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February 2007

Marketing That First Script
by Laura Baumbach
www.laurabaumbach.com

Laura Baumbach is the author of screenplays and numerous short stories, novellas, and novels. Her favorite genre to work in is manlove or m/m erotic romances for women. Manlove is not traditional gay fiction, but erotic romances written specifically for the romantic-minded reader, male or female. She works as an emergency trauma nurse by night and an author by day, with her husband and two sons filling in her free hours. Working in several genres, she is also the author of The Flight of the Sparrows, an action/adventure mainstream thriller, and six screenplays, Details of the Hunt, A Bit of Rough, Moonlight Bays, Out There in the Night, Heartless, and Second Soul.

The glamour and glitz of Hollywood is a big attraction to many writers. You've written a popular novel, maybe several. You know how to plot an effective story line, you can create three-dimensional, interesting characters and you're an old hand at making conflicts and obstacles to your heroes/heroines goals! Your stories would make a terrific movie, why not write one?

There's no reason why you can't as long as you are willing to set aside just about everything you know about writing and start over. Screenplay writing is nothing like novel writing. There is no third person narrative or internal dialog (voiceovers are frowned on as the mark of an amateur in most cases) to give the viewers clues as to what the characters are thinking or feeling. The story has to be tight, fast-paced and everything you want the viewer to know has to be conveyed through dialog or action. Those are the only two tools you as a screenwriter have to use. Go to web sites like Drew's Script-o-Rama and study the actual scripts of movies that have been produced. Make sure you study SPEC scripts and not working scripts. Working scripts include camera angles and directions that a spec script shouldn't.

So now you've written that blockbuster hit. You wrote from the heart and told the story you as a writer needed to tell. Fabulous. Did you take into account the fact that most films these days, especially from new writers, need to be low budget (under $500,000), small casts (3-5 characters), one-two locations (non-exotic, easily available, contained rooms or buildings), contemporary setting, non-period piece (no special costumes, props, or sets) to get even a snowball's chance in Hades of being bought? Is it 90-120 pages, (closer to 90 preferred)? Is it in the accepted industry format? Did you use a universally read software package like Sophocles, Movie Magic or Final Draft to write it? Have you proofed it so it's error free? Used the spell check function of your scriptwriting software? After that have another person read it over and read it out loud to yourself. You'll hear when dialog doesn't ring true. Is there a good balance of white space versus description and dialog? If so, then you're a step closer to marketing it.

Now you have a script that fits all of the above criteria and you want to get it out there to be seen by industry professionals. You need to back up a pace. You're skipping a vital part of the process for new screenwriters — feedback. And not feedback from your friends and family, unless they are hardened film industry pros. The best way to get reliable, almost-free feedback from within the film industry is to send your completed script into reputable contests that offer feedback or detailed critiques to all the entries. Blue Cat Screenplay contest guarantees every entry receives script analysis. With the 20/20 Screenwriting Contest all writers receive feedback in the form of a 20-point marketability checklist and, in some cases, margin notes. Script Nurse offers free advice and input on dialog, scenes and things that include character development and story ideas. Expect to get plenty of corrections and read them over carefully. If you really object to anything in the critique hold off on changing things, but if several critiques mention the same flaw, you need to consider making alterations to your script.

Your other alternative for constructive feedback is to purchase the services of a script doctor or consultant. There are a number of services available on line, but be sure to research your choices wisely. Look for reputable consultants with a proven track record of writing and marketing their own scripts and successfully critiquing others.

Maggie Prescott's Screenplay Consulting Services and Script P.I.M.P. Consultants have gotten good word of mouth. There are literally hundreds out there, but find one that works for you and one you can afford. Costs vary widely from a few hundred dollars to several hundred and more. Look at what you get for your money, a one-page critique or an in-depth analyst of the entire script. Remember that you usually get what you pay for.

To supplement what you can learn from any number of screenwriting books like David Trotter's The Screenwriter's Bible or Robert McKee's Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screen writing, join online groups with actual screenwriters involved in the discussions. You'll be able to ask questions, hear real working answers, network and pick the brains of people who are actually doing what you are trying to achieve. Here is the most popular one I know of, with over 3000 members, many who are active in the industry in a number of roles: Screenwriting.

After you've taken in all the feedback and entered a few contests, maybe won one along the way, you're ready for the next step. That's researching your market. Not all Production companies produce the same type of movie. You have to know who would be interested in you script. Think of movies similar to yours and look them up on places like the IMDB to find out who produced them. Then research the company online if possible and find out the name of a contact person. The glitch here is that many production companies will not accept unagented material, just like many publishers. But a few will accept query letters. NEVER send an unsolicited script to anyone. It will be discarded unread and you'll be tagged as an amateur.

The number one need for a good query letter is a killer log line. A log line is one sentence or phrase that sums up the core of your story and grabs a producer into wanting to read more. Then you have to have a fabulous synopsis to follow up on that killer log line. And if they make it through the synopsis and are still interested, they'll ask for the script. This is the ultimate rush, but it still doesn't mean anything. Even terrific scripts are rejected because of all the things I mentioned before — cast size, cost, production locations, etc.

There are services that will send out mass mailings for you, but I can tell you from personal experience that mass mailing out query letters got me nothing but we don't accept unsolicited material form letters and tired fingers. It's very ineffective.

You can also research companies through a manual called the HCD or The Hollywood Creative Directory. Costs around $75 and the information inside changes with the industry ups and downs. It's about an inch and a half thick and lists production companies and their contact info.

Subscribing to groups like these also provide leads on companies looking for your type of script: ScriptForSale.

They allow filmmakers looking for specific type of script (adventure, romance, family-oriented, etc.) or one that will appeal to a specific audience (women, teenagers, horror buffs, etc.) to request queries from screenwriters. Your script has to fit the request exactly or don't respond.

Another way to get your script out there where potential buyers might see it is to list it with one of the many script services available like Script P.I.M.P., Inktip.com or with a service like Succeeding Outside Hollywood.

They all cost a fee, some monthly and some quarterly, but I think they have better results than personally trying to reach the industry movers and shakers. I have scripts listed with both Inktip and Succeeding.

I have had scripts requested by productions companies three times from Inktip.com listings and one company even asked for more of my work. Even though the first script wasn't what they wanted, they liked my writing enough they gave me a standing invitation to send them anything I create. That's a huge open door for me. One I value and use sparingly, sending only the most polished of my efforts to date. I haven't sold a script yet, but marketing through these reputable sites, I feel I'm closer than I would have been if I had just kept to sending out query letters.

Over the last three years I have written five screenplays. One has won an award for best telefilm, my action/adventure buddy film, Talos' Bounty. I have one horror film, one contemporary gay romance, one comedy sitcom pilot, and one medical thriller. The award winner has been requested three times by companies and rejected three times because it would be expensive to make. It was my first one and I didn't know all those don'ts for making a marketable film. Not a good film, but a marketable one.

The most exciting thing as both a novelist and a screenwriter that has happened came a few weeks ago when my erotic romance, A Bit of Rough hit the #1 slot on Barnes and Nobles best-selling erotic romance list. The week after that I got a phone call from a small independent filmmaker I made contact with over the Internet a few years ago when I helped out with free medical advice for a small horror film they were making. They wanted to know if I could write a screenplay version of Rough (which I already had) and would I send it to them. They thought they might have some backers who would be interested in it. Since the success of Brokeback Mountain, everyone wants a hot gay romance in his or her lineup. Maybe one of them will be mine!

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