Screenwriting : Any good news? by Bill Albert

Hang in There! Stephen King was passed over almost 200 times ( rejections) before someone gave him a shot, and look where he is NOW! ; - )

It's just part of the journey. Read the notes. Take some with a grain of salt and keep going. That' the only way to improve. Believe in what you are doing. And I applaud you for at least putting your work out there. Good luck.

You only need one. Very no moves you closer to a yes.

No's are what made new decide to create a film on my own. I signed with a sales agent a few weeks ago and the project is moving.

I wrote 8 pages.

It's a crapshoot. The more passes you get, the closer you get to a yes. It only takes one yes, but it may take thousands of no's. Keep writing.

Bill, I'm finally working on a lookbook after another Stage 32-Script Revolution member read "Really Old School." (She liked the script...and felt that, since it's got a planeload of characters rather than a vanload of characters, a lookbook or pitch deck would help readers get through that screenplay.)

Having fun working on the lookbook...and as soon as I get it to where it needs to be, it'll go up on YouTube.

Well, enough of me...Bill, this one's really about you! You hang on in there, keep fighting, because you've got some good, good stuff out there.

All the VERY BEST to you!

Hey Bill Albert! Sorry to hear about the pass man, but I hope it came with some valuable feedback that will help you move forward. I completely understand getting discouraged, but keep you head up - as you know, it's all part of the job. Go get em!

Bill Albert take what Erick Freitas said. to heart. Take the Pass and keep moving through, make improvements and stay with it. I marketed my current script for 6 months before someone finally said yes to reading it. But that yes meant the world. And just so you know the yes came from someone that said no originally.

If I may be so bold, Bill, you're focusing on the wrong thing. The good news is, you got the coverage back and can now begin working on the things that will make you a better writer, and the script a better read. That's GREAT news. Now, go get em, tiger! ;-)

At 65 years old, Colonel Sanders was living in his car & collecting just a bit more than $100/ month Social Security. He pitched his Chicken Franchise 1,009 times before he got a hit. Harry Potter was passed over more than a dozen times & we know how that turned out, C.S. Lewis received over 800 'passes'. How 'bout that English teacher Steven King who got discouraged after he kept failing with Carie back in '73. Now he's got about 80 books. One thing you have to learn is to be relentless.

Feel better now?

Thanks everyone for your time. I've been pitching for a long time and have lots of passes, some good, some bad, but it just felt like a whole bunch of things going bad at the same time.

After three months a producer who had requested a script said she was confused by some of the elements. That was it. I guess it was a pass but it would have been better to have least gotten a definite yes or no on it instead. The next day a producer passed and was really unhappy of all the extra backstory and work I'd done saying that wasn't my job. The same day another producer passed but complimented on how impressed they were with all the backstory I'd done.

Usually, I can at least get some idea what needs work but this time I didn't have any specific feedback to learn from any of them. It really gave me no where else to go with it.

I'll just go over it again, maybe come up with some new ideas, and hope for better response next time.

Thank you again for providing some support.

Jimmy Valvano Spoke at my commencement ceremony. He said, "All people have opportunities. Those who appear lucky are the ones that have prepared to be in a position to take advantage of them." You have prepared, yours is coming! Keep the faith!

Bill. When it comes to this crappy business sometimes I feel like I am up Corona Creak without a paddle but I keep on trucking.

FWIW it is a lot easier to write a screenplay than it is to sell one. Don't think of those passes as a bad. A spec screenplay is used to make contacts in the business and you made three with that one script so thank them for taking the time to read it. Let them know they will be the first to know when you finish your next one. That will make them feel special and producer love to think they are special even if they aren't. My first sale was to a producer who passed on two or three previous screenplays I sent him.

Good luck!!!!

I watched a documentary years ago and before I was even writing scripts or thinking about doing that. It had big giant powerful people at the very top of the movie industry talking about how they know if a movie is going to make it or not. The final from all of them was, we don't really, we are guessing and when we thought we had a bomb it was a major hit. The Titanic was used as an example. After the screening all the big dogs thought it was going to bomb royally. So I take it that way, it's just in the stars or it's not. This one, that one, maybe the next one. I love it so it will last as long as that love lasts.

Get em, CJ Walley!

Bill, I allow myself 5 minutes of reflection after every "no." Then I write for 5 hours. I figure that the math will eventually work out on that one ;) Keep after it, man! Oh and here's what Fitzgerald said...

https://quotefancy.com/media/wallpaper/3840x2160/2089271-F-Scott-Fitzger...

ask,GOD to help you design, develop your own Production Company, ask for "all divine Help" and "Angelic Help" from GOD, phrase it, as so, He'll hear ya, and begin to line things up. I can see from you photo, You have GREAT Talent. so, all any of us can do, "Just for Today". GOD wants to do everything for ya, so that's my guess as what you should do. because most people that are born into Material World, "wanna be in Pictures", and you can star where you are, or decide to move to a new location, I've always been broke, YET, YET I asked GOD to lead me to the right path to the right people, and here we are, for Today. I was rejected by every record label, my friend tried for 2 years, so, what we did, we just made our own Label, starting by saying so, "we now develop, _______ production Company" , then begin the work, it goes moment by moment, yet, it's gratifying, instead of getting passed on. and You're in Charge, and GOD's your partner. God's invisible LIGHT & LOVE, he can do anything and everything. for real. so, Rejoice. and be happy. you have what it takes, I know this. in my spirit. showbiz hug, DavyM , i'm still broke as hell, but I'm happy, and clean and sober, and always only hire 'no smokers'!, kind hint, "we all, all of us, we have invisible guardian Angels, so as you work, you can say what's on your mind, and your Guardian Angels, invisible as they are, they help you, and also GOD's aligining your path. each second, of each day'', for real. ''we will intuitively know how to handle situations that used to baffle us". Keep sober and clean. we miss most moments if we drink or use. or chain smoke or smoke. SOBER, CLEAN & nosmokers. it'll work. day by day.

Unexpectedly got a script request from a major film actor's company. And, on of my primary long term contacts may pitch one of my scripts to Shondaland. He's reviewing several loglines this weekend. On Monday, jack and shit was happening.

Two projects I've been working on have taken positive steps forward in the last two days and I've had a request for a script from a New York based TV producer.

I've also got a new novel out in to weeks and have had an initial approach for the film rights.

Pass is a good thing - Your script is being read by industry professionals.