Okay, maybe not everyone knows someone who is in the business or who you met in the business at some point. But maybe some of you do. For me, growing up in LA I've had my share of meeting and knowing people that happen to be in the business. I rarely asked them to read a script as I've been perfecting my scripts. But recently I finally got the nerve to email a huge producer who's produced one of my favorite comedies of all times. He's friends with a friend of mine so read one of my first scripts early on in my writing days because my friend nicely asked him to. I now cringe at what he must have read way back then! LOL But even then he honestly told my friend, "she's talented, I wouldn't just say this, but tell her to keep at it". And, I did.
So recently I thought, I'm ready to show him something. Let me contact him and see what happens. I got his email and sent him a logline. I haven't heard back and who knows if I will. But it just goes to show that you have to reach out to people you know who can do something with your scripts. If it just sits with you, nothing can happen. If I don't hear back, maybe I'll reach out to him again with a different logline. He could either just be busy or not interested. But truthfully, what do I have to lose? I'm not working with him now. If I email him and don't hear back, then I'm still not working with him. But, if I do hear back, and he is interested, I've really gained a lot!
So, take a trip down memory lane and think if you have any contacts that you could email or call up to read your scripts. Even think of friends of friends. If you're ready, really ready, it's time to put those contacts to use. You just never know what could come of it.
Monday, March 31, 2014
Thursday, March 27, 2014
You need more than one script!
I don't know how many times I need to tell new writers this. But for some reason new writers think that they're going to get rich and famous off of one script. Even the writers that you hear come out of nowhere, I guarantee you they've been writing for years and years and have a bible of work ready to sell. But new writers think, ah, I have this one amazing idea, let me write this one only and get famous!
Yeah, doesn't work that way. Even in one of my early screenwriting classes, one of my writer friends actually came first in a really decent screenwriting contest. Production companies and agents contacted her and guess what? They all asked, "What else do you have?" She didn't! She admitted to me that those contacts went away. She blew that opportunity. Don't do that!
Not long ago a newbie writer contacted me about his one script that was ready and he was going to get it out and he was waiting to hear from producers. I told him, "Great! While you're waiting, get started on the next project." He ignored me and recently wrote me how a management company passed on his script, so he's fixing it and making it stronger. Great, always a good thing to do. But again, I told him, "Work on something new. People want to see other projects!" I think he ignored me again. But people, it's not about having one perfect script. It's about growing as a writer, having as many great projects as you can because you never know who will want to read everything you have.
I read recently that when Judd Apatow was discovered everything he had was bought up, all the scripts he'd been writing for years and years. Heck, who wouldn't want that? Would't you rather have a lot of great things bought up than one script that people pass on because that's all you have? I know I would.
And the more projects you have the more doors you can open. Even now I have a script at Nickelodeon, another with a latino executive producer, a feature comedy somewhere huge, another with a Hallmark producer, a spec with an HBO show, getting ready to pitch a reality show, and on and on. My gosh, I have so many different types of projects. I'm not saying you have to get into every type of genre or medium like me. I just do that because I can't stop creating. But every door could lead to another door and another opportunity. You just never know where opportunity is going to knock next. And if you've only got one script to knock with, guess what, you just might miss out.
So finish that first script, start the second, and start getting ideas for 3, 4 and 5. You're a writer gosh darn it. Of course you have more ideas. And if you don't then start reading more newspapers or going to museums to find more. There's plenty of things to write about. Just figure them out. And then, write them.
Yeah, doesn't work that way. Even in one of my early screenwriting classes, one of my writer friends actually came first in a really decent screenwriting contest. Production companies and agents contacted her and guess what? They all asked, "What else do you have?" She didn't! She admitted to me that those contacts went away. She blew that opportunity. Don't do that!
Not long ago a newbie writer contacted me about his one script that was ready and he was going to get it out and he was waiting to hear from producers. I told him, "Great! While you're waiting, get started on the next project." He ignored me and recently wrote me how a management company passed on his script, so he's fixing it and making it stronger. Great, always a good thing to do. But again, I told him, "Work on something new. People want to see other projects!" I think he ignored me again. But people, it's not about having one perfect script. It's about growing as a writer, having as many great projects as you can because you never know who will want to read everything you have.
I read recently that when Judd Apatow was discovered everything he had was bought up, all the scripts he'd been writing for years and years. Heck, who wouldn't want that? Would't you rather have a lot of great things bought up than one script that people pass on because that's all you have? I know I would.
And the more projects you have the more doors you can open. Even now I have a script at Nickelodeon, another with a latino executive producer, a feature comedy somewhere huge, another with a Hallmark producer, a spec with an HBO show, getting ready to pitch a reality show, and on and on. My gosh, I have so many different types of projects. I'm not saying you have to get into every type of genre or medium like me. I just do that because I can't stop creating. But every door could lead to another door and another opportunity. You just never know where opportunity is going to knock next. And if you've only got one script to knock with, guess what, you just might miss out.
So finish that first script, start the second, and start getting ideas for 3, 4 and 5. You're a writer gosh darn it. Of course you have more ideas. And if you don't then start reading more newspapers or going to museums to find more. There's plenty of things to write about. Just figure them out. And then, write them.
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