ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

10 years, 4 months ago - Dan Selakovich

NO! Registering your script with the WGA or anybody else IS NOT a copyright. A copyright has legal teeth. No other registration service does. And mailing your script to yourself does absolutely nothing except cost you postage. Register is properly.

Stealing? One thing is for sure: if nobody reads your script, it will never get made. How do you keep somebody from stealing it? You register it, then show it to as many people as possible. You shotgun that fucker out into the world.

You can drive yourself crazy with this kind of crap. What's to keep somebody from ripping off your title page (I mean that literally), and putting their own on it? Nothing. It's absolutely pointless to worry about this. To win the lottery, you have to buy a ticket.

Look, if a studio likes your concept, but hates the script, they'll buy it from you and hire somebody else to write the thing.

BTW, don't put your copyright registration on the title page. It marks you as an amateur, and will color the opinion of the people that read it before they get to the first page.

10 years, 4 months ago - Lee 'Wozy' Warren

I'm afraid to say that if you don't put your script out into the world, you'll definitely never sell it... It's one of the top worries of newbie writers and one that stops many from sending their work out.

You have to trust the process. Full stop!

Dont listen to the 2 or 3 horror stories you hear when thousands of scripts are sent out each year.

If it's copyrighted correctly - and I wouldn't consider mailing yourself a copy as best practice for copyrighting - then your've done the best you can. Just send the darn thing out and follow up with people.

Get yourself a strategy and work it. If you don't know how, there are resources online that you can tap into.

Wozy

10 years, 4 months ago - Lee 'Wozy' Warren

Don't forget to copyright them before sending anywhere...!

10 years, 4 months ago - Lee 'Wozy' Warren

Have you tried Tracking Board - (http://www.tracking-board.com) Go to the forums. Also, one way to get a script to an agent/manager/company, is to work with a mentor who already has a relationship with the entity you want to submit to. I worked with a great writer/producer recently that got me an introduction to a top management co.

Good luck - it's tough!

Wozy

10 years, 4 months ago - Dan Selakovich

Here in America, Ink Tip is probably the most legit: https://www.inktip.com

10 years, 4 months ago - Edward Learman

Hi, thanks for your response on the discussion. It was interesting to hear how'd you had scripts optioned by producers, but obviously a shame these didn't get made - I'm still familiarising myself with the industry terms, if the scripts had been optioned, does that mean they're were at a 'in development' stage, looking for backers? I'm also slightly daunted by your statement about the average number of scripts from writers, 9? I don't think I could write more than 3 scripts, and that's pushing it. Although, my plan is eventually switch to novel adaptations. I have to say as well, I think the UK's at a disadvantage to the states since there's practically no industry or market for British feature films beyond the US backed Simon Pegg, Bond, Richard Curtis type films - excluding a few independents like Shane Meadows and film4. I'm thinking about starting a website or service that would cater to this demand. I was also going to ask whether you would read my proposal or a few pages from my script since you've written some yourself?

10 years, 4 months ago - Edward Learman

I only have 3 ideas for scripts at this present moment, and just don't I would be able to write any more after this. I'm not that productive to write one page day that would accumulate to 9 scripts over several years. It's probably taken me about ten years to accrue the information I'm using for my current script, which is based partly on my own experiences and films that I've seen

10 years, 4 months ago - Edward Learman

I've seen it but I'm just slightly skeptical whether professionals and agents actually use those sites to search for unsolicited scripts, I mean, you'd like to know who those agents are before you make your work available to them

10 years, 4 months ago - Edward Learman

thanks I'll check those sites, I think I've heard of Inktip. Can I ask you how successful you were with those? there's a new one in the UK called script boutique, which I think operates the same way, where you pay to list a script on a database and agents are able to login and access the material. I'm thinking of starting a site that runs the same way but doesn't necessary exist on the pretense that industry professionals or agents use the site. Also, if I sent you my synopsis or script draft would you have time to read and give me some feedback?

10 years, 4 months ago - Dan Selakovich

I don't know much about Screenwriting Directory, except that it was started by The Writer's Store. They've been in L.A. for about 30 years now. So they're not a scam. Inktip does have professional directors, agents, and the like looking for material. Plus it adheres to industry practices like synopsis, log lines, releases, etc.

As for getting your work in front of agents... nearly impossible. Agents and production companies couldn't handle the mass of that, and are worried about getting sued. They'll send your work back unopened. The best way is to find out who an agent's assistant is, and address it to him or her directly. Include a release or they won't read it (along with log-line and short synopsis). Assistants want to become full-fledged agents, and are more likely to be open to that one in a million script from an unknown. If they think from your synopsis they can make a lot of money, they'll read your script. If it's "Death on the Beach" and not a comedy, forget it.

Make sure you're sending them something great, or don't bother. Seriously. If you've let 20 people read your script, and they all think it's amazing, go ahead. If 5 think it needs work, work on it some more.

And think about this: the average screenwriter writes 9 scripts before one is bought. And that is just the average for people that have actually sold a screenplay (it does not include the masses that have never sold a screenplay). If it's your first script, be really sure it's marketable. I had two scripts optioned back when option money was real. Those were never produced, so think about that: a couple of producers spent thousands thinking they could raise money on my work, and couldn't. I'm not trying to stomp on your dream, just warning you what a hard slog it really is and you have to put your best, absolute best, foot forward.

Good luck!

10 years, 4 months ago - Dan Selakovich

Thanks Wozy. I thought the same thing, but couldn't put it as well as you.

The thing is, Edward, if you want to be a writer, that takes writing every single day. And a page a day is nothing. It really is. Even if I CAN write more than a page of script, I don't. It leaves me somewhere to start tomorrow.

Give it a go. Even if you have a 1/2 page a day in the beginning, if you keep at it, it will grow. Writing is a muscle that needs exercise. It gets easier. But if you really think you can't do that, listen to Wozy.

10 years, 4 months ago - Lee 'Wozy' Warren

Nothing will turn an agent, manager or producer off more than hearing "I only have 3 ideas for scripts at this present moment, and just don't I would be able to write any more after this."

Seriously!!!!, what are yo trying to achieve?

Managers are looking for writers who they can help develop into productive and full time writers that can go on to earn 'real' money in the future, if not right away.

Agents only want writers who can earn them money now 'and' in the future. They wont take a writer on board if that writer has no future potential - because they don't have any more stories in them!

Producers may take a look, but knowing that you've 'spent all your ideas', it may show that you're not professional at what you are trying to sell.

Selling a script, like a lot of filmmaking, is an uphill struggle, that can take years to get to where we want - and that's if you cross all the right T's and dot all the right I's. It's bloody hard work.

If you do have great ideas for stories and a skill as a writer, others may come as you write the ones you know now. Don't shoot yourself in the foot by naively telling anyone what would most obviously send them running. Sorry of this sounds harsh. This is the reality though!

Sounds to me like you need to reassess and refocus on what you want to achieve.

My 2c worth.

Wozy

10 years, 4 months ago - Burning Chrome

Posting spec scripts? Go to script boutique. Google it.

10 years, 4 months ago - shirley day

Hi Edward, Trigger Street Labs was a brilliant script forum. Free to join, and people would give crits of each others work. It closed in Jan of this year. I think a good idea for you might to get some of your script ideas into treatments first. I've tried ink tip, and the black list - both sites require you to pay something towards hosting. I still miss Trigger Street.

10 years, 4 months ago - Peter Spencer

Sending it to Raindance or registering with the WGA is not copyrighting it. U.S. Copyright office does - which is why I use it. So as Dan says, I copyright it and send to as many people as possible.