Ok ready to hear from Naysayers and some seasoned professionals on here. I was a huge fan of Netflix show the Punisher, starring Jon Bernthal. The show has just been canceled had an idea for his fellow castmate, Andrew Lincoln to appear on the show as an MI-6 agent to reunite the duo, BUUUUT shows gone. Question who would you send a script to solicited of course to a popular show, The Walking Dead, had some idea's for some episodes or a possible spin-off. Where would I start? Thanks even for negative criticism and mostly for the positive comments
Screenwriting : Fan of some shows how to submit a script or an idea to an already established show, by Craig Lofton
Fan of some shows how to submit a script or an idea to an already established show,
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They don’t take unsolicited material or material not generated by their staff because of rights. How much do they pay you, what about residual payments, if they are a WGA shop there are all the WGA rules. It is just easier for them to miss out on ideas.
Zero WGA issues. Okay. How would he get paid? As an executive producer on that episode? Or perhaps a one off payment to buy the rights to his story to avoid residual payments (WGA mandated) or even employ him for one episode paying him WGA minimums and then sack him.
You’re right all those options are there because the WGA imposes no rules on the employment of TV writers, silly me. What is the packaging argument about again? The treatment of TV writers in a nutshell.
The point I was making is that there are many reasons why they will just ignore external stuff when they have staff writers.
I don’t have horror stories about throwing piles of paper in a bin. Deleting PDFs perhaps. Computers have been around a while now.
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I always come back to a basic question, Craig Lofton - what's your goal? Write? Direct? Produce? Film? TV? Answer this and the path to achieve it will present itself. Then follow that path and persevere.
One thing that's true no matter what path you take is: there are no shortcuts. You WILL spend the time, the effort, the money it takes to reach success. EVERYBODY pays their dues in one form or another. To wit - if your goal is to be a staff writer on a show, you gotta move to LA. There's no getting around it (although in rare cases, if a show is based, say, in Vancouver, you'd have to move there). Staffing only happens in LA.
So answer your question, and take the first steps and be prepared to pay dues.
Lot of dues.
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That's true, Dan Guardino (although 90% ARE in LA) but based on Craig Lofton 's original post, it sounds like he's interested in a "mainstream" show - which means LA. I wish it were different - I'm not in LA and trying to write and produce TV (to be fair, my stuff is very not mainstream), and it's 10X harder than if I were in LA.
I liked the show too. I also like Iron Fist. Both are cancelled. But I felt they still have great potential for more. More action, more plot, more characters, more pain, and definitely more punishment. Unfortunately, I don't think there's any way producers would take any body submitting new ideas for any existing show seriously. We are on not influential, on their radar, or on their payroll. If only they would. If only a producer would. I wish a producer would. straight outta Content. Original content. But the biblical saying slays the dragon, You can't put new wine into old wine skins.
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Just keep writing! And reading scripts. Get to know the companies (buy IMDb membership). Network. Trust the Universe. When it's meant to happen it will. Most importantly, Keep Writing!
Thanks Sarah Gabrielle Baron!
I think in this case with these properties and similar ones from DC that were on TV or streaming services were canceled because of the shifting dynamics in TV/Film with the most recent mergers. Most of these properties from Marvel/DC on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon or whatever are being moved to either Disney platforms or for DC Warner Bros platforms eventually. They are trying to maximize capital by using their own platforms. So, I honestly don't think any of us would have a chance without being in LA or NY and connected.