Screenwriting : Living Outside of Hollywood: Selling you Screenplay by Vince Conside

Happens every day...For those who missed this story of a Stage 32 writer from Pittsburgh who had recent success, here it is again - https://www.stage32.com/blog/Success-Stage-32-Screenwriter-Gets-His-Scri...

u gotta go to Los Angeles at some point, make the rounds, meet and greet. RB preaches Networking and it is true. People want to work with people they know, face to face, relationships. "Out of sight, out of mind."

Face time - Skype

Digital age baby - its all the rage.

Certainly don't think that hurts, Dan. Absolutely. But, again, as a first step, if you know how to get your material in front of the right people, content is the key that unlocks the door.

So far, me not living in LA has not been an issue. But I also make it clear that I am always available to BE in LA if needed. I have a trip planned there next month and I've already put the word out to my contacts and secured some meetings. In today's world of skype and texting and everything literally being at one's fingertips, it doesn't seem to be a big deal. The caveat being television writing, because a writer on a show has to be there every day for the 10-12 weeks it's being shot. But even that wouldn't require you live in LA full time. My friend and mentor, a working screenwriter, owns a place in LA and a place in our home state. He goes back and forth and always has. It's doable.

Sound and smart approach, Jody.

You can live anywhere. Most screenwriters I know that moved to LA never managed to make any money writing screenplays.

You dont have to be in LA full time but where else do you run into Ridley Scott and Roy Lee standing in same line at Urth Caffe? U can't share a drink or eat dinner networking on Skype.

Dan M. I don't have to meet people standing in line. Have you ever sold a screenplay or were you ever hired to write one as a result of standing in line anywhere?

And you sold scripts and were hired to write screenplays?

Dan G, you might be amazed to hear that deals happen just that way. Not instantly, but great contacts that lead to sales happen happen quite often. It doesn't have to be a high profile director, actor or producer, it can be a prodCo owner looking to staff a new show or a junior agent open to new clients. It's happened to me.

And I've gotten meetings and reads from some form of "standing in line". Basically it's just meeting people and making connections by accident. There's an advantage to living here. But most of us were born elsewhere. My first produced script was made in the San Francisco bay area (where I lived). 35mm Panavision. Local film company. After that I optioned scripts to Hollywood producers while living in my hometown... and eventually had one go to sale (company at Paramount). That's when moved to los Angeles. So it can be done... just not easy.

I was raised in Pasadena, California and own property in the Hollywood Hills so I am not exactly against LA. I just don't agree that you have to movie to LA to break in as a screenwriter. There are other ways to make contacts without picking up and moving to La La Land.

40 years ago, after uni, I spent a year in Hollywood - networking, writing, partying, writing, partying, writing, cleaning out swimming pools and generally having the time of my life - until I ran out of money and came to the conclusion that I was never going to get a green card. I then crossed the Canadian border - flew home and became a school teacher. But everything I learned about screenwriting took place during that period (I was lucky to meet up with an old studio writer who kindly took a Brit whippersnapper under his wing) and all of my contacts came out of that period or are connected in some way. Most of the Brit's I work with at some point did the same thing. When you are a kid, or even an old fart, with dreams - sometimes you just need to grab life by the balls and swing. One of my regrets in life is not going back and trying Again. That was my plan - and then I met the first wife!

People hit holes in one playing golf but you don't have to live on golf course to get one. I got an agent, sold scripts and was hired to write some some screenplays without living in LA. I thought you live in NY City?

Yep, I do live in NY. Plenty of filmmakers here. but I still have my car in LA and a place to stay

Dan M. Good for you. Yes, there are plenty of filmmakers in NY and I am not moving there either. I really don’t have any statistics and I doubt they exist, but it would probably be safe to say 99.9 percent of the screenwriters that move there will never make a dime writing a screenplay or selling one. One might be able to increase their chances but the odds are still stacked against them. Maybe instead of telling people they need to pack up and move there maybe you can suggest something else that might actually increase their chances... Just a thought.

I have a WGA Agent so I don't need to get a job to get writing gigs. FWIW I am not disagreeing with you/ I am just saying moving to LA is not the only option a new screenwriter has available. It is possible to break in as a screenwriter no matter where you live so please quit acting like people are doomed if they don’t move there. You said you lived there and when I asked you if you sold a screenplay or was hired to write one you told me you met an actress and attached her to your screenplay. That is not the same as selling or being hired to write.

I sold to Lions Gate Home Video Entertainment, office in Santa Monica. No Agent. No Manager. Met the Executive at Shooting Gun range. Stayed in touched and sent him a 'solicited' script. BTW, Eva Longoria not just an Actress. She's a successful Producer and Fashion Designer. I didn't say Writers are doomed living outside of LA but it helps to be in LA, around filmmakers. U can't do it alone. Writers need a team.

Well, California is okay, because of the Studios out there, BUT the Film Capital of America is Atlanta GA right now, not Los Angeles CA! Atlanta has Avengers, Spiderman, Transformers, Fast 8, basically Everything! California has prostitution and wild fires, they are slipping away. -Pittsburgh is the future of the Film Industry, wait til 2017! This Year is Atlanta, I give them that! But, Next Year is my City! God bless us all.

Brian, theres a big difference between being the Production capital and the Business capital. there are tons of productions in Georgia now, but it was Louisiana before that, NY before that. Hollywood and most of the deals that make those productions are still done in LA. And Dan, I too have gotten work just from being here and bumping into someone at a xmas party. So, you dont HAVE to be here. but if youre not, youre taking the long way.

But if you're in the production capital, you can make that work for you. Get involved and make connections. A friend of mine worked for his local film commission and ended up being the guy who drove around big name directors when they were scouting locations. Having lunch with them. Being the only person they knew in his part of the world. He's now directing movies here in Los Angeles (and probably Georgia, too). The main thing to do is make the most of whatever hand you're dealt.

@Danny. Yeah. But, like I said Atlanta is the Film Capital right now. Where the deal is made is almost irrelevant! It's where the cash is being spent that matters! And Georgia's economy is reaping the benefits from those LA deals! This year belongs to Atlanta, but next year is Pittsburgh. California has a "wild fire season" now. They are the prostitution film capital of America, and if one big earthquake strikes them, it will be about over. Pittsburgh is the future, the "Hollywood of the East." Thank God this is where I will make all of my Films! God bless us all....I do agree that the Studios and Execs are mostly in LA right now, but it's where the Films are made that matters. If no big budget films are filmed in LA then the money from that state will move away and eventually so will the studios. cya

Dan M. I know who she is. She has some credits with one of my actress and one of my directors.

Danny. Hollywood is no longer the movie capital of the world. They make films in just about every corner of world. I sent two scripts to India last week so I know there are at least two producers over there. I am glad you got work from being in LA but I am not looking for work. I was just trying to make a point that there are other ways to meet people, sell screenplays and get hired to write them even if you don’t live in LA.

Both Dan's are right. No, you don't HAVE to be in LA... but how many networking events are in Bumfuckville, Ohio? We're trying to correct that with regional meetups here on Stage 32, but even though more filming happens in Atlanta than Los Angeles, nobody wants to LIVE in Atlanta because it's a garbage city (ATL WHAAAAT? Your city literally smells). People want to live in California... it's 75, sunny, and we have great Mexican food. What does that have to do with entertainment? Well, it's where the development executives want to live! It's where the stars, producers, writers, directors want to be because it's nice! It's the hub of the development world! If Atlanta had our weather, temperament, and odor, they would probably be the entertainment capital of the world... but as it stands, Atlanta is a stinky trash city with too many airplanes. I hate Atlanta. Garbage city of hobos. Thankfully, in the digital age you can skype meetings, you can email your script, shit you could do conference calls in the 90's! So no, you don't HAVE to be in LA. We have plenty of success stories from people who don't live here, but if you ARE here, your chances go up simply due to proximity to the decision makers. You're not likely to run into a development executive standing in line at the Waffle House in Atlanta... but waiting in line at some hipster cafe on Melrose? Chances are much higher.

Like I said earlier, just being able and willing to BE in LA also works. It's a five hour flight from where I live to LAX. If I needed to, I could be at a meeting within a day. And since this industry moves at a fricking glacial pace anyway, it's not like anyone is likely to say "oh can you meet with us today?!"

Screenwriter John August is leaving LA for Paris, France

Exactly. Because no one wants to live in Garbageville, Georgia.

@Dan Guardino and Dan Max. It does happen, meeting people in LA and getting deals done. That Hal from Screenwriting U talked about a guy standing in line at Starbucks out there, and a Guy said I am in a huge hurry can I go in front of you, and the guy was like Yeah sure....then they got to talking in the waiting area, and he said what do you do? And the guy said I write screenplays, and he said Oh, I'm a Producer, come down to my Office tomorrow, the guy went and got a deal! :) HOWEVER, I do say LA is slipping away now. They are too worried about Prostitution films, not real Films, so they are slowly falling off the map. They have a Wild Fire Season Now, (craziness,) and if one big earthquake hits them, (and it will eventually,) then they will be #5 in America. ------------------------------------------Right now CA is #4 on the List in the World! and #2 in America. They say Bollywood in India grosses an obscene amount of money, (but I don't care for musicals, so not for me,) in America, Atlanta is the Film Capital right now not LA, (Transformers, Spiderman, Avengers, Fast 8, Walking Dead.....) Their economy is going to double in the next five years, and LA just keeps losing money. The Studios already in place in CA are the only reason they are not done already! However, Pittsburgh is the Future! 2017! I have about 30 Films I am going to make and now that our Film Tax Credit is all fixed WE are Not going to be called the Hollywood of the East! Hollywood is going to be called the Pittsburgh of the West! :) But, God bless us all, and CA is still Beautiful and makes some good Films! Love ya'll.

Brian- Thats awesome that u want to make 30 films in your hometown. Thats a dream for most filmmakers, provide jobs to the community. Best of Luck. But come to LA for the Oscars. They give out free popcorn.

If anyone ever calls Los Angeles the "Pittsburgh of the West" I will light my apartment on fire. That said: http://iscaliforniaonfire.com/

Beautiful Comment @Dan Max. When I went to Robert Morris U for Film Production we had to stand up and talk about our goals, and I said: I am going to be a Writer/Director/Co-star and make Theatrical Films, and the Teacher, (Dr. Vanhala,) stopped the class and said: see that, That is the attitude you Must have in this business, (never give up, because you will hear 1,000 No's before your first Yes, (metaphorically speaking, :) But, I didn't say I actually have Screenplays Written, so it's not just a crack pipe statement of Want! :) Now, I have.......I wrote a Film with Stan Gordon, I wrote a screenplay for a lawyer who owns a firm, I know a Filmmaker, I have 5 screenplays ready, I am just about done with The Silver Surfer I,,,,,,, I have an Epic Film I won't say the name of to people, I have a Trilogy of Films,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,but I am just getting started. I have been in Films recently like Concussion, Love the Coopers, Fences, American Pastoral,,,,T.V. Shows like Banshee season 4, and the Outsiders 1 and 2........................ So, I am just starting, but I will definitely take you up on your offer to come to the Oscars one day my Friend! And I will reach out to you, and hopefully We can hang out together since that is not my town! It's yours! Pittsburgh is my City, I Love it hear! We may have 4 seasons of weather in one day sometimes, but no wild fires burning up blocks, so God bless us all and I hope to make a film or two in California also. (One takes place on a beach..and Pittsburgh is Not "Beach Material" :) ha ha. Love ya'll and see you later my Friend!

And @Erik Grossman :) Your apartment might be on fire before you get home the way things seem to be going out there.. It's Craziness! You're right by an Ocean, yet Fires are Everywhere!!! It almost defies logic,,,,,they should pump water onto those dry spots...(I know salt is no good, yada times 3, but at least if it's damp the brush won't catch on fire) God bless you all my Friends! And there's nothing wrong with being called the Pittsburgh of the West, at least one day it will be that way! 2017 is going to be Our Year! Then saying You are the Pittsburgh of the West will seem like an Honor! (You'll see) Feel free to visit us LA, We Love ya! :) And the Steelers have plenty of room on the band wagon, especially since #7 is coming this year! :)

• My thoughts and prayers to the people and animals in the Blue Cut fire. That has been one mean and hard-to-control fire. I saw a news report where a man had 15 minutes to get 40 horses evacuated from his ranch. Thankfully he had the horse trailers, and they all made it out. My thoughts and prayers to the people and animals in the newly-formed Santa Barbara, too. + In 2003, living in the foothills of the Angeles National Forest, the Grand Prix fire was burning for a couple days east of us. We were watching it from the roof around midnight. All of a sudden, every tree, bush and lawn went up in flames on our block. That is quite amazing to see happen, when the flashpoint of vegetation is reached like that. Our houses were spared, because they were stucco and the roofs were tiled. A few blocks away, though, many people weren't as fortunate, and over 50 houses with wood and tar roofs were destroyed from flying embers. + In 2007, living in downtown San Diego, the Witch Creek Fire ignited 30 miles away and worked its way west to the city. Entire cities were ordered to evacuate, and even many of the evacuation centers along the way were evacuated. Winds were over 100 MPH and pushing the flames towards the coastal cities. Our block, cars and roofs were covered in two inches of ash the next morning and the side of my building was blackened from the smoke. Firefighters got the fire under control when the winds subsided and shifted and San Diego proper was spared. Over 1,000 building were destroyed in the suburban areas, and two people died. Firefighters are some of the bravest people on the planet. "First in, last out" is one of their motto's. May the heavens continue to bless them.

@Bill I am blessed with a significant other who is both a firefighter and a writer. How lucky am I, lol?! My dad is a retired FF and my brother is also a FF, which is how I met my bf ;-)

I live on the east coast in the middle of what used to be a swamp. I'm about as far away as I can get from Hollywood and still be within the mainland U.S.

I'm in Louisiana and have been temporarily surrounded by water. We were fortunate that our neighborhood didn't flood, but we couldn't leave it, had no cell phone service and just got the internet back today. Felt a bit like being on Gilligan's Island.

Linda - that is a terrible tragedy, too. I think something like 20 inches of rain fell in 24 hours in Southern Louisiana. And in March, Northern Louisiana had a major flood with over 26 inches of rain. By comparison, Las Vegas gets 4 inches of rain PER YEAR. The last time it rained in my yard was February. I lived in Clearwater Beach, Florida for a while. One day it rained eight inches - twice in the same day. I never saw anything like that before. Glad you were spared the flooding in your house. Good thoughts and wishes to all of the people in Louisiana. Vince - sorry for the sidetrackings!

Louisiana is underwater and the media covers Man-Baby(Trump) 24/7 - Something's Wrong!

My British newspaper has coverage of your fires and floods and any decent human will commiserate for the misery of the people effected - but for the international media (and increasingly that is what television news is) - Louisiana underwater is not going to effect the world. Electing Donald Trump will do. Last year these disasters would have seen more coverage - this year is election year and the media is more interested in soundbites of Trump touring the disaster zone. Welcome to the modern world. For those of you who like to flit about in the darkside - it would make a dark screenplay. Think Nightcrawler.

Yes, Bill, it is a heartbreaking situation for thousands. Thank you for the good thoughts and wishes.

Thank God people are now aware of it. My cousins live there and for a while, there was no relief. That pretty much changed overnight. There are a lot of politics involved, unfortunately, and the poor people always pay the price.

I live in south Texas and love it! Lived in San Francisco a bit over 10 years. The food and shopping 'were' great but the hospitable people here in Texas, the weather (just as good as LA without the fires and earthquakes) the cost of living is reasonable, and access to the Gulf and beaches is easy-go. One of the great things is one can drive for miles and see the water unrestricted by condos, hotels and houses piled on top of each other like dominoes (Florida sucks). The bloom year round, plethora of palm trees is outstanding. Only Hawaii can boast more. Yes, we have hurricanes. The thing about that is we have early 'warnings' to get out of harm's way and most 'hits' end up in Mexico or way up north in Louisiana, east of there and the west coast of Florida. What's not to like? I am hopeful that Brian is right about LA. I will visit and have, but live there? No way. The need for fresh content is growing so rapidly and in so many new venues, in my view, that production companies will spring up and relocate where the talent and costs are globally favorable.