Screenwriting and Selling Your Work

After months upon months, you’ve finished your first screenplay. What next? You’re wondering, “What do I do now? How do I find a literary talent agent? How do I approach a talent agent and will they read my screenplay? Is there a specific process I should follow?”

First of all, if you’re new to the industry, it’s very difficult to find a literary talent agent. Established professional screenwriters in Hollywood are constantly working to sell their work or secure an option. There are thousands of screenwriters hoping to break into the industry and there are hundreds of professional screenwriters that are working to sell their work every day. Competition is fierce and the Hollywood pool of writers is huge.

Current economic times will make finding a literary talent agent even more challenging. Most talent agents usually acquire their clients through referrals. However, talent agents can sometimes find you. In this case, the agent may have read your screenplay that was showcased through a screenwriting contest or even won an award. Unless you are friends with an established screenwriter that could put in a word to their agent on your behalf, it may be a tough road for some time.

The margin of opportunity for a first time screenwriter to secure representation is very narrow. If you were to ask professional screenwriters what their advice would be right now, some may tell you to wait a couple of years until our economy recovers. They may say; “Wait until the studios start buying screenplays again.” If you’re willing to accept this advice without further research in the marketplace, you could be selling yourself short.

It’s always a good Idea to gather as much information as you can from multiple sources. Think of Hollywood like the stock market. When the economy is good, stocks are up. When the economy is good, people spend money, movie ticket sales increase; everyone in Hollywood is buying screenplays. That’s why you don’t want to wait…

Now is the best time to be working harder than you’ve ever worked before. Why, you ask? Those screenwriters that told you to come back in a couple of years when the economy turns around; they are schlepping along hoping to complete another screenplay and sell it before you come along with an original fresh idea that sells first. That’s right, keep working on that screenplay and make it the best piece of work you possibly can. You just may be the next big screenwriter in Hollywood.

If your fire is stoked, read on…

Have you ever heard of the saying, “The greater the risk, the bigger the reward?” The risk is spending countless days, weeks, months or even years writing with nothing to show for it. But you already know this, I hope. Let’s get down to the process part of finding a literary talent agent. In order to market yourself and your work you’ll need to have a few completed screenplays. Because the industry is so demanding, you will likely get one chance with each literary agent. You will want to ensure that your material is solid and your very best work.

Next you will want to draft a query letter and be sure to include brief but pertinent information on yourself, your work and intentions. A query letter should be no more than one page.
Example Query Letter: http://davidspies.wordpress.com/query-letter/

Now you will need to find a list of literary talent agents that accept solicitations.
Literary Talent Agents: http://davidspies.wordpress.com/talent-agents/

In the event your query letters generate a response and a literary agent would like to read your script, be sure to follow the industry format standard when preparing your script.

You script should be printed on plain, white, three hole paper bound with brass script brads. Don’t bind it and never put any other information on it other than the title, author and your contact information. Then send away!

On the flipside, don’t wait for an agent to read your script and contact you. Networking is a great skill to practice if you want to break into the film industry. Be sure to get out and meet a lot of people and share your ideas and ambition of becoming a produced screenwriter. Let your friends and family know you plan on breaking into the film industry and you’re scouting for a literary talent agent. The best case scenario; someone that knows someone that knows an agent will get your script into their hands.

All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.
- Walt Disney

Success is the result of our actions based on our dreams.
– David L. Spies

 

Screenwriting and the Funds to Film

You have a completed script and you’ve secured a cast and crew. The locations have been scouted and multiple lists of required props and materials have been made. Everyone is lined up and ready to go…

Where are the funds…?

If you’re considering financing an independent film production, you’re facing down a big challenge. Even if you have friends and relatives that are willing to help, raising financing for your film will be a daunting task. If you consider selling off big ticket items to secure financing, taking out a 2^nd mortgage on your home, you had better be prepared with a backup plan in the event your movie doesn’t get picked up for a distribution deal. It doesn’t matter if you make a great movie and it shows at a festival or two, if you don’t get a distribution deal, or get picked up by a studio, you’re dead in the water.

Imagine walking up to a blackjack table in Vegas and dropping five hundred dollars down on one bet and you lose. You probably had a backup plan before you did that and you’ll recover. Now, imagine walking up to a blackjack table in Vegas and dropping one hundred thousand dollars down on one bet and you lose. Do you have a backup plan? Investors know all of this. Therefore, they work to minimize their risk as much as possible.

After you have exhausted all avenues of revenue within your means and find that you don’t have the funds to finance your own production, then you will want to consider investors.

There are several types of financing in the film industry. Investors are out there to find the most promising investment that they can. Believe it or not, “Angel investors” do exist. It’s just a matter of knowing them or knowing someone that knows of them. Don’t count on running into a movie mogul or drunken billionaire waving a checkbook at a posh party in Aspen, that’s just not going to happen. Start thinking about a plan built in reality and determine how you will work to secure financing for your film.

Financing starts with an investor or investment group. You will need to have a well crafted pitch ready to dazzle any investor you are fortunate enough to secure a meeting with. You will also want to put together a trailer or have some reels to screen for investors. Regardless of the specific type of investor, all investors will need to know how and when they will receive a return on their money. For this reason, every investor will ask for a business plan. Investors will want to see the hard numbers before you dazzle them with your list of players. They want to know they will be making a solid investment. They are not interested in fluff; they are concerned with the numbers.

There are multiple websites that offer investment opportunities for the filmmaker by acting as a middleman. If you decide to venture down the path of seeking an investor or investment group, it would be wise to first secure an entertainment attorney. If you’re a producer holding a completed script and you’re advertising on the internet for investors, you may want to read this: http://bit.ly/19T2nQ

Before you jump into the process of shopping for investors, be sure you do your homework. You’ll want to ensure that you have a great pitch, a trailer or film reels of your work, and most importantly, a solid business plan.

The Beginner’s Crash Course in Attracting Investors to Your Film: http://bit.ly/32zLm1

IndieVest Attracts Indie-Film Investors with Reduced-Risk Model: http://bit.ly/17KBPs

Work hard, work tough, work smart.

David L. Spies

Screenwriting and the Genre

Genre: Multiple categories of films based on subject matter, theme or tone.

Film genres include comedy, action, drama, horror, mystery, thriller, science fiction or western. There are also sub-genres, such as romantic drama, romance thriller, sci-fi thriller, teen comedy, and one of the latest sub-genres to sweep the box office, “bromance”. Later on down the road we may see sci-fi bromance or even bromance thriller…

I’m gunning for a western bromance thriller myself.

Logline: While running from the law, a cowboy seeks to clear his name in the death of his brother and finds that his best friend and confidant holds the key that will turn their town upside down. -

Should a screenwriter pick one genre and write only in that area? If you currently write comedies, should you only write comedies? What if you’re inspired to write in many different genres? Would it be okay to experiment, try something new once in a while?

I recently started looking into this in order to answer these questions for myself. Sort of a self-applied ‘checks and balance’ to make sure I’m going down the right path. This leads me back to where my inspiration lies. My inspiration comes from what I was afraid of as a kid and what makes me laugh today. Fittingly, my genres of choice are horror and comedy. Though I write in both genres now, I found that it’s a good idea to choose one specific genre and focus my efforts there.

If you’re a film lover or screenwriter or both, as I am, you probably like several different genres. From what I’ve read, if you’re a screenwriter just starting out, it’s okay to experiment in different genres. This will give you the chance to hone your skills and figure out the genre you like best. After crafting several screenplays in a variety of genres, determine which ones generate the most interest.

Once you have optioned/sold a screenplay you will need to settle on one specific genre. Your breakthrough script will be your calling card to the industry. If your first option was a comedy, you’ll be known as the comedy writer. If your first sale was a horror, you’ll be known as the horror writer. You don’t want to confuse your agent, producers or anyone with leverage in the industry. For this reason you don’t want to switch genres until after you’re firmly established in the industry with multiple sales.

Luckily I’ve found the opportunity to experiment in different genres prior to making my first option. Though I have a knack for writing in multiple genres, I feel I showcase my best work in comedy. How do I know? I naturally have a sarcastic humor about things. I like to see the bright side or comedy in most hardships. This has helped to shape part of who I am and my writing style. Also, the majority of screenplay ideas I have are comedies. Therefore, it is my decision and chosen path that I write comedy and stick with that genre.

The first key in achieving success is knowing where your potential lies. You must first believe in yourself before others will believe in you.

Write what you know best and stick with it.

– David L. Spies

Screenwriting and the Dream

The odds of becoming a produced screenwriter are about the same as winning your State’s Lottery. Have you ever purchased a lottery ticket when the jackpot was really big? Your mind starts thinking about all the impossibilities as if they’re possible. There are many different avenues for a screenwriter to get involved with a studio or film project. The most traditional way is to write a full script on spec. This means you write the script first and then shop it around to agents or producers who might hire you or purchase your script for later development.

Every once in a while a success story involving an unknown screenwriter materializes. They are the stories that give you hope that the impossible CAN be achieved.

If you’re a screenwriter, you probably look for similar stories that give you that much needed inspiration. That intangible sense of vicarious accomplishment that keeps you writing rather than imploding on yourself, inspiration is what we all need to keep us on the right track.

For many years, I was an avid skier around the Sierra Nevada Mountains. I also honed my skills as a ski photographer, shooting hundreds of rolls of film. Some years I got in 40+ days of skiing. On several occasions, my buddies and I would come across a film crew on the slopes or around the lodge at various resorts. During this time in my life I started thinking about all the work that went into making movies. My buddies and I would kick around ideas of what each of us would want to do if we were to make a movie. It was then that I decided that I wanted to write. After all, I would be able to showcase my creativity and also be laying the foundation for the movies themselves. I didn’t take myself seriously until many years later, but I did always read about those success stories whenever they made the news. You’d be surprised to find out that everyday life plays a part in many chance encounters involving an unknown screenwriter.

Ever hear the one about Frank Beddor?

Frank Beddor climbed the ranks to become a professional skier (as a two-time freestyle world champion). Somewhere along the way, his career path changed. Lucky for the movie goers that like extreme comedy…

Frank Beddor tried his hand at acting for several years. He appeared as John Cusack’s skiing stunt double in “Better Off Dead” (1985). He later moved to Los Angeles and performed in several theater productions. He also studied with acting coach Stella Adler.

Somewhere down the road, Frank realized that part of being an actor is waiting for the right screenplay to turn up. Frank wasn’t the kind of person that liked waiting. He started working on his own screenplay and eventually finished an entire script that centered on skiing. He pitched his script and got the attention of Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall. They signed and took on the project but the film was never made. This was Frank’s first attempt at being a produced screenwriter, but not his last.

While Frank was attending UCLA he met Ed Decter and John J Strauss, the original writers of “There’s Something About Mary.” When Frank first started producing, he inquired about the script and eventually bought it out of turnaround.

Around this time, the Farrelly Brothers had finished a script called “The Loser”.  For whatever reason, Frank Beddor and the Farrelly Brothers thought it was a great idea of combining some elements of ‘The Loser with Mary’ and it was a success. As the story goes… Frank went to Sundance to pitch their script. Being a two-time freestyle world champion, he knew exactly how he was going to pitch their script. Many people liked to ski with him, including executives from various backgrounds. Frank knew which executives he wanted to ski with… Frank got on a chairlift with an executive from Fox, and when they got off, he heard the words, ‘Send me the script; I’m going to make this happen.’ That was Frank’s first and only pitch for the movie. Six months later Frank and crew were shooting in South Beach, and three months after ‘Something about Mary’ was in theaters!

Keep writing. One day your chance encounter could be your ticket to realizing your dream.

In the meantime, your winning numbers are…

- David L. Spies

Screenwriting and Character Development

Are the most successful screenplays character driven?

Every screenplay must start with four basic elements, which are; Plot, Structure, Characters and Theme. Without strong characters to move your story forward, your screenplay will fall flat.   

Every screenplay needs a protagonist. The protagonist (Hero) is the essential character in your story that creates/resolves conflict and moves the story forward. The protagonist must seek something of value or understanding and want it badly enough, that nothing will stand in their way.

During their struggle and pursuit in finding resolution, the protagonist must feed and thrive on their determination all the way to the end. The conflict that is introduced in your story must require the protagonist to make decisions and take action that moves your story forward. Without these building blocks, the protagonist would not have the elements required for a successful story.

Your story must also include an antagonist. The antagonist (Villain) is the character that creates challenge and turmoil for the protagonist. The characteristics/desires of your antagonist must meet or exceed those of your protagonist in order for your story to have strong conflict. Typically the antagonist in any story will serve as the villain and stop at nothing to hinder the protagonist from reaching their goal. The more the protagonist and antagonist are evenly matched (good and evil) the more compelling your characters will appear to your audience.

I’ve read articles that indicate and even suggest that the proper method to character development starts with the name of your characters. Once you establish the names, you then build on their biographies and background to round them out. I have to disagree with this method. If this is the textbook method to character development, many screenwriters will struggle at creating unique and compelling characters.

In order to create realistic and compelling characters, you must look outside the norm, outside of the classroom and the books.

The ultimate goal in screenwriting is creating an original story, containing memorable characters with unique traits. Your characters should have quirks that set them apart from other characters in your story. In order to truly develop interesting and unique characters, you must consider the opportunities around you. Involve everyday life. Every trip to the store, every vacation, every family gathering; analyze and study the people you come into contact with and remember their stories. The names can come later…

Take the time to talk with people you may not be too fond of. They may have traits or quirks that would work perfect with your story’s antagonist. Take note on what moves you, what annoys you. The next person you meet and talk with may have qualities and mannerisms you could borrow for building on your next protagonist. However you choose to approach your characters development, each character that you create will likely contain some expression from your life. Outside influence is good.

Some of the best ideas for characters come from real people.

Unique Qualities, Interesting Traits = Memorable Characters

David L. Spies

Screenwriting & Developing Marketable Ideas

Whether you have just started out or you have been a successful screenwriter for several years, the task of developing a marketable screenplay idea will be ever present.

Let’s start with two industry words that most represent the definition of a marketable screenplay:

High Concept

What is High Concept? 

Generally a studio or producer would consider a screenplay being a “High Concept” idea, if it contained all four of these components:

1. It is unique.
2. It appeals to a wide audience.
3. It can be explained in one sentence.
4. You can instantly visualize the whole movie.

You would have a much better chance of securing financing or optioning a high concept script as opposed to shopping around a Character Drama. Generally the studio’s decision to move forward with a script would be dependent on the marketability and the distribution aspects of the project. A producer would be looking at how and where the project would generate the most revenue for the studio. That is why it is much easier to market a project that is high concept. When you hear of the six-figure sales of a screenplay, it’s almost always a high concept script.

When you consider writing a high concept screenplay, day-to-day activities will prove to be a goldmine of ideas. Since every story needs conflict in order to resolve to a happy ending, you will want to consider all conflict around you as possible ideas. Every situation and issue you encounter in everyday life should be looked at carefully to pinpoint possible elements for a high concept story.

Have you ever passed an interesting character on the street in the town where you live? Maybe you have seen a street performer, musician, poet, or just someone that dedicates their day to opening doors? What if that character was performing that same routine, not just days, weeks, or months, but continued this pattern for years. Would you wonder? Is there a layered story there that is worthy to be unraveled and written into a screenplay?

In order for a story to be considered High Concept, you would want to start with the most unique or unlikely scenario. If you are truly creative, this task may be only a small challenge. Can you visualize and create story concepts based on what you see and hear in everyday life? A spoken word by an interesting character that you meet may be the only thing it takes for you to start your journey. Can you storyboard in your head? If so, you probably have an analytical way of thinking that will definitely help when it comes to structuring stories.

Let’s take a look at a logline that is NOT High Concept:

NOT High Concept:

Every morning for years, a musician performs for a coffee shop crowd. He eventually meets, falls in love with a barista and they open their own coffee shop.

This sounds like a scenario that has played out on every other block in Seattle. A guy plays his guitar outside the coffee shop, while attempting to gain the attention of the cute barista that works there. The hook is not powerful enough to even consider reading the entire story.

Now take a look at a logline that might be considered High Concept:

High Concept:

A passer-by drops a winning lottery ticket into a musician’s guitar case; the musician celebrates his new found wealth while hiding out from Don Ciccone the head Mafia Boss that dropped the winning ticket.

This logline meets the criteria of the High Concept story idea:

-      The story is unique

-      May appeal to a wide audience

-      Was explained in one sentence

-      Could visualize the entire story

Have you ever heard of such a story playing out in real life? Imagine the excitement and fear the musician would be experiencing. Are you thinking about all of the characters that would be coming out of the woodwork to get that money back for Don Ciccone?

There are a plethora of stories out there just waiting to be found and an endless amount waiting to be created. Sometimes you will need to dig deep, ask questions, and elaborate on certain elements of a story to get what you’re looking for. From a marketing perspective, the concept for the story that you choose is generally the most important.

Be Creative, Be Original, Be Proactive.

- David L. Spies

Screenwriting from the Subconscious Mind

Subconscious -

Adjective
Happening or existing without one’s awareness

Noun
The part of the mind below the level of conscious perception. Often used with the. 

Sub·con scious·ness n

FADE IN:

INT. DARK OFFICE – AFTERNOON

It is believed that our subconscious thoughts are fed and driven by our conscious mind. Our day-to-day life experiences; what we see, hear, touch and feel are thought to influence our subconscious mind in ways that we do understand. If it actually happens, it’s only understandable that it’s kept as a memory, right? Well, there are also many things that influence our subconscious mind that we do not understand. These are the things that likely play a role in creating bizarre characters, surreal scenes and crazy dialog that we experience in our subconscious mind and in our dreams.
 
Take for example; when you go to sleep. You’re lying there, quiet and still. Your breathing slows, your muscles relax and all of a sudden you start experiencing dream-like thoughts. If this occurs while you are still semi-conscious, these dream-like thoughts could be from your subconscious. You have random thoughts of people and encounters throughout your present day as well as jumbled thoughts and situations that may have occurred years prior. Some thoughts you experience may have never occurred in your life, but may be a sign or a glimpse of what is yet to come.

It is also possible that your imagination works at full capacity when you’re completely relaxed. This is why it is imperative to keep a pad of paper and a pen nearby your bed. More often than not, if you do not write down what you have just experienced, you will not remember a shred of it in the morning. No matter how hard you try to summon up that forgotten thought or strange scenario with bizarre characters, it has laid itself back down, deep rooted in your subconscious. It may never come to the top of your thoughts again.

It is also possible to experience a subconscious thought at any given time during the day. Take for example; when you are standing in line at your local coffee shop. You start listening to the conversations around you. They all tend to blend together like one big cocktail party mix of conversations. Then it fades in… It’s that one conversation that stands out from the cocktail party mix. You’re not eavesdropping but just absorbing a conversation within earshot. The exchange of dialog between these particular people seems so interesting that you start building your own story around their words. Your imagination takes hold and before you know it, you have created scenes and locations over their dialog. What you have created in your mind at that moment may have nothing to do with what those individuals were discussing, but your subconscious mind built out the best case scenario based on what you just absorbed. Write it down… 

You must understand and utilize your subconscious thoughts. This is where the motherload of your imagination lies. Every good screenwriter has an immeasurable amount of imagination. In order to succeed to the level of a successful screenwriter, you will need to harness all of the imagination that you can grasp. Convert your subconscious thoughts to scenes, characters and dialog. Think of your imagination as your own personal assistant.

The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.  – Albert Einstein

I know there are many creative people out there that have the passion, drive and desire to be successful screenwriters. We can see the opportunities that lie around us everywhere. We have the creative instinct to visualize material where others would not. We carry the natural raw talent that serves as our inspiration to create original ideas that we then share with the world.

Write from your heart, mind and soul.

 - David L. Spies

Screenwriting and the Investment

 TIME:

In today’s society life is so busy. To grasp hold and take advantage of just a few extra minutes seems like an impossible task. To some, the thought of writing an entire screenplay would seem like an impossible dream. You have a full-time job, a wife, and kids, throw in a dog, your time is pretty much spoken for. Add in everyone’s daily commute, shopping for groceries, cleaning, yard work, all priorities that take the front seat in your everyday life. Your thought of writing a screenplay quickly sounds like an option in your next life…  Always remember your family is first.

In order to create those extra blocks of time to dedicate to your venture, you will need to organize your life. Even if you currently practice a very structured routine day-to-day, you will need to look for areas of improvement.

A good approach to taking back time would include creating a list of all tasks that you perform on a daily basis. You would want to outline all domestic and non-domestic tasks and obligations that are priorities and non-priorities. You want to be sure to also include any travel time; after all, you cannot drive and write. Once you have compiled your list, you will want to look for areas to create efficiencies; “Achieving the same results utilizing less time”. Focus on one task at a time until you have made a significant improvement in taking back time.

EDUCATION:

Let me start by pointing out that a degree of any kind is not needed or necessary in order to become a successful screenwriter.

Example: Quentin Tarantino dropped out of high school and has since, gone on to become one of the most successful and most talked about screenwriters in today’s cinema. You ask yourself; “How is that possible”? Don’t you need a Bachelors or a Masters degree in Creative Writing to accomplish such a notable goal? Well, Quentin Tarantino probably did read a lot of books and studied very hard in his own way. However; I would speculate to say that much of his inspiration comes from life changing events and social situations that have had a great impact on his creative way of thinking.

More easily understood, the world is our stage, you choose which props you would like to integrate into your performance. Reading books and participating in lectures by instructors are great. However, I believe that true inspiration and stimulation for the creative mind is found by experiencing life itself. Put yourself in as many different social and economical situations as possible. You can learn a great deal from everyone around you. Listen to who is telling stories, pay attention to those experiencing life changing events, good or bad. Pick up on words of wisdom; learn from dramatic scenes that unfold around you in everyday life. A story is there to be had…

If you are interested in books on screenwriting I would recommend the following:

The Screenwriter Bible, A complete Guide to Writing, Formatting, and Selling Your Script: by David Trottier

Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting, by Syd Field

Lew Hunter’s Screenwriting 434: by Lew Hunter

How Not to Write a Screenplay: 101 Common Mistakes Most Screenwriters Make: by Denny Martin Flinn

DEDICATION:

Screenwriters need to have a strong work ethic and know how to network and make connections. You not only need to be talented but also need to be disciplined in order to become a successful screenwriter. If you want to break into Hollywood you will need a very well crafted screenplay. In addition to taking advantage of any education you may have, you will also need to work harder than you ever have worked before. You will need to be diligent and hone your craft well in order to develop a unique style.

It will take countless hours, days, weeks, months and even years to tell your stories, and write your scripts. Everything that you experience in your day-to-day life can be applied to your stories and screenwriting style. Don’t hold back when it comes to a thought or an idea. If you find that you have the knack and tenacity to develop strong storylines and interesting characters, then write. When you sit down to write a screenplay, you are no longer an aspiring screenwriter, you are a screenwriter.

If you find yourself experiencing “writers block”, even if you know you want to write, step away for a little while. Clear your mind by going to your local coffee shop, run an errand, or go for a hike. Reevaluate your storyline in your head, think about your characters and dialog while you’re in a different setting. This sometimes allows you to focus in the right direction to cross that “bridge” in order to continue your story. Regardless of your approach to screenwriting, writing everyday is a recommended discipline of successful Hollywood screenwriters.

You need to be willing to push yourself, set goals, and prove that you have the desire and raw talent to make it as a Hollywood screenwriter.

The Key to being a successful screenwriter: Write everyday

- David L. Spies

Here’s the Pitch

Storyteller is up to Bat – Here’s the Pitch

I haven’t actually performed a “live pitch”, or even pitched over the phone. Though, the art of the pitch and what’s involved is constantly on my mind. Based on my own persistence at screenwriting and consistently working to improve my skills, the opportunity will come when I have to make my first pitch.

To get me started, I’ve read a small pocket book titled “Ten Minutes to the Pitch”; it appears to serve as a last minute guide for the ill prepared. From the surface, most of the information contained in this book appears valuable. However, upon further reading, the simple dialogue and checklists only serve to boost moral before your big meeting.

 Like a Tarot Reader that can connect generalized stories and situations to lead you down the road to believing you are the descendant of greater good, “Ten Minutes to the Pitch” contains eighty percent of what I already know. Plan, schedule, checklist, and stick to plan, have a backup plan, and make sure you make the meeting on time. And by the way; be sure not to start your pitch until you’re actually in the room. Yeah, I know. I know. I’m not ****ing Rain Man. For this reason, “Ten Minutes to the Pitch” can rest on my shelf for all eternity.

Give me the Skinny! The Inside word! I want to know exactly what to be prepared for.? Let’s talk about industry situations in detail. Let’s hear more stories about industry pros and their experiences with the pitch, the good and the bad. I don’t want to know what you’re doing at your house or in-between your house and the studio. I want to know about all those situations that can play out when you step up to the plate.

Around the same time I garnered inspiration to write screenplays I remember reading several articles about Miramax and the guys behind the studio. Bob and Harvey Weinstein; Harvey was known in Hollywood as the Ball Breaking Studio Chairman that would tear your heart out if he didn’t like your script. Even worse, if you already worked for him and pitched a script he didn’t like, you’d be fired for wasting his time. How Matt Damon and Ben Affleck got into Harvey’s office to pitch their script remains a mystery… but I’m pretty sure Kevin Bacon had something to do with it.
— It was really Kevin Smith.

What it comes down to; you want to dazzle the agent or producer without breaking a sweat. Your pitch delivery should be natural and peppered with the right amount of excitement. You want the agent or producer to feel like they’re actually experiencing some of the scenes you have created. But don’t go overboard. You should leave only a little bit of mystery for the agent or producer wanting to hear more after every story arc. This will keep them reeled in.

Pitching can’t be all that hard, right? If you’re a writer, you’re a storyteller. You just have to condense your story down to an Oscar winning performance that sits somewhere between two minutes and ten minutes. Essentially, what you want to achieve is making your pitch sound so intriguing, the agent or producer will want to read your script, take you dinner and meet your wife. Oh, and of course, write you a check.

What you will need in your bag of skills is stage presence. Are you a performer? It would help if you’re already an actor, but then again, if you were, you probably wouldn’t be writing your own scripts. You need to be comfortable in front of people, maybe a lot of people. Oh, and you will have to deliver your pitch with a certain degree of enthusiasm and control. I’m sure there are many different methods of delivering a pitch; it’s how you present yourself and deliver your story that will matter most.

Imagine your pitch meeting is like a job interview. I’ve had several job interviews over the last couple of years, some in front of a couple people, some interviews in front of a panel of six people. Every interview went a little differently, the questions were different, and the people were different. The thing that remained consistent for each interview was me. The material I was delivering was my background and experience. A well structured pitch that was pieced together with all the important elements in a logical organized order.

What I’ve learned… Even though you may be comfortable in these situations delivering a pitch, you need know your material inside and out. You need to know your script better than the next person.

Think of your pitch like an Origami. It’s small, it’s intricate and it’s captivating. Choosing the right elements to fit inside your Origami will make or break your pitch.

Believe in yourself, sell yourself, and sell your story. – David L. Spies

Learn to pitch like a PRO! at: Screenwriting Expo 2009
Oct. 15 – 18, 2009 Wilshire Grand Hotel Los Angeles, CA.

Attend: Pitch Boot Camp & take part in The Golden Pitch Fest!

Screenwriting Expo 2009

- David L. Spies

Technique to Writing a Screenplay

Most of us have at one point or another had the thought of writing a screenplay. Whether you were watching an episode of your favorite nighttime drama or you saw a movie on the big screen. Something inside you said “I can write something better than that!”

Unless you’re already versed in the screenwriting process, you have a ways to go before you can “Write something better than that!” In order to become a successful screenwriter, I believe you must possess a specific skill set. Screenwriting is all about structure. Like a Project Manager that works with a timeline and creates a road map for their business, a screenwriter must also be very well organized.

Before you even begin your writing process, you need to have a plan. That plan consists of knowing who your characters are, how they will interact with each other and most importantly, how your characters will move your story forward. The situations that you develop with your characters serve as the elements needed to piece your story together. When writing a screenplay, a good rule to follow is: “Show, Don’t Tell”. Your film must be seen as well as heard. The soundtrack to your film is just as important. Your screenplay must be written in the present-tense and be described in (Real-time).

There are four basic elements in screenplay format:

1. SLUG LINE (at top of every scene, shows location and day/time) 

2. DESCRIPTION/ ACTION SENTENCES (descriptions of what we see) 

3. DIALOGUE SENTENCES (under character name)

4. TRANSITIONS (CUT TO:, FADE IN:, FADE OUT:, etc.)

 

Additional guidelines when formatting your screenplay:

FONT: The entire script must be printed in COURIER FONT, 12 PT.

SPACING: Description and Dialogue are Single Spaced, with double spacing after each paragraph and double or triple spacing after each Slug Line.

MARGINS: This is the standard but you may see variations:

LEFT: 1.5”

RIGHT: 1”

TOP: 1” to first line, 0.5” to page # (which is in Header)

BOTTOM: 1”

PAGE NUMBERS: Upper right hand corner, followed by a period

SLUG LINES: ALL CAPS. INT or EXT location, NIGHT or DAY.

DESCRIPTION/ACTION is Left Justified and DIALOGUE is tabbed in, approx. 1 inch from the left margin.

CHARACTER NAME: above dialog: CAPS, tabbed to near center.

DIALOGUE PARENTHETICALS: (Excited) under character name.

OFFSCREEN DIALOGUE (O.S.): O.S. is used when the dialogue is spoken by a character in the scene but not actually appear in the frame.

VOICEOVER/NARRATION (V.O.): For narration or thoughts. Could be used when your character is reading a monolog as a scene FADE IN:

TRANSITIONS: FADE IN is the only transition left justified, all others, like CUT TO:, DISSOLVE TO:, FADE OUT are tabbed to the right margin.

CUT TO: does not need to be written at the end of every scene. It’s up to you; a cut is implied by the next slug line.

SOUND EFFECTS: Important sound effects or loud noises are written in CAPS in line of description.

“CONTINUED’S” AT BOTTOM RIGHT AND TOP LEFT OF EACH PAGE: Not necessary in a Reader’s Script, but it’s okay.

POV SHOT: use POV as a separate capped line.

SOFTWARE: “Final Draft” is probably the most popular. (This is what I use)

 

Now that you have an Idea of the mechanics that go into writing a screenplay, you will also need to have a creative side that you can summon for snappy dialog that will be needed. Once you have found your story, have created the hook, developed your characters, it is now time to sit down and write. Oh yes; most of this should be worked out in your head before you even start. Otherwise, you may find yourself sitting in front a blank piece of paper or blank screen on Final Draft for a long time.

What I do…

Write down all of your characters names along with a brief description of how they appear to you. Also list their relationship to your other characters.

Write a scene outline. What would a scene outline look like? Similar to how a completed movie has “Chapters”, list your scene’s out in a chapter format. Break the scene’s out based on your three act structure (Setup, Conflict, and Resolution). List your characters main objectives in each scene. This will help with your scene’s structure and may even provide inspiration for character dialog as you create their scenes.

Once you have an outlined plan, it will be much easier to construct your story in a screenplay format. I always write my screenplay out on paper first. There are several reasons why this may work best for most writers.

1. Writing on paper allows more of a free-form expression. If you don’t like what you just wrote, you can scratch it out, write to the side, and make small notes.
2. If writing your screenplay on paper first, you are not burdened to stay in one place i.e. (in front of the computer at home).
3. Get out and put yourself in as many different environments as possible, especially those that relate to your story, your characters or scenes.
4. Your characters, scenes and dialog may change several times as a result of outside influence. i.e. (everyday life).
5. Inspiration may come from the strangest places…

Once I have what I feel is good material on paper, I then transfer my screenplay to Final Draft.

You have a great story to tell, feed it! – David L. Spies