Read 'Submitting your material to production companies' at http://www.SellingYourScreenplay.com.

I got these questions recently:

“I have 115 page completed, professional script that I want to pitch, however 1) should the query letter be on an entertainment lawyers letterhead, 2) should I send a trailer on DVD or USB with it and 3) where can you find a listing of production companies seeking material?”

I’ll break up my answers below.

“1) should the query letter be on an entertainment lawyers letterhead” – if you have a lawyer who will submit the script for you, then sure, you might as well use him as the point person. But this isn’t mandatory and I’m not sure it even really helps much.

“2) should I send a trailer on DVD or USB with it” – I would be careful with this. In my experience most novice writers who have produced a trailer have produced something that is sub-par and not up to industry standards. By submitting something that is below industry standards all you’re doing is broadcasting the fact that you are a novice. Once you’ve pitched them your log line and they’ve agreed to read the screenplay, make them read the screenplay, don’t give them reasons to NOT read the screenplay. Now if the trailer is part of your pitch I would only include it if you are 100% sure that it is high quality and makes your screenplay look better. I would say as a general rule only include it if the people who produced this trailer work professionally in the industry and it’s up to industry standards. If it’s just you and your friends with a video camera trying to put something together, don’t include it. It’s not going to help you.

“3) where can you find a listing of production companies seeking material?”

I highly recommend you read this post: How to Sell Your Screenplay (in a nutshell).

Also this post details how to find actual contact info for companies: Getting your screenplay to producers and production companies.

In general your best bet for finding company info is The Hollywood Creative directory and IMDB Pro. Both have a wealth of information on production companies contact info.

Read 'What does it mean when I get the comment “my screenplay was overwritten”?' at http://www.SellingYourScreenplay.com.

I got this question recently:

“An agent recently read my screenplay and gave me the comment: It’s overwritten. What does that mean?”

Without actually seeing your screenplay it’s hard to know for sure what the agent meant, but typically what this means is that you have put in way too much description. Keep in mind, you’re writing a screenplay not a novel. I would suggest going back and reading through your screenplay again and really keep an eye out for any unnecessary description and cut it. Description in a screenplay is only necessary in order to move the story forward. So if it doesn’t move the story forward cut it.

I’ve seen a lot of novice screenwriters spend lots of time describing a location when a descriptive slug line will do.
For instance if your scene was in a run down bar this would suffice: INT. DIVE BAR – NIGHT. You don’t need to spend any time (or words) describing the bar as we all know what a dive bar basically looks like. So unless there is something specifcally needed for the story like a picture on the wall that is needed to move your story forward, don’t even bother describing locations just be descriptive and creative with your slug lines.

Another area where new writers tend to overwrite is in directing the actors. Things like: “Sarah sighs.”, “Mary smiles a toothy smile.”, “Jane puts her hand on Ted’s arm.” are not needed. Let the actors interpret your story. If they don’t do it correctly the director will hopefully help them. But as a screenwriter all you’re trying to do is tell your story as concisely as possible.

Bottom line: cut every single paragraph, sentence, word, and letter that doesn’t directly move your story forward. If you remove all that excess writing it’s hard for me to imagine that someone will tell you that your screenplay is overwritten.

I mention this in many posts, but the best way to get a handle on this is to read many screenplays by professional writers. One that I recommend is The 40 Year Old Virgin. It’s very lean with only a minimal of character and scene description.

Another huge benefit of having a lean writing style is that your script reads much faster. It becomes an “easy read.” If you spend too much time describing every detail it really slows your story down and makes it heard to like or “recommend.” Until you’ve read a lot of screenplays this is hard to appreciate. But trust me, the readers at the companies you will be submitting to will appreciate it.

Read 'Shooting your screenplay yourself' at http://www.SellingYourScreenplay.com.

I got this question recently:

“You shot your own script Reunion yourself with the help of a Director. Is there any reason you did not continue shooting other scripts. I am asking this question as this is my intention. I have two scrips and all the filming equipment with lenses, lighting, mics. etc in my possession. I just don’t have the expertise as this is my first time.”

The main reason I haven’t considered doing this again (producing my own work) is simply because Reunion wasn’t much of a success. It didn’t cost a lot to produce it but then again it didn’t make any back either.

Shooting a film has never been easier or cheaper than it is today. But because it is so easy to produce a micro budget film, it’s also more competitive than ever to have your film get recognized.

While I would encourage anyone and everyone to get out there and make things happen for themselves, I would also tell them to temper their expectations. While it was a fun project and I certainly have no regrets about doing it, since Reunion didn’t make its money back I’m leery to try it again… but not completely opposed to it, either. I’m actually kicking around some micro-budget ideas and I might try it again, hopefully a little wiser and more experienced.

Read 'Breaking into television by writing spec scripts based on an existing series' at http://www.SellingYourScreenplay.com.

I got this question recently:

“I wrote an episode for a television show I like, and have ideas for more. I’ve read your posts on TV writing, but they seem to be mostly about developing a series. What I’m wondering is how I might best go about approaching the producers/creators of the show to ask them if they’re interested in reading my episodes. When I’m done writing and I send them a query letter, would a few sentences per episode be sufficient? Or longer?”

It might be wise to take a step back and understand why it’s a good idea to write spec scripts for existing shows. What you’re trying to do is create a cache of high quality specs that you can use as writing samples. So if you’re going to write a bunch of t.v. specs you should write them based on a variety of different shows. What you’re really hoping for is to submit these specs to agents and managers who will represent you and submit them as writing samples to similar shows to get you staffed on one of those shows. So it’s important to be able to show you can write for many different, although similar, shows.

While it is possible to sell spec scripts to existing shows, it’s very difficult for a variety of reasons. Often times the people running television shows simply have egos that are too large to accept scripts from outsiders. In addition, there are often lots of subtle things that an outside writer simply would never understand about the show like long term story and character arcs.

To answer your question, though, in most cases the actual production company that produces a show will be listed in the Hollywood Creative Directory or on IMDB Pro. Look them up, find the name of the show runner or head writer, and submit a query letter to them. If you have completed scripts for many episodes you might as well pitch a log line for each episode as you never know which one might interest them. Again, I want to emphasize that this is going to be a real uphill battle!

Next, I would break out the Hollywood Creative Directory agents and managers edition and start submitting query letters to them, too, as this is really your best shot at becoming a television writer.

Good luck!

Read 'Email and fax blast service success rate' at http://www.SellingYourScreenplay.com.

I got this question recently:

“I am interested in using your script submission service. I have 2 questions.
1) I know this may be difficult to track but do you have any idea of the success rate of writers using your service? By this I mean the response level from producers (this is the route I will take) – i.e. producers who respond to the query and request a script? 5%? 10%? 20%?
2) Is your database filtered? In other words, is it a broad spread to all producers or selectively targeted according to the genre of the script described?”

In a general way I cover some of this in my post, Getting your screenplay to producers and production companies. so if you haven’t read that, please check out that post.

I would say in the last few years I’ve seen the success rate diminish quite a bit. Right now people who are using the producers blast service are getting between 1 and 15 positive responses. So 1.5% (roughly 1000 companies in my database) is on the high end. I think with a very marketable idea pitched with an excellent query letter, you could still get close to a 2% or higher (over 20 requests) from the producers blast. The agents and managers blast service, while my list is smaller (around 500 companies) seems to get a better positive response rate overall. So 1% – 2% (around 10 – 20 positive responses) is possible. I had one screenwriter get more than 25 positive responses with an excellent query letter. If you were to purchase the blast and get zero responses I would happily give you a refund for the entire thing, but that’s never happened yet. Also, the way the service works is that you join our paid site and then post your query letter in the forum so by the time we send it out, it should be professional and generate some interest.

One thing new writers grossly underestimate is the quality of their log line and overall story concept. Many writers don’t understand how unmarketable their ideas really are. The people targeted in my email fax blasts are businesses trying to make money, so the concept has to be marketable. I can help a writer polish his/her query letter but at that stage it’s too late to re-do the entire story concept.

To give some specifics about how this service can work I’ll use one of my own screenplays as an example. I recently optioned a screenplay using my own blast service. I used the producers email fax blast three times with about a month between the first and second blast and about six months between the second and third blast. The first blast received 12 positive responses where the producers agreed to read the script. The second blast received 8 positive responses and the third blast only received 5 positive responses. It was the third blast with only 5 “yes” responses that produced the option on the screenplay. So it can take several blasts to work.

Another thing that I think new writers often times fail to understand is that these blasts are not just about optioning and selling your screenplay. When I first started doing these blasts around 2003 I did a blast for a comedy screenplay. A producer read it and liked it but for what ever reason never got back to me on it, he probably didn’t like it that much. About six months later I did another blast for another comedy screenplay. The producer remembered the previous script of mine and agreed to read this new script. This time he liked it enough to call me and set up a meeting. In addition to being a producer, his company also managed a few writers. So he suggested that we work on rewriting one of the scripts he had read and that he become my manager. I liked his notes and felt he had a good sense of my sense of humor and could add value to my team. So my writing partner and I signed on with his company. Over the years we developed a few scripts with him. Finally in 2007 my writing partner and I wrote a screenplay that he really liked and he ended up producing it, that’s how Man Overboard came into being. As you can see from my experience, it can take literally years for these things to fully play out. In fact, while the producer is no longer my literally manager he’s still a good friend and there is a good chance we’ll work on projects in the future. So one of the goals of these sorts of blasts shouldn’t just be optioning and selling your screenplay, it should be to build some relationships with people in the industry.

My database is NOT filtered in any way. I have found that companies are usually looking for interesting material and aren’t usually too concerned with what genre it is. There are some companies who only work in television, and those companies are NOT in my database.

To learn more about our suite of screenwriting marketing tools please go here: http://www.sellingyourscreenplay.com/how-to-sell-your-screenplay/professional-screenwriting-tools/

Read 'Someone else is working on a project that is similar to my own' at http://www.SellingYourScreenplay.com.

I got this question recently:

“I have a screenplay idea that deals with an obscure historic character and the great sacrifices he made.
I’ve checked online from time to time to see if there is any internet buzz or news regarding the character.

Today I discovered a book written about my character by an author who claims to also have a screenplay adaptation that will be in preproduction in 2013.

My question is this: Is there a good way to search to see if a similar screenplay idea to mine is out there being shopped around or is in some stage of production?

I don’t plan to give up my project; the author’s book was panned by the critics (I’ve ordered a copy to see for myself), and I’m skeptical if the claim of preproduction in Europe (made by the author’s on his own web site) is true.

I know there is room for more than one movie addressing historic figures and events, but as my subject is virtually unknown, I’m inclined to think it pointless to continue costly research if I discover another project is set in motion.”

I would say if you’re passionate about your subject then continue forward. A well written script that you’re passionate about is always a good writing sample, even if someone else releases a film based a the same character. Now if you have lots of other topics you’re equally excited about then maybe writing one of those is a better idea. But I think if you dig deep enough you can probably find that almost every idea is in “development” somewhere. Most projects, even in development at a major studio, never actually get produced so you don’t want to spend too much time worrying about this. Obviously it really depends on the material and how similar your material is to the material being developed.

I would say new writers tend to get caught up too much in these sorts of details. Most screenplays we write (even the established pros) will never see the light of day. While we all want to maximize our efforts, I would say spending too much time trying to find out if anyone else is working on a similar project is for the most part a waste of time and you would be much better off spending that time actually writing and improving your craft. If you choose a topic and story that you’re interested in and passionate about, I don’t think you can go wrong. Your version of the same historical character will be unique and original and your passion will hopefully shine through.

To answer your first question about doing this type of research I would say try and read the trades (The Hollywood Reporter and Daily Variety) and maybe set up a Google Alert on the name of the historical figure so when news or information hits Google you’ll know about it.

Read 'Doing rewrites on your screenplay for producers' at http://www.SellingYourScreenplay.com.

I got this question recently:

“You mentioned a lot throughout your book about rewrites. I was wandering what in your case did the rewrites often entail.”

Rewrites are the un-sexy part of screenwriting. They’re the part of the business that people don’t usually give a lot of thought to when they decide to become a screenwriter but end up being the single biggest part of the process.

At the highest level, meaning studio projects, rewriting is actually the most lucrative part of being a screenwriter. Many projects have script issues and they bring in writers to try and correct them. In some cases writers will be paid for only a few weeks worth of work (or less). Sometimes these writers get writing credit but most of the time they don’t. The fees range but in general this is the quickest easiest way to earn money as a screenwriter. It’s not glamorous but it pays the bills. Getting this sort of paid writing gig comes with experience. This is not work for novice or unproduced screenwriters. The studios hire writers who have had some success in the genre that they need rewritten. While I have a few credits, I haven’t had any “hits” and have never gotten this sort of writing gig. It’s great work if you can get it.

What I have encountered, more times than I care to remember, is optioning a screenplay to a producer and than having the producer want you to do rewrites. In some cases the producers will pay for the option and rewrites but in many cases they will not. I wrote a post that covers a lot of the same ground, so check that out: How to decide if you should option your screenplay to a producer.

As an example, my first produced credit, Dish Dogs required many rewrites which my writing partner and I did for free and ultimately in vein because they ended up using very little of the rewrites we did and just rewrote it themselves. You can read more about the whole story here: What happened to Dish Dogs?.

Every person has their own ideas and vision and producers are no different. There are usually some practical considerations that you might not have thought of when you wrote your spec script (i.e. certain locations are just too expensive) but most of the time producers, directors, and actors have their own artistic vision and they want you to incorporate some of it into your script so that they feel like they have some stakes in the film. That’s certainly understandable.

I’ve been in situations where I thought the producers ideas were stupid and I’ve been in situations where I thought their ideas were pretty good. I always try and get an idea about what sort of changes a producer wants before I option the screenplay to them and these changes are a factor in helping me decide if I’m going to option the screenplay to them or not.

The bottom line is that if you don’t want to make any changes to your work screenwriting probably isn’t the medium for you. Film making is a collaborative medium and that means compromising and working with others.

Read 'My screenplay was a winner at a film festival, how should I prepare myself for the festival and awards ceremony?' at http://www.SellingYourScreenplay.com.

I got this question recently:

“My screenplay was just announced as the winning feature screenplay at an upcoming film festival. I am going to accept the award. So here is my question: What should I expect now that I am a winner? Will I likely be approached by agents and producers at the festival? Should I contact an entertainment attorney for advice before going? Am I going to be a guppy in bowl full of sharks who will try to get my screenplay for as little money as they can?

Your advice please on how I should prepare myself for the festival and awards ceremony?”

I don’t think you need to spend money or time talking with an attorney at this point. Once someone presents you with a contract then you should seek out an entertainment attorney.

I would look at this festival as a great networking opportunity. Go prepared and look for any and all networking opportunities.

I have a few suggestions as to how to prepare for the festival:

1. Print up a few copies of your script(s) and make sure you have access to email and PDF versions of your screenplays so when you meet someone, if they show an interest in your script you can email it to them right away or hand them one of the printed copies. A lot of people prefer digital copies of screenplays so make sure that’s an easy available option for anyone you meet.

2. You should print up some business cards and hand them out to anyone and everyone who will take it. I would recommend building a screenwriting website (see my screenwriting tools page as I offer this service) to showcase your other log lines and synopses and make sure you print that on your business card and tell people about it.

3. Make the most of your experience by taking advantage of every opportunity the festival offers. There will be lots of sessions, meetings, and opportunities to network and you’ll get pretty tired after a day or two but remember that this is a business trip so take every opportunity to network that you’re given.

Read 'How do you stay objective about your material after reading and re-reading it so many times?' at http://www.SellingYourScreenplay.com.

I got this question recently:

“I wrote my first screenplay and at first loved it. After reading it for the 900th time, I find it very boring. Is it normal for writers to experience this?”

Yes. This is quite normal. I experience this with every screenplay I write. What you’ll find though is after writing a few screenplays and reading them a few thousand times, you’ll start to be a better judge of what is actually good and what isn’t. It might not seem original or fresh anymore but you’ll have an intellectual understanding of what is working and what isn’t even if it is no longer interesting to you.

You should be getting notes from people on your material and this is a great way to tell if your instincts are right. If you start to feel like a scene isn’t working and other people are telling you the same thing, than that means it’s probably something you should look at and perhaps rewrite.

Also, I have found myself finishing first drafts and then letting the material sit for a while. Sometimes months, and sometimes years. Then you can go back to it with fresh eyes. My writing partner and I recently optioned a screenplay, and we felt exactly the same way you did, at first we loved the idea and everything about the script but by the end of the writing process we were ready to throw it all in the trash. It’s now optioned and the producers want us to do rewrites. It’s been well over a year since we finished the version we sent them so we’re now excited and ready to take another pass at this material. You might try and just put your material away for a few months, work on something else, and then go back to it after you’ve had time to get some distance from it.

Read 'Getting rejected' at http://www.SellingYourScreenplay.com.

I got this question recently:

“Our first script just got a terrible review on triggerstreet. Do you know much about the site? And also, got any motivational advice on how to get past the initial ‘rejection’ feeling? May sound dumb, but was wondering if you experienced this.”

Every successful writer has been rejected more times than they’ve been accepted. The great thing about writing is it doesn’t matter how many times you get rejected as long as you eventually find success. Submitting your script and having it get rejected just means you’re playing the game. So congratulations on that.

You can check out my IMDB credits for yourself. I have four produced screenplays. I’ve written around 30 scripts and probably received some where in the neighborhood of 5,000 rejection letters. Keep in mind too, when you make submissions, in most cases you won’t even get a rejection letter, you’ll get no response what-so-ever, so I’ve probably made 50,000 cold query submissions over the years to achieve those four produced credits. So yeah, I know a thing or two about rejection.

I have one sibling, an older brother who’s 16 months older than I am. Growing up we were roughly the same in size and we looked roughly the same in age. People used to even ask if we were twins. As most brothers do, we played all sorts of games and competed in all sorts of sports. While the age difference didn’t look drastic, when you’re younger the extra 16 months is a huge advantage. He used to beat me at nearly everything we did, and we did a lot. As kid I don’t think I ever won at anything. The first time I ever remember beating him at something was when I was about 14 and we were having a competition to toss a log across the yard. For what ever reason the age gap had shrunk and I was able to toss it a little further than him.

The point is, getting beat really doesn’t phase me. And I think that spills over to these sorts of rejections, too. Getting rejection letters was never really something that got me down. I was always too busy sending out more letters and writing more scripts to really spend a lot of time worrying about it. And that’s the attitude I think all writers should take. You’re going to get rejected, a lot, and if you can’t handle that this is not the right profession for you.

As for Trigger Street, I have never used it but I have heard good things about it. I would try and read the scripts that get good reviews on the site and learn from them. Compare them to your own screenplay. Is it better? Can you learn something. But Trigger Street isn’t your only option. You should be submitting to agents, managers, and producers, too. Check out this post to learn how: How to Sell Your Screenplay (in a nutshell).