I've heard a lot recently about these scripts that writers break in with that never sell -- aka the calling card script. The one that everyone wants to read. Many now land on the annual black list of most liked scripts never produced. But often those specs don't get made -- but sometimes they do.
I've heard this term before -- but not sure I understood it as much as I do now that I've been in the business longer.
The goal is to get your writing in front of the right people. To be invited into the room. To have your script be so good, people pass it around town. They are dying to read good, original material that doesn't bore them to sleep.
Often, and I do this all the time, try to think of ideas that will sell. Makes sense right? But maybe I should be writing the script no one else can write but me. My Juno. My Orphans (shout out to Ed Fury's book). Add more examples please.
My point is, if you are worried your idea won't sell. Good news. Neither will mine or most spec ideas.
Our goal has to be to write something that will get us signed and invited into the rooms. Our goal is to get a career going and create fans. Make more opportunities not just sell one spec. It would be great if we could do both.
Maybe if you are cautious write both. One for them. One for you. But the one calling card spec may be the one that will actually get your career going vs writing another run of the mill spec.
I think it should still be something that can be a commercial movie if done right, not just something that shows off your voice. Make it both. However, we all have these crazy original ideas that if we pitched them, no one would buy them. But if we write them, as only we can, they shine on the page.
Here's 1 article about it -- https://thescriptlab.com/features/sc...d-spec-script/
Just something to think about when you are debating between ideas.
I've heard this term before -- but not sure I understood it as much as I do now that I've been in the business longer.
The goal is to get your writing in front of the right people. To be invited into the room. To have your script be so good, people pass it around town. They are dying to read good, original material that doesn't bore them to sleep.
Often, and I do this all the time, try to think of ideas that will sell. Makes sense right? But maybe I should be writing the script no one else can write but me. My Juno. My Orphans (shout out to Ed Fury's book). Add more examples please.
My point is, if you are worried your idea won't sell. Good news. Neither will mine or most spec ideas.
Our goal has to be to write something that will get us signed and invited into the rooms. Our goal is to get a career going and create fans. Make more opportunities not just sell one spec. It would be great if we could do both.
Maybe if you are cautious write both. One for them. One for you. But the one calling card spec may be the one that will actually get your career going vs writing another run of the mill spec.
I think it should still be something that can be a commercial movie if done right, not just something that shows off your voice. Make it both. However, we all have these crazy original ideas that if we pitched them, no one would buy them. But if we write them, as only we can, they shine on the page.
Here's 1 article about it -- https://thescriptlab.com/features/sc...d-spec-script/
Just something to think about when you are debating between ideas.
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