Screenwriting : Submitting your screenplay to Amazon Studios may be like trying to locate a Unicorn. by Phillip E. Hardy, Prolifique

Market dynamics at full flower.

Nice clip Phil - geeze, I'm surprised that you're just such a young 'un (with all that knowledge.)

Hollywood needs unicorns to sell dreams to Sheep.

Amazon Bosses are currently at Sundance Film Festival making deals with filmmakers, face to face.

They ain't making movie deals off blind submissions.

Dan M: Word! I think they're making four figure deals with cryptocurrency.

Amazon Studios sucks! Phil, what is your solution? Would screenwriters be better off to pitch here on Stage 32 or do you think it's just as fraudulent? What would be your advice to aspiring screenwriters trying to break in? I bet a lot of writers would love your take on this.

Claude, you've asked a very good question. I think I will post a video about this very

Topic in the next couple of weeks. However, I'll provide you with a brief answer today.

Let me begin with Stage 32 happy writers. I've had Fairly good luck pitching to them and getting at least to the script request phase. I've received six script requests using happy writers. However I probably received at least three times as many rejections using that service. Which still isn't too shabby. One of the script requests resulted in a producer approaching me about collaborating on a screenplay project. Our last contact was at the beginning of January, and he's reading another script that I wrote. So I'll keep you posted on this one as it progresses. So no, I don't think happy writers is a scam. However, it can be a difficult not to crack unless you have a very tight pitch with a catchy logline and a very well written synopsis. If you haven't read it, I suggest you read my stage 32 blog about pitching your material.

I've had a pretty high level of success using inktip, which has resulted in all of my option agreements. I've signed seven agreements using their service. Where most writers go off track with inktip, is they think by using their listing service, which is a passive way to connect with producers and directors that they will achieve some level of success. My Success has been a result of answering ads and lots of them, using the Inktip newsletter. While other writers answer the ads for low-budget horror, thriller and other more competitive genres, I've looked for obscure topics where I'm certain that nobody, or very few will be competing, and then I've answered those ads and made pitches to write those scripts for the interested parties. In some cases, I've even told the the producer I have the script when I don't, and then I've written it in less than a week. My most recent success came in September, when I signed an option agreement to write a true crime thriller that's being shopped to several studios right now. I just did another pitch last night for an Inktip producer looking for a screenplay about an obscure subject. This method has been very successful for me but it's also required me to be bold and act quickly when opportunity arises.

I hope that answers your question.

InkTip has worked well for me as both a writer and as a producer.

Thanks Phil ... Yes, that`s great. Good luck with your crime thriller. I'm amazed at all your awards you've received over the years, Screenwriting is a hard nut to crack and if you don't try no one will know what you've got. I loved your video. Keep it up.

Claude

Thank you very much. Very nice of you to say.