Happy Twos-day everyone!
Today my co-creator and I are sending out our first email blitz to some directors and showrunners we'd love to work with on a script, but I am a little lost as to how to come up with a subject line that will grab the attention to actually get it opened and not just overlooked in the inbox. Does anyone have any tips or recommendations?
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Cold queries are a tough slog. A one to two percent hit rate regarding read requests isn't unusual. (Hence, I rarely cold query anymore.) Some writers suggest not using "query" in the subject line as it is said to encourage a delete without ever opening it. You might consider just using the name of the script as the subject line, particularly if the name is intriguing all on its own.
Thanks Eric Christopherson! Do you think that it's smart to include the Client's name you are inquiring about in the Subject line as well?
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Hi Rachel, we have a sample query letter that you can take a look at for some ideas. If you send an email to j.mirch@stage32.com they will send you the sample!
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I get so many emails. The ones that make out I know the person are instantly deleted “Hi Craig have you looked at this - resending it just in case”
Those that promise great outcomes “people are making big on this, had to share it with you”.
I have a blog about writing. Email that prove they have never visited my site “more customers for griffithscreative.com.au (instant delete).
The ones I open have proof people have researched. “We help market blogs” may interest me. “I see your IMBD has similar genre work on it and hope you will look at my work”.
I think you need to show you have researched them. If you are not targeting your efforts.
“Hamlet meets Pretty Woman. Genre:Comedy Style:Limited Series”
Dan is right...I'd stay of A list companies unless someone repps me at least...Back in the day I'd do cold querying getting flat 0 response...but sometimes u meet people beside getting them to take on your script, so I figured this counts....nowadays I cold quire only people I know (mostly Macedonian directors) and some productions I've worked with in the past...on a blank I go only when someone is in a need of a script that matches mine...
'money inside' lol ... nah. this approach wont work. producers are like breawiners looking for bread... they are not your client, they are the intermediate to your client: the movie buyer. unfortunately the movie investor will not understand a word about storytelling cause those are risk averse. and this talk is 'cost' talk.
choose the best scene you've got and make a 3 min short movie. it will enlight you about all the different steps of a movie making endeavour (including how to deal w bad screenplay in the shooting and post editing...
in my experience in the university all writers get fatal frustation when image on screen does not make for image from imagination...
so, your short is not to get an oscar, but to expand perception to be ready to talk to producers and other pro people to REAL make your screenplay to movie.
hope this quest get you where you want to be.
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Getting a rep isn't easy, and few are worth chasing. Most scripts I see going to higher ups do so through lower level, but well connected, producers.