From the category archives:

Screenwriting FAQ

Getting an actor attached to your project

September 1, 2010

One of the most rewarding things about writing this blog is hearing from screenwriters who have started to implement some of the marketing strategies I outline in posts like How to Sell Your Screenplay (in a nutshell) and are actually having some real success using the methods.
I personally learn a lot from hearing real world [...]

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How can I attach a director to my screenplay?

August 18, 2010

I got this question recently:
“Is it possible to obtain contacts of specific film directors? I might try to target specific directors. I want to make sure my script is handled by someone who has made a good horror movie.”
I talk a lot about the Hollywood Creative Directory on this blog and in some [...]

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Approaching actors with your script

August 4, 2010

I got this question recently:
“My wife and I just recently started writing Horror screenplays, which we both enjoy. In August we are attending a Horror convention, where there will be a-few actors/actress, who we always had in mind for certain parts when writing a script. Should we approach them about this and let them know?… [...]

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Can your query letter synopsis be two pages?

July 28, 2010

I got this question recently:
“Is it okay to include a two page synopsis with a query letter, or does this fall under the ‘Unsolicited Submissions Will Be Thrown in the Trash’ policy of so many production companies and agents?”
I would keep your synopsis short, like less than 1 page, but certainly not two. There [...]

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What’s the difference between a screenplay synopsis and a screenplay treatment

July 21, 2010

I got this question recently:
“I’m a little confused. Say you have the Hollywood Creative Directory and have only the fax and address of a given company. Do you fax the query and treatment or just the query by itself? And if you use use snail mail, do you send the query and treatment? What is [...]

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A few small tips on writing query letters

July 14, 2010

I got these questions recently and thought it might be worth publishing my answers in case someone else had the same questions. While these little details may seem trite to some, when I was starting out I often wondered about them myself. And because they are such “minor” details it was next to [...]

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Do you think it’s worth mentioning in my query letter that my script was a quarter finalist in a well known script competition?

July 7, 2010

I got this question recently:
“Do you think it’s worth mentioning in my query letter that my script was a quarter finalist in a well known script competition?”
Absolutely. Even a quarter final finish is noteworthy, especially in a big contest that most people have heard of. In my opinion getting these sort of accolades [...]

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Who owns the rights to old myths and legends?

June 30, 2010

I got this question recently:
“I was wondering if you knew about legends/myths. If someone owns certain rights to old tales and legends.”
Literary works are only copy right able for a certain length of time. The exact time differs a bit from country to country and depends on the type of work involved, along with [...]

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How long do you wait to hear from a producer who requested your screenplay?

June 23, 2010

I got this question recently:
“How long do I wait to hear from a producer who requested my screenplay? At what point do I take the non-response as a pass?”
It’s a good question and there is no right answer. I’ve had companies call me back after 6 months or more and want to option [...]

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Scam alert!

June 21, 2010

I get these sorts of questions quite often and while I’ve answered them before I thought it deserved to be repeated.
“An agency had an ad on Craig’s List which I responded to. A “friend of the agency” called me today saying he liked my script and wants to help me get it in shape [...]

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