posted under Screenwriting

Jason Brubaker writes

OK. With the holiday season right around the corner, a lot of productions will go on hiatus until after the New Year. And it’s during the pending downtime when you should start thinking about your filmmaking goals for 2010.

You see, as movie makers, each new year gives us time to reflect on past accomplishments and future goals. Here is a year anew exercise. Take a few minutes to seriously answer these 5 questions:

1. What did you achieve last year? Did you make any movies or work on any projects? Did you write anything?
2. What sorts of filmmaking stuff did you want to achieve, but didn’t? What obstacles got in your way?
3. What do you want to accomplish in 2010?
4. What sorts of obstacles must you overcome to reach your filmmaking goals? How will you do this?
5. What is one thing you can complete today that will put you one step closer?

As a filmmaker, I assume your primary goal is to make movies. But as you know, making a movie requires many steps. So to plan your next movie as well as some of the other big whoppers you wish to accomplish, I suggest breaking your goals into smaller and smaller chunks… And then finally break them into small enough chunks so you can include them in your list of daily tasks.

For example, lets say the big goal is to hire an up-and-coming Director of Photography. Some daily tasks you might accomplish:

1. Call friends of friends for recommendations.
2. Put ad on Criag’s List seeking DP (or one of the many sites.)
3. Review Demo Reels.
4. Call prospective DP’s for interview or lunch.
5. Meet and negotiate terms the work within your budget.

Remember, as a filmmaker, nothing of major significance happens unless you have a clear understanding of your goals. And big goals always consist of smaller tasks.

Posted under Filmmaking

So you wrote a screenplay? Now what?

I’ve been getting a lot of questions from folks who just finished their first screenplay… And like many, they don’t know what to do next.

That brings back memories!

Almost 10 years ago, when I was a fat, beer drinking, cheeseburger eating appliance store salesman in Pennsylvania, I too had just finished my first screenplay. And like many first time screenwriters, I had no idea what to do next. Besides, I thought just finishing a screenplay was enough of an accomplishment to get Hollywood knocking at my door.

Boy was I wrong!

It wasn’t until some years later, when I worked for a producer in New York City that I was able to see the other side of the business. So today, I want to reveal some secrets and share a little bit about what I learned.

In short, we received…

1. screenplays from agents that sucked.
2. screenplays from friends that sucked.
3. screenplays from known writers that sucked.
4. screenplays from friends of friends that sucked.
5. unsolicited screenplays that were written in hand.
6. unsolicited screenplays with artwork and movie poster designs.
7. unsolicited screenplays with long, drawn out cover letters.
8. screenplays that had no plot.
9. screenplays that had a plot, but no character development.
10. screenplays that had a gazillion spelling and grammatical errors.

And every-so-often, we received a script that was so AWESOME that we jumped up and down in excitement.

So assuming you finished your first screenplay and you can’t wait to get it into the hands of Hollywood producers, here are my suggestions on what to do next:

1. Enter the script in screenplay contests.
2. Do you know anyone friendly with a Hollywood producers, agents or managers?
3. If not,  I reccomend you print some business cards and then, learn how to produce.
4. Do you have any friends who know up-and-coming Hollywood actors?
5. Write another script.

That last piece of advice – write another script – that comes from experience.

Many writers put all of their focus on a current screenplay, that they fail to expand their body of work. Writing a stack of screenplays is like creating inventory for your store. The more products you have on the shelf, the more you can eventually sell.

Since agents and managers and producers make their living by finding good material, it is in your best interest to have some good material. Don’t send anything out, unless it it is amazing. Then assuming you capture the interest of a Hollywood Heavyweight, you’ll be ready to take your career to the next level.

Posted under Screenwriting

If you’re a writer, or a writer director or a writer-director-producer, or simply a producer working with a writer, sooner or later it would behoove you to purchase some professional screenwriting software. To the best of my knowledge, the industry standard hovers between Final Draft and Movie Magic Screenwriter. I personally prefer Final Draft. But another friend of mine prefers Screenwriter.

If you’re an indie producer on a budget, setting out to write your first feature, then you can probably find any number of free software programs on the internet. Celtix seems to be popular, but it does have some limitations. To find this and other free software programs, simply do a Google search.

Posted under Screenwriting