Debunking Screenwriting Myths: THE QUERY LETTER

Over the past few months, I’ve had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to assist several name directors and producers in searching for screenplays of specific genre or topic. With my vast network of screenwriters at my disposal, I though it incumbent on me to reach out and help fellow writers, new and experienced alike, to help them reach their professional goal of attaining a sale or option deal.

When the word went out about a particular script search, the resulting storm of emails with accompanying scripts, bios, resumes and links was indeed satisfying. It was nice to know that so many of my contacts actually READ my emails or posts, but more importantly, that I was perhaps making a difference in their lives.

Then, I began to read the emails…the bios…and the resumes and links. Ugh!

So here is a brief list of some things one SHOULDN’T do when responding to a script request:

1) You shouldn’t IGNORE the specifics of the scripts that are being requested. If the genre requested is science fiction, you shouldn’t submit a story about a baby whale and the handicapped child trying to raise it, unless, of course, the whale can fly and the child is from Jupiter.

2) If the request is for screenplays with a Japanese-American theme, don’t submit a screenplay about a Chinese family, then add “It’s close”! Makes you sound like an idiot, at best, and racist, at worst.

3) You shouldn’t “cut and paste” your pre-written query letter into an email, and address the recipient as “Dear (blank)”. When you cut and paste, sometimes the fonts are different, and it appears very unprofessional.

4) You shouldn’t BOMBARD the recipient with every screenplay you’ve ever written, or hope to write or thought about writing. I cannot tell you how many writers submitted one query letter with more than five different loglines and synopses. No one is going to read it. Trust me.

5) You shouldn’t IGNORE spelling or grammatical errors- not in the query (not anywhere, if possible). I have actually seen writers misspell their own titles.

6) You shouldn’t make DEMANDS of the person requesting the script, such as: “DO NOT FORWARD TO ANYONE WITHOUT MY WRITTEN CONSENT!”

Who would want to work with YOU?

7) You shouldn’t accompany your query letter with a request to “help raise funds for sick children” or to “stop socialism in America”, or to “support your local LGBT office”, even if it directly relates to the theme of your screenplay.

8) You shouldn’t take the query letter as an opportunity to apply for a job as a script reader, a production assistant, a grip or an actor.

9) You shouldn’t forget your title. Trust me- seen it done many times.

10) You shouldn’t forget your contact information. See #9

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Writing a query letter is an art in and of itself, and there are definite “do’s and don’t” when writing one.

Here is a partial “do” list:

A) If you are responding to a request for a certain type of script, first thing you should do is ONLY respond if your script fits in what they are looking for. If it does, makes sure this fact is highlighted in the first sentence:

"In response to your request for Science Fiction/Action genre screenplays that involve unique space characters, I am forwarding my screenplay (TITLE) which was adapted from my novel of the same name."

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B) When you include your logline, make sure it is the strongest logline possible. I cannot stress this enough. If the reader gets to the logline, and it doesn’t hook them, they’ll probably not read any further, no matter how great the letter — or the script — may be.

"When a UFO investigator disappears, a skeptical reporter discovers alien abductions coinciding with an upcoming extinction-level event on Earth, and the only person to prevent it is light years away."

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C) Highlight your “hooks” right away (this is why they are called “hooks”). These “hooks” are the reason your story is different from every other story of the same genre and theme.

Hook #1: A conspiracy theorist becomes the latest in a long list of missing people from a small Florida town.

The reporter, who writes popular books and newspaper columns about various unexplained mysteries, such as the Loch Ness monster, the Bermuda Triangle and UFO’s, disappears while investigating one his latest leads. There are many working theories on these sudden disappearances, but one that won’t get much play is this alien abduction conspiracy.

Hook #2: The ever-skeptical investigative reporter may now be the first person in history to have actual visual proof that these incidents are directly tied to aliens.

 Leading a team of local news people, the reporter determines that not only are people missing from all over the country, but an unusual amount of people are missing from their jurisdiction alone.

 Hook #3: The reporter has also discovered that an extinction-level event - a massive asteroid - is on a destructive path to Earth and the timing of the alien invasion is directly related to this event.

 With their advanced technology, this alien race can determine which planets are to be annihilated, and they take this opportunity to harvest the best of the species for their intergalactic slave trade prior to destruction. Not only does the reporter have to find his friend, but he has to warn the world of the on-coming alien invasion!

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D) Write a brief synopsis of your story, to include and beginning, middle and an end. Three short paragraphs, less than a page total. I recently received two query letters; one was 43 pages, the other 15. Hand to God, I’m telling the truth. The only thing missing was the writer’s birth certificate, but that was only because I ran out of paper. Sheesh!

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E) End the query with a brief “writers” bio. I recommend that you do this in the “third person”. It’ll read like a press release and seem professional. Do not include useless information like where you went to school or every contest you’ve ever entered, unless it is absolutely pertinent (one exception is if you know the recipient attended the same school as you, they might look at you a little more favorably). Two lines that tell the reader a little about you, your writing, and a mention or two about prestigious awards, if any. Quarter-finalist in the Bombay Theatre Writing Contest doesn’t qualify for space in the prime real estate of the query letter.

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F) Make sure everything is spellchecked and grammatically correct, and do not forget your contact information.

You have but one shot at making a good impression, so don’t blow it.

WRITER'S BIO: Geno Scala has close to thirty completed feature film screenplays and television pilots. In 2016 and 2017, his company completed twelve (12) ghostwriting novel-into-screenplay adaptations for his clients. He counts many celebrities among his vast clientele. He has two TV projects, (Hell Hath No Fury; Sextracurricullum) in the hands of Spike TV, and two reality show concepts, including Just Like Elvis, about the lives of Elvis Tribute Artists, currently being marketed. His most recent television project, Bad Priest, is under consideration by another group of television executives, of which, one stated: "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..."

 Mr. Scala spent 22-plus years in the Hollywood community, and was the Executive Director for the 72nd Annual Academy Awards. He held similar positions with The Soul Train, The Grammys, Blockbuster Video and Saturn award shows.