Ten Tips for Scripts

First, let's all revel in the notion that we are about to take advice from a guy who doesn't have an agent, and has yet to make a show hit network television, or a movie hit a theatre.

So, are we done revelling?

Alrighty then. Here are my tips to folks from out of town who are trying to get someone in the industry to read their scripts.

1. First understand that virtually everyone that hasn’t had a million dollar movie in the past two years has the same problem. No real sure-fire ways to get this done, but maybe some things that make it slightly easier.

2. Make sure that the screenplay is formatted correctly, and free of typos and grammar/spelling errors. A misformatted script tells the reader that you haven’t invested the time into the script – so why should they? For formatting questions, check out Christopher Riley’s The Hollywood Standard.

3. Make sure the first ten pages are really exciting and are page turners. Most of these guys do not have time to read all of every script, so the first ten help them decide whether they should keep going. A lot of successful movies have slow openings – but that doesn’t help them to get read.

4. Be able to pitch your screenplay in a compelling way in five minutes, two minutes, and one sentence. Practice the pitch. If you can get thirty seconds with a producer, and you can intrigue them with the pitch, they are more likely to read the screenplay. Many places will want you to send a written pitch before looking at a screenplay.

5. Get an agent. Yeah, yeah, not as easy as it sounds. But many production companies, and virtually every studio, will not look at an unsolicited manuscript unless coming from an agent that is a signatory with the Writer’s Guild.

6. Attend writing conferences, screenwriting conferences, and film festivals. Go to the panels, and try to get yourself introduced to people that work for the people that you want to read your script.

7. Get to know other writers. Sometimes a writer will pass on your screenplay to his/her agent or producer friends.

8. Be patient. Imagine trying to read, literally, several thousand screenplays a year. This is how Tom Hanks and Mel Gibson live their lives – it is impossible, and thus, to protect themselves and allow time to do things like act, direct and produce, it is hard (if not impossible) to get the script to them. But you might be able to get it to a guy that works with a guy that works with the company that works with Playtone or Icon.

9. Get a short film made, and get it on the web and in festivals. Capitalize on any awards or exposure it gets by sending postcards to the agents or producers that you want to read your full length script.

10. Pray – for wisdom, discernment, and especially that you don’t confuse secular success with G-d’s will.

Just my thoughts,

Sean