How to Write a Query Letter for a Screenplay
Once you've finished writing your screenplay, the next step is to find someone who's in a position to get it produced. This involves finding an agent who can shop your material around to different studios or making a pitch yourself to independent film producers who are currently in the market for your type of project. Either scenario calls for a professional and concise query letter that will not only hook a reader's attention but make her enthusiastic to want to read more.
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Things You'll Need
- Word processing software
- Good quality stationery
- Printer
- Envelopes
- Postage
Instructions
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Address your query letter to the individual or department that specifically handles new submissions rather than exposing yourself as an amateur through salutations like "Dear NBC" or "Hi, Mr. Spielberg". The appropriate contact information is spelled out in the call for new scripts through film trade magazines such as Hollywood Reporter, web sites such as MovieBytes and InkTip, or annual resource publications such as the Hollywood Creative Directory and Writer's Market.
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Identify the purpose of your correspondence in a subject line between the salutation and the first paragraph. Example: New Romantic Comedy Screenplay for Consideration. Due to the volume of correspondence that film reps and production companies receive, they need to be able to tell at a glance what yours is about. (See Warning.)
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Identify the title, genre, length, target demographic and setting of your screenplay in the first paragraph. Example:
My feature length script, "My Lost Lemur", is a coming-of-age comedy that will appeal to families and takes place over one summer in 1930's Detroit. -
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Provide a short synopsis of the movie in your second paragraph. The synopsis should identify the main characters, the story's central conflict and what's at stake, significant plot points, and the resolution. Unlike a third grader's book report, a screenplay query letter should never leave the reader dangling with comments such as, "And if you want to see how Lonnie the Lemur saves Danny from the kidnappers, you'll have to read my script".
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Tout your qualifications in the third paragraph. If you have been a professional writer for the past 15 years, say so. If you have sold or optioned previous scripts, identify them. If you have won awards for your writing, don't be shy about disclosing what they were. If, in addition, you have a unique background that qualified you to pen this project, explain what it is. Example: "For the past six years, my role at the Detroit Zoo has been to oversee the lemur compound."
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Close the letter by respectfully thanking the reader for her time and stating that you would be happy to provide additional background and/or a copy of the screenplay upon request. Make sure your contact information is complete and that you proofread your letter thoroughly before you put it into the mail along with a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
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Tips & Warnings
As with any business correspondence, use professional looking stationery, one inch margins, and a clean 12 pt. font such as Courier New, Bookman or Times New Roman.
Keep your query letter to no more than one page. If it takes longer than that to explain your concept, the impression will be left that your project is unfocused, meandering and probably not worth the reader's attention.
The Writers Guild of America has numerous tools and resources for screenwriters who want to pitch their projects to agents and industry decision makers. (See Resources.)
Screenwriters will sometimes try to be clever in their query letters by using the title as the subject line. Example: My Lost Lemur. This is counterproductive because the recipient has no idea this is a title and may wonder why you're not writing instead to the Lost and Found. Another approach that can backfire is skipping the subject line and opening with a provocative statement. Example: Do you know where your wife was last night?
To save time, many agents and producers now accept query letters via email. Unfortunately, this often encourages informality, sloppiness, and excessive chatter on the part of eager writers. To be taken seriously, you must exercise the same good judgment, brevity and attention to detail in an electronic query as you would if you were using traditional mail.
Never send your film treatment (which is an extended version of a synopsis), your whole screenplay or even a partial of your screenplay unless or until it is specifically requested.
Never tell the reader that your mother, spouse, best friend, etc. thinks that this is the greatest script that has ever been written. Never describe your script as "the next Avatar" or "a future Oscar winner you can't afford to pass up". Nor should you ever tell a prospective producer, "Since you've had such a string of mind-numbing flops lately, I'd like to help you out with something really good".
References
- "The Perfect Pitch: How to Sell Yourself and Your Movie Idea to Hollywood"; Ken Rotcop; 2009
- "Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds: The Guaranteed Way to Get Your Screenplay or Novel Read"; Michaeul Hague; 2006
- "The Script-Selling Game: A Hollywood Insider's Look at Getting Your Script Sold and Produced"; Kathie Fong Yoneda; 2002
Resources
- Photo Credit clipboard with marking black and white image by patrimonio designs from Fotolia.com
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Comments
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Good advice. When writing a query letter, you need to consider your audience -- business people who want to make a profit by investing in your screenplay. Quality writing is marketable writing.
