Ask "The Script Mentor" #18

Reaching out about... Selling a film script

Q: Hi Geno- I need some help. I acknowledge that selling a film script is not the easiest task in the world, especially from someone (like me) so far away from the United States. I've written a film script I consider interesting - especially in terms of its plot and dialogue. I don't want to give details about the script yet, unless I receive a green light from you. Please reply me. Thank you.

 TSM: Thank you for reaching out. There is much to do BEFORE you begin the marketing phase of your screenwriting career. You have to find out if your screenplay IS what you THINK it is. You have to get some feedback from professionals, make the necessary improvements, and see how you fare against your contemporaries.

Truth is, you’ll need no less than three (3) completed screenplays, preferably all in the same genre, before anyone will even notice and take you seriously as a writer. Now, my first screenplay took 6 weeks to complete- and it showed. One of my more successful screenplays to date took 18 months to finish- and THAT showed, too. It won several awards, and was read by every A-list producer in town, spurring a very lucrative screenwriting career. So, you're probably looking at three years on average to be "ready" to market your stuff. 

If you WERE to wing it with the first one, which you most certainly can do if you choose, you should have a solid networking strategy and marketing plan in place. The tools you'll need are;

1) A solid screenplay with a unique concept (a given);

2) An effective logline;

3) A solid query letter (new accepted form of these that few people are even aware of);

4) A great synopsis.

These four items are usually requested by the producer at some point, and usually in this order: query letter, which contains the logline and synopsis, and the screenplay. These are NOT designed to SELL the screenplay (most writers mistakenly believe this to be the case), but to get the producer to REQUEST the screenplay to read. They cannot buy it if they don't READ it, so, ultimately, that is your goal. 

Beyond that, there are a myriad of ways in which to accomplish this, and 95% of the screenwriters out there never do! The point is there are as many different ways to market your script as there are scripts, but there are some ways that are more time and resource-effective. At The Script Mentor, we could spend six months going through this stage, so to highlight "key components" is virtually impossible, but I'm willing to share with you some ways you haven't thought of yet, that have proven to be effective with me, personally.

I believe the best method of getting noticed is by winning or doing well in contests and/or film festivals. While too many are designed simply as "money grabs", there are others that are really designed to FIND great scripts and great new "voices", i.e. writers like yourself. I found one last year, and this year we are really pushing her script and I guarantee it will be sold. Producers, agents, and managers often read scripts in contests, usually in the later or final rounds, once the wheat has been separated from the chaff. If they like it, they'll find you. Others only want to read winners or high finishers. I've been read at least 50-100 times as a result of a good showing in a contest, and I've been fortunate to have had several. 

Another technique is to list a number of movies to which your script is similar in genre, plot, story or subject matter and perhaps even the actors you envision playing some parts. You research these films (IMDb Pro), and list the producers, directors, cinematographers, and talent and determine their agent. You then contact their rep and request that they read a script that was similar to blah, blah, blah. Most of these people work in the same genre repeatedly, sometime even with the same crew. You probably want to avoid studio movies, and concentrate on independent producers. 

You’ll also want to maximize your social media presence and dedicate at least the same amount of time you spend each day writing on this marketing and self-promotion. You'd be surprised how many deals I've done through Twitter and LinkedIn alone. In the past, I landed a ten-episode TV drama deal from a well-known, reality TV-based production company simply because one of their principals saw me on LinkedIn and read my posts in our group's forum. Hopefully, this opens a slight window into the process, but my best piece of advice is simple; LEARN THE CRAFT. After completing a script, search for trusted professionals who will give you a solid, open-minded review- with notes- who charge a fair price for that review (yes, you will have to spend money). As more and more professionals give you the same recommendations for improvement, heed that advice and get better. Remember, it takes about eight solid screenplays under your belt (on average), AFTER learning the craft, before you start seeing some results from your writing.

Finished script

Q: Hi Geno! I have a finished script. It's a fantasy story; part 1 of 9. Scripts two and three are 90% done. I have an entire roadmap of the story line with detail description of all the races, places, and history of this world I have created. However, I'm at a loss on how to proceed from this point forward. I guess I'm looking for an agent, but not sure who will take on an unpublished writer. I'm hoping that you might be able to advise me or put me in contact with someone that can help. Thank you in advance. 

TSM: A nine-part screenplay? You should never write multiple-part screenplays, or even three screenplays, of a connected story, unless you're doing it simply for your own exercise. If number one goes nowhere, you've spent all of that time and energy writing follow-up stories. Plus, if you are writing everything incorrectly, you have NINE screenplays that you'll have to fix, rewrite and edit instead of one. Always start with one. You can have a nine-part concept, but always start with one. 

So you have a finished screenplay; excellent; Congratulations! That's quite an accomplishment. What you have to do next is find professional screenwriters whom you PAY to provide feedback on your screenplay. I wouldn't pay for a story analyst at this point because- chances are- the story is the LEAST of your worries. Your concern at this time is probably going to be formatting and creating a professional screenplay, or at least the appearance of one. 

Once that hurdle is cleared, you'll probably want to enter into a number of screenplay contests. This does three things;

1) It tells you how you fare against your peers.

2) If it wins or does well, you will receive the accolades needed to go to the next step, which is marketing your screenplay.

3) It gets YOUR screenplay in front of the eyes of the decision-makers; producers, directors, literary managers. This is good. 

Btw, an agent is NOWHERE in your sight at this point, so get that off your mind immediately.

If this is really what you want to do, career-wise, you're going to have to spend some money to get to the point where you can make some money. We ALL do; either through mentorship, or a screenwriting consultant, or screenwriting services. You HAVE to get a solid foundation in the basics of screenwriting first, on your way to actually LEARNING THE CRAFT.

Another option is to hire a professional screenwriter to actually write your projects. It's a lot faster (and far less expensive over time) than the number of years- and dollars- it takes to learn the craft, utilize outside services, enter competitions, networking and marketing and developing relationships with people who will actually READ your script. The building of these relationships in the industry has taken me twenty-three years, and A LOT of pro-bono work and favors, to get me to the point where any number of well-known, established producers will accept any screenplay I send them- that they’ll actually READ.

Q: Hey Mr. Scala, I’m an amateur script writer trying to make a way for himself in this business. If you don’t mind me asking do you have any tips and tricks to succeed as a script writer?

TSM: Thanks for reaching out. Here are some starting points, and this list is random and far from complete:

1) High concept/idea story (unique; easily explained in one sentence; appeals to most people);

2) Easily recognizable, solid theme;

3) Strong PROPER structure

4) Proper formatting; should read quickly; lean and mean, with no extraneous scenes, characters or words. 

5) Production budget; don't have a submarine when a bicycle will do;

6) Limited locations;

7) Fewest characters possible;

8) Marketable genre;

9) Great, memorable title;

10) Great character names.

Now, you should ask yourself “How to achieve these things?”. Here’s some advice towards that;

A) Learn the CRAFT of screenwriting;

B) Understand the business;

C) Get a mentor; someone who's "been there, done that";

D) Write every day, or every chance you get;

E) Be passionate- about your project and your craft;

F) Study; improve language skills, grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc.;

G) Read books, blogs (https://thescriptmentor.wordpress.com), newsletters, and successful SPEC scripts;

H) Have a solid work ethic;

I) Don't take everything personally; you WILL be critiqued, hopefully constructively;

J) Don't be afraid to ask questions;

K) Be blessed with some basic God-given writing talent, and a bit of luck.

WRITER'S BIO: Mr. Scala spent 22-plus years in the Hollywood community, and was the Executive Director for the 72nd Annual Academy Awards, as well as The Soul Train Awards, The Grammys, The Blockbuster Video Awards Show and The Saturn Award Show.

Geno has dozens of completed feature film screenplays and television pilots, with two screenplays produced into feature films;

"Assassin 33 A.D." (https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0861X8RPJ/ref=atv_hm_hom_1_c_iEgOEZ_2_1); and "The Tombs" (https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/amzn1.dv.gti.04b73452-171f-cde0-b1f1-7efead1918f8?ref_=imdbref_tt_wbr_pvs_piv&tag=imdbtag_tt_wbr_pvs_piv-20).

His company has completed twenty three (26) novel-to-screenplay adaptations for clients, and he counts many celebrities among his vast clientele. His TV project, "Bad Priest", is in development with a cable network, where one executive said the following:

"This pilot is compelling and clear and offers just enough to tease us with where these stories and characters might go. It begs for a full season..."

Today, he and his writing team are actively working on several ghostwriting projects for his celebrity- and non-celebrity- clientele, including the adaptation of pop star Jimmie Rodgers autobiography "Dancing on the Moon", and a Harry Chapin biopic. They are also writing adaptations or mentoring on several projects from new writers and several self-published authors.