If you’re an unproduced writer, here’s the cold hard reality of pitching screenplays. Unless your story has a buzz, e.g., you win or placed well at Nichol Fellowship, Screencraft, or Page Awards, or you’re script scores are high on the Blacklist or Tracking Board, https://files.blcklst.com/files/2021_black_list_v4.pdf most potential industry readers are looking for reasons to say no (or hell no!) to your spec script pitch. You’re welcome to disagree, but the odds are against you mathematically. I’ve had industry types give me excellent reviews but still passed on a script because It didn’t fit their current needs.
There is a brighter bit of news to this thread. In securing interest for your work, you have a much better chance of success when meeting a need. For example, I made four pitches this week and received two script requests. One was for a character-driven dramedy, and the second was for a low-budget, one-location sci-fi script.
Now, I ain’t Moses, and my observations and advice are not engraved on stone tablets from Mount Sanai. This post is strictly based on my experience. However, though I’ve received numerous script requests that came from query letters, the success rate for securing a right-to-shop or option deals has been poor. My success rate for meeting a need has been far more significant.
I’ll leave you with advice from Lee Jessup about how to answer 3 questions on why someone should care about your pilot. https://www.networkisa.org/modules/articles/view/answer-these-3-question...
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Great post, Phillip E. Hardy, Prolifique. And a writer can have the best script in the world, but if it's not what a producer needs, that producer probably won't be interested in the script.
When I read a job post, I search it for "needs" that the producer, production company, etc. is looking for. Sometimes the need is "a writer who understands screenplay structure," or "a writer who writes thrilling action lines." Being that I understand screenplay structure and I write thrilling action lines, I can fulfil the "needs" that they're looking for.
This was one of the best articles I've read lately. Excellent tips! Thanks.
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Thanks for posting, Phillip! These are some excellent questions for me to think about as I go about script revisions.
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We have to consider what we make as a product. A product must fulfil a need. In that it must solve a problem. Billy Connelly amusingly talks about useless products like a combination coat hanger/cigarette lighter. We cannot make useless products.
For most producers their problem is a fixed budget that must be used to maximise return on investment. I know that sounds obvious. But remember that when you are about to write a disco scene of 500 people so we can see your parents kiss for the first time.
For me I think of the size of the potential audience for any movie. Then I aim for a budget way way below what that audience will bring. A story about two old people with bad hips training for a marathon. Sounds cute, but a small audience. So make it super cheap to make.
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Well said and absolutely true! But I will say this, life is about taking risk and if we don’t take risk how boring will life be? Passion is what makes you successful in life.
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Thanks for the link Phillip. Most helpful information.
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The biggest need out there is commercially appealing concepts written within the remit of most production budgets. The industry is mainly indie film and low budget indie film at that.
It seems like most writers are either churning out studio movies that demand eight or even nine figure budgets or indie scripts so niche only a handful of people would ever want to watch them.
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CJ: I agree. Writing low-budget scripts is the way to go.
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For unknown screenwriters - the Indie market is the only viable path at this time.
If you look up screenwriter in a dictionary, it says 1. Don Quixote, noun. Then it says See also 'Failed screenwriter." Get real, fer chrissakes! ;)
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Doug if unknown screenwriters have no viable path, then why has a major lit management company requested 3/3 of my script queries? Honest question. Because why would they waste their time requesting scripts to read if there is no possibility of them doing anything with them?
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To me, most of what you wrote has been the rule for spec script pitching as long as I've been interested in screenwriting (1982). I really don't expect it to change anytime soon as well. Another way to get your script made, like it or not, is to do it yourself. If you have a tight, short screenplay set in a single environment, try your damnest to get it made with your own two hands. Even if you fail at the attempt at least you'd have tried.
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Well, I wish all you guys the best. If there's ever been a time to write scripts, produce (effectively) and make films, it has to be now.
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Robert - 'viable' is the operative word here. There is greater potential for achieving success for an unknown writer in the Indie market. Lightening does very rarely strike out of the clear blue but for an unknown writer to place his bet on achieving such a lofty goal is essentially a 'sucker's bet - get some chops, work your way up the ladder. If you do start at the 'top', the only direction to go is down. You won't have developed the survival skills needed and the Puranas all your flesh as you descend.
Why would a Lit Management company want to read your stuff? I have no idea - maybe to scope you out as a potential fee paying client.
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A Script request is the bare minimum for this occupation. You want reads by ppl who actually make income by making movies & tv series.
I think Nicholl finalists get $35,000 cash award, and one-year mentorship with an established pro. Kinda like a paid fellowship.
Nicholls finalist winner Wenohan Wilm landed a co-creator/showrunner gig with Mickey Fisher.
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Amman M. Said there is an old saying “the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is today”.
Today is our only time to act. You are correct about more opportunities.
I understand there are around 40,000 Cinema screens in the USA and 160,000 cinema screens worldwide. If you add the # of Phone screens and Computer screens then "Display real estate" has increased (!) somewhere between 5,000 to 50,000%
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There are different markets out there. People who make studio size movies don't normally accept material from unknown screenwriters unless they have a WGA Agent or a Manger or submitted by someone they know. That makes them the hardest market to try and break into. Smaller independent filmmakers rely on good stories to make their movies so they are usually more willing to read screenplays written by unknown screenwriters without representation. So when starting out that would seem to be the best market to write screenplays for.