scriptmailer-blog

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New Post has been published on Script Mailer

New Post has been published on https://www.scriptmailer.com/screenwriters/a-story-worth-telling.html

A Story Worth Telling

In this business of reading submitted screenplays, we see a number of common mistakes and weaknesses. This article looks at the readiness of your story idea.

It is very easy to get lost in the world of your screenplay. Writing takes you into a sphere where the focus between you and your computer become an impenetrable zone. Within this, it is easy to lose track and scope as you journey further, the typed words potentially leading you astray.

Before letting yourself get this far down the path, it is imperative to be sure your story is worth telling in the first place.

All too often, a personal event or nugget of family history is the spark for an idea, whereby a  story is attempted before it is fully conceived. This is like a premature birth. 

The problem is that there isn’t enough of a story there in the first place to survive.

What’s worse is what ensues months into your writing journey. You’ll begin to struggle and get frustrated as the words don’t flow. This is because of the potential lack of story and structure to hang scenes off.

Worse still, you’ll finish your screenplay and kid yourself that you are satisfied. You might pass it to a friend or screenplay business for appraisal. The lukewarm reception will piss you off, to put it bluntly. This is your story of the family struggle with Granny’s old Oldsmobile and the pains it took them through. 

Take this article, for example. It also has to have a reason for being and have a structure to justify its worth. A beginning, middle and end, but wrapped around an idea worth sharing. No one would want to read about my own personal writing issues and reasons for productivity block. It would not necessarily be actionable advice relevant to others. It’s too personal and not likely conceptual.

While this advice might seem more relevant for bigger budget films, it is still to be considered for the new screenwriter. You are an unproven writer, therefore, the money men will want to be sure their investment is worth the gamble on your story. 

If your story involves a specific period in time, the budget will increase to cover props, costume and set dressing on an epic scale. So, your story of Granny’s old car suddenly ends up an expensive proposition and without substance. Why would anyone outside the family care about Granny’s old car?

So what do you do?

Ensure a good story which is tangible and relevant to others. Leave the pet projects until you are an established writer or have an independent association willing to sponsor you. 

Let’s assume you want to run with a personal idea. There are ways to make this work, but you must look outside your narrow scope of fixation on what that story concept is. You need to think of the audience and create something which will stir them. Look beyond the historical facts.

Adopt “Artistic License!” The story of your Grandmother’s Oldsmobile might mean something to you and your family, but to have traction for an audience you’ll need to use artistic license to deviate from the personal family events to make sure you have the necessary elements to fit a screenplay. More often than not, the missing component is ‘conflict.’ Stories need a sense of jeopardy and opposition to the proceedings to create emotion in the audience and the “What if they don’t make it?” scenario. Then we will care.

Let’s look at an example. “Titanic,” written by James Cameron, is based on the sinking of a formidable ship. If the writer had kept to the facts, the movie would have been really short and kind of boring. Even the action of “Iceberg dead ahead” and then the ensuing sinking would only be a little exciting.

To get around this, James Cameron created some fiction to augment the history. By creating some characters and adding a love story, he achieved the necessary conflict and emotion. He effectively “dressed up” the core story.

That would mean having Granny’s Oldsmobile stolen one night off the driveway and creating a sense of loss and activity in searching to get it back. What if the family safety deposit box key was also in the glove compartment? A story turning point to help get the car back could be that Granny’s grandson’s pet snakes were in the trunk, and when the thief got home and opened up, he got bit and taken to hospital. You can work out where this might go from here…

The point is that these additive events may never have happened, but with artistic license you create them to help your story along. What might read well in a novel does not work on screen. Something reasonable has to challenge the status quo.

It is useful to step back from your idea and see it as a whole. Use index cards to chart the story from beginning to end with what you have right now and you’ll see where you need to make additions. Refer to Michael Hauge’s six stage plot structure, which you can find on his site on storymastery.com

In summary, what you can do to sense check your story idea is to ask yourself these questions:

What is my story about?

Why is it important to tell?

Would people want to sit through this?

Remember that most personal narratives are un-relatable. The key is to make them relatable by inserting whatever it takes to get the reader/audience to care about your characters, the situation and feel emotion through some aspect of conflict.

[scriptmailer-blog]

New Post has been published on Script Mailer

New Post has been published on https://www.scriptmailer.com/screenwriters/selling-your-screenplay-to-a-producer-part-1.html

Selling Your Screenplay To A Producer (Part 1)

If you want to sell your screenplay you first need to know who you can sell your screenplay to.

In the world of Hollywood, the only person who can buy your script is a producer (including production companies). Therefore, these are the people you need to target when trying to sell your script.

In this series of articles on how to sell your script to a producer, I’m going to take an in-depth look at the overall process of selling your script.

So first we need to understand exactly what a producer does?

Producers in the movie industry are known for putting together and packaging films. Starting with the script, the producer must then assemble the production crew, the director, and the actors.

It’s a lot of work and it’s important at this point to distinguish between two different types of producers. There are producers who operate and develop projects based on money alone. Some might say that these are more unscrupulous producers who only care about profit at the expense of creativity–but this is a simplistic way to look at it.

A lot of screenwriters have spoken to me throughout my career complaining that their script has been butchered by a producer who completely changed their story for commercial reasons, and destroyed their script in the process.

If you’re a screenwriter you need to prepare yourself for the possibility that you might sell your script, however, a commercially minded producer or production company has the right to dissect your script and completely change it if they want to.

The other kind of producer is the creative producer who is focused on delivering a quality movie as well as a commercially viable project. All those great movies you’ve seen like American Beauty and Sunset Boulevard have strong artistic integrity mixed with a good commercial sensibility too.

This is the kind of producer that most screenwriters love when they’re trying to get a producer to buy their script. Because this kind of producer is the one who ultimately falls in love with your screenplay first, rather than thinking how much money it can make at the end of the day.

These are just some thoughts to consider before you submit your script to a producer or try to sell your screenplay to a production company. What kind of producer do you want to attract?

You can read Part 2 here.

*Jennifer Sloane has worked as a screenplay agent in Los Angeles and Nashville for the last five years. Jennifer loves good movies, music and animals. A former television and movie executive, Jennifer currently heads business development at Script Mailer (a company that connects screenwriters with agents and producers in Hollywood).

[scriptmailer-blog]

New Post has been published on Script Mailer

New Post has been published on https://www.scriptmailer.com/screenwriters/selling-your-screenplay-to-a-producer-part-1.html

Selling Your Screenplay To A Producer (Part 1)

If you want to sell your screenplay you first need to know who you can sell your screenplay to.

In the world of Hollywood, the only person who can buy your script is a producer (including production companies). Therefore, these are the people you need to target when trying to sell your script.

In this series of articles on how to sell your script to a producer, I’m going to take an in-depth look at the overall process of selling your script.

So first we need to understand exactly what a producer does?

Producers in the movie industry are known for putting together and packaging films. Starting with the script, the producer must then assemble the production crew, the director, and the actors.

It’s a lot of work and it’s important at this point to distinguish between two different types of producers. There are producers who operate and develop projects based on money alone. Some might say that these are more unscrupulous producers who only care about profit at the expense of creativity–but this is a simplistic way to look at it.

A lot of screenwriters have spoken to me throughout my career complaining that their script has been butchered by a producer who completely changed their story for commercial reasons, and destroyed their script in the process.

If you’re a screenwriter you need to prepare yourself for the possibility that you might sell your script, however, a commercially minded producer or production company has the right to dissect your script and completely change it if they want to.

The other kind of producer is the creative producer who is focused on delivering a quality movie as well as a commercially viable project. All those great movies you’ve seen like American Beauty and Sunset Boulevard have strong artistic integrity mixed with a good commercial sensibility too.

This is the kind of producer that most screenwriters love when they’re trying to get a producer to buy their script. Because this kind of producer is the one who ultimately falls in love with your screenplay first, rather than thinking how much money it can make at the end of the day.

These are just some thoughts to consider before you submit your script to a producer or try to sell your screenplay to a production company. What kind of producer do you want to attract?

You can read Part 2 here.

*Jennifer Sloane has worked as a screenplay agent in Los Angeles and Nashville for the last five years. Jennifer loves good movies, music and animals. A former television and movie executive, Jennifer currently heads business development at Script Mailer (a company that connects screenwriters with agents and producers in Hollywood).

[scriptmailer-blog]

New Post has been published on Script Mailer

New Post has been published on https://www.scriptmailer.com/screenwriters/selling-your-screenplay-to-a-producer-part-1.html

Selling Your Screenplay To A Producer (Part 1)

If you want to sell your screenplay you first need to know who you can sell your screenplay to.

In the world of Hollywood, the only person who can buy your script is a producer (including production companies). Therefore, these are the people you need to target when trying to sell your script.

In this series of articles on how to sell your script to a producer, I’m going to take an in-depth look at the overall process of selling your script.

So first we need to understand exactly what a producer does?

Producers in the movie industry are known for putting together and packaging films. Starting with the script, the producer must then assemble the production crew, the director, and the actors.

It’s a lot of work and it’s important at this point to distinguish between two different types of producers. There are producers who operate and develop projects based on money alone. Some might say that these are more unscrupulous producers who only care about profit at the expense of creativity–but this is a simplistic way to look at it.

A lot of screenwriters have spoken to me throughout my career complaining that their script has been butchered by a producer who completely changed their story for commercial reasons, and destroyed their script in the process.

If you’re a screenwriter you need to prepare yourself for the possibility that you might sell your script, however, a commercially minded producer or production company has the right to dissect your script and completely change it if they want to.

The other kind of producer is the creative producer who is focused on delivering a quality movie as well as a commercially viable project. All those great movies you’ve seen like American Beauty and Sunset Boulevard have strong artistic integrity mixed with a good commercial sensibility too.

This is the kind of producer that most screenwriters love when they’re trying to get a producer to buy their script. Because this kind of producer is the one who ultimately falls in love with your screenplay first, rather than thinking how much money it can make at the end of the day.

These are just some thoughts to consider before you submit your script to a producer or try to sell your screenplay to a production company. What kind of producer do you want to attract?

You can read Part 2 here.

*Jennifer Sloane has worked as a screenplay agent in Los Angeles and Nashville for the last five years. Jennifer loves good movies, music and animals. A former television and movie executive, Jennifer currently heads business development at Script Mailer (a company that connects screenwriters with agents and producers in Hollywood).

[scriptmailer-blog]

New Post has been published on Script Mailer

New Post has been published on https://www.scriptmailer.com/screenwriters/selling-your-screenplay-to-a-producer-part-1.html

Selling Your Screenplay To A Producer (Part 1)

If you want to sell your screenplay you first need to know who you can sell your screenplay to.

In the world of Hollywood, the only person who can buy your script is a producer (including production companies). Therefore, these are the people you need to target when trying to sell your script.

In this series of articles on how to sell your script to a producer, I’m going to take an in-depth look at the overall process of selling your script.

So first we need to understand exactly what a producer does?

Producers in the movie industry are known for putting together and packaging films. Starting with the script, the producer must then assemble the production crew, the director, and the actors.

It’s a lot of work and it’s important at this point to distinguish between two different types of producers. There are producers who operate and develop projects based on money alone. Some might say that these are more unscrupulous producers who only care about profit at the expense of creativity–but this is a simplistic way to look at it.

A lot of screenwriters have spoken to me throughout my career complaining that their script has been butchered by a producer who completely changed their story for commercial reasons, and destroyed their script in the process.

If you’re a screenwriter you need to prepare yourself for the possibility that you might sell your script, however, a commercially minded producer or production company has the right to dissect your script and completely change it if they want to.

The other kind of producer is the creative producer who is focused on delivering a quality movie as well as a commercially viable project. All those great movies you’ve seen like American Beauty and Sunset Boulevard have strong artistic integrity mixed with a good commercial sensibility too.

This is the kind of producer that most screenwriters love when they’re trying to get a producer to buy their script. Because this kind of producer is the one who ultimately falls in love with your screenplay first, rather than thinking how much money it can make at the end of the day.

These are just some thoughts to consider before you submit your script to a producer or try to sell your screenplay to a production company. What kind of producer do you want to attract?

You can read Part 2 here.

*Jennifer Sloane has worked as a screenplay agent in Los Angeles and Nashville for the last five years. Jennifer loves good movies, music and animals. A former television and movie executive, Jennifer currently heads business development at Script Mailer (a company that connects screenwriters with agents and producers in Hollywood).

[scriptmailer-blog]

New Post has been published on Script Mailer

New Post has been published on https://www.scriptmailer.com/screenwriters/selling-your-screenplay-to-a-producer-part-1.html

Selling Your Screenplay To A Producer (Part 1)

If you want to sell your screenplay you first need to know who you can sell your screenplay to.

In the world of Hollywood, the only person who can buy your script is a producer (including production companies). Therefore, these are the people you need to target when trying to sell your script.

In this series of articles on how to sell your script to a producer, I’m going to take an in-depth look at the overall process of selling your script.

So first we need to understand exactly what a producer does?

Producers in the movie industry are known for putting together and packaging films. Starting with the script, the producer must then assemble the production crew, the director, and the actors.

It’s a lot of work and it’s important at this point to distinguish between two different types of producers. There are producers who operate and develop projects based on money alone. Some might say that these are more unscrupulous producers who only care about profit at the expense of creativity–but this is a simplistic way to look at it.

A lot of screenwriters have spoken to me throughout my career complaining that their script has been butchered by a producer who completely changed their story for commercial reasons, and destroyed their script in the process.

If you’re a screenwriter you need to prepare yourself for the possibility that you might sell your script, however, a commercially minded producer or production company has the right to dissect your script and completely change it if they want to.

The other kind of producer is the creative producer who is focused on delivering a quality movie as well as a commercially viable project. All those great movies you’ve seen like American Beauty and Sunset Boulevard have strong artistic integrity mixed with a good commercial sensibility too.

This is the kind of producer that most screenwriters love when they’re trying to get a producer to buy their script. Because this kind of producer is the one who ultimately falls in love with your screenplay first, rather than thinking how much money it can make at the end of the day.

These are just some thoughts to consider before you submit your script to a producer or try to sell your screenplay to a production company. What kind of producer do you want to attract?

You can read Part 2 here.

*Jennifer Sloane has worked as a screenplay agent in Los Angeles and Nashville for the last five years. Jennifer loves good movies, music and animals. A former television and movie executive, Jennifer currently heads business development at Script Mailer (a company that connects screenwriters with agents and producers in Hollywood).

[scriptmailer-blog]

New Post has been published on Script Mailer

New Post has been published on https://www.scriptmailer.com/screenwriters/selling-your-screenplay-to-a-producer-part-1.html

Selling Your Screenplay To A Producer (Part 1)

If you want to sell your screenplay you first need to know who you can sell your screenplay to.

In the world of Hollywood, the only person who can buy your script is a producer (including production companies). Therefore, these are the people you need to target when trying to sell your script.

In this series of articles on how to sell your script to a producer, I’m going to take an in-depth look at the overall process of selling your script.

So first we need to understand exactly what a producer does?

Producers in the movie industry are known for putting together and packaging films. Starting with the script, the producer must then assemble the production crew, the director, and the actors.

It’s a lot of work and it’s important at this point to distinguish between two different types of producers. There are producers who operate and develop projects based on money alone. Some might say that these are more unscrupulous producers who only care about profit at the expense of creativity–but this is a simplistic way to look at it.

A lot of screenwriters have spoken to me throughout my career complaining that their script has been butchered by a producer who completely changed their story for commercial reasons, and destroyed their script in the process.

If you’re a screenwriter you need to prepare yourself for the possibility that you might sell your script, however, a commercially minded producer or production company has the right to dissect your script and completely change it if they want to.

The other kind of producer is the creative producer who is focused on delivering a quality movie as well as a commercially viable project. All those great movies you’ve seen like American Beauty and Sunset Boulevard have strong artistic integrity mixed with a good commercial sensibility too.

This is the kind of producer that most screenwriters love when they’re trying to get a producer to buy their script. Because this kind of producer is the one who ultimately falls in love with your screenplay first, rather than thinking how much money it can make at the end of the day.

These are just some thoughts to consider before you submit your script to a producer or try to sell your screenplay to a production company. What kind of producer do you want to attract?

You can read Part 2 here.

*Jennifer Sloane has worked as a screenplay agent in Los Angeles and Nashville for the last five years. Jennifer loves good movies, music and animals. A former television and movie executive, Jennifer currently heads business development at Script Mailer (a company that connects screenwriters with agents and producers in Hollywood).

[scriptmailer-blog]

New Post has been published on Script Mailer

New Post has been published on https://www.scriptmailer.com/screenwriters/screenwriting-competitions-are-they-worth-it.html

Screenwriting Competitions: Are They Worth It?

Some screenwriters love them and some screenwriters hate them. But have no doubt, screenwriting competitions are growing in number.

In this post I won’t list all the SCREENWRITING COMPETITIONS you can enter, because you can find a full list by clicking on the link or doing your own research on Google.

When deciding whether or not screenwriting competitions are for you it’s usually a good idea to decide what outcome you want.

Do you want to sell you script? Do you want to get a screenplay agent? Or do you want to win a screenwriting competition and see where you script stands when judged against your peers.

AGAINST SCREENWRITING COMPETITIONS

1) They aren’t a good barometer — while it’s true that you might have written a great script, the judges who assess your screenplay will be subject to bias and personal tastes and as a result they might not always be able to recognize quality when they see it. But, in general, they get it right more often than they get it wrong.

2) limited options — you might have seen it before: you are only able to enter a screenwriting competition under certain conditions. Often these conditions are that you have (a) never sold a script before (b) are not represented by a screenplay agent and (c) have not submitted your screenplay to another competition. Many screenwriting competitions can place unwelcome restrictions on a writer.

So you need to decide exactly what it is you want and how long you can wait for before you enter one of the bigger screenwriting competitions.

FOR SCREENWRITING COMPETITIONS

1) exposure — do well in a screenwriting competition and you can get some great exposure. You can network with some other screenwriters and meet seasoned industry professionals.

2) feedback — if you don’t have an agent and you enter a screenwriting competition you can get some great feedback from the judges on your script. They can tell you your strong points and your weak points. As with all feedback, you don’t have to agree with it, but if you keep getting the same feedback it’s good to take note.

3) get a screenplay agent — agents are often on the lookout for new talented writers. And screenwriting competitions provide an excellent way for agents to get acquainted with a new writer and their work. Place high in a screenwriting competition and you might just find yourself inundated with calls from a bunch of screenplay agents who desperately want to meet you.

4) sell your script — placing well in a screenwriting competition can often lead to a direct sale as producers are keen to secure the rights to your screenplay if they think you have written a hot commodity. 

5) benefits — by this I don’t mean the naughty kind 😉 What I’m refering to are the benefits provided by the screenwriting competition itself. These benefits might include cash, direct access to industry professionals, laptops, screenwriting software etc. 

As you can see, there are certainly a lot of benefits from entering a screenwriting competition, and, as a former screenplay agent myself, I can attest to the effectiveness of competitions. Enter the right competition and they can open a lot of doors for you.  

They key to remember is that once you get your foot in the door, you have to keep writing quality screenplays to stay there.

*Jennifer Sloane has worked as a screenplay agent in Los Angeles and Nashville for the last five years. Jennifer loves good movies, music and animals. A former television and movie executive, Jennifer currently heads business development at Script Mailer (a company that connectsscreenwriters with agents).

[scriptmailer-blog]

New Post has been published on Script Mailer

New Post has been published on https://www.scriptmailer.com/screenwriters/screenwriting-competitions-are-they-worth-it.html

Screenwriting Competitions: Are They Worth It?

Some screenwriters love them and some screenwriters hate them. But have no doubt, screenwriting competitions are growing in number.

In this post I won’t list all the SCREENWRITING COMPETITIONS you can enter, because you can find a full list by clicking on the link or doing your own research on Google.

When deciding whether or not screenwriting competitions are for you it’s usually a good idea to decide what outcome you want.

Do you want to sell you script? Do you want to get a screenplay agent? Or do you want to win a screenwriting competition and see where you script stands when judged against your peers.

AGAINST SCREENWRITING COMPETITIONS

1) They aren’t a good barometer — while it’s true that you might have written a great script, the judges who assess your screenplay will be subject to bias and personal tastes and as a result they might not always be able to recognize quality when they see it. But, in general, they get it right more often than they get it wrong.

2) limited options — you might have seen it before: you are only able to enter a screenwriting competition under certain conditions. Often these conditions are that you have (a) never sold a script before (b) are not represented by a screenplay agent and (c) have not submitted your screenplay to another competition. Many screenwriting competitions can place unwelcome restrictions on a writer.

So you need to decide exactly what it is you want and how long you can wait for before you enter one of the bigger screenwriting competitions.

FOR SCREENWRITING COMPETITIONS

1) exposure — do well in a screenwriting competition and you can get some great exposure. You can network with some other screenwriters and meet seasoned industry professionals.

2) feedback — if you don’t have an agent and you enter a screenwriting competition you can get some great feedback from the judges on your script. They can tell you your strong points and your weak points. As with all feedback, you don’t have to agree with it, but if you keep getting the same feedback it’s good to take note.

3) get a screenplay agent — agents are often on the lookout for new talented writers. And screenwriting competitions provide an excellent way for agents to get acquainted with a new writer and their work. Place high in a screenwriting competition and you might just find yourself inundated with calls from a bunch of screenplay agents who desperately want to meet you.

4) sell your script — placing well in a screenwriting competition can often lead to a direct sale as producers are keen to secure the rights to your screenplay if they think you have written a hot commodity. 

5) benefits — by this I don’t mean the naughty kind 😉 What I’m refering to are the benefits provided by the screenwriting competition itself. These benefits might include cash, direct access to industry professionals, laptops, screenwriting software etc. 

As you can see, there are certainly a lot of benefits from entering a screenwriting competition, and, as a former screenplay agent myself, I can attest to the effectiveness of competitions. Enter the right competition and they can open a lot of doors for you.  

They key to remember is that once you get your foot in the door, you have to keep writing quality screenplays to stay there.

*Jennifer Sloane has worked as a screenplay agent in Los Angeles and Nashville for the last five years. Jennifer loves good movies, music and animals. A former television and movie executive, Jennifer currently heads business development at Script Mailer (a company that connectsscreenwriters with agents).

[scriptmailer-blog]

New Post has been published on Script Mailer

New Post has been published on https://www.scriptmailer.com/screenwriters/screenwriting-competitions-are-they-worth-it.html

Screenwriting Competitions: Are They Worth It?

Some screenwriters love them and some screenwriters hate them. But have no doubt, screenwriting competitions are growing in number.

In this post I won’t list all the SCREENWRITING COMPETITIONS you can enter, because you can find a full list by clicking on the link or doing your own research on Google.

When deciding whether or not screenwriting competitions are for you it’s usually a good idea to decide what outcome you want.

Do you want to sell you script? Do you want to get a screenplay agent? Or do you want to win a screenwriting competition and see where you script stands when judged against your peers.

AGAINST SCREENWRITING COMPETITIONS

1) They aren’t a good barometer — while it’s true that you might have written a great script, the judges who assess your screenplay will be subject to bias and personal tastes and as a result they might not always be able to recognize quality when they see it. But, in general, they get it right more often than they get it wrong.

2) limited options — you might have seen it before: you are only able to enter a screenwriting competition under certain conditions. Often these conditions are that you have (a) never sold a script before (b) are not represented by a screenplay agent and (c) have not submitted your screenplay to another competition. Many screenwriting competitions can place unwelcome restrictions on a writer.

So you need to decide exactly what it is you want and how long you can wait for before you enter one of the bigger screenwriting competitions.

FOR SCREENWRITING COMPETITIONS

1) exposure — do well in a screenwriting competition and you can get some great exposure. You can network with some other screenwriters and meet seasoned industry professionals.

2) feedback — if you don’t have an agent and you enter a screenwriting competition you can get some great feedback from the judges on your script. They can tell you your strong points and your weak points. As with all feedback, you don’t have to agree with it, but if you keep getting the same feedback it’s good to take note.

3) get a screenplay agent — agents are often on the lookout for new talented writers. And screenwriting competitions provide an excellent way for agents to get acquainted with a new writer and their work. Place high in a screenwriting competition and you might just find yourself inundated with calls from a bunch of screenplay agents who desperately want to meet you.

4) sell your script — placing well in a screenwriting competition can often lead to a direct sale as producers are keen to secure the rights to your screenplay if they think you have written a hot commodity. 

5) benefits — by this I don’t mean the naughty kind 😉 What I’m refering to are the benefits provided by the screenwriting competition itself. These benefits might include cash, direct access to industry professionals, laptops, screenwriting software etc. 

As you can see, there are certainly a lot of benefits from entering a screenwriting competition, and, as a former screenplay agent myself, I can attest to the effectiveness of competitions. Enter the right competition and they can open a lot of doors for you.  

They key to remember is that once you get your foot in the door, you have to keep writing quality screenplays to stay there.

*Jennifer Sloane has worked as a screenplay agent in Los Angeles and Nashville for the last five years. Jennifer loves good movies, music and animals. A former television and movie executive, Jennifer currently heads business development at Script Mailer (a company that connectsscreenwriters with agents).

[scriptmailer-blog]

New Post has been published on Script Mailer

New Post has been published on https://www.scriptmailer.com/screenwriters/screenwriting-competitions-are-they-worth-it.html

Screenwriting Competitions: Are They Worth It?

Some screenwriters love them and some screenwriters hate them. But have no doubt, screenwriting competitions are growing in number.

In this post I won’t list all the SCREENWRITING COMPETITIONS you can enter, because you can find a full list by clicking on the link or doing your own research on Google.

When deciding whether or not screenwriting competitions are for you it’s usually a good idea to decide what outcome you want.

Do you want to sell you script? Do you want to get a screenplay agent? Or do you want to win a screenwriting competition and see where you script stands when judged against your peers.

AGAINST SCREENWRITING COMPETITIONS

1) They aren’t a good barometer — while it’s true that you might have written a great script, the judges who assess your screenplay will be subject to bias and personal tastes and as a result they might not always be able to recognize quality when they see it. But, in general, they get it right more often than they get it wrong.

2) limited options — you might have seen it before: you are only able to enter a screenwriting competition under certain conditions. Often these conditions are that you have (a) never sold a script before (b) are not represented by a screenplay agent and (c) have not submitted your screenplay to another competition. Many screenwriting competitions can place unwelcome restrictions on a writer.

So you need to decide exactly what it is you want and how long you can wait for before you enter one of the bigger screenwriting competitions.

FOR SCREENWRITING COMPETITIONS

1) exposure — do well in a screenwriting competition and you can get some great exposure. You can network with some other screenwriters and meet seasoned industry professionals.

2) feedback — if you don’t have an agent and you enter a screenwriting competition you can get some great feedback from the judges on your script. They can tell you your strong points and your weak points. As with all feedback, you don’t have to agree with it, but if you keep getting the same feedback it’s good to take note.

3) get a screenplay agent — agents are often on the lookout for new talented writers. And screenwriting competitions provide an excellent way for agents to get acquainted with a new writer and their work. Place high in a screenwriting competition and you might just find yourself inundated with calls from a bunch of screenplay agents who desperately want to meet you.

4) sell your script — placing well in a screenwriting competition can often lead to a direct sale as producers are keen to secure the rights to your screenplay if they think you have written a hot commodity. 

5) benefits — by this I don’t mean the naughty kind 😉 What I’m refering to are the benefits provided by the screenwriting competition itself. These benefits might include cash, direct access to industry professionals, laptops, screenwriting software etc. 

As you can see, there are certainly a lot of benefits from entering a screenwriting competition, and, as a former screenplay agent myself, I can attest to the effectiveness of competitions. Enter the right competition and they can open a lot of doors for you.  

They key to remember is that once you get your foot in the door, you have to keep writing quality screenplays to stay there.

*Jennifer Sloane has worked as a screenplay agent in Los Angeles and Nashville for the last five years. Jennifer loves good movies, music and animals. A former television and movie executive, Jennifer currently heads business development at Script Mailer (a company that connectsscreenwriters with agents).

[scriptmailer-blog]

New Post has been published on Script Mailer

New Post has been published on https://www.scriptmailer.com/screenwriters/screenwriting-competitions-are-they-worth-it.html

Screenwriting Competitions: Are They Worth It?

Some screenwriters love them and some screenwriters hate them. But have no doubt, screenwriting competitions are growing in number.

In this post I won’t list all the SCREENWRITING COMPETITIONS you can enter, because you can find a full list by clicking on the link or doing your own research on Google.

When deciding whether or not screenwriting competitions are for you it’s usually a good idea to decide what outcome you want.

Do you want to sell you script? Do you want to get a screenplay agent? Or do you want to win a screenwriting competition and see where you script stands when judged against your peers.

AGAINST SCREENWRITING COMPETITIONS

1) They aren’t a good barometer — while it’s true that you might have written a great script, the judges who assess your screenplay will be subject to bias and personal tastes and as a result they might not always be able to recognize quality when they see it. But, in general, they get it right more often than they get it wrong.

2) limited options — you might have seen it before: you are only able to enter a screenwriting competition under certain conditions. Often these conditions are that you have (a) never sold a script before (b) are not represented by a screenplay agent and (c) have not submitted your screenplay to another competition. Many screenwriting competitions can place unwelcome restrictions on a writer.

So you need to decide exactly what it is you want and how long you can wait for before you enter one of the bigger screenwriting competitions.

FOR SCREENWRITING COMPETITIONS

1) exposure — do well in a screenwriting competition and you can get some great exposure. You can network with some other screenwriters and meet seasoned industry professionals.

2) feedback — if you don’t have an agent and you enter a screenwriting competition you can get some great feedback from the judges on your script. They can tell you your strong points and your weak points. As with all feedback, you don’t have to agree with it, but if you keep getting the same feedback it’s good to take note.

3) get a screenplay agent — agents are often on the lookout for new talented writers. And screenwriting competitions provide an excellent way for agents to get acquainted with a new writer and their work. Place high in a screenwriting competition and you might just find yourself inundated with calls from a bunch of screenplay agents who desperately want to meet you.

4) sell your script — placing well in a screenwriting competition can often lead to a direct sale as producers are keen to secure the rights to your screenplay if they think you have written a hot commodity. 

5) benefits — by this I don’t mean the naughty kind 😉 What I’m refering to are the benefits provided by the screenwriting competition itself. These benefits might include cash, direct access to industry professionals, laptops, screenwriting software etc. 

As you can see, there are certainly a lot of benefits from entering a screenwriting competition, and, as a former screenplay agent myself, I can attest to the effectiveness of competitions. Enter the right competition and they can open a lot of doors for you.  

They key to remember is that once you get your foot in the door, you have to keep writing quality screenplays to stay there.

*Jennifer Sloane has worked as a screenplay agent in Los Angeles and Nashville for the last five years. Jennifer loves good movies, music and animals. A former television and movie executive, Jennifer currently heads business development at Script Mailer (a company that connectsscreenwriters with agents).

[scriptmailer-blog]

New Post has been published on Script Mailer

New Post has been published on https://www.scriptmailer.com/screenwriters/screenwriting-competitions-are-they-worth-it.html

Screenwriting Competitions: Are They Worth It?

Some screenwriters love them and some screenwriters hate them. But have no doubt, screenwriting competitions are growing in number.

In this post I won’t list all the SCREENWRITING COMPETITIONS you can enter, because you can find a full list by clicking on the link or doing your own research on Google.

When deciding whether or not screenwriting competitions are for you it’s usually a good idea to decide what outcome you want.

Do you want to sell you script? Do you want to get a screenplay agent? Or do you want to win a screenwriting competition and see where you script stands when judged against your peers.

AGAINST SCREENWRITING COMPETITIONS

1) They aren’t a good barometer — while it’s true that you might have written a great script, the judges who assess your screenplay will be subject to bias and personal tastes and as a result they might not always be able to recognize quality when they see it. But, in general, they get it right more often than they get it wrong.

2) limited options — you might have seen it before: you are only able to enter a screenwriting competition under certain conditions. Often these conditions are that you have (a) never sold a script before (b) are not represented by a screenplay agent and (c) have not submitted your screenplay to another competition. Many screenwriting competitions can place unwelcome restrictions on a writer.

So you need to decide exactly what it is you want and how long you can wait for before you enter one of the bigger screenwriting competitions.

FOR SCREENWRITING COMPETITIONS

1) exposure — do well in a screenwriting competition and you can get some great exposure. You can network with some other screenwriters and meet seasoned industry professionals.

2) feedback — if you don’t have an agent and you enter a screenwriting competition you can get some great feedback from the judges on your script. They can tell you your strong points and your weak points. As with all feedback, you don’t have to agree with it, but if you keep getting the same feedback it’s good to take note.

3) get a screenplay agent — agents are often on the lookout for new talented writers. And screenwriting competitions provide an excellent way for agents to get acquainted with a new writer and their work. Place high in a screenwriting competition and you might just find yourself inundated with calls from a bunch of screenplay agents who desperately want to meet you.

4) sell your script — placing well in a screenwriting competition can often lead to a direct sale as producers are keen to secure the rights to your screenplay if they think you have written a hot commodity. 

5) benefits — by this I don’t mean the naughty kind 😉 What I’m refering to are the benefits provided by the screenwriting competition itself. These benefits might include cash, direct access to industry professionals, laptops, screenwriting software etc. 

As you can see, there are certainly a lot of benefits from entering a screenwriting competition, and, as a former screenplay agent myself, I can attest to the effectiveness of competitions. Enter the right competition and they can open a lot of doors for you.  

They key to remember is that once you get your foot in the door, you have to keep writing quality screenplays to stay there.

*Jennifer Sloane has worked as a screenplay agent in Los Angeles and Nashville for the last five years. Jennifer loves good movies, music and animals. A former television and movie executive, Jennifer currently heads business development at Script Mailer (a company that connectsscreenwriters with agents).

[scriptmailer-blog]

New Post has been published on Script Mailer

New Post has been published on https://www.scriptmailer.com/screenwriters/create-a-movie-trailer-for-your-script.html

Create A Movie Trailer For Your Script

If you’re serious about selling your script and launching your screenwriting career, then you need to know how to promote and market your screenplay the right way.

In this article you’ll discover…

– An easy and effective way to promote your script

– How to get the attention of agents and producers

A lot of screenwriters, who, I have to say are excellent writers, are terrible when it comes to marketing their script. I would even go so far as to say that 95% of screenwriters write their script then cross their fingers and hope that somehow their script will magically find its way from their computer into the hands of an agent or producer.

The other 5% of screenwriters, who I have to say aren’t always the best writers, understand that getting their script into the right hands takes the right strategy and mindset.

That being said, times have changed and Hollywood has changed a lot in recent years. Hollywood has not only become more open to new writers entering the industry, but the way that Hollywood agents and producers do business has changed too. The Internet Changed Everything

In this series of articles, I’m gong to show you how you can leverage the power of the Internet to get your screenplay seen and read by the right people.

Now you’ve written a great screenplay, which is wonderful, however, the main problem is this… screenplays are long—90 pages at least. So how do you get the right people to spend at least 1-2 hours of their life reading your script?

The answer is simple but not always easy to execute—that is, you have to get people excited about your work. Now writing a query letter is a great way to promote your screenplay and get people excited about your work. But I would also like to add three more excellent marketing techniques that you can use to promote your script (and that can be incorporated in your query letter as well).

Hollywood Does It And So Should You

Any idea what I’m talking about? I’m talking about movie trailers.

Have you ever watched an amazing movie trailer and thought to yourself, “I can’t wait to watch the movie.” Every time you watch the trailer you get more and more excited about seeing the movie when it comes out. This is the power of effective marketing at work.

Have you ever thought why movie trailers are so effective? It’s for the simple reason that they build anticipation and they’re short and easy to grab your attention.

Ever tried pitching your screenplay and found yourself getting tongue-tied, missing out all the important parts of your story and feeling like you just didn’t do screenplay justice?

I’ve seen this happen hundreds of times when dealing with screenwriters. They’ve written an excellent script but they just didn’t know how to sell it.

The writers rambled on about the story and the characters (this is common both in person and in query letters) and they end up turning their audience off and killing all interest in their screenplay (which is often genuinely good).

A Movie Trailer Is A Great Way To Promote Your Script

Have you ever considered putting together a movie trailer to promote your screenplay?

You might be surprised to hear that this can be done very cheaply and even for free (especially if you are able to get in touch with film students and editors who are skilled, but simply looking to build up their portfolio).

Imagine how easy it would be to pitch your screenplay if you had a movie trailer of your script ready to go.

You meet someone at a networking event and they ask you what your script is about — you simply send them a link to your trailer. This person can then watch your trailer on the spot and know exactly what your screenplay is about.

Not only that, this person can watch your trailer multiple times to get the full flavor for your story and the more they watch your trailer, the more excited they will be to read your actual script.

Did I also mention how useful this approach is when it comes to getting people’s contact details. What do you think will happen if you go up to an agent or a producer and ask them for their contact details because you want to send them your script?

Nine times out of ten, they’ll say no or refer you to their assistant or someone else.

But what do you think will happen if you say to these same agents and producers, “Hey, do you have a minute so I can show you the trailer for my screenplay?” They’ll most likely watch it and if they’re gripped by the first ten seconds, they’ll keep watching. Then the real magic takes place.

You can then ask the agent or producer for their email address so you can send them a link to your trailer and your script as well. This has worked on me and my colleagues before and it will work for you too.

Include A Link To Your Trailer In Your Query Letter

Now, you all know that Script Mailer can send your query letter out to agents and producers. I won’t pretend that Hollywood is a perfect system. A lot of great writers with incredible screenplays still get overlooked (just like George Lucas and J.K. Rowling were initially overlooked too).

I have, however, noticed a trend where screenwriters who are having the most success with their query letters are writing great pitches, and, in other cases, they’re including a link to a promotional trailer for their script.

(You can put your trailer on YouTube and then link to your trailer in your query letter.)

Making a trailer is a very effective way to pitch a script, and if you can embrace modern technology it can really give you a huge advantage when it comes to marketing your screenplay.

I have also noticed another great promotional technique that only a handful of screenwriters are using to great effect. In my next article, I’ll tell you what this other promotional technique is.

Until then, consider putting together a good quality promotional trailer for your screenplay—the results for those of you who are bold enough to try this method are well worth it.

*Jennifer Sloane has worked as a screenplay agent in Los Angeles and Nashville for the last five years. Jennifer loves good movies, music and animals. A former television and movie executive, Jennifer currently heads business development at Script Mailer (a company that connects screenwriters with agents and producers in Hollywood).

[scriptmailer-blog]

New Post has been published on Script Mailer

New Post has been published on https://www.scriptmailer.com/screenwriters/create-a-movie-trailer-for-your-script.html

Create A Movie Trailer For Your Script

If you’re serious about selling your script and launching your screenwriting career, then you need to know how to promote and market your screenplay the right way.

In this article you’ll discover…

– An easy and effective way to promote your script

– How to get the attention of agents and producers

A lot of screenwriters, who, I have to say are excellent writers, are terrible when it comes to marketing their script. I would even go so far as to say that 95% of screenwriters write their script then cross their fingers and hope that somehow their script will magically find its way from their computer into the hands of an agent or producer.

The other 5% of screenwriters, who I have to say aren’t always the best writers, understand that getting their script into the right hands takes the right strategy and mindset.

That being said, times have changed and Hollywood has changed a lot in recent years. Hollywood has not only become more open to new writers entering the industry, but the way that Hollywood agents and producers do business has changed too. The Internet Changed Everything

In this series of articles, I’m gong to show you how you can leverage the power of the Internet to get your screenplay seen and read by the right people.

Now you’ve written a great screenplay, which is wonderful, however, the main problem is this… screenplays are long—90 pages at least. So how do you get the right people to spend at least 1-2 hours of their life reading your script?

The answer is simple but not always easy to execute—that is, you have to get people excited about your work. Now writing a query letter is a great way to promote your screenplay and get people excited about your work. But I would also like to add three more excellent marketing techniques that you can use to promote your script (and that can be incorporated in your query letter as well).

Hollywood Does It And So Should You

Any idea what I’m talking about? I’m talking about movie trailers.

Have you ever watched an amazing movie trailer and thought to yourself, “I can’t wait to watch the movie.” Every time you watch the trailer you get more and more excited about seeing the movie when it comes out. This is the power of effective marketing at work.

Have you ever thought why movie trailers are so effective? It’s for the simple reason that they build anticipation and they’re short and easy to grab your attention.

Ever tried pitching your screenplay and found yourself getting tongue-tied, missing out all the important parts of your story and feeling like you just didn’t do screenplay justice?

I’ve seen this happen hundreds of times when dealing with screenwriters. They’ve written an excellent script but they just didn’t know how to sell it.

The writers rambled on about the story and the characters (this is common both in person and in query letters) and they end up turning their audience off and killing all interest in their screenplay (which is often genuinely good).

A Movie Trailer Is A Great Way To Promote Your Script

Have you ever considered putting together a movie trailer to promote your screenplay?

You might be surprised to hear that this can be done very cheaply and even for free (especially if you are able to get in touch with film students and editors who are skilled, but simply looking to build up their portfolio).

Imagine how easy it would be to pitch your screenplay if you had a movie trailer of your script ready to go.

You meet someone at a networking event and they ask you what your script is about — you simply send them a link to your trailer. This person can then watch your trailer on the spot and know exactly what your screenplay is about.

Not only that, this person can watch your trailer multiple times to get the full flavor for your story and the more they watch your trailer, the more excited they will be to read your actual script.

Did I also mention how useful this approach is when it comes to getting people’s contact details. What do you think will happen if you go up to an agent or a producer and ask them for their contact details because you want to send them your script?

Nine times out of ten, they’ll say no or refer you to their assistant or someone else.

But what do you think will happen if you say to these same agents and producers, “Hey, do you have a minute so I can show you the trailer for my screenplay?” They’ll most likely watch it and if they’re gripped by the first ten seconds, they’ll keep watching. Then the real magic takes place.

You can then ask the agent or producer for their email address so you can send them a link to your trailer and your script as well. This has worked on me and my colleagues before and it will work for you too.

Include A Link To Your Trailer In Your Query Letter

Now, you all know that Script Mailer can send your query letter out to agents and producers. I won’t pretend that Hollywood is a perfect system. A lot of great writers with incredible screenplays still get overlooked (just like George Lucas and J.K. Rowling were initially overlooked too).

I have, however, noticed a trend where screenwriters who are having the most success with their query letters are writing great pitches, and, in other cases, they’re including a link to a promotional trailer for their script.

(You can put your trailer on YouTube and then link to your trailer in your query letter.)

Making a trailer is a very effective way to pitch a script, and if you can embrace modern technology it can really give you a huge advantage when it comes to marketing your screenplay.

I have also noticed another great promotional technique that only a handful of screenwriters are using to great effect. In my next article, I’ll tell you what this other promotional technique is.

Until then, consider putting together a good quality promotional trailer for your screenplay—the results for those of you who are bold enough to try this method are well worth it.

*Jennifer Sloane has worked as a screenplay agent in Los Angeles and Nashville for the last five years. Jennifer loves good movies, music and animals. A former television and movie executive, Jennifer currently heads business development at Script Mailer (a company that connects screenwriters with agents and producers in Hollywood).

[scriptmailer-blog]

New Post has been published on Script Mailer

New Post has been published on https://www.scriptmailer.com/screenwriters/create-a-movie-trailer-for-your-script.html

Create A Movie Trailer For Your Script

If you’re serious about selling your script and launching your screenwriting career, then you need to know how to promote and market your screenplay the right way.

In this article you’ll discover…

– An easy and effective way to promote your script

– How to get the attention of agents and producers

A lot of screenwriters, who, I have to say are excellent writers, are terrible when it comes to marketing their script. I would even go so far as to say that 95% of screenwriters write their script then cross their fingers and hope that somehow their script will magically find its way from their computer into the hands of an agent or producer.

The other 5% of screenwriters, who I have to say aren’t always the best writers, understand that getting their script into the right hands takes the right strategy and mindset.

That being said, times have changed and Hollywood has changed a lot in recent years. Hollywood has not only become more open to new writers entering the industry, but the way that Hollywood agents and producers do business has changed too. The Internet Changed Everything

In this series of articles, I’m gong to show you how you can leverage the power of the Internet to get your screenplay seen and read by the right people.

Now you’ve written a great screenplay, which is wonderful, however, the main problem is this… screenplays are long—90 pages at least. So how do you get the right people to spend at least 1-2 hours of their life reading your script?

The answer is simple but not always easy to execute—that is, you have to get people excited about your work. Now writing a query letter is a great way to promote your screenplay and get people excited about your work. But I would also like to add three more excellent marketing techniques that you can use to promote your script (and that can be incorporated in your query letter as well).

Hollywood Does It And So Should You

Any idea what I’m talking about? I’m talking about movie trailers.

Have you ever watched an amazing movie trailer and thought to yourself, “I can’t wait to watch the movie.” Every time you watch the trailer you get more and more excited about seeing the movie when it comes out. This is the power of effective marketing at work.

Have you ever thought why movie trailers are so effective? It’s for the simple reason that they build anticipation and they’re short and easy to grab your attention.

Ever tried pitching your screenplay and found yourself getting tongue-tied, missing out all the important parts of your story and feeling like you just didn’t do screenplay justice?

I’ve seen this happen hundreds of times when dealing with screenwriters. They’ve written an excellent script but they just didn’t know how to sell it.

The writers rambled on about the story and the characters (this is common both in person and in query letters) and they end up turning their audience off and killing all interest in their screenplay (which is often genuinely good).

A Movie Trailer Is A Great Way To Promote Your Script

Have you ever considered putting together a movie trailer to promote your screenplay?

You might be surprised to hear that this can be done very cheaply and even for free (especially if you are able to get in touch with film students and editors who are skilled, but simply looking to build up their portfolio).

Imagine how easy it would be to pitch your screenplay if you had a movie trailer of your script ready to go.

You meet someone at a networking event and they ask you what your script is about — you simply send them a link to your trailer. This person can then watch your trailer on the spot and know exactly what your screenplay is about.

Not only that, this person can watch your trailer multiple times to get the full flavor for your story and the more they watch your trailer, the more excited they will be to read your actual script.

Did I also mention how useful this approach is when it comes to getting people’s contact details. What do you think will happen if you go up to an agent or a producer and ask them for their contact details because you want to send them your script?

Nine times out of ten, they’ll say no or refer you to their assistant or someone else.

But what do you think will happen if you say to these same agents and producers, “Hey, do you have a minute so I can show you the trailer for my screenplay?” They’ll most likely watch it and if they’re gripped by the first ten seconds, they’ll keep watching. Then the real magic takes place.

You can then ask the agent or producer for their email address so you can send them a link to your trailer and your script as well. This has worked on me and my colleagues before and it will work for you too.

Include A Link To Your Trailer In Your Query Letter

Now, you all know that Script Mailer can send your query letter out to agents and producers. I won’t pretend that Hollywood is a perfect system. A lot of great writers with incredible screenplays still get overlooked (just like George Lucas and J.K. Rowling were initially overlooked too).

I have, however, noticed a trend where screenwriters who are having the most success with their query letters are writing great pitches, and, in other cases, they’re including a link to a promotional trailer for their script.

(You can put your trailer on YouTube and then link to your trailer in your query letter.)

Making a trailer is a very effective way to pitch a script, and if you can embrace modern technology it can really give you a huge advantage when it comes to marketing your screenplay.

I have also noticed another great promotional technique that only a handful of screenwriters are using to great effect. In my next article, I’ll tell you what this other promotional technique is.

Until then, consider putting together a good quality promotional trailer for your screenplay—the results for those of you who are bold enough to try this method are well worth it.

*Jennifer Sloane has worked as a screenplay agent in Los Angeles and Nashville for the last five years. Jennifer loves good movies, music and animals. A former television and movie executive, Jennifer currently heads business development at Script Mailer (a company that connects screenwriters with agents and producers in Hollywood).

[scriptmailer-blog]

New Post has been published on Script Mailer

New Post has been published on https://www.scriptmailer.com/screenwriters/create-a-movie-trailer-for-your-script.html

Create A Movie Trailer For Your Script

If you’re serious about selling your script and launching your screenwriting career, then you need to know how to promote and market your screenplay the right way.

In this article you’ll discover…

– An easy and effective way to promote your script

– How to get the attention of agents and producers

A lot of screenwriters, who, I have to say are excellent writers, are terrible when it comes to marketing their script. I would even go so far as to say that 95% of screenwriters write their script then cross their fingers and hope that somehow their script will magically find its way from their computer into the hands of an agent or producer.

The other 5% of screenwriters, who I have to say aren’t always the best writers, understand that getting their script into the right hands takes the right strategy and mindset.

That being said, times have changed and Hollywood has changed a lot in recent years. Hollywood has not only become more open to new writers entering the industry, but the way that Hollywood agents and producers do business has changed too. The Internet Changed Everything

In this series of articles, I’m gong to show you how you can leverage the power of the Internet to get your screenplay seen and read by the right people.

Now you’ve written a great screenplay, which is wonderful, however, the main problem is this… screenplays are long—90 pages at least. So how do you get the right people to spend at least 1-2 hours of their life reading your script?

The answer is simple but not always easy to execute—that is, you have to get people excited about your work. Now writing a query letter is a great way to promote your screenplay and get people excited about your work. But I would also like to add three more excellent marketing techniques that you can use to promote your script (and that can be incorporated in your query letter as well).

Hollywood Does It And So Should You

Any idea what I’m talking about? I’m talking about movie trailers.

Have you ever watched an amazing movie trailer and thought to yourself, “I can’t wait to watch the movie.” Every time you watch the trailer you get more and more excited about seeing the movie when it comes out. This is the power of effective marketing at work.

Have you ever thought why movie trailers are so effective? It’s for the simple reason that they build anticipation and they’re short and easy to grab your attention.

Ever tried pitching your screenplay and found yourself getting tongue-tied, missing out all the important parts of your story and feeling like you just didn’t do screenplay justice?

I’ve seen this happen hundreds of times when dealing with screenwriters. They’ve written an excellent script but they just didn’t know how to sell it.

The writers rambled on about the story and the characters (this is common both in person and in query letters) and they end up turning their audience off and killing all interest in their screenplay (which is often genuinely good).

A Movie Trailer Is A Great Way To Promote Your Script

Have you ever considered putting together a movie trailer to promote your screenplay?

You might be surprised to hear that this can be done very cheaply and even for free (especially if you are able to get in touch with film students and editors who are skilled, but simply looking to build up their portfolio).

Imagine how easy it would be to pitch your screenplay if you had a movie trailer of your script ready to go.

You meet someone at a networking event and they ask you what your script is about — you simply send them a link to your trailer. This person can then watch your trailer on the spot and know exactly what your screenplay is about.

Not only that, this person can watch your trailer multiple times to get the full flavor for your story and the more they watch your trailer, the more excited they will be to read your actual script.

Did I also mention how useful this approach is when it comes to getting people’s contact details. What do you think will happen if you go up to an agent or a producer and ask them for their contact details because you want to send them your script?

Nine times out of ten, they’ll say no or refer you to their assistant or someone else.

But what do you think will happen if you say to these same agents and producers, “Hey, do you have a minute so I can show you the trailer for my screenplay?” They’ll most likely watch it and if they’re gripped by the first ten seconds, they’ll keep watching. Then the real magic takes place.

You can then ask the agent or producer for their email address so you can send them a link to your trailer and your script as well. This has worked on me and my colleagues before and it will work for you too.

Include A Link To Your Trailer In Your Query Letter

Now, you all know that Script Mailer can send your query letter out to agents and producers. I won’t pretend that Hollywood is a perfect system. A lot of great writers with incredible screenplays still get overlooked (just like George Lucas and J.K. Rowling were initially overlooked too).

I have, however, noticed a trend where screenwriters who are having the most success with their query letters are writing great pitches, and, in other cases, they’re including a link to a promotional trailer for their script.

(You can put your trailer on YouTube and then link to your trailer in your query letter.)

Making a trailer is a very effective way to pitch a script, and if you can embrace modern technology it can really give you a huge advantage when it comes to marketing your screenplay.

I have also noticed another great promotional technique that only a handful of screenwriters are using to great effect. In my next article, I’ll tell you what this other promotional technique is.

Until then, consider putting together a good quality promotional trailer for your screenplay—the results for those of you who are bold enough to try this method are well worth it.

*Jennifer Sloane has worked as a screenplay agent in Los Angeles and Nashville for the last five years. Jennifer loves good movies, music and animals. A former television and movie executive, Jennifer currently heads business development at Script Mailer (a company that connects screenwriters with agents and producers in Hollywood).