Screenwriting : Writers Who Can’t Produce Their Own Work by Kendall Helton

Kendall Helton This is something we all go through. I find myself still staring into the same abyss. I can't produce my own work because I lack the money and time with my day job to do so. AND I probably couldn't get financed for a pack of bubble gum let alone a proof of concept or short film. It's ok to set high goals for yourself. To kind of quote someone. We do this because it is hard. I would say be selective to the contests you enter. Anyone that wants you to pay them up front usually is a fraud. Get FEEDBACK on your script. There are some places that can give you really good feedback to make improvements. Allow yourself to be discouraged then dust yourself off and try again. READ READ READ and READ some more. There are plenty of sites that allow access to really good scripts. This can show you how to make yours better. I hope this finds you well. Keep working at it.

Kendall Helton What kind of genres do you write? Asking because certain genres, such as comedy, lend themselves quite well to short, cheap videos that you can make yourself in your own home, IF you also like acting and have some acting chops.

If not - then yes, "make it yourself" sounds practical but is ultimately unrealistic for the average screenwriter with a day job.

I think you're doing the right things with OWAs, contests, and networking. Just keep going -- there are about as many different ways to break in as there are screenwriting concepts and ideas. I just landed my first studio deal and am in talks with two other studios and all of these percolated within the last year or so. For context: I've been screenwriting for about 18 years. One of these studio deals started with a free (yes, free) option to a small, independent producer 14 years ago whom I initially got in touch with via a pay-to-query service called Virtual Pitch Fest (it's still around). Long story but it went through many different actors, directors, etc... before getting into the hands of a director whose friend had just got a job at the studio. So -- usually when things happen it's kind of serendipitous and from the least expected place. The other two (potential) studio deals came about through leads: one here in Stage 32 the other through Screenwriting Staffing.

Daniel Silvas Thank you. I really appreciate you taking the time to share that.

It’s encouraging to hear from someone who’s been through the same frustrations. I think sometimes it’s easy to look around and feel like everyone else has a clear path while you’re just trying to figure things out as you go.

I’ve been focusing on improving my writing, getting feedback, entering a few contests, and continuing to learn. You’re right about reading scripts…it’s something I need to do more consistently.

Thanks again for the advice and encouragement. It genuinely helps!

Mark Simborg I write mostly horror and thrillers, so they’re a little harder to pull off on my budget, especially while balancing a full-time career. For now, I’m trying to focus on improving my writing, getting my work in front of the right people, and staying patient with the process.

It helps to hear from someone who has actually seen opportunities develop over time. Sometimes it feels like I’m going in circles, when in reality this seems to be a long game for most writers.

I appreciate you sharing your experience and congratulations on everything you’ve got going on right now. Wishing you success with all three projects!

I've been told all through my years of working at the studios, and outside the studios, that "writing is the best way to break into the business." And it's true. You can write shorts and get involved with your local filmmakers to get them made. David F. Sandberg wrote and directed a number of horror shorts (most should be on YouTube), and he's directing features. Good writers who know the craft - story structure, genres, mythologies (and I'm not only talking about Greek) - get noticed. You master the craft, it takes time, and move on and up! Kendall, break a leg!!

Lindbergh Hollingsworth thank you for the encouragement! It’s a relief to know that this is an avenue that people really break through with. Either way, it’s still something I enjoy doing. I’ll keep trying until I perfect it.

Thank you!

I was on a Zoom call with a successful and established director, who had read, considered, and decided to pass on one of my screenplays. He could tell I was discouraged and said something to me that I will never forget. "A painter uses a canvas to express and measure the success of their art; a director uses a film screen to express and measure the success of theirs. As a writer, let what's written on the paper be the expression and measure of your success, not the screen"

Daniel Silvas is spot on. We all experience that same abyss. So many writers, so many scripts, so much frustration. How can I possibly find success. We question our art, we question our abilities.

Let the measure of your success be determined by what's written on the paper. Is it good? Does your writing bring you to tears? Do you read your favorite 10 pages and think "that's really F'ing good". Let that be where you find your success...for now.

Yes, I know, we all want to see our story on the screen, but let that be the icing, not the cupcake. Focus on the everyday little sparks of joy from writing, dialogue improvement, script completion, festival awards, positive feedback, and the other steps will begin to fall into place naturally. When your screenplay is in the top .5% of its genre, someone will find it, and it will get made. Success can be found in the quality of your work mixed with patience, mixed with networking, mixed with commitment, mixed with a tiny pinch of luck.

Producing your own work feels like a BIG ASK! You're right, it is, but you don't have to produce your own work to be a successful writer. However, the hard truth is, you DO have to be a really good writer. If your work stands out, then finding a quality director and producer to jump on board, becomes a lot easier.

Enjoy writing. Get quality Feedback. Get your Logline right. Enter contests. Watch awards go from Quarterfinalists to Finalists to Winner as your work is refined. Get 3 or 4 wins, Get your synopsis perfect. Get your Pitch Deck made. Hone your Pitch to perfection. Send all of your marketing trinkets to managers. Sign with a manager. Catch the attention of a director. I'm not sure how the rest goes, because this is where my success currently rests.

I've been writing again for about 5 years, and far from an expert or a pro. I've never made a living as a writer and always had to support myself in the "real world". What I do know, is that I love writing, and having spent the last year focusing as much on the marketing and networking aspects of this industry, things have begun to flow. I'm about to sign with a manager. I'm literally just a normal guy going to work every day, who is patiently taking all the little steps as they come. Enjoy your journey.

First of all, congrats that people are asking to see your work! Well done. For me, the thing that shifted me from 'me and my laptop' to the 'film team' was organizing a table read here on Stage 32... well, not ON Stage 32 but through my network. It started during that boring time called COVID. I decided to get a bunch of actors together on Zoom and do a read. It was a blast. I'd done one at home with a bunch of willing friends and family first. I'm not saying it's easy, but it is free. Actors here are incredibly nice and they want to practice their skills... so a win-win. I did one last year for The Tattered Book and one of the actors is also a producer. He picked it up and we just got back from Italy on a scouting trip for locations (I may have to rewrite the location for municipal reasons). So be creative, don't follow all the rules.

Hi! A couple things: 1) welcome to the hustle, 2) read and reread everything Matthew Tallacksen wrote, and 3) horror and thriller are great entry level scripts as they tend to call for smaller budgets (i.e. Obsession was made for $850k).

I've written in stints over the last 5 or so years. The most attention I've seen was when I was a quarterfinalist in the Nicholl comp. I had a couple management companies reach out to read after that. The comp runs a little different now, but overall I'd only recommend Nicholl and AFF and labs. You can waste a lot of money on comps.

The other thing I'm finding important in my journey is understanding how the industry works. Highly recommend John August's podcast.

When you say you've had 5 script requests, the questions are, who requested? Why did they request? Can they even do something with the script?

Getting a production company to put resources and eventually them getting some financier to put millions of dollars behind your idea is a tough ask, especially from unproven writers like our selves.

As I better understand the industry, my goals have evolved to 1) reading good scripts, 2) writing things that can be made (i.e. shorts), 3) targeting managers for networking, 4) and, obviously, writing an undeniable feature.

Most importantly, if this is something you want to do, give yourself some time to get better. A longer time horizon will treat you well. Keep writing!

Matthew Tallacksen I really appreciate you taking the time to reply!

I think I’ve been so focused on the end goal and it seems so far away.

I do love writing. Even when I get discouraged, I always end up coming back to it. And if I’m being fair to myself, my scripts are a lot stronger than they were even a month ago. so I try to remind myself this isn’t a quick and easy process.

Thank you for the encouragement and for being honest about the process. It helps more than you know. And congratulations on the manager situation!I hope it leads to some great things for you.

Heidi Schussman Thank you for sharing that. That is something I haven’t considered.

And congratulations on getting a producer attached and making it this far, That’s incredible!

Thanks again for the advice and for sharing your experience! I’ll keep building my network and see where it may lead.

Austen Lott Thank you for the reply!

One thing I’m realizing from everyone’s responses is that I probably need to stop looking at this like a race. Hearing from people who have been at it for 5, 10, or even 20 years really opens my eyes to the reality of it all.

I think when you’re new, it’s easy to get excited anytime someone asks to read your work, but whether they can actually do something with it is a different question altogether. I’ve had execs and managers from here and a cold query to Zero Gravity Management but I’m pretty sure that was an automated email response, so I didn’t really count that one.

Knowing what I know now… my biggest goal is to keep improving with every script and keep getting my work in front of the right people. If opportunities come from that, great. If not, I’ll still be a better writer than I was the year before.

Thanks again for the advice and the recommendations. I’ll definitely check out the John August podcast, too!

If you have had 5 script requests, that is a terrific result, even if it hasn't yet resulted in anything more. That would suggest, your pitching is at least up to the calibre required to gain genuine interest. I would not imagine business execs would request a read if they were not genuinely interested.

Did you receive any positive feedback from your read requests? Were they generated all on this platform?

I strongly believe, breaking into this industry is extremely difficult. There must be thousands or tens of thousands of great writers, so your story has to resonate instantly with the exec - then be what they want to make right now or just be so good or unique that it gets passed around.

I will admit, I often wonder how is it possible to break into this industry given there is so many great writers - globally. I guess, the one thing going in writers favours right now, is that there are multiple platforms e.g. Netflix, Apple TV, Amazon etc all making content, verses many years ago, it was either TV or Film.

Oh, I also read that you need 20 reads. Not sure how accurate that is or the theory behind it. I assume 20 reads for one screenplay. Also, a lot of writers are using ai to create video trailers to get interest in their script - this is something I can see a great way to get interest or at least show your vision - create the drama.

Glenn Powell The requests definitely gave me some encouragement because, like you said, at least someone saw enough potential to ask for the script.

A couple of the reads did come with positive feedback, especially the concept, characters, and dialogue, but nothing has turned into a larger opportunity yet. Most of my requests have come through pitches.

I think that’s the part that’s hard to wrap my head around sometimes. You can do everything “right” and still need the timing, the market, and the right person to like the material.

The AI trailer idea is interesting. I can see how it could help communicate vision of a project. I may give that a shot!

Thanks!

Totally agree with Glenn Powell: 5 script requests in the first year is short of insane ;). A lot of writers are struggling for 10 years till the first success. So I think you just have to go on. And what I hear a lot: "There's nothing wrong with your script, but it's not what we are looking for right now."

I have produced 22 hours of no-budget projects. Including writing and directing 3 TV movie for public access television stations. If you feel that you can't produce yourself, then one alternative is to write plays for your local amateur theatre. If you write a play which becomes a success, you may be able to secure a deal to turn it into a movie. There are also people who have created comics or radio theatre.

Adapt your scripts into producible live theatre. Fulfilling good stage work with good actors and workshopping your script will give you energy as a writer that would never come by sitting in front of a screen hustling and pitching. Theatre is the way to go. It's more accessible and you don't need a $500k budget.

Except for one script (the first one), my other 6 options (one pending), my produced film and two limited series options have come from relationships. Sending out scripts to a request and/or and OWA is fine, but seldom successful. Meet people, develop relationships and "talk movies, concepts and scripts." We need a champion for our work. I found mine (several, actually) and you need to find yours. Also - NSW (Never Stop Writing)! As Sly Stallone says about his creative work : "Keep punching!" Best wishes

Frank Meijden thank you! I’m trying to look at it that way. Maybe it’s just not what they’re looking for at the time. I appreciate the encouragement!

Göran Johansson i could look into the theatre. We have a theatre in my town, so I can always try that! Thank you for the suggestion! And congrats on your success!

Mark Blane i will look into my local theatre. I’m sure you’re right. There’s not much going on in my town except ever year we have a “Wicked” or “A Christmas Carol” show and band concerts or standup. Thanks for the suggestion!

Steve Dini thank you for the encouraging words! I have a few independent film makers in my network (just chatting and brainstorming, etc.) hopefully we can all collab on something great soon.

Congrats on all of your work!

This is just my perspective as someone who works with concepts rather than production. I feel that collaborating with film schools can be a useful training ground: you get to see how your words live on screen, and that can sharpen your script in ways the page alone never reveals. At the same time, the quality may be uneven, so I wouldn’t rely on student projects as a career path. I’d treat them as a laboratory for learning, not the main road forward.