John Luerding: Screenwriter in Cave Junction, Oregon.

Hi this is Prince Matthew, I'm really totally overwhelmed. Glad I was here

That's how it always goes. Everyone has their way of doing things and none is 100% proven for everyone. Just take it as it comes, and when you need advice, seek it from people who have the credits to offer experienced advice (because there are plenty of amateurs who love to talk about screenwriting--myself included haha)

Do it your way...

I don't pitch the script in the above manner.. I've sent out stacks of query letters and have gotten about half back stating the person/persons no longer reside there..(business closed up shop) or just don't hear back from them period.

If you don't send them out... You 100% WILL NEVER SELL.. Yes, the odds of getting one read is very poor... But those are the odds... Go to my "NO-BULL FILM BLOG" and I will list 3 SECRETS on how to Get Your Script Read... DOV

John, (As I'm certain you are aware), when looking to be represented, you send a "Treatment." Or your first TEN PAGES. The psyche behind this is simple, and common knowledge in the Biz. IF your first ten pages doesn't GRAB and TAKE HOLD of EM... the rest will typically NOT BE READ, Looked at, or Viewed. . . however you wish to understand it.

Dov knows exactly what he's talking about. IF you don't send them out, they don't get read. Very simple common sense. But along with that, I caution you, as-well ALL wanna-be-accepted-green-lit screenwriters, "BE CAREFUL WHO you submit your scripts too. The WORLD IS FILLED with SCAMMERS. . . those ready to make an EASY BUCK or MILLIONS off of YOUR HARD WORK. . . EFFORTS! " So make CERTAIN that whomever you send to, is 100% LEGIT! In this bizness.

Happy Writing!

Nicholas In Seattle

8.28.2021 I was here with you. Ciao!

C.H.U.D was a good cheesy film. We all have guilty pleasures we enjoy watching.

Sci-fi and horror definitely work together because there are people who can't wrap their head around magical elements in a story. They'd rather be afraid of some kind of radioactive mutant because science and all.

I think any 2 genres can work together. It's just the story you want to tell and how it's shot. You can do horror in any setting. Like Midsommar does it all in the daylight at a pagan summer festival. And sci-fi is even easier to apply to anything than horror is. Mixing the two together isn't particularly special or revolutionary. It's just a design choice of the writer. Even Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is categorized as sci-fi horror.

I understand. That's why this is so hard.

I would rather fail than pay someone to listen to me. Once I heard a Guy say to someone, if your going to beat a dead Horse, have the common sense to change instruments once in a awhile.

Ms Hu, I like you wit.

That Jake Wagner interview is a good read. Thanks for posting it Regina.

Really helped Regina. Jake's points are quite valid. The only downside is sooner or later I will have to leave my cave for that coast instead of staying on this coast. Oh well whats a few weeks in La LA land if it gets me a deal?

No worries. Steven, I know a very legit manager in LA who has never met some of his European clients in person. They'll meet when the Euro client has a project to sell in the US and has to commit to visiting LA.

Yes, I agree!! Hollywood says it wants to take chances but also want to make $$$!

$$$$ Money $$$$ is what is all about and a tiny bit of luck, when something in your story touches the reader and s/he continues reading your screenplay, guest what? You got them! But, how often does that happen? 2% only 2% of the time. Holy shit!! In the meantime, I'll continue writing from the heart and have faith that I touch the heart of my reader. Good things happen to those who patiently wait. Great advice , thanks.

same old rhetoric.

Your comment is one of a winner John. Congrats to you for a great attitude :) Cyrus

Hi John, Im glad to meet you:) You should visit to Turkey to make new memories:) :)

Decline… of… Western… Civilization; or it just may be the movies suck.

were not talking about that ancient relic. Lets stay with in the last fifteen years or so.. :)

Story is practically non existent in today's studio produced features. Thank God for indie and television.

thanks for the clarification, Beth. :)

Just to add... When searching the JOBS section as a screenwriter, just do a general search for "screenwriting" without specifying location. Then, all screenwriting job posts will be listed. Peruse through them and respond to those which interest you. Reach out. Inquire. Ask the job poster if this particular job/script submission is open to anyone from anywhere. Most probably are. Do not assume the location listed means ONLY for those in that location -- certainly not for writing jobs. Again, the JOBS section was created/setup to accommodate the large variety of industry jobs; most are location specific. :)

Screenwriting jobs can be and are done from anywhere. Occasionally, you will get someone who wants local so you can meet and talk over coffee to develop an idea, but usually they aren't serious paying gigs anyway. Some web series, need you in the room, which is understandable, but again not something worth packing up for.

Hi John - are you looking to hire someone for the VFX for the crows & flaming heads? I would recommend putting a post up in the JOBS section - that is where you will get the type of response you are looking for. I hope that helps!

Julie, thank you for the suggestion, but as I'm sure most of us here are starving artists of some form or another and I couldn't afford to hire some one. I was looking more of a pro-bono type of thing... you know.. yeah I'm not busy I can help ya out. :)

I'm not discounting what you are saying John Garrett, I'm just putting a more humanistic feel to it. Even for us as humans we choose alternate methods of consuming food. From meat eating to vegans. Is the possibility that a vampire could alter it's source of food pure based on having a revulsion to human blood?? I mean all things considered we are talking about a movie were anything in the creative mind is possible. My short doesn't address the drinking of blood in the conventional "addiction" way. It moves beyond that so that it doesn't over shadow the tragedy the vampire suffered as a little girl or one who has suffered the loss of her lover. Joe Becker, I'll look into it. thanks a bunch for the heads up.

John, I think that is the point I was making. Why be a vampire? To me, and this is only my opinion of course, the concept of being a vampire appears to be window dressing. Now I want to say that people have made a lot of money by window dressing stories that were simply dramas, but to sell them you add vampires or werewolves or whatever is popular. So there is nothing wrong with it. But everything you just said about making it humanistic.....well, that is the thing about vampires, they are not humanistic. You are, forgive the pun, taking the teeth out of the story. The idea that they can rise above the need to feed and choose to be a Vegan Vampire (might be a great story there) means there is no down side to being a vampire and everyone should be one. This is the issue I had/have with Teen Wolf. They made a lot of money on a script I found uninspiring. So there is money to be made in that fashion. Side note* Teen Wolf focused on the magic and all the intricate rituals not just the drama. I just think you could add depth to the character if she were either more human or more vampire instead of something muddled in the middle. I won't keep beating a dead horse at this point. Just wanted to make sure I was clear on my thoughts.

I agree John Garrett, but... I draw your attention to the movie "Dracula Untold', What lengths will a man take to safe guard his wife and son? I also will say that you are getting just a small glimmer of a view into this characters life, and even if you humanize a Vampire, the down fall to a relationship such as the one in my short is that the vampire will run the risk of always watching their lover die regardless if its by disease or old age, they will forever feel the loss of a loved one. That is the downside. To out live the very thing you love and be doomed to repeat it for eternity.

The story is in public domain