I’m Shahin Rashidhashemi, a screenwriter based in Marbella, Spain. I write prestige horror / dramatic thrillers with a focus on ethics, institutions, and human cost. My flagship series is FRAME / SMALL HOUSE — contained institutional horror (tonal space: Severance × The Grudge).
I’ve completed 4 full seasons (season arcs + episodes are finished and production-ready). I’m now trying to be strategic about making money from the work and moving it toward production.
Question for producers, reps, and writers who’ve done this:
What’s the best real-world path to monetize a completed multi-season TV series like this?
Specifically, I’d love guidance on:
1. Representation first vs producer attachment first — which opens doors faster?
2. Should I lead with a pilot + series bible, or is it smart to package S1 only and keep later seasons as leverage?
3. What’s the most effective route: option, shopping agreement, paid rewrite, IP sale, co-production, or indie proof-of-concept?
4. If you were in my shoes, what would be your first 3 steps this month to turn completed seasons into income?
If you’re open to it, I can share the logline + 1-page pitch in the comments or DM. Thanks for any real, practical advice.
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Congratulations on finishing FRAME / SMALL HOUSE, Shahin Rashidhashemi!
I suggest checking out Stage 32's Education on pitching a TV series. Two of the webinars are free. www.stage32.com/education/search?term=Pitch%20Television
My biggest tip is network/build relationships online and in person. It could lead to script requests, meeting requests, etc. Here are some blogs on networking: www.stage32.com/blog/tags/networking-41
Reach out to the Success Team at success@stage32.com. Geoff and his team can help you connect with producers, executives, and more.
And you could enter contests. It's a great way to get your series in front of producers, managers, etc. Stage 32 is the Global Screenwriting Contest Hub (www.stage32.com/scriptservices/contests).
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Taking into account how you express yourself, I have the impression that like most people here at Stage32, you have not sold any earlier script. So I suggest that you start with asking other screenwriters to read what you have written. To find out if you need to improve upon something before you try to sell. For example, you can use the strategy "I am willing to read your script if you read mine". I have myself received many useful comments in that way.
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Göran Johansson fair point, and thank you for being direct.
I’m absolutely open to doing a proper script swap to pressure-test the writing before I push harder on selling/packaging. If you’re willing, I’d love to read one of your scripts (or your first 10–20 pages) and give you honest notes, and you can do the same for my pilot FRAME / SMALL HOUSE — “THE CART.”
If that works for you:
1. tell me what format you want (feature / pilot) and the page count
2. we can swap PDFs via DM (or email if you prefer)
3. I’ll send you a clear set of notes: strengths + top fixes + pacing/structure comments.
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In order to read what you have written (and send comments), I need your email address. You can download my most recent script from my profile. The one for which I have a logline. I am right now discussing with an Australian film company, and the reason why they are considering it is in all probability that with my background in no-budget filming, I wrote in such a way that it will be extremely cheap and easy to film.
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Göran — thank you, and congratulations on the Australian company conversation. That’s a strong signal (and I respect the “written for producibility” approach — smart).
Here’s my email for the swap: dkshahinrashidigmail.com
I’ll download your latest script from your profile (the one with the logline) and I’ll send you notes back by email.
Please email me your preferred version (PDF) and tell me what kind of feedback you want most (story/structure, character, pacing, dialogue, producibility/budget).
I’ll send you my pilot FRAME / SMALL HOUSE — “THE CART” (PDF) in return right after your email comes through.
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Hi Shahin! Having 4 full seasons production-ready is a massive achievement. Regarding your path forward:
1. Lead with the Pilot + Bible: Even with 4 seasons done, the industry usually buys the 'engine' of the show first. Use the later seasons as leverage during negotiations to show you have a proven roadmap.
2. Producer Attachment: Getting a reputable producer attached often opens doors to representation faster than querying agents directly.
3. Shopping Agreement: This might be your best route to maintain some control while a producer pitches it to networks.
It’s great to see 'prestige horror' with institutional focus—reminds me of the high-stakes world-building we are currently diving into. Good luck!
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Salisu — thank you. This is exactly the kind of practical breakdown I was hoping for.
Your point about selling the engine first really lands. I’ll lead with the pilot + series bible, and keep Seasons 2–4 as leverage to prove the roadmap (not overload the pitch). Also agreed on producer attachment — it feels like the fastest “door opener” if the fit is right.
Quick question: when you say shopping agreement, what length/terms have you seen work best for a new writer (e.g., 6–12 months, reversion, approval on submissions)?
If you’re open to it, I’m happy to DM you the logline + 1-page pitch (or the pilot) and would value your gut-check on whether the packaging is market-ready.
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Hi Shahin! I'm glad that perspective helped. To answer your question on Shopping Agreements for a new writer:
1. Length: A 6–12 month initial term is standard. It gives the producer enough time to make the rounds but doesn't lock your IP away forever if they can’t perform.
2. Terms: Always include a reversion clause so that if the term ends without a deal, all rights return to you 100%.
3. Approval: You definitely want 'Approval on Submissions' so you know exactly which networks or studios are seeing your work. You don't want your project 'shopped out' to the wrong places.
I’d be happy to take a look at your logline and 1-page pitch in the DMs. I'm currently prepping a high-concept pilot for a January 1st kickoff, but I can definitely give you a gut-check on whether your packaging feels market-ready. Cheers!