How to Promote a Movie Script
Every coffee shop these days seems to be filled with people writing the great American screenplay. None of these scripts, however, are going to make a mark on the world if they aren't adequately marketed and promoted. By focusing on the market and audience for your story and highlighting its uniqueness, you can make it stand out in a crowded marketplace through bold and strategic promotion.
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Instructions
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Preparation and Research
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Make sure your script is ready to show at a professional level before you start to promote it. Look at it objectively. Have a few knowledgeable and trustworthy people give you notes on any problems, and take the time to address their suggestions. Make sure you correct typos and formatting errors. If your script doesn't look professional, anyone who reads it may not be willing to look at anything else from you in the future.
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Research which producers and agencies might be interested in your script. Use resources such as the Hollywood Creative Directory or Done Deal Pro to find producers who work in your genre or agents and managers with a history of selling scripts similar to yours. If your script has a role that would be perfect for a specific actor, use resources such as the Internet Movie Database to learn how to contact his or her representatives.
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Prepare ancillary materials to help in the promotion of your movie script. Write a catchy log line, which is the one- or two-sentence description of the subject matter of your script. Create a treatment, which is a selling document of about two to ten pages giving a synopsis of the story. Although many producers and agencies don't respond to query letters, have one ready for those buyers willing to accept them.
Let Your Script Be Seen
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Get to know producers, agents, and managers. Many producers will not read scripts unless they are submitted by an agent or by someone they know. Attend film festivals and workshops to get to know people who are in a position to pass your script along and get it read. A good agent or manager can be key to promoting a movie script, so cultivate contacts in the industry who are willing to introduce you to agents and managers who might be interested in representing you. Get to know the producers' and agents' assistants, since they do a lot of script reading for their bosses and can provide an excellent access point. Consider becoming an intern for a short time to get to know a particular producer and his company.
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Enter your movie script in screenwriting contests. If you place highly, mention that fact in your promotion efforts. If your script isn't well received, take the notes you receive and use them to rework your script into something more marketable.
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Build a website to promote your movie script. Take advantage of social networking sites to market your script and yourself. Make sure to keep your website updated so potential buyers can be familiar with all your work.
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Be prepared to pitch your story to anyone who wants to hear it. Practice your pitch in front of other people until you know you're doing the best possible job of promoting your script. Be confident whenever and wherever you pitch.
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Attach actors or directors to your script to give it added value. Seek out up-and-coming directors who might be of interest to producers as well as actors whose names and faces are recognizable.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit movie reel image by Maria Bell from Fotolia.com
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Comments
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Very helpful article on promoting a screenplay, years ago I wrote mine and this is the logline: A California man beset by family problems becomes involved with a Mexican laborer's family, leading him to reassess his own life and relationships. Comments are welcomed.
