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FEBRUARY 2012
How to Get Your Script Read by Producers
You can have the best script in the world – but unless you can get people in the industry to read it, it might as well be a paper weight.
Now, if you’ve already got your action lines perfect and your dialogue crisp (email
info@scriptawish.com for an ebook on how to do that), then it’s time to embark on The Voyage To Getting It Read.
There are basically four main ways for an unknown to get their script read, and I’m going to put them in order of effectiveness. The four ways are: Contacts, Coverage services, Competitions, and Email/Query Letter Campaigns.
Ready to dive in? Let’s go:
CONTACTS
As we all know, being best friends with Steven Spielberg or Judd Apatow has its perks. And we’re all buddies with them, right? Yeah, right. I wish.
So the first aspect of contacts is already having your own. Unfortunately, 95% of aspiring writers aren’t related to hollywood hot shots and don’t have a friend of a friend of Steven. But don’t despair, because it’s important to understand that you don’t HAVE to be best friends with Will Smith or get jiggy with Jada on Tuesday nights.
Let me start by saying this: you dont need FAMOUS or HIGH POWERED contacts in Hollywood. Don’t get me wrong, it helps tremendously, but that’s not your goal when it comes to networking and accumulating your group of contacts. Your goal is simple: have as many contacts as possible, but especially contacts that are at the kind of companies or who come in contact with the kind of high powered people who would like your particular material. For instance, if you wrote a stoner comedy, you would want contacts in the Judd Apatow clan, or the James Franco and Danny McBride circle of friends (I’m looking at you Eastbound and Down).
Here’s the great news: notice how I said “clan” and “circle of friends.” You don’t have to be best friends with Apatow or Franco, you just need to know their interns or assistants. Because the name of the game is getting industry champions of your writing. If an intern for a high powered producer reads and loves your script, and believes wholeheartedly that This Is The Next Big Thing, he’ll lobby hard to get his boss to read it. He or she will fight for you, and for the script. Why? Well, frankly it makes them look good to their bosses that they found the material, and they can parlay that into more opportunities for themselves. Many an assistant at an agent’s desk got promoted for being able to find talent – and many an intern has gotten associate producer credits from bringing in a script. So as long as you have a champion in your corner – at any level in the company – you’re ahead of the game.
As a side note, this can even include personal assistants (or hair dressers, etc. – I’m looking at you Jon Peters). One of my favorite examples is how producer Matt Alvarez got his start in the business – as a personal assistant. And now he’s a well-known producer with tons of credits under his belt and an eye for good scripts. So the good news is, basically anybody who knows somebody can be your champion.
Great advice, but is that it? Don’t you worry – I’m going to get into what to do once you actually come in contact with these “people who know people” in just a second.
MAKING YOUR OWN CONTACTS
If you’re like 95% of aspiring writers reading this post, you don’t yet have any contacts. Well, do not despair. Here’s how to make some of your own:
First of all, because I’ve established that champions can be Anybody who knows Somebody, where can you find these Anybodys? Los Angeles, of course.
Now, if you aren’t already in L.A., I know it’s not feasible for most of you to suddenly pack up shop and permanently move to L.A. But don’t despair. There is an answer: screenwriting conferences and pitchfests. Now, not all pitch fests and screenwriting conferences are created equal, and many of them are a waste of money. But two I want to highlight that definitely do a great job of putting you in front of the right people: The Studio Networking and Screenwriting Conference (
www.studionetworkingconference.com) and Great American Pitch Fest (
www.pitchfest.com) . The former focuses more on aspiring writers getting to network with the industry players themselves in a cocktail reception setting, and the latter has the standard lines and tables leading up to a 5 minute pitch. Do your homework, and decide which gives you more access and which setting makes you more comfortable. I can’t give you much more information, as I’m biased about one of those because I helped start it.
So, if you want to spend more time in LA than a weekend, but make less than a permanent move, here’s your other option – move to LA for two months. Would you be able to make the sacrifice to put your life on hold for two months if it meant you would ensure yourself a greater chance of achieving your dream? For a lot of people, the answer will be no – and that’s okay. The other conferences, or the three paths that I cover later are for you - so don’t get discouraged. If you can’t be in L.A., go ahead and skip to the next section about COVERAGE SERVICES.
But for those of you already in L.A., or those of you willing to put your life on hold and move there for just a couple months, here’s your step-by-step plan:
The next most effective way of making your own contacts:
As always, feel free to email me your questions at
michael@scriptawish.com