Clint Ross: Screenwriter, director and script consultant in Athens, Georgia.

Hi Clint,

Welcome aboard and it's nice to meet you. Tower 9 sounds interesting...I do love a creature feature and I hope you find some collaborators on here to produce it. Stage32 is a great place to connect, find resources and everyone is so lovely and helpful, so I'm sure you'll like it. How does your script coaching work? I.E. Similar to coverage with feedback and ratings or more fluid conversational feedback?

Best

Jaye

Hey, Clint Ross ! Always great to meet a fellow Ross! How are things in Georgia during the lockdown?

Would you be interested in participating in the "Paris, Je T'aime" challenge I posted in the Filmmakers Lounge? It's just a fun way to get to know people through their city:

https://www.stage32.com/lounge/directing/Paris-Je-Taime-for-Wishful-Thin...

Since you already have a script, I would highly suggest you add a logline to your profile and start pitching your idea to executives here on Stage32: https://www.stage32.com/scriptservices/pitch-sessionsLet me know if you need any resources for crafting your pitch - we've got lots of those, too!

Enjoy exploring, and don't forget to comment and respond to others’ posts, too!

Fairy dust.

Hey Rob:

I just smiled when I saw Vic's post, which says Fairy Dust. That's because there's no one size fits all answer. I've being writing and submitting screenplays in earnest for seven years. I've placed and won at some prestigious contests, including Page, Storypros, AFF, Bluecat, Screencraft (7 times) and many others. I've had 11 option and right to shop agreements, including one I signed on Sunday.

I've also been blessed to get scripts and pitches in front of a wide range of producers, agents and studios including William Morris, Paramount, Millennium, Ridley Scott Productions, Tyler Perry and De Pass Jones Entertainment, where I secured a right to shop agreement. This deal came about when someone contacted me out of the blue about a project I wrote five years earlier. So it was really a seed planted years earlier.

What's my method?

I've used producer/agent/manager lists, IMDb Pro, Social media platforms, trade ads (including Craigslist), paid pitching/listing services and looked for any crack or hole where I can get a foot in the door. For example, I've answered hundreds of Craigslist ads. One of them put me in touch with a lead actor from Falling Skies and a lead actor from an ABC Sitcom. But I've also wasted a lot of time with amateurs on CL.

How about paying for mentoring and script development? That's something that can add up financially during these difficult times we're experiencing. And, even if one executive gives you notes and you rewrite your script according to their suggestions, there's no guarantee that anything will happen with your work. Paying for feedback and mentoring are entirely different than selling a screenplay. There are a lot of things that must transpire for a film to get made and much of it is luck an timing. In many cases, you'll be submitting a logline, synopsis pitch or pitch deck before anyone reads your screenplay.

Cultivate friendships with lot of writers and try to work with ones that you can teach you different techniques. I've certainly done that. Also if it's improvement you desire, read lots of scripts and emulate the ones you respect. Read The Foundations of Screenwriting by Syd field (Free download of book at bottom of my thread) and The Hollywood Standard by Christopher Riley. Those are just two of many great books that can help you understand 3-act structure, formatting, narrative, dialogue and formatting. Without that fundamental knowledge, you may have trouble moving forward with your career.

Paying to Pitch:

I've had some successes with script requests from Happy Writers and Inktip. I've had no success with Virtual Pitchfest or the Blacklist. You may want to watch my evaluation of these four services on youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kznzbG3HXaM&t=44s

I've also attached the blog I wrote for this social platform about submitting written pitches.

https://www.stage32.com/blog/Submitting-Your-Written-Pitch

Sometimes Things Just Happen:

Two weeks ago, I went to a free meeting with a pitching/development service and received two script requests. This happened because another writer I met on Facebook invited me.

I also have another producer I met 6 years ago that continues to shop my screenplays. This includes one I wrote for him via an Inktip ad. We've done a lot recently but sometimes we go months without speaking.

The bottom line is try everything you can without breaking the bank and find creative ways to get your voice heard. Are you a member of IMDb Pro? Pay the 20 bucks a month and contact people who have their contact info listed. And don't be a pest. Be fun and humble and more people will hear your message. Best of luck.

The Foundations of Screenwriting: http://freepdfhosting.com/42b57d37cc.pdf

Dan G - that personal touch has always worked for me.