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.
I have a unique new idea for a television show, that goes something along the line of American Idol,but is an absolutely new concept, who would I contact to pitch selling the concept and or get creator credits if it would be picked up. Any advise would be greatly appreciated. Actually I have quite a few ideas for tv and movie production. Thank You
I’ve actually written a bunch of posts on television writing.
You can find them here: http://www.sellingyourscreenplay.com/tag/television-writing/
In general, though, there is no market for ideas from unknown writers, I’m sorry to say. I do give some ideas about how to give it a try, though in the mentioned posts, so read those. Good luck.