JoeNYC
09-06-2005, 05:55 PM
(Note: I previously posted this on Zoetrope.)
In the beginning, I made the MOTHER of all newbie blunders: sending my script off to an L.A. agent before my script was ready.
Of course, at the time, I thought it was ready, but this bozo assumption was made because of a deadly combination of not being patient and inexperience in the craft and business of screenwriting.
Do you know how hard it is for a nobody to get an agent from one of the top ten agencies in L.A. to request your script from a query letter?
I had a shot and I blew it big time. I learned my lesson the hard way.
Now I'm more patient with my writing, studies and development of my script.
An A-list writer with mega hits on his resume said in an interview that in the beginning he and his partner made a decision not to send a script out into the marketplace until they were positive it was an excellent example of their writing and that it was commercial enough that someone would want to buy it.
It wasn't until their tenth script that they felt these requirements were met and it sold.
This is a perfect example of patience and discipline in achieving one's goal.
After the fiasco I've mentioned in the beginning of this post, patience and discipline is now what I strive for in achieving my goals.
The following is my process to make sure my script is actually ready for the marketplace.
Keep in mind; I'm not saying this is the perfect way to go. This is just my process. I know other members had success stories without going through the process that I go through.
First, I go through a few drafts to get the vision I want, then I polish and proof. I put it away for a couple of weeks to get some distance from it. To be able to look at it with fresh eyes.
After a couple of weeks, I see problems. I rewrite, then polish and proof. I send this draft out for peer feedback.
I look at the notes and whatever resonates with me that I believe would help make my material stronger I'll use for my rewrite. I put it away for a couple of weeks, and then I look at it again and fix whatever problems I see. I send this version out for peer feedback.
Preferably, I look for different reviewers to get a fresh perspective. The reviewers who critiqued the previous draft are only going to agree with the changes you've made that they suggested and still not like the ones that you didn't change.
At this time I also send the script out to a couple of contests that offer feedback to see what an experienced contest reader feels what the problems are and to see how strong the concept and its execution stands up amongst my peers at this stage.
With the notes from my peers and contests, I rewrite again. Put it away for two weeks and rewrite again, then I send it out to my peers for feedback for the third time. Usually it takes no more than three rounds of feedback for the notes to be minimal.
Otherwise, I stick to this process of rewriting and sending it out for peer review until the notes are minimal, or I realize the story is unfixable and I move on to another.
Once the notes are minimal, it's time for me to move on to the next stage: Professional feedback.
I send my script out to at least two professional consultants. These consultants have read, not hundreds, but thousands of scripts. They either are professional writers or ex-development executives that worked in the industry.
I know some members are against paying when they can get feedback for free from their peers, but from my experience professional consultants are on a different level.
They have an educated and professional eye to really see your story. They have years in experience in articulating what works and what doesn't work. They have practical knowledge of the craft and business.
When I get their notes, I'll rewrite. Put it away for two weeks and rewrite again.
After all of this, the script should be strong. It should be ready to send out into the marketplace, but I won't send it out. Not just yet.
I'm going to be patient.
I'll now send it out to about 3-5 important contests. I do this to get some credibility for my query. If you can mention that the story you're pitching advanced in a respectable contest, such as the Nicholl, it could only help.
I'll also send it out to a reputable coverage service, such as, Coverage, Ink., or Scriptshark.
I do this to get an idea on how an experienced reader, who works freelance with L.A. agencies and production companies, responds to the story.
It's like having a mock trial on how it would be perceived in the marketplace before I actually send it out in case I need to do any last minute tweaking. It's also to see if I get a Consider or Recommend, so I could include that on the query.
Some may say that an agent/producer won't take that into consideration because they'll think the company is being generous -- "they just want repeat business" -- but I think it does have a positive psychological affect.
If an agent/producer sees a recommend from a reputable coverage service that uses the same readers the industry uses, I think it could be an edge, no matter how slight.
After I accomplish all of the above and if I get a request from my query letter, I can relax, knowing that I did my best to send out the strongest version possible.
The rest is left up to the Screenwriting Gods.
About the professional consultants.
The better ones are expensive ($500-$1500). I don't recommend that a new writer, somebody without prior writing experience in other mediums, send off their first and only script to the top consultants for analysis.
The reason you always here the first script is a learning experience is because new writers haven't study the craft long enough to get a good understanding, so for most of the new writers their first script is gonna be light, weak when it comes to adding depth, structure and meaning (theme) to their stories and characters.
I suggest to a new writer, who feels he has a great concept, to use one or more of the following elements for learning what needs to be done for making your script stronger: peers, contests that offer feedback (Slamdance offers a couple of pages for a $75 entry fee) and not expensive but good script consultants ($150-$350).
Otherwise, after the free peer reviews, let the script sit for awhile until you gain more knowledge on the craft, and then go back to it and shape it up.
Be patient. Don't make the same mistake I made.
In the beginning, I made the MOTHER of all newbie blunders: sending my script off to an L.A. agent before my script was ready.
Of course, at the time, I thought it was ready, but this bozo assumption was made because of a deadly combination of not being patient and inexperience in the craft and business of screenwriting.
Do you know how hard it is for a nobody to get an agent from one of the top ten agencies in L.A. to request your script from a query letter?
I had a shot and I blew it big time. I learned my lesson the hard way.
Now I'm more patient with my writing, studies and development of my script.
An A-list writer with mega hits on his resume said in an interview that in the beginning he and his partner made a decision not to send a script out into the marketplace until they were positive it was an excellent example of their writing and that it was commercial enough that someone would want to buy it.
It wasn't until their tenth script that they felt these requirements were met and it sold.
This is a perfect example of patience and discipline in achieving one's goal.
After the fiasco I've mentioned in the beginning of this post, patience and discipline is now what I strive for in achieving my goals.
The following is my process to make sure my script is actually ready for the marketplace.
Keep in mind; I'm not saying this is the perfect way to go. This is just my process. I know other members had success stories without going through the process that I go through.
First, I go through a few drafts to get the vision I want, then I polish and proof. I put it away for a couple of weeks to get some distance from it. To be able to look at it with fresh eyes.
After a couple of weeks, I see problems. I rewrite, then polish and proof. I send this draft out for peer feedback.
I look at the notes and whatever resonates with me that I believe would help make my material stronger I'll use for my rewrite. I put it away for a couple of weeks, and then I look at it again and fix whatever problems I see. I send this version out for peer feedback.
Preferably, I look for different reviewers to get a fresh perspective. The reviewers who critiqued the previous draft are only going to agree with the changes you've made that they suggested and still not like the ones that you didn't change.
At this time I also send the script out to a couple of contests that offer feedback to see what an experienced contest reader feels what the problems are and to see how strong the concept and its execution stands up amongst my peers at this stage.
With the notes from my peers and contests, I rewrite again. Put it away for two weeks and rewrite again, then I send it out to my peers for feedback for the third time. Usually it takes no more than three rounds of feedback for the notes to be minimal.
Otherwise, I stick to this process of rewriting and sending it out for peer review until the notes are minimal, or I realize the story is unfixable and I move on to another.
Once the notes are minimal, it's time for me to move on to the next stage: Professional feedback.
I send my script out to at least two professional consultants. These consultants have read, not hundreds, but thousands of scripts. They either are professional writers or ex-development executives that worked in the industry.
I know some members are against paying when they can get feedback for free from their peers, but from my experience professional consultants are on a different level.
They have an educated and professional eye to really see your story. They have years in experience in articulating what works and what doesn't work. They have practical knowledge of the craft and business.
When I get their notes, I'll rewrite. Put it away for two weeks and rewrite again.
After all of this, the script should be strong. It should be ready to send out into the marketplace, but I won't send it out. Not just yet.
I'm going to be patient.
I'll now send it out to about 3-5 important contests. I do this to get some credibility for my query. If you can mention that the story you're pitching advanced in a respectable contest, such as the Nicholl, it could only help.
I'll also send it out to a reputable coverage service, such as, Coverage, Ink., or Scriptshark.
I do this to get an idea on how an experienced reader, who works freelance with L.A. agencies and production companies, responds to the story.
It's like having a mock trial on how it would be perceived in the marketplace before I actually send it out in case I need to do any last minute tweaking. It's also to see if I get a Consider or Recommend, so I could include that on the query.
Some may say that an agent/producer won't take that into consideration because they'll think the company is being generous -- "they just want repeat business" -- but I think it does have a positive psychological affect.
If an agent/producer sees a recommend from a reputable coverage service that uses the same readers the industry uses, I think it could be an edge, no matter how slight.
After I accomplish all of the above and if I get a request from my query letter, I can relax, knowing that I did my best to send out the strongest version possible.
The rest is left up to the Screenwriting Gods.
About the professional consultants.
The better ones are expensive ($500-$1500). I don't recommend that a new writer, somebody without prior writing experience in other mediums, send off their first and only script to the top consultants for analysis.
The reason you always here the first script is a learning experience is because new writers haven't study the craft long enough to get a good understanding, so for most of the new writers their first script is gonna be light, weak when it comes to adding depth, structure and meaning (theme) to their stories and characters.
I suggest to a new writer, who feels he has a great concept, to use one or more of the following elements for learning what needs to be done for making your script stronger: peers, contests that offer feedback (Slamdance offers a couple of pages for a $75 entry fee) and not expensive but good script consultants ($150-$350).
Otherwise, after the free peer reviews, let the script sit for awhile until you gain more knowledge on the craft, and then go back to it and shape it up.
Be patient. Don't make the same mistake I made.