Does anyone know if there are stats on spec scripts sold? Does anyone or any organization keep track? I've just been wondering if anyone ever sells a spec script these days, or if they do, how rare it is. When I read about new film projects getting the green light, or even look at screen credits for major films, it appears that the screenwriter is almost always the director or one of the producers, or in some way had an inside track. Is that close to the truth or a misconception on my part?
Screenwriting : Spec script sales: fact or fiction? by Michael Long
Spec script sales: fact or fiction?
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Jason Scoggins puts put a monthly spec market and pitch market scorecard with details of everything that has sold. it is free and you should be reading it. you can find it on specscout.com and sign up for his newsletters!
And yes, it is a misconception that the writer is also the director or producer. this happens sometimes and has been increasing but mostly in the indie world.
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Here are two places that keep track of spec sales: http://gointothestory.blcklst.com/category/spec-script-sale https://specscout.com/scogginsreport Depends on what films you are watching. Indie films are usually written/directed/produced by the same person, because they are made independently... outside the system. The filmmaker makes the film themselves and then finds a distrib. Studio films are either based on spec scripts they buy or IPs they develop (hire a screenwriter to script). So that 41st spec script sold this year was BERLINER written by F. Scott Frazier, a writer I've met a couple of times (he actually sold 4 specs in a single year a while back). If we look at last week's Top 10: LUCY: written/produced/directed by Luc Besson. It's a French film made by a French studio. HERCULES: Written by Ryan Condal and Evan Spiliotopoulos, directed by Brett Rattner. DAWN OF THE APES: Written by Mark Bomback and Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver. directed by Matt Reeves. THE PURGE 2: Written/directed by James DeMonaco. This was a low budget film. PLANES: Written by Jeffrey Howard (and others), directed by Roberts Gannaway. SEX TAPE: Written by Kate Angelo, Jason Segel, Nick Stoller. directed by Jake Kasdan. TRANSFORMERS: Written by Ehren Kruger. directed by Michael Bay. AND SO IT GOES: Written by Mark Andrus, direcetd by Rob Reiner. TAMMY: Written by Melissa McCarthy & Ben Falcone, directed by Falcone (they're married). A MOST WANTED MAN: Written by Andrew Bovell, directed by Anton Corbijn> So it doesn't seem like most are written and directed by the same person to me.
There is NO DEMAND for the most case for spec scripts excepting horror in my experience. Move to writing TV show spec scripts and earn some credentials. Also, try your had a jingles. Hook up with musicians who can play and record professionally, Use TAXI, MusicXray, Sonic bids. You can also do Mini series concepts. Read what the Cohen brothers are doing in TV vs movies and you will understand my suggestions.
Thanks for the comments everyone.
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Jeffrey, no one buys TV specs at all, and what do jingles have to with anything? And the Coen - not Cohen - brothers are not doing TV, they just had their Fargo remade into a series. people shouldn't offer advice if they don't know anything about the business. it can only do harm.
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So I shouldn't be writing jingles when I really want to write screenplays?