If the idea for a screenplay has been eating away at you for a while, but you lack the money to buy an expensive software program for your computer -- do not despair. Nothing more is needed than a simple word processing program (or you can use a more complex one if you have it).
First, your screenplay has to be formatted correctly and setting that up to start with is easy. Don't forget to save the project every time you work on it, and store it where you can find it again on your computer! While all screenplays must be in Courier or Courier New 12 point type, you can always set your computer screen to "view" in a zoom mode, especially if you use reading glasses, like I do. This will not affect your type size -- just how you see it on the screen. Writing screenplays has always been done in that typeface because then producers and others looking at your screenplay, and hopefully buying it for their next great blockbuster, know that the one minute per page rule applies. Margins for screenplays are one inch all around, except for the left margin, which should be one and a half inches. This is to allow for the three holes on the left sides and brass fasteners (top and bottom only) if you need to print and send out copies. That way the text is not trapped within that left margin.
Using macros for both character names and dialog boxes is a real time saver -- if your word processing software has it. If too complicated or you don't have it, use tabs. Most tab stops are already preset for five spaces. If not, program yours for that (look under help in the menu on how to do it). Usually, character names are about 4-5 tab stops in (centered on the page), and dialog boxes start about three tabs stops in. Dialog must be even on the left margin and should be (within reason) not aligned on the right. Dialog should take up the center third of the width of usable space on your page. On the subject of dialog -- keep your parentheticals brief and to the minimum. Parentheticals are the directions placed under a character's name such as (smiling). Too many of those and reading the screenplay becomes annoying. Most emotions (or emoting) are left to the actors and the director.
Directions for the people in your story are best kept brief also. Two or three sentences in a paragraph are all that is needed. Most of the action is, again, put into the film by the actors and director. Never describe a hidden emotion. The only thing that should be written down in a screenplay is dialog, and necessary action that is seen or hear d on the screen. What good would be: He was cringing inside because someone laughed at him? That could best be described as: He stopped in his tracks and began to sweat, then straightened up. Always show rather than tell in a screenplay. This takes more work but is much better writing for this medium. And while we are on this subject, a pet peeve of mine when reading screenplays (and it made me cringe) is "we see so and so go over to the well". Be lean in your description -- say "so and so went over to the well".
One last note on spacing and capitalization, when you are writing your screenplay: There is one line space between the end of dialog and action text and one line space between each block of action text, plus a line space between scene headings and the start of either dialog or action text. The only time that two line spaces are used is after the last text and before the next scene heading. So, with tabs and macros if you have the capability, you can turn out a perfectly formatted screenplay without expensive screenplay writing software.
Susan Hart is a world traveled former literary agent. If you need help with your writing project visit her site for more information.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
Screenwriting - 5 Ways to Bring Your Script to Life Without Selling it to a Producer by Melody Jackson
One of the challenges of being a screenwriter is that fulfilling your goal is an all-or-nothing proposition. An actor can get small parts and work and see themselves on TV and in a movie, even if they never become a star. But as a screenwriter, your script either gets produced or it doesn't. You won't see a couple of scenes from your script in the movie theater - your only chance there is the whole thing or nothing.
With that said, here's the good news You have options. Even though there's no guarantee that you will make any money from doing these things, you actually CAN experience the creative satisfaction of seeing your work come to life. Having this experience will not only make you proud of yourself and inspire you, but will also help you develop your craft. Here are five ways to have your screenplay come to life without a producer buying it.
These will work for you whether you are in Los Angeles or you're in The Midwest or anywhere, you may just need to adapt the ideas a bit. And if you have already had some of your work produced in the past, you might adapt these ideas to help you shoot a trailer presentation of your movie to show to potential producers or investors.
Here are five ways to have your screenplay come to life without a producer buying it.
1. Take a film and video production course at a local film school or community college and shoot your own scenes.
As a screenwriter, you will benefit from understanding as much as possible about film production. Take a class to learn about production and to get yourself inspired about your writing. For your production project, use the scenes you've written.
2. Hold a table reading at your home, a small theatre, or at a community location, even invite an audience.
A "reading" is an event in which you actually cast actors to read your screenplay aloud so you can hear it come to life. You should also record it so you can review it later.
Holding a reading will help you see what works and what doesn't work as well as be very exciting to hear it acted out. You might also invite an audience so you can see what parts they have a noticeable reaction to or fall asleep on. If you've never done a table reading, I guarantee you will be surprised.
3. Find other area filmmakers and work together to shoot a demo/trailer of your script.
Because of the great accessibility of video equipment and editing software, more and more writers and producers are shooting presentations of their scripts. You could make a trailer to use to present your script to investors - although it must be very good production quality if you do that. It will also be very exciting to see even a few minutes of your story come to life.
No matter where you are in the U.S., it is very likely that someone near you is also interested in working in the film industry. You can start your own short film production company to start out. You can also check on Craig's List or post there that you're seeking other filmmakers to collaborate with. And sites like Meet Up try to connect you with other like-interested people.
4. Contact your state's film commission to find all the resources that you can about where other filmmakers are.
A great resource for connecting with professionals is your State Film Commission. Call to find out what resources they can offer you or tell you about. You can find out what productions are coming to your state and also potentially meet other filmmakers you could collaborate with.
5. Contact an acting school or acting class near you and see if you can provide scenes for them. Then go watch.
If you're feeling a bit lazy in the production arena and don't want to go to a lot of trouble, you could just contact a local acting school and tell them you have scenes you would like to provide for their classes. On-camera acting schools love to work with new material (of course, it should be pretty good). And if you go watch, you get a chance to hear your work come to life with next to no effort.
The main point of this article is that, along the way in your writing, you can and should enjoy some reward for your effort by seeing it come to life in some fashion. Although your long-term goal is to sell your script and see it on the screen in a cinema, don't discount the benefit of throwing yourself a little bone and seeing a few scenes come to life.
You might be surprised by how gratifying it is to see the characters you created suddenly alive in real people portraying them - even if only for a few scenes.
Melody Jackson, Ph.D., has critiqued over 2000 screenplays in depth and was rated a Top 5 Script Consultant in the country by Creative Screenwriting Magazine. Go to http://www.ScriptCritiques.com for more information on marketing to Hollywood. If you are ready to jump-start your career, increase your confidence, and have more fun pursuing Hollywood success, get "Plugged In" at http://www.QueryLetterMailings.com. Also get your FREE REPORT on "The Top 20 Literary Agents In Hollywood," along with the FREE REPORT "Endless Professional Screenwriting Work."
With that said, here's the good news You have options. Even though there's no guarantee that you will make any money from doing these things, you actually CAN experience the creative satisfaction of seeing your work come to life. Having this experience will not only make you proud of yourself and inspire you, but will also help you develop your craft. Here are five ways to have your screenplay come to life without a producer buying it.
These will work for you whether you are in Los Angeles or you're in The Midwest or anywhere, you may just need to adapt the ideas a bit. And if you have already had some of your work produced in the past, you might adapt these ideas to help you shoot a trailer presentation of your movie to show to potential producers or investors.
Here are five ways to have your screenplay come to life without a producer buying it.
1. Take a film and video production course at a local film school or community college and shoot your own scenes.
As a screenwriter, you will benefit from understanding as much as possible about film production. Take a class to learn about production and to get yourself inspired about your writing. For your production project, use the scenes you've written.
2. Hold a table reading at your home, a small theatre, or at a community location, even invite an audience.
A "reading" is an event in which you actually cast actors to read your screenplay aloud so you can hear it come to life. You should also record it so you can review it later.
Holding a reading will help you see what works and what doesn't work as well as be very exciting to hear it acted out. You might also invite an audience so you can see what parts they have a noticeable reaction to or fall asleep on. If you've never done a table reading, I guarantee you will be surprised.
3. Find other area filmmakers and work together to shoot a demo/trailer of your script.
Because of the great accessibility of video equipment and editing software, more and more writers and producers are shooting presentations of their scripts. You could make a trailer to use to present your script to investors - although it must be very good production quality if you do that. It will also be very exciting to see even a few minutes of your story come to life.
No matter where you are in the U.S., it is very likely that someone near you is also interested in working in the film industry. You can start your own short film production company to start out. You can also check on Craig's List or post there that you're seeking other filmmakers to collaborate with. And sites like Meet Up try to connect you with other like-interested people.
4. Contact your state's film commission to find all the resources that you can about where other filmmakers are.
A great resource for connecting with professionals is your State Film Commission. Call to find out what resources they can offer you or tell you about. You can find out what productions are coming to your state and also potentially meet other filmmakers you could collaborate with.
5. Contact an acting school or acting class near you and see if you can provide scenes for them. Then go watch.
If you're feeling a bit lazy in the production arena and don't want to go to a lot of trouble, you could just contact a local acting school and tell them you have scenes you would like to provide for their classes. On-camera acting schools love to work with new material (of course, it should be pretty good). And if you go watch, you get a chance to hear your work come to life with next to no effort.
The main point of this article is that, along the way in your writing, you can and should enjoy some reward for your effort by seeing it come to life in some fashion. Although your long-term goal is to sell your script and see it on the screen in a cinema, don't discount the benefit of throwing yourself a little bone and seeing a few scenes come to life.
You might be surprised by how gratifying it is to see the characters you created suddenly alive in real people portraying them - even if only for a few scenes.
Melody Jackson, Ph.D., has critiqued over 2000 screenplays in depth and was rated a Top 5 Script Consultant in the country by Creative Screenwriting Magazine. Go to http://www.ScriptCritiques.com for more information on marketing to Hollywood. If you are ready to jump-start your career, increase your confidence, and have more fun pursuing Hollywood success, get "Plugged In" at http://www.QueryLetterMailings.com. Also get your FREE REPORT on "The Top 20 Literary Agents In Hollywood," along with the FREE REPORT "Endless Professional Screenwriting Work."
Monday, August 31, 2009
A Writer's Most Dangerous Desire - And How to Combat it When You Write Your Screenplay by Jacob Krueger
It may be hard to tell from some of the stuff you see coming out of Hollywood, but believe it or not, no one sets out to be a mediocre writer.
No writer dreams of writing that crappy screenplay with the unintelligible plot. No writer fantasizes about creating paper thin characters, canned dialogue, or predictable plot points.
As writers, we share a common desire: we want to write great scripts, fascinating characters, brilliant dialogue, and breathtaking stories that catch people and won't let them go. We want to say something that matters to us, have our voices heard, and create the kind of movies we grew up loving.
All writers want to be great writers.
Unfortunately, for many writers this need to create something great is actually the biggest obstacle to their writing.
That's because, as much as we'd all like to, no can can control the quality of their writing.
Occasionally, magic does happen. You wake up one day inspired. You know the story you want to tell, and somehow it just pours out of you, almost like someone else was creating the story and all you have to do is type out the words.
But more often, that magic is elusive. You wake up inspired with a brilliant premise, but feel like you don't know how to execute it. Or you discover a character that intrigues you, but haven't the slightest clue what his or her story will be, or how you're going to find it.
When the words you're actually writing don't seem to match the dream of greatness you're holding in your mind, it's hard to see yourself as a writer.
You start to feel stuck, lost, or just plain blocked. You may even start to wonder if you really have what it takes to be a writer...
Nonsense.
The desire for greatness is the most dangerous desire for writers.
When you hold it too closely, you not only take all the joy out of writing, but also make it increasingly unlikely that you will ever achieve the greatness you're seeking.
It's not that writers shouldn't strive for great writing. It's that writing is a process, and to actually create something great, you must first give yourself the freedom to play.
Picasso said that he spent for years trying to paint like Raphael, and the rest of his life trying to paint like a child.
The same is true for writers. Creating something great often means letting go of your goals for your writing (and the judgment that goes with it), and simply allowing yourself to play like a child.
That's the goal of my new "Write! Write! Write!" Screenwriting Workshops.
Each workshop begins with a special in-class writing exercise, designed to set your judgment aside, unlock your creativity, and make writing fun again. These playful scenes then become the basis for inspiring lectures, designed to not only teach you the craft of screenwriting, but also help the build the skills you need to take your most creative scenes, and transform them into the kind of screenplay you've always dreamed of writing. Take your first step today.
More Information:
Web: http://www.jacobkrueger.com
No writer dreams of writing that crappy screenplay with the unintelligible plot. No writer fantasizes about creating paper thin characters, canned dialogue, or predictable plot points.
As writers, we share a common desire: we want to write great scripts, fascinating characters, brilliant dialogue, and breathtaking stories that catch people and won't let them go. We want to say something that matters to us, have our voices heard, and create the kind of movies we grew up loving.
All writers want to be great writers.
Unfortunately, for many writers this need to create something great is actually the biggest obstacle to their writing.
That's because, as much as we'd all like to, no can can control the quality of their writing.
Occasionally, magic does happen. You wake up one day inspired. You know the story you want to tell, and somehow it just pours out of you, almost like someone else was creating the story and all you have to do is type out the words.
But more often, that magic is elusive. You wake up inspired with a brilliant premise, but feel like you don't know how to execute it. Or you discover a character that intrigues you, but haven't the slightest clue what his or her story will be, or how you're going to find it.
When the words you're actually writing don't seem to match the dream of greatness you're holding in your mind, it's hard to see yourself as a writer.
You start to feel stuck, lost, or just plain blocked. You may even start to wonder if you really have what it takes to be a writer...
Nonsense.
The desire for greatness is the most dangerous desire for writers.
When you hold it too closely, you not only take all the joy out of writing, but also make it increasingly unlikely that you will ever achieve the greatness you're seeking.
It's not that writers shouldn't strive for great writing. It's that writing is a process, and to actually create something great, you must first give yourself the freedom to play.
Picasso said that he spent for years trying to paint like Raphael, and the rest of his life trying to paint like a child.
The same is true for writers. Creating something great often means letting go of your goals for your writing (and the judgment that goes with it), and simply allowing yourself to play like a child.
That's the goal of my new "Write! Write! Write!" Screenwriting Workshops.
Each workshop begins with a special in-class writing exercise, designed to set your judgment aside, unlock your creativity, and make writing fun again. These playful scenes then become the basis for inspiring lectures, designed to not only teach you the craft of screenwriting, but also help the build the skills you need to take your most creative scenes, and transform them into the kind of screenplay you've always dreamed of writing. Take your first step today.
More Information:
Web: http://www.jacobkrueger.com
Friday, August 28, 2009
Literary Agents Vs Managers - 5 Tips For Deciding Which to Go With First by Melody Jackson
For most screenwriters, it can seem like the whole process of trying to sell your script is one big "Catch 22": You can't get certain producers to read your script without an agent or manager, but agents and managers don't want to represent you until you've made a sale. The first question for you as a writer is to determine whether you should try for a literary agent or a manager. Here are 5 tips to help you decide which to go with first.
1. What is the difference between an agent and a manager?
An agent is basically what the word itself describes: a person who is going to represent you as a writer and your work. An agent is your salesperson in the marketplace. When the agent feels your script is ready to "go out," they find the producers or studios who will be the best potential buyers. The agent then manages the whole process of (hopefully) selling your screenplay to them.
Managers, on the other hand, work more closely with the writer on developing their scripts and career. You may strategize closely with your manager on what story to write next, and then get feedback on your drafts. Also, managers will often arrange meetings with producers and other industry executives, either for specific writing assignments or just a general meeting to let the execs get to know you.
2. How much of my earnings do each of them take?
When you are represented, the agent or manager are compensated with commissions from your earnings. Traditionally, agents have earned 10% from the deals they make for their clients; managers' commissions range from 10% to 20%.
One thing to remember about managers is that they can also act as a producer for their client's scripts (by law, in California, agents cannot produce). So if your manager is producing your screenplay and it also sells, the manager should receive a sales commission on top of their producing fee. This is called "double dipping" and legitimate managers don't do it.
3. Should I choose one over the other?
If you are a screenwriter who is just starting out, the choice between an agent and a manager may be made for you. Representation by an agent is generally harder to get than finding a manager willing to take you on as a client.
Agents tend to want to represent writers with the potential for a long career. They prefer clients who can steadily bring in commissions over a period of time, rather than trying to chase one payday for a single script sale. Also, there are a lot more managers than agents in Hollywood and they are usually more open to developing newer writers. If only by default, for aspiring screenwriters, a manager is usually the better first step.
4. What factors should I consider when searching for representation?
The biggest red flag most writers should watch for is an agent or manager who charges upfront fees for representation or reading your script. Legitimate agents and managers do not take money from a writer in exchange for representation.
Once in a while, you'll run across some who charge $35 or $45 for a reading fee to cover their costs, but they are not real players in Hollywood. (Personally, I think it should be okay to charge a minimal fee for them to read your script, but the fact is that the big players don't do it.)
Another consideration is where the agency or company is located. Nearly all films and deals are made in Los Angeles or New York, so most agents and managers are located there as well.
That is not to say that an agent from Chicago or a manager from Atlanta can't do anything for your career, because they might have a few contacts who could be just right for your script. If you are relatively new to the industry, they could also be a good company to begin to work with to get yourself "in the game" and learn how to work with representation.
For the most part, however, your major agencies and management companies are unlikely to be located outside of Los Angeles or New York.
5. How do I go about finding an agent or manager?
You can try and land an agent or manager in a few different ways. If you have industry contacts, then it might be appropriate to ask your contacts for a referral to an agent or manager.
Alternatively, you can send a query letter to agents and/or managers, introducing yourself and offering them your script to consider for representation. The advantage of a query letter mailing is that you don't need to have industry contacts in Hollywood to send it out. If you have a great script, a strong query letter could be enough to get you noticed.
In either case, however, just make sure the script you send out is the best you can make it. They will only read it once, and if your screenplay is not your best, not only will they turn it down, but they probably won't look at any of your other scripts in the future.
Summary
Despite the differences between a literary agent and manager, when it comes down to it, the real issue is simply finding someone who can help move your career forward. Strategies and business styles vary. They each have their own taste and their own set of contacts. Any number of them could work. Most of the time you won't know what works until you work with them.
They could have made the careers of 10 major screenwriters before you, but if they aren't getting the job done for you, then it doesn't matter. What it comes down to is this: Get in the game as soon as your script is ready, and it's trial and error and learn by doing, from there.
Melody Jackson, Ph.D., is the founder of Smart Girls Productions, a Hollywood Marketing Company supporting Actors & Screenwriters in moving their careers forward. If you are ready to jump-start your career, increase your confidence, and have more fun pursuing Hollywood success, get "Plugged In" at href="http://www.querylettermailings.com/">http://www.QueryLetterMailings.com Also get your FREE REPORT on "The Top 20 Literary Agents In Hollywood," along with Hot Tips on Marketing YourselfTo Hollywood. Melody has critiqued thousands of screenplays in depth and was rated a Top 5 Script Consultant in the country by Creative Screenwriting Magazine. Go to href="http://www.scriptcritiques.com/">http://www.ScriptCritiques.com for more information on marketing to Hollywood.
1. What is the difference between an agent and a manager?
An agent is basically what the word itself describes: a person who is going to represent you as a writer and your work. An agent is your salesperson in the marketplace. When the agent feels your script is ready to "go out," they find the producers or studios who will be the best potential buyers. The agent then manages the whole process of (hopefully) selling your screenplay to them.
Managers, on the other hand, work more closely with the writer on developing their scripts and career. You may strategize closely with your manager on what story to write next, and then get feedback on your drafts. Also, managers will often arrange meetings with producers and other industry executives, either for specific writing assignments or just a general meeting to let the execs get to know you.
2. How much of my earnings do each of them take?
When you are represented, the agent or manager are compensated with commissions from your earnings. Traditionally, agents have earned 10% from the deals they make for their clients; managers' commissions range from 10% to 20%.
One thing to remember about managers is that they can also act as a producer for their client's scripts (by law, in California, agents cannot produce). So if your manager is producing your screenplay and it also sells, the manager should receive a sales commission on top of their producing fee. This is called "double dipping" and legitimate managers don't do it.
3. Should I choose one over the other?
If you are a screenwriter who is just starting out, the choice between an agent and a manager may be made for you. Representation by an agent is generally harder to get than finding a manager willing to take you on as a client.
Agents tend to want to represent writers with the potential for a long career. They prefer clients who can steadily bring in commissions over a period of time, rather than trying to chase one payday for a single script sale. Also, there are a lot more managers than agents in Hollywood and they are usually more open to developing newer writers. If only by default, for aspiring screenwriters, a manager is usually the better first step.
4. What factors should I consider when searching for representation?
The biggest red flag most writers should watch for is an agent or manager who charges upfront fees for representation or reading your script. Legitimate agents and managers do not take money from a writer in exchange for representation.
Once in a while, you'll run across some who charge $35 or $45 for a reading fee to cover their costs, but they are not real players in Hollywood. (Personally, I think it should be okay to charge a minimal fee for them to read your script, but the fact is that the big players don't do it.)
Another consideration is where the agency or company is located. Nearly all films and deals are made in Los Angeles or New York, so most agents and managers are located there as well.
That is not to say that an agent from Chicago or a manager from Atlanta can't do anything for your career, because they might have a few contacts who could be just right for your script. If you are relatively new to the industry, they could also be a good company to begin to work with to get yourself "in the game" and learn how to work with representation.
For the most part, however, your major agencies and management companies are unlikely to be located outside of Los Angeles or New York.
5. How do I go about finding an agent or manager?
You can try and land an agent or manager in a few different ways. If you have industry contacts, then it might be appropriate to ask your contacts for a referral to an agent or manager.
Alternatively, you can send a query letter to agents and/or managers, introducing yourself and offering them your script to consider for representation. The advantage of a query letter mailing is that you don't need to have industry contacts in Hollywood to send it out. If you have a great script, a strong query letter could be enough to get you noticed.
In either case, however, just make sure the script you send out is the best you can make it. They will only read it once, and if your screenplay is not your best, not only will they turn it down, but they probably won't look at any of your other scripts in the future.
Summary
Despite the differences between a literary agent and manager, when it comes down to it, the real issue is simply finding someone who can help move your career forward. Strategies and business styles vary. They each have their own taste and their own set of contacts. Any number of them could work. Most of the time you won't know what works until you work with them.
They could have made the careers of 10 major screenwriters before you, but if they aren't getting the job done for you, then it doesn't matter. What it comes down to is this: Get in the game as soon as your script is ready, and it's trial and error and learn by doing, from there.
Melody Jackson, Ph.D., is the founder of Smart Girls Productions, a Hollywood Marketing Company supporting Actors & Screenwriters in moving their careers forward. If you are ready to jump-start your career, increase your confidence, and have more fun pursuing Hollywood success, get "Plugged In" at href="http://www.querylettermailings.com/">http://www.QueryLetterMailings.com Also get your FREE REPORT on "The Top 20 Literary Agents In Hollywood," along with Hot Tips on Marketing YourselfTo Hollywood. Melody has critiqued thousands of screenplays in depth and was rated a Top 5 Script Consultant in the country by Creative Screenwriting Magazine. Go to href="http://www.scriptcritiques.com/">http://www.ScriptCritiques.com for more information on marketing to Hollywood.
Monday, August 24, 2009
How to Write a Treatment For a Hollywood Screenplay by Melody Jackson
When you are preparing to write a screenplay or even preparing to do a major rewrite, it is very helpful to create a blueprint or treatment of what you are going to write prior to actually writing or rewriting it. This is what a treatment is used for. It will help you layout the direction of the entire screenplay and work out some of the kinks before jumping into the whole thing.
A treatment can be anywhere from 3 to 10 pages. Think of it as being an in-depth synopsis of your story. As you can imagine, it is much easier to edit and make changes to a story that is under 10 pages than it is to make changes on a 100+ page script.
If you work out all the story issues, character arc, and theme aspects in the treatment, it will save you an enormous amount of work when you write the screenplay itself.
A treatment for a screenplay is simply a narrative of all the major actions and characters from start to finish. It has no dialogue whatsoever. (Okay, you can put one or two great lines of dialogue in if you must, but only to show the flavor of the character.) But don't spend much time on the dialogue in the treatment as you might end up throwing out any given scene before you finalize the treatment, and then you will have wasted time on the dialogue.
Your treatment should be compelling, just as the screenplay will be. When you read it, you should connect with the story emotionally. If it doesn't affect you emotionally, then you should keep working on capturing the emotion in the treatment before you go on to writing the screenplay. If you can't capture it in the treatment, you definitely won't capture it in the screenplay itself, because it already shows that something is missing.
Once you have the whole story fleshed out with the plot, character arc, and theme all working together, and emotionally you are moved deeply when you read it, then you are ready to write your screenplay. The only caveat about that is that I recommend that you have a professional review the treatment before you go on and write it, simply because they may respond to it differently.
But for sure, you should work your story out in the treatment first. Oftentimes, when I critique a script and it needs a fair amount of work, I will recommend the writer go back to the treatment stage and rework it before rewriting the script itself. This have proven to be very beneficial.
The treatment is more of a mini-rendering of the story and must paint the mood of it.
If you likened the treatment to building a house, you could think of it as being like a full-color sketch of the interior of the house. It would be a sketch of the colors of the living room and the curtains, the couches and pillows. It would have all the mood that the final one would have, but it would nevertheless be only a sketch of it. You could also think of the treatment as a miniature or scale model of the screenplay.
As mentioned previously, a treatment can be 3-10 pages long. Single-spaced within the paragraphs with a double space between paragraphs. Use a 12-point font that is easy to read (Arial, Courier, Times New Roman).
Melody Jackson, Ph.D., is the founder of Smart Girls Productions, a Hollywood Marketing Company supporting Actors & Screenwriters in moving their careers forward. If you are ready to jump-start your career, increase your confidence, and have more fun pursuing Hollywood success, get "Plugged In" at http://www.QueryLetterMailings.com Also get your FREE REPORT on "The Top 20 Literary Agents In Hollywood," along with Hot Tips on Marketing Yourself To Hollywood. Melody has critiqued thousands of screenplays in depth and was rated a Top 5 Script Consultant in the country by Creative Screenwriting Magazine. Go to http://www.ScriptCritiques.com for more information on marketing to Hollywood.
A treatment can be anywhere from 3 to 10 pages. Think of it as being an in-depth synopsis of your story. As you can imagine, it is much easier to edit and make changes to a story that is under 10 pages than it is to make changes on a 100+ page script.
If you work out all the story issues, character arc, and theme aspects in the treatment, it will save you an enormous amount of work when you write the screenplay itself.
A treatment for a screenplay is simply a narrative of all the major actions and characters from start to finish. It has no dialogue whatsoever. (Okay, you can put one or two great lines of dialogue in if you must, but only to show the flavor of the character.) But don't spend much time on the dialogue in the treatment as you might end up throwing out any given scene before you finalize the treatment, and then you will have wasted time on the dialogue.
Your treatment should be compelling, just as the screenplay will be. When you read it, you should connect with the story emotionally. If it doesn't affect you emotionally, then you should keep working on capturing the emotion in the treatment before you go on to writing the screenplay. If you can't capture it in the treatment, you definitely won't capture it in the screenplay itself, because it already shows that something is missing.
Once you have the whole story fleshed out with the plot, character arc, and theme all working together, and emotionally you are moved deeply when you read it, then you are ready to write your screenplay. The only caveat about that is that I recommend that you have a professional review the treatment before you go on and write it, simply because they may respond to it differently.
But for sure, you should work your story out in the treatment first. Oftentimes, when I critique a script and it needs a fair amount of work, I will recommend the writer go back to the treatment stage and rework it before rewriting the script itself. This have proven to be very beneficial.
The treatment is more of a mini-rendering of the story and must paint the mood of it.
If you likened the treatment to building a house, you could think of it as being like a full-color sketch of the interior of the house. It would be a sketch of the colors of the living room and the curtains, the couches and pillows. It would have all the mood that the final one would have, but it would nevertheless be only a sketch of it. You could also think of the treatment as a miniature or scale model of the screenplay.
As mentioned previously, a treatment can be 3-10 pages long. Single-spaced within the paragraphs with a double space between paragraphs. Use a 12-point font that is easy to read (Arial, Courier, Times New Roman).
Melody Jackson, Ph.D., is the founder of Smart Girls Productions, a Hollywood Marketing Company supporting Actors & Screenwriters in moving their careers forward. If you are ready to jump-start your career, increase your confidence, and have more fun pursuing Hollywood success, get "Plugged In" at http://www.QueryLetterMailings.com Also get your FREE REPORT on "The Top 20 Literary Agents In Hollywood," along with Hot Tips on Marketing Yourself To Hollywood. Melody has critiqued thousands of screenplays in depth and was rated a Top 5 Script Consultant in the country by Creative Screenwriting Magazine. Go to http://www.ScriptCritiques.com for more information on marketing to Hollywood.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Hollywood Contacts - 5 Steps For Screenwriters to Make Connections and Keep Them by Melody Jackson
By now someone has probably told you, "You gotta know someone to have a career in Hollywood." And that is actually true. Getting Hollywood contacts on your Rolodex is critical to any and every career in Hollywood.
The thing they probably didn't tell you, though, is that you don't have to have the contacts when you start out. So, the real question is, "How do you make contacts and nurture them over the course of time?" This article contains 5 steps for screenwriters to make Hollywood contacts from an empty Rolodex and keep them once you get them.
1. Go to pitch-fests and film festivals.
One of the quickest ways to gather several contacts at once is to go where a lot of them are. There are many, many film festivals of all different sizes all over the U.S. as well as all over the world. You can go to one that is convenient for you and make it a point to meet people whom you could establish a long-term professional relationship with.
Create a goal of meeting at least 1 or 2 people a day that you will keep in touch with after the festivals. Afterward, put a good follow-up system in place and let them know when you have a new script or that you got a new agent or that you have a new pitch you want to offer them.
2. Do research and create a targeted list of contacts for your script. Then work that list by sending them a query letter. Then call them and begin developing a relationship.
The Hollywood Creative Directory is one of the best resources to find your list of targeted producers. It lists almost all the major companies, individuals, addresses, contacts, and projects in Hollywood. You can go through this book and pick out that ones that sound like good matches. Then you get on the phone and start calling.
You can also cross-reference your list with something like IMDB.com or IMDBpro to further narrow down who is most suitable for your project.
It takes a great deal of time to do this, but you can do it if you have the time. If you don't want to do it yourself, you can hire a company like Smart Girls Productions to do this selection process for you. Then you can use that list to follow up on.
3. Go through your own Rolodex and think back on everyone you've ever known and see if there is someone you might want to re-connect with. Or maybe someone on that list might be able to connect you to some of their contacts and they could help you.
Whether you are brand new or you've been skipping down the trail in Hollywood for decades, you probably have more connections that you think.
Take the time to brainstorm every single person that you have met personally and think about who they might know that they could hook you up with.
If it is someone you've lost touch with, before you call, you can create a way to connect with them to see what's happening and try to see how they might put you in touch with who they know.
4. Enter screenwriting contests to get feedback and to also get recommended to execs if you win.
Try to find screenwriting contests that have a good reputation and guarantee that they will pass you on to real Hollywood execs if you win.
The execs don't have to be Speilberg and Lucas or Bruckheimer either, as long as they are really working as a producer in Hollywood. Even if they are not big-time yet, if they read your script now and like your work, you'll already have access to them by the time they get "big."
5. Once you make a contact in Hollywood, keep them on your Rolodex, and find reasons to keep in touch with them for as long as you are pursuing a screenwriting career.
The first four steps were on making contacts. This one is on keeping them. One of the best ways to make contacts, as touched on before, is to get to know them before they are big-time.
Even if you meet someone only for 15 or 20 seconds, if you get really good at nurturing a connection, you can use that brief contact as a way to develop it into something much bigger.
Finally, treat everyone with respect in this biz, as long as they do you. Never look down on anyone in their position, as they could end up being the person who opens the door (or closes it) for you at some point in the future.
Melody Jackson, ph.D., is the founder of smart girls productions, a hollywood marketing company supporting actors & screenwriters in moving their careers forward. If you are ready to jump-start your career, increase your confidence, and have more fun pursuing Hollywood success, get "plugged in" at http://www.Querylettermailings.Com also get your free report on "the top 20 literary agents in Hollywood," along with hot tips on marketing yourself to hollywood.
Melody has critiqued thousands of screenplays in depth and was rated a top 5 script consultant in the country by creative screenwriting magazine. Go to http://www.Scriptcritiques.Com for more
The thing they probably didn't tell you, though, is that you don't have to have the contacts when you start out. So, the real question is, "How do you make contacts and nurture them over the course of time?" This article contains 5 steps for screenwriters to make Hollywood contacts from an empty Rolodex and keep them once you get them.
1. Go to pitch-fests and film festivals.
One of the quickest ways to gather several contacts at once is to go where a lot of them are. There are many, many film festivals of all different sizes all over the U.S. as well as all over the world. You can go to one that is convenient for you and make it a point to meet people whom you could establish a long-term professional relationship with.
Create a goal of meeting at least 1 or 2 people a day that you will keep in touch with after the festivals. Afterward, put a good follow-up system in place and let them know when you have a new script or that you got a new agent or that you have a new pitch you want to offer them.
2. Do research and create a targeted list of contacts for your script. Then work that list by sending them a query letter. Then call them and begin developing a relationship.
The Hollywood Creative Directory is one of the best resources to find your list of targeted producers. It lists almost all the major companies, individuals, addresses, contacts, and projects in Hollywood. You can go through this book and pick out that ones that sound like good matches. Then you get on the phone and start calling.
You can also cross-reference your list with something like IMDB.com or IMDBpro to further narrow down who is most suitable for your project.
It takes a great deal of time to do this, but you can do it if you have the time. If you don't want to do it yourself, you can hire a company like Smart Girls Productions to do this selection process for you. Then you can use that list to follow up on.
3. Go through your own Rolodex and think back on everyone you've ever known and see if there is someone you might want to re-connect with. Or maybe someone on that list might be able to connect you to some of their contacts and they could help you.
Whether you are brand new or you've been skipping down the trail in Hollywood for decades, you probably have more connections that you think.
Take the time to brainstorm every single person that you have met personally and think about who they might know that they could hook you up with.
If it is someone you've lost touch with, before you call, you can create a way to connect with them to see what's happening and try to see how they might put you in touch with who they know.
4. Enter screenwriting contests to get feedback and to also get recommended to execs if you win.
Try to find screenwriting contests that have a good reputation and guarantee that they will pass you on to real Hollywood execs if you win.
The execs don't have to be Speilberg and Lucas or Bruckheimer either, as long as they are really working as a producer in Hollywood. Even if they are not big-time yet, if they read your script now and like your work, you'll already have access to them by the time they get "big."
5. Once you make a contact in Hollywood, keep them on your Rolodex, and find reasons to keep in touch with them for as long as you are pursuing a screenwriting career.
The first four steps were on making contacts. This one is on keeping them. One of the best ways to make contacts, as touched on before, is to get to know them before they are big-time.
Even if you meet someone only for 15 or 20 seconds, if you get really good at nurturing a connection, you can use that brief contact as a way to develop it into something much bigger.
Finally, treat everyone with respect in this biz, as long as they do you. Never look down on anyone in their position, as they could end up being the person who opens the door (or closes it) for you at some point in the future.
Melody Jackson, ph.D., is the founder of smart girls productions, a hollywood marketing company supporting actors & screenwriters in moving their careers forward. If you are ready to jump-start your career, increase your confidence, and have more fun pursuing Hollywood success, get "plugged in" at http://www.Querylettermailings.Com also get your free report on "the top 20 literary agents in Hollywood," along with hot tips on marketing yourself to hollywood.
Melody has critiqued thousands of screenplays in depth and was rated a top 5 script consultant in the country by creative screenwriting magazine. Go to http://www.Scriptcritiques.Com for more
Trancas International Films Signs SCRIPTXPERT Client Jeff York
SCRIPTXPERT client Jeff York is now signed with Trancas International Films who will not only manage his writing career, but has also hired him to adapt one of their projects. Trancas found York through the Final Draft, Inc. SCRIPTXPERT coverage service which had recommended York's vampire-romance-with-a-twist script Incurable.
"The experience of using SCRIPTXPERT has been phenomenal," states York. "It's a great way to not only improve your writing, but also have a shot at getting your story in the hands of someone who can do something to help launch your career."
Unexpectedly, York's search for script advice lead to great things. He was impressed by the assigned SCRIPTXPERT reader's horror script knowledge that prevailed in his first critique.
The reader's critical and positive notes helped York revise his screenplay, Incurable, a love affair between a man with cancer and a female vampire. Then, after two exchanges of notes and drafts with the same reader, Incurable was finally recommended.
One advantage of SCRIPTXPERT is if a reader "recommends" a writer's screenplay it reaches the top level. Final Draft, Inc. then passes the client's information - with the writer's permission- to interested agents and producers.
Fortunately, York's Incurable got into Sammy Montana's hands, VP of Trancas International Films, who is always looking for the next "Halloween" box-office smash. "I read it and was blown away," states Montana.
Montana enjoyed York's work and signed him, allowing York to finally pursue his passion. York plans to become a full-time screenwriter in L.A. thanks to submitting his script to Final Draft, Inc.
"The experience of using SCRIPTXPERT has been phenomenal," states York. "It's a great way to not only improve your writing, but also have a shot at getting your story in the hands of someone who can do something to help launch your career."
Unexpectedly, York's search for script advice lead to great things. He was impressed by the assigned SCRIPTXPERT reader's horror script knowledge that prevailed in his first critique.
The reader's critical and positive notes helped York revise his screenplay, Incurable, a love affair between a man with cancer and a female vampire. Then, after two exchanges of notes and drafts with the same reader, Incurable was finally recommended.
One advantage of SCRIPTXPERT is if a reader "recommends" a writer's screenplay it reaches the top level. Final Draft, Inc. then passes the client's information - with the writer's permission- to interested agents and producers.
Fortunately, York's Incurable got into Sammy Montana's hands, VP of Trancas International Films, who is always looking for the next "Halloween" box-office smash. "I read it and was blown away," states Montana.
Montana enjoyed York's work and signed him, allowing York to finally pursue his passion. York plans to become a full-time screenwriter in L.A. thanks to submitting his script to Final Draft, Inc.
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