Posts tagged as:

The Hollywood Creative Directory

Entering screenplay competitions

November 4, 2009

I got this question recently:
“What do you think of script competitions?  I have heard that a high budget script will not do very well.”
I entered two (that I remember), the Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting and a screenwriting contest that Disney used to sponsor (I’m not sure if they still do).
The script I entered into the [...]

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Cheapest way to access the Hollywood Creative Directory

September 21, 2009

I mention The Hollywood Creative Directory quite often in my posts. It’s a great source of contact information for nearly every production company in the United States. You can buy a hard copy from Amazon.com, which I highly recommend. Having the hard copy allows you to go back to it often and [...]

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How to market your script when you have no money

July 20, 2009

I got an email from an aspiring screenwriter that went something like this:

Question:
What else can I possibly do to get my script sold?
Here’s what I’ve done so far.
1. Worked for about 3 months on the script, read books, read scripts.
2. Rewrote it 13 times, it’s gleaming.
3. Wrote a treatment, synopsis, and a good logline.
4. Got [...]

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How to create an original television series (breaking into television writing)

June 29, 2009

I’ve gotten this question many times over the last couple of months:
“I have a great idea for an original television series.  How can I sell it to a television network?”
I want to start out by saying that I have zero experience in television writing.  I wrote one Seinfeld episode for a sit-com writing class in [...]

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Taking a Trip to Los Angeles to Jump Start Your Screenwriting Career

June 15, 2009

A got a few questions from two aspiring screenwriters a couple weeks ago who were planning a trip to Los Angeles.
1. What are some ways to arrange meetings before we arrive in L.A.?
2. While there, do you have suggestions on how to meet industry people? Are there any bars/spots we should visit to network?
3. What [...]

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Who Do You Address Your Screenplay Query Letter To?

April 27, 2009

I got this question recently:
“When submitting a query letter, should you send it to the company in general, should you send it to a specific representatives of the company (after looking in the HCD), or should you send it to multiple representatives of the same company?”

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Submitting Your Screenplay Via Email – How To Create A Catchy Subject Line

April 24, 2009

I got this question recently:
“I’ve noticed that e-mail queries are becoming more accepted. When sending an agent an e-mail query, what should the subject line be? Should it say Query or the script title or Attn: Agent’s Name?”
You should read my post Getting your screenplay to producers and production companies if you haven’t already as [...]

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Getting your screenplay to producers and production companies

February 25, 2009

Getting your screenplay to production companies is actually a lot easier than most people think. It’s really as simple as getting the production companies address, email, phone number, or fax number and pitching your script idea to them. Most of the time you’re going to be politely turned down or dismissed out of hand but [...]

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How do you get an agent for your screenplay? (And why you don’t need one!)

February 16, 2009

I get asked this question quite a bit and I see it asked on screenwriting forums often.  The short answer is this: In my experience if you don’t know how to get an agent you probably aren’t ready for one.
Getting an agent isn’t the be-all-end-all in screenwriting.  I’ve optioned dozens of scripts and sold a [...]

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How to Sell Your Screenplay (in a nutshell)

February 5, 2009

Since the title of my blog is “Selling Your Screenplay,” and I want that to be the focus of my blog, I figured an obvious first post was to write a simple guide to getting your screenplay sold.
Keep in mind that this blog is not an exhaustive list of ways to get your script sold. [...]

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