Screenwriting

Jack - you bring up a topic that few/none of the writers in these public forums are even aware of. As a reader; coverage is what I provide to a Producer (sometimes to an Agent as a marketing tool).

Tony - any business that requires professionalism is a cruel taskmaster to the snowflake crowd.

A $1.5k - $2.5K neighborhood is where the well known Linda Seger and Michael Hauge live. Their services are available to snowflakes everywhere.

The goal of notes for a producer / director / exec are quite different from notes and analysis to assist a writer develop their work,

What? Not a clue.

Huh?

I think you need to clarify your post. Are you saying that Stage32 is a great service and that other services are bad, or that within Stage32 there is good and bad? I think if you started your post with something like that it would be more clear. I thought you were talking smack about stage32 services until I read the last couple of paragraphs.

Predator, at end, Arnold saying what the hell are you and the Predator saying back, what the hell are you

Not that it's my favorite, but has anyone noticed that Tarantino's Pulp Fiction actually ends with "Zed's dead baby...Zed's dead..."?

Fight Club

"You met me at a very strange time in my life."

The usual suspects

"The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist, and like that... he's gone"

I have WAY too many favorites... but one I say often is also from Fight Club: "Sticking feathers up your butt will not make you a chicken!"

Dan Guardino interested. :)

Aleisha Brooks. I sent the code.

I got 4 codes, if anyone wants one, send me a network request, I’ll message it to you

I am interested

Ismael Judá Moraes Reis Dias. I sent you and invite and the code.

Great example of the differences between criticism and a bad review. Thanks for this.

Are the people listening to pitches, really on the lookout for something to produce, or are they just there to judge pitches? That is the question. They have the credentials or do they? That is the question. Is there a better way?

Claude. If they charge you to pitch they are probably doing it for the money.

Ask yourself just who are you pitching to in these 'Pitch-Fests'. Are they the decision makers? Almost certainly not. The humongous Intergalactic Film Studio uses these 'Pitch-Fests' as a way of training new employees and interterns. They charge you money to train their folk - not a bad racket for them, eh? A few of 'em get a handle on it; most don't. Some times, when lightning strikes at 4:20 on Friday the 13th afternoon in a month having no 'r' in it during an odd numbered year, one of these pitched scripts will drift upward. If your intention is to become a credible professional screenwriter - these 'pitch-fests' seem like a long shot.

There are hundreds of long shot success stories. from pitchfests, contests, fellowships, film school, self-taught filmmakers.

The latest pitchfest success story is Evan Romansky. He co-created “Nurse Ratched” tv series.

I'm a writers' coach dealing mostly with writer's block situations. Message me and we can chat. I also have free videos coming out soon.

Try to stay away from writing for a while then return in some days.

A given project "blocked"? Work on something else. Have at least 3 projects in different stages of development: planning, blocking, creation, revision.

Snowflake method

Never look at a blank page.

Screenplay competitions are tough. And there's no tougher crowd than a Brooklyn audience. Last week, this screenplay competition had to postpone the announcements twice due to the sheer volume of entries. The judges could not make up their minds. I was sweating bullets to the very end.

I submitted a script too that didn't make 2nd Round whereas last year another script did. What bothers me is that the one I sent this year was (in my view) a much stronger story. Its a perennial problem for me where stronger more complex stories are a harder-sell than more conventional ones!!

@Rosemary, you have to remember, its not just about how good your script is - its about how good it is up against 13,700 other scripts. last year, the number of submissions was less. But also, with 13000 submissions, MANY good scripts didnt make the cut so keep at it!

Please advice -- I've written 60 queries to Literary Agents about my most recent book manuscript. Now I have several award-winning scripts -- do I query Film Agents the same way? Is there a list of those willing to accept queries? This is new territory for me. I've read Danny Manus query letter -- it's terrific -- but who do you send it to??

Holly, a couple of years ago after entering a bunch, I did an unofficial study of screenplay contests, including number of entries and chances of placing and winning. Here's the cliff note version:

About a third of entries are total garbage and are tossed by or even before page 10, usually a first time writer who has no idea of what they are doing. (First readers)

Half of those left are weak and highly lacking in different areas like formatting or character development, or proofreading. (Pro readers)

The ones left actually get a "real read" where the above average ones are cut from the less than average. This also cuts down to about half of the remaining entries. (Judges)

At this point the finalists are selected. (About 15-20% of remaining entries.)

So out of over 13K, entries you'd have to beat about 8K just to remain in the running. Now ask yourself, is your idea more original than 10.5K other people's idea? Is you story so compelling that people would rather read it than 12K other average tales. And finally, is your script so well written that it would beat 13K to advance to the finals?

I sold the exact same story female post apocalyptic script to a UK company last year. Yours will find a home. looks like a trend is coming.

I thought being it involved the destruction of the US a Brit would love it.

Keep up the good work Bill Albert! I know we've emailed back and forth on this. Like Craig D Griffiths says, it will find a home!

Thank you, Jason. Hope the 3rd time is a charm.

Are you saying you're looking for an editor?

You can find endless guides online for how to format a script. You can also find countless produced scripts, which will give you some idea.

Hey Barry Kopulos! Great to have you here. I am the Director of Script Services at Stage 32. Feel free to reach out to me at j.mirch@stage32.com and I would be happy to help you take the project forward.

Read a couple of dozen screenplays and do what they all do, but not what only one or two do.

Then just use one of the free apps or just type it in with tabs to create the format.

That's what I did when I was starting out - tab button. I measured the indents (and "outdents" - which probably isn't a word) and then typed it into format. Typewriter days.

But I don't know what your script is for, TV or movie, but as a movie that is about half the length you are looking for. So if this is a movie, note how it differs from those two dozen screenplays that you read.

William Martell, true about the length, but that changes drastically with the formatting. Properly formatted, 10,000 words translate to approximately 60 script pages.

Cool! I live in LV, so was wondering if I missed something, but it is a 'book to film' so outside my area. Best of luck to you! Keep us posted!

Hey Alex R Price! I really enjoyed the read and I am happy my feedback was helpful! Always glad to work with passionate writers to develop material. Keep it up! Best of luck to you!

Beware - AuthorHouse is a vanity publisher; as far as I know, they're not in any way connected to the film biz. I would very, very, very carefully vetted every single producer/agent scheduled to be there. Very carefully. I mean, very carefully.

Let me just say this, as a former development executive who has taken 3000 pitches at pitchfests, teaches pitching for a living, wrote a dozen articles on pitchfests, and has attended about 75 pitchfests over the years.... every piece of advice Jack Sprat just said is completely incorrect and is really bad advice. like... really bad advice. sorry.

To follow up... Execs (and assistants) and Managers/Reps WANT to know about YOU. They hear 100 decent ideas a day - they want to know why YOU are the writer to write that story, what sets you apart, what connects you to it. Especially NOW - when they're looking for new POVS/Voices. If you just pitch plot and not YOURSELF - you are wasting your time. NEVER EVER speak for 5 minutes and feel like you could speak another 10 minutes. If you prepare for 15 minutes, you will NEVER be able to pitch your whole story. That is NOT what they want. If you have 5 minutes with them, your pitch should be no longer than 3 minutes. They want to know how EFFICIENTLY and SPECIFICALLY you can pitch the A to Z of your story in the strongest way while making it sound commercial. Pitch concept, character, conflict, give them the genre, the comps, a great logline. You save the other 2 minutes for questions and so they can get to know you. If you speak for 4 minutes and 55 seconds, there is no time for them to ask you anything. They will NOT keep the pitch going if they like it - there's a line of people waiting to pitch and the event won't let them. They may ask you for a one-sheet, but you've missed your opportunity for them to connect with you.

Do NOT go to the oldest person in the room - god that's horrible advice. If there's an old guy at a pitchfest it's because no one wants to work with him anymore and he's not getting any decent material. Go to the YOUNG, HUNGRY execs who are trying to find something to bring in and put their name on. Go to the boutique companies WITH credits - it's the biggest company in the room who is only there for the money and the free lunch. Thy don't need your project. You don't have to thank them for being there and go on and on about it, but you want to be polite. And have fun!

what cha doing now?

got any projects to send me?

Hey Erik Carlson drop me a note to j.mirch@stage32.com - I will hook you up with a free month of the Writers' Room. It is the largest online writers' group that I am aware of. Lot of supportive and experienced writers.

Jason Mirch, thanks a lot! Messaging you now!

any short films that I can see?