Crafting Killer Loglines, Query Letters & One-Sheets
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Webinar hosted by: Danny Manus
Script Consultant at No BullScript Consulting
Danny Manus is an in-demand script consultant and CEO of No BullScript Consulting (www.nobullscript.net), and was ranked in the Top 15 “Cream of the Crop” Script Consultants by Creative Screenwriting Magazine. He is the author of No BS for Screenwriters: Advice from the Executive Perspective and has taught seminars and workshops across the country at events and venues including Austin Film Festival, Great American Pitchfest, Screenwriting Expo, ShowBiz Expo, Santa Fe Screenwriting Conference, Willamette Writers Conference in Portland, Las Vegas Writers Conference, The Writers Store, Writers League of Texas in Austin, Vancouver Pitchmart, Scriptwriters Network, Sherwood Oaks College, etc., and to groups in LA, NY, Chicago, Dallas, Idaho, Iowa, Florida, etc. He’s appeared on the Film Courage radio show, Triggerstreet’s Script Reporter podcast and the On the Page podcast. Danny was the Director of Development for Clifford Werber Productions (A CINDERELLA STORY) where he sold the family adventure project “To Oz” to United Artists, and was instrumental in developing numerous projects including SYDNEY WHITE starring Amanda Bynes and the dark comedy JUST ADD WATER, starring Dylan Walsh, Jonah Hill, Justin Long, Melissa McCarthy and Danny DeVito. He continues to work with the company as a producer on several projects. Before launching No BullScript, Danny also worked as a script analyst for companies such as ScriptShark and Script Coach. Previously, Daniel was a Development Consultant for Eclectic Pictures (LOVELACE), which has a deal with Millennium Films, and the Director of Development for Sandstorm Films, run by writer/director J.S. Cardone, which had a first look deal at Sony Screen Gems and a development deal with Top Cow Comics. He was instrumental in developing a number of films for the company including THE COVENANT, 8MM2 and SNIPER 3. Danny also interned at Columbia Tri-Star in the Television Development department and at 20th Century Fox in Feature Casting. Danny has taken over 3000 pitches, written over 230 articles on screenwriting for numerous websites and publications including Business of Show Institute and Script Magazine, and has been a judge for the PAGE Awards four years running. He is currently working on his next book. Raised on Long Island, NY, in an amusingly dysfunctional household, Danny holds a B.S. degree in Television with a concentration in Screenwriting from Ithaca College. You can follow him on Twitter @Dannymanus. Full Bio »
Webinar Summary
Learn directly from Danny Manus, an in-demand script consultant and CEO of No BullScript Consulting!
You’ve written a killer script. Great. But now you’ve got to get someone to read it.
Success in Hollywood is often about making great first impressions. Your loglines and query letters are the first and sometimes only things an executive or agent is going to read of your work. So it’s critical that your logline and query letter are attention grabbing, tell them something of substance, make you look good, and most of all—make them want to read more.
Have you sent out hundreds of queries but haven’t gotten many script requests? Are you the type of writer who has no problem writing 120 page script but gets totally stumped by writing a 30 word logline? Have no fear – I’m here to help!
As a development executive, producer, and script consultant, I have read thousands of query letters and countless loglines. I have taken over 3,000 pitches, and I’ve helped thousands of writers craft their project’s logline to help them standout and stand above the rest!
In this Stage 32 Next Level Webinar, I will show you specific, proven, easy-to-use formulas and tips to construct tight, professional loglines, engaging query letters, and visual one-sheets. We will go over what to include and what not to include in each, the difference between loglines and taglines, words to use that will make your loglines pop, what executives are looking for, how to query for representation and TV, and how and where to send queries to actually get them read.
We’ll also go over loglines for some of Hollywood’s hottest movies, one-sheets that made me request the script, and I’ll share with you some of the best and worst queries I’ve ever received so you don’t make the same mistakes. Plus, Q&A.
And as a special BONUS, if you register for the LIVE Webinar, you will also be able to submit your logline to me for a critique and fix after the Webinar (details below).
If you’re trying to get professionals to notice your project, if you’re trying to submit your script anywhere, or even if you’ve posted or wanted to post your loglines in the Stage 32 Lounges and Forums, this Webinar is for you!
Whether you are a screenwriter, novelist, producer, director or exec, your project deserves to make the right first impression. Let me show how.
**Please note that the free logline critique Danny mentions in the webinar is not available for On-Demand. It was only available for members who attended the live webinar.**
What You'll Learn
- How to make a great first impression with your logline and query letter.
- Specific tips, formulas, templates and guidelines to create a tight, professional logline for any story.
- A deep understanding as to what executives are looking for in a logline and query letter and what you should never include.
- The difference between loglines and taglines.
- Words to include in your loglines to make them pop.
- Guidelines and formats to query letters that grab attention and sell.
- What to include and what not to include in your query letter submissions.
- Strategies for querying for Representation and TV
- Examples of great (and awful) query letters.
- You’ll learn how to make your story stand out in your logline and query letter, and how to use these tools to better brainstorm your story!
- What is a one-sheet and why you need it.
- What needs to be included to have a memorable, visual one-sheet.
- How to bring out your voice in your loglines, queries and one-sheets.
- New ways to query and get read.
About Your Instructor
Danny Manus
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Testimonials
"The presentation today by Danny Manus was excellent and very valuable!!! Glad to see this info will continue to be available and all the rest that you do is fantastic for all of us working on all levels." - Stevanne Auerbach
"I’ve been to a lot of script doctors with a lot of scripts and by far, Danny Manus is the best! He has a real command of the requirements of the craft and the needs of a script, regardless of genre, without injecting sophomoric, antiquated or clichéd opinions. You can’t go wrong with him!" - Kevin Grevioux, Screenwriter of I, Frankenstein and Underworld
"Danny was an invaluable asset and collaborator in both the production and creative elements of the films we produced. His knowledge was critical to the development of our scripts and his original ideas and approaches were a major factor in our development and decision making process. I have only the greatest respect for his talents, which is why I continue you to work with him on my own material." - J.S. Cardone, Screenwriter/Director (Prom Night, The Covenant, Stepfather, The Forsaken, etc)
"Danny’s got some of the best story instincts around and the enviable ability to enhance every script he works on. As an exec, he knows the business, the players and the marketplace and is able to bring this knowledge to his work as a script consultant. We’ve worked on many projects together and he’s still the person I ask for story and casting input." - Clifford Werber, Producer (Cinderella Story, Sydney White, Just Add Water)
"Danny’s worked with studios and independents and knows how to handle writers at every level. He loves discovering and working with new writers and making their material shine as best it can… He cuts through the crap and at the end of the day, any writer or producer would be lucky to have him in their corner." - Scott Einbinder, Producer, (Killer Joe, Bad Country, The Covenant, Sniper 2 & 3)
"My comedy spec was a perennial quarter finalist screenplay until it landed with Danny Manus. Over several drafts and pages of notes, he managed to turn it into a true contender. His knowledge of the craft, experience in the industry, and attention to details can ready any screenplay for today’s market. I’m proud to say that my script is now making its rounds through Hollywood’s elite!" - Richard Dane Scott, Screenwriter (My Dog the Champion, My BFF)
"Wow, GREAT notes! Absolutely everything you say makes sense. This is literally my first draft and normally I wouldn’t let anyone see anything at this early stage, but I know there’s potential, and coming to you was the smartest thing I could have done – a huge help. THANK YOU!!!" - Margaret Riseley, Optioned Screenwriter of "Kissing Dynamite" and ScreenwritingU 2013 Most Recommend Writers
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Reviews Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5
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Linda Hullinger It was just what I was looking for! The detailed outlines and examples were very helpful. Danny made the webinar both educational and entertaining.
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