Part 76: Starting Your Journey
Geno Scala
Former Director/Official of Academy Awards Show; Founder of The Script Mentor Screenwriting Program; Creator of The 20-Day Screenplay Video Series; "GHOSTWRITER TO THE STARS".
Screenwriting Myth: "There's ONE guarantee; there are NO guarantees!
In this microwave world of instant gratification, text messaging, IM’s and 24-hour instant news cycles, the craft - and business - of screenwriting needs to catch up. Many writers are hesitant and fearful of starting their journey, knowing that there is no guarantee of success at the end of that journey, and it will probably result in years (not weeks or months) of time and dedication to the craft.
?Anything worth doing and worth doing well is going to take a major investment of time, effort and resources; of that, there is no question.
?However, there ARE a few points of helpful advice that we've learned and developed along the way that might - just might - help save YOU a significant amount of that time and those resources.
?These points are in no particular order:
1) You must write something worthy of being purchased or write with a fresh voice or style worthy of getting paid. This means that a concept that is unique, fresh, perfectly formatted, grammatically and punctually correct, exciting and appealing to the masses. The less original the concept, the MORE perfect you'll have to write it.
2) You must write a perfectly constructed logline that highlights all of the elements, including the "hook"- the one element that separates your story from all others in that genre.
3) You must prepare an excellent query letter, preferably in the format that is now considered the best for a query letter (from recent polling data).
4) You need to develop a networking and marketing strategy and stick to it, spending a set amount of time each day nurturing it; as much time as you spend writing. You should do both concurrently.
5) You should explore multiples avenues for marketing and/or breaking in. This includes contests, offering assistance, writing assignments, adapting source materials, etc.
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6) You must understand that there are many ways to achieve your goal (whatever goal that may be), and that your avenue to success is as different as there are goals. In other words, someone wanting to work as a script reader may have a different tact than someone wanting to sell spec scripts for a living.
7) You should understand that because one person wrote a script this way, doesn't necessarily mean you should. Writing spec scripts are much different than the way QT or Cameron write theirs.
8) You need to develop your three completely separate support systems we like to call our "cheers", "peers", and "rocketeers", and build that circle of trust around you.
9) People may offer constructive criticism and sound advice to your writing, but the vision is yours. Stick to the vision.
10) You have to be someone that others WANT to work with. Be polite and professional, and people will know you as such.
WRITER'S BIO:?Geno 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.?
Currently, he and his team are adapting several books into screenplays, including the fascinating autobiography?"Call Me Zena",?by?Sally Barnard?who, after a brief illness, developed high-level artistic skills overnight (Sally Barnard Art Gallery (passgallery.com).?He is also developing biopic projects of rock pioneer?Jimmie F. Rodgers,?Motown star?Tammi Terrell?and iconic folk?singer?Harry Chapin?- all while continuing to mentor hundreds of new writers, working with A-list clients, and ghostwriting adaptations for self-published authors.
Geno has several screenplays produced and currently on Amazon Prime and Tubi TV:?"Assassin 33 A.D.", "Black Easter"?and?"The Tombs".?Currently, he is the?Executive Script Consultant?of a?major motion picture, with?Liam Hemsworth?and?Samuel L. Jackson?attached, scheduled to begin filming in Australia, Spring of 2022.
STORYTELLER | ACTOR | DESIGNER De COMMUNIQUE | AI ETHICIST
2 年Is that Thelma & Louise ?
This article of yours had a vibe of like a conclusion to all those articles you have linked-in (<-what I just did there lol) to this article. I know this isn't the end, God knows how long have you been doing this and you are going to keep doing it until you have passion for doing it. Thank you Mr. Scale for all these helpful advices.
Storyteller | Proud mom of twins
3 年Hi Geno. I appreciated this post. Good advice and love that you include links to your other posts. Thank you. ??
Former Federal Agent and SWAT Sniper Turned Screenwriter
3 年All good tips, especially No. 1.