"Big Budget" Agent

[supergeri]

I have completed a high-concept sci-fi action screenplay that would require a pretty high budget. A kind of summer tentpole movie. I'm trying to search the internet for an agent or manager that deals this type of script. Any ideas?

[burnaise]

if it's a great script, most agents would be interested. if it isn't, it's not going to matter too much who you're gunning for.

going out with a blockbuster isn't rocket science. any worthwhile agent in town can get it into the right producer's hands (especially if they know it's a hot script). much harder is trying to push an art-house project.

that's where real creativity on the agent's part can be helpful.

[elephant1978]

It's not as easy as you think. High concept is one thing. High budget is another. I had a project with both and the response I got was that nobody could push an $80 Million script by an unknown. Think about it--there's very few producers who deal with big money. But everybody wants a low budget, high concept project.

Good luck. I'd love to know who you went to for representation--I could use the advice too.

Ele...

[burnaise]

it's true...elephant is right in that first time writers are not the go to guys for very expensive projects. there are exceptions, like The Passion of the Arc (sold by first time writers for 1.5 against 2.5 mil).

but ultimately, if it's a great story, and people love it, they can always find ways to take things off the budget.

on one script that i sold, we sat down with studio execs who said what we have is a 70 million dollar movie. we need to turn it into a 35 million dollar film, but not to lose any of the excitement.

but at the end of the day, i still believe the fundamental point. if the script is great, people will respond. and if it isn't, high concept or not won't matter. and remember, it ultimately isn't about selling that script...it's about using it as a means to introduce yourself to the town and land a few writing assignments off it.