Screenwriting : What is the best thing to do if you KNOW you have something? by Ryan Stacy

Ryan - How much money do you have? The best way to get exposure is by buying it.

Get "fresh eyes" on it, i.e. people whom have worked in Hollywood that will be very honest with you.

That's an honest answer. I never considered writing a screenplay or making a film because it seemed like an industry built on getting to know 8,000 people to know someone who knew someone who was a part of Empire Records. I've had some encouragement from my fiance who was in set design forever and she has some connections. It's just kind of crazy to me that this film I've written is so obviously profitable for everyone involved...and the grifting just never seems to end. Isn't there someone looking for a profitable idea rather than getting paid to tell someone they're an expert? It's odd. Maybe I'll rent a billboard. Better Call Saul.

I'll watch for you between the velvet ropes.

Lindbergh E Hollingsworth That's the problem. It's brilliantly written for huge multiple mass demographics and was designed to be a relatively inexpensive production. An agent said as much but basically isn't motivated to work for it. Who will work for it? I will work for my script -- but who will work for the script instead of trying to rip me off for the honor of talking to them? Who wants to make money off of the thing being a moneymaker instead of telling me they're an expert at something? It's strange to me there isn't a more honest level of commerce in this process.

@Ryan There are many both FREE and paid pitch sessions at screenwriting festivals with execs/producers looking for next idea. London screenwriting festival (now on line all year) has some coming up February. Sad though cos now all done by zoom due to covid, I really miss the people in the halls.

First, you'll want to register your script with the WGA.org. Second, you'll need to stay humble and realize that you're the 10,000th person this month (make that this week) that thought their script was absolutely perfect. Lastly, you might check out Stage32's pitch sessions and sign up for one. But please don't go into it thinking you're God's gift to screenwriting. That's a sure way to crash and burn relationships that might want to help you get somewhere.

Hi Ryan, this is a customer focused type business regardless of what we want to believe. We write scripts and sell them to people. Or we sell our skill via a contract.

If I have a product that no one wants, it’s value is nothing. No matter how great I think it is. You say you have showed it to people. They don’t see what you see.

Therefore we must assume it has “no market value”. I am not saying it is bad or not quality. It is probably as good as you say it is. The market values it at nil.

You have a few options. But I would take the skill you have a create a second work. Then if that get market value, use it to sell the first one. This is the best advice I can offer. You cannot force the market to see something they are blind about.

People invented thing called logline...then it was followed by a next best thing - a synopsis...

Ryan, connect with me, and I'll give you my email so you can send it to me. I worked for the studios in development and physical production. I'll be the "fresh eyes" on it and provide you honest feedback and notes. Christmas rate: free.

Ryan, you're more than welcome to post that screenplay here on Stage 32...and on other sites like Script Revolution, InkTip, Blacklist, ScriptHop, and Prewrite.

You've got me (and no telling how many other people here on 32) curious about what you've written.

Wishing you all the VERY BEST, Ryan! You can do it!

Never assume your screenplay is perfect. Get professional feedback. Another set of eyes can be invaluable.

During the past half century or so, I don't recall ever seeing a 'perfect' script. Filmmaking is a collaborative process requiring a bunch of creative folk (a committee) that will never fully agree on anything. Then comes along a Producer.

If the agent isn't interested, then maybe you don't have something.

Though the Nicholl just announced the winners, we are about to hit Holiday shut down in an already shut down year, so think about entering the Nicholl next year... if you really have something you will be a winner (or at least a finalist) and be noticed by the entire industry.

But you can query managers with a logline, and if you really have something, get reads, and if you really have something, get signed.

Ryan Stacy if it's perfect and potentially profitable, it should be an easy step to get your friends and family to invest in getting it produced. Then you'll retain all the rights and won't get ripped off. Be sure to set aside enough money to market it. The best movie in the world won't make money if no one knows it's out there and how to watch it.

Thanks for the feedback. I'm being a little silly in character about all this and totally am not sincerely trying to be Troy Duffy here. A real question: will I really get protection on the work from the WGA? I am pretty afraid of the concept being stolen and redone. I keep hearing that that's not reasonable and the professional people I've talked to have told me not to worry. Again: sincere thanks for the time to engage on any level.

And I don't mean to be arrogant (I really don't), but my feeling is that regarding my current agent: he just has easier money to make elsewhere or feels selling it is above his head or "level". He also may just not "get" it. He professed that he loved it and encouraged me to write more -- but I had already started a smart political satire; the one I sent him was literally for every kid on a bus in Bahrain and every stoner in Iowa, so I don't see how that helps. Would love to share it with people...but I truly am afraid.

And honestly do appreciate the feedback. I am entering it with a video to the Imagine submission contest. So there's that.

Ryan Stacy you can only copyright a unique artistic expression, not an idea or a concept.

This is meant to stop ideas and concept being locked away preventing the grow of artistic expression.

So that's what I'm afraid of. I wrote a script with a kind of a "how the hell did no one think of that before?!" premise. I lovingly wrote it and gave it life -- but someone could easily make a dumber version of it and I don't want to see that happen and I'd like to at least get paid for someone dumbing down my idea. Maybe the answer is to hold onto that script and write another (almost finished with second), but I'm demoralized because the second one actually is something that I could see needing craft and connections to get made. I had thought this huge idea would actually be the entry for more "subltle" work. Maybe I'm wrong. It is very possible that I'm wrong about a ton. I am, in fact, seeking help and I appreciate the responses.

So, a practical question: take the film 13 Sins as an example; it's a film about a guy with a lot of problems who picks up a phone and the entity on the other line tells him if he commits 13 sins laid out to him that he'll be a millionaire. To what extent would the writer be protected if it were changed to 12 Dares and it was a computer interface instead of a phone and the prize was an island?

Ryan Stacy your script is protected. Not the underlying idea. Imagine if no one was ever allowed to write a detective story after the first Sherlock Holmes novel was published.

He wouldn’t. That would be a legal question that may or may not be fought in court.

I guarantee that if you go back in time you will find a story that is similar in nature to 13 sins. Perhaps in asian cinema. But that is the point. You remember 13 sins not the others that came before it.

I guess I am going to err on the side of the strength of the idea and script. I have a pretty strong legal background. I would think the above example could be challenged in court. The example of Sherlock Holmes precluding future detective movies from being made can't reasonably be defended; I believe the 13 Sins example is grounds for a lawsuit. Thank you, though.

With over 10,000 agents in NY and CA, having just one interested does not make sense. Try to send it to the others and see what they say. But if you are interested in getting it made - then the route is you need a logline, tagline, synopsis, copyright it and get it out there. Sitting on a desk is probably not a feasible option. But make sure you know how to pitch otherwise it ain't going anywhere. In addition, every writer in the world knows their script is the best ever, I had never ever heard any screenwriter use the term 'perfect' when referring to their script as 'Perfect' does not mean anything as it has no emotion. What would 'Perfect' mean to you?