From the category archives:

Screenwriting FAQ

The production company is telling me they will only accept submissions through an agent

September 28, 2011

I got this question recently: “Every time I contact a producer, they tell me to have an agent send them my material. Is this really true? Do I have to find an agent first?” In many cases companies will not look at material except through an agent that they have a relationship with. But in [...]

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I’ve finished my screenplay and have some meetings set up, what is the next step?

September 21, 2011

I got this question recently: “We finished what we think is an awesome screenplay. We’ve passed it to a couple of industry people and have been set up to speak with a manager. We’ve posted it on triggerstreet and are awaiting reviews. What is the next step? OTHER than to keep writing? Because we know [...]

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How to get your novel turned into a movie

September 14, 2011

I got this question recently: “I own the rights to a novel of great, although lesser known, historical figure. I think this person’s life would make a great movie. How can I get this novel / person’s life turned into a movie?” I have written some posts that might help in trying to get your [...]

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Will you polish or rewrite my screenplay for me?

August 24, 2011

I want to take a moment and thank everyone who reads this blog. I started this blog over 2.5 years ago and really didn’t know where it would end up (I still don’t). I really have enjoyed helping people try and sell their screenplays and I hope that I can continue to do so. So [...]

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Should you try and make your screenplay on a low budget?

August 17, 2011

I got this question recently: “When I posted on FB that I’m concluding my revision of this script, an acquaintance from Santa Fe, who has worked on a couple of shoots with my movie-grip son, commented that I should talk to him; he’s a cinematographer and producer of 3 short films. He said his crews [...]

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Should I mail a query letter to a producers home?

August 10, 2011

I got this question recently. “A well known producer lives in my area and I know his home address. He has an interest in the local area and my script takes place here. Do you think mailing my query letter directly to his home is unprofessional?” Yes, mailing it to his home is certainly “unprofessional.” [...]

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Babz Buzz

July 27, 2011

A few weeks ago I did a producer email / fax blast for a client of the Silver Bitela Agency. Babz Bitela, his agent, seemed happy with the service and contacted me to learn more about it. We struck up a conversation (mostly via email) and she told me about her monthly radio show about [...]

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Getting an agent when you have an offer on the table

July 20, 2011

I got this question recently: “Regarding whether or not to get an agent…If I get a purchase or option offer from a producer isn’t it a good idea to contact a reputable agent – who will jump at the chance to represent me – to negotiate the contract?” The sad truth is that you’ll still [...]

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Scam alert: never pay anyone to do coverage on your screenplay

July 6, 2011

I got this question recently: “I sent my screenplay to a production company that wanted me to pay for coverage from a company they recommended. This seemed shady and a conflict of interest so I decided not to move forward with them. Is this a scam? Don’t legitimate production companies have readers internally that read [...]

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Sending your screenplay to production companies and agents at the same time

June 29, 2011

I got this question recently: “I plan to contact production companies AND agents simultaneously. Is that ok? Or is it a turnoff for agents that I sent out the material?” For people who are just starting out and trying to get some traction for their screenplays I usually recommend sending your material first to an [...]

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