By
eHow Careers & Work Editor
Difficulty: Moderately challenging
Things You’ll Need:
- Logline
- Draft of synopsis
Step1
Contact production companies and film studios to find out who receives unsolicited screenplays. Find out if material needs to come through an agent. If so, take the plunge and get one; it may even help with those studios that don't insist on this.
Step2
Get a personal contact to hand-deliver your script. Even if it's the father of a friend's friend, any type of personal connection is better than an unsolicited submission. Work your Rolodex; you'd be surprised how many contacts you have.
Step3
Write a logline, which is a three- to four-sentence description of your plot line. Many producers make preliminary decisions based on a logline, so make sure it will knock their socks off.
Step4
Draft a synopsis, which is often requested as a second-round qualifier by a studio executive or agent. This one-page summary expands on the logline, complete with character descriptions and plot twists.
Step5
Make sure your screenplay is long enough but not too long. The general rule of thumb is 100 to 140 pages.
Step6
Check that everything's spelled correctly. Typos can sink even the most readable story. Consider hiring an editor if you want to be sure your copy flows well and is free of gaffes.
Step7
Send a clean, crisp copy of the screenplay. If your printer stinks, print out the script at a copy shop.
Step8
Keep your first page simple but informative: the title, your name and whatever contact information may be relevant.
Step9
Skip the artsy or colorful covers. Like resumes that come on colored paper, a script that's dolled up suggests something that doesn't warrant any attention otherwise.
Step10
Apply for consideration to screenwriting contests. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon's Project Greenlight (projectgreenlight.com) searches for aspiring screenwriters and directors, and Kevin Spacey's TriggerStreet (triggerstreet.com) provides a forum for screenwriters. Being chosen for participation in one of these events could move you to the front of the screenwriters' line.
Step11
Be a writer, not a director. Keep suggestions about lighting and camera angles to yourself.
Comments
PlanetDMA said
on 6/4/2007 Hi, I’m a former story analyst here in Hollywood and currently am the executive producer of a new media and reality TV production company in Los Angeles. I recently wrote a detailed post on “How do I sell a screenplay?” in my “Break into the Biz Blog” at http://planetdma.blogspot.com/2006/08/14-how-do-i-get-agent-for-my-new.html. And for a step-by-step guide through the screenwriting and selling process, please check out “The 1-3-5 Story Structure Made Simple System: The Nine Essential Elements of a Sellable Screenplay,” found at http://www.movieinabox.com/135/135_book.htm. Hope some of these resources help! DMA, www.planetdma.com
Anonymous said
on 2/16/2006 As a WGA union writer and director of a screenplay and film festival, I would like to provide some more advice: Be careful not to send your screenplay to every Tom, Dick & Harry, every studio, as no one will feel special. It will also quickly date your screenplay. Once word gets around that one Studio has passed, the others won't even bother to read it. So be selective on who reads it. Seek out producers who specialize in your genre, then query them first. Also, 140 pages these days is way too long. 120 pages is considered a little long in the tooth. But the best advice you can take: Don't send out anything before it is ready. Have a qualified Consultant read your script, provide notes and feedback. Your script should have been re-written multiple times before any producer receives it. You get only one chance to make a lasting impression.
Anonymous said
on 12/19/2005 Make sure that your screenplay is properly formatted. Unformatted scripts is a good place to start when trying to do a preliminary elimination.