# Finished screenplay, what next?



## ampersand (Mar 22, 2006)

Do film companies accept unsolicited screenplays? If so, which ones?


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## mammamaia (Mar 25, 2006)

no legit prodco will accept unsolicited scripts... they won't even open the envelopes... you have to query first or get an agent...


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## RKWO (Mar 27, 2006)

Trust, Mamm will tell you better than anyone what to expect, and that's the worst, always. But it's the best advice you can get.


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## mammamaia (Mar 27, 2006)

sad, but true, rk... 

ampersand... if you want to know if your work is _ready_ to be seen, you can send me the logline, synopsis, and first 9 pages...

love and hugs, maia
maia3maia@hotmail.com


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## RKWO (Mar 27, 2006)

mammamaia said:
			
		

> sad, but true, rk...
> 
> ampersand... if you want to know if your work is _ready_ to be seen, you can send me the logline, synopsis, and first 9 pages...
> 
> ...


 
When you reading my script anyways? Just kidding, if you have the chance, check mine out. I recommend somehting in the middle or end, everyone is looking at my beginning and it's hard to build on. Thanks. Really could get help with the logline.


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## mammamaia (Mar 28, 2006)

send me the logline, synopsis, and first 9 pages and i'll give you some of my fatal feedback, fella! :shock: 

hugs, m
maia3maia@hotmail.com


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## Aztecsfinest (Apr 17, 2006)

It helps if you got a few connections. Such as I have connections with the producer of Pearl Harbour (Is that a good thing?)

I'm not braagging, that is an examle, check around your family as I did and find if they no anyone who knows aguy who knows a guy who works wth T.V

Getting an agent sounds like a good idea, but I hear that they are expensive.
I heard that a newspaper called Variety helps with things like that, but I woldn't know.


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## mammamaia (Apr 18, 2006)

> Originally Posted by *mammamaia*
> _sad, but true, rk...
> 
> ampersand... if you want to know if your work is ready to be seen, you can send me the logline, synopsis, and first 9 pages...
> ...


not sure what you mean there... reading yours anyway?... did you send it to me?... if so, why ask me to check it out?... and where would i do that?... 
also don't get the ' I recommend somehting in the middle or end, ' part... like i said, if you want help with logline or anything, just send it to me, ok?...
hugs to all, m


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## mammamaia (Apr 18, 2006)

> It helps if you got a few connections. Such as I have connections with the producer of Pearl Harbour


 
which PH?... if the 2001 feature version, there are 13 producers listed, including 'producers'; 'executive producers'; 'associate producers'; and 'line producers'... and there are undoubtedly several more of lowlier status who didn't make it onto the imdb listing's list... 



> (Is that a good thing?)


 
depends on what level producer the person is and how close your connection is to him/her... could be a good thing if highly placed and you're buddies... could be a nothing thing, if he/she's only a step or two above the guy who drives the catering truck on location... or if your connection is too thin to do any good...



> I'm not braagging, that is an examle, check around your family as I did and find if they no anyone who knows aguy who knows a guy who works wth T.V


 
why tv?... isn't the poster asking about selling a screenplay?... 



> Getting an agent sounds like a good idea, but I hear that they are expensive.
> I heard that a newspaper called Variety helps with things like that, but I woldn't know.


 
agents don't get a penny up front and don't get paid, till they sell your work, so how's that = 'expensive'?... 

variety won't 'help' you get an agent... you'll find listings on wga and aar's websites and in 'the hollywood creative directory'... the latter is too costly to buy, but you can find it in some libraries... more affordable, not quite as good, is writer's digest's annual edition of 'guide to literary agents'...


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## Aztecsfinest (Apr 24, 2006)

I'd prefeer not to say. I hated Pearl Harbour.
Everything ends up on T.V eventually. And I wuldn't know, I don't have an agent!

Maybe I should just keep my comments to myself from now on.
Sorry Maia and Ampersand.


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## mammamaia (Apr 24, 2006)

no prob... you meant well... just hold up on the advice, when you don't really know the subject... we love ya, anyway!... hugs, m


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## writingismyxmusic (May 29, 2006)

I heard that in order to publish your screenplay and have it turned into a movie, you need to get an agent. That's all I know. Haha...


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## mammamaia (May 30, 2006)

well, first of all, screenplays are 'produced' not 'published' ;-)... and yes, it _does_ help to get an agent... so you _do_ know _something_, anyway!

hugs, m


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## crossboss (Jul 14, 2006)

*I do have some connections*

If you want, you can pm me.


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## mammamaia (Jul 14, 2006)

'connections'?... such as?

and what good will even the best connections do for a first script by a newbie who seems to know nothing about the film industry?... 

if you have _good_ connections to folks in the biz, you should know that the best advice to give this writer is to put that first screenplay aside and write 6 or 7 more, till s/he gets good enough at it to turn out one that's marketable, since it's most likely no agents or producers will even look at that first one, much less take it seriously... to pass on the kind of scripts i see every day from new writers, won't endear you to those connections, y'know!... if you value them, as i do mine, you'll be very careful who you share them with, since their time is money...

i mentor lots of aspiring screenwriters, so would be very interested in knowing what/who your 'connections' are... if you're loathe to post the info here, please drop me an email, as i don't have pms enabled here... thanks...

love and hugs, maia
maia3maia@hotmail.com


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## Glen1 (Jul 15, 2006)

I'm still involved with learning about the different parts of the screenplay. Every time I sit down to write something on it I get turned off and have to scrap it. I've done that with two plays. Has this happened to any of you? I'd appreciate hearing from anybody that has this problem.


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## Kimba (Jul 15, 2006)

That depends on how determined you are to succeed in writing the actual screenplay. Mine was originally written in novel form but I scrapped that because I had trouble finding the time to write in that form. So far, I've kept just about everything I've written with this screenplay, apart from certain scenes in which I thought either distracted the audience from the main plot or just didn't sit well within the plot itself.

I tend to find writing a brief treatment before writing the screenplay itself helps because then I have a fair idea what is in each scene. The main challenge then is writing the scene itself.


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## mammamaia (Jul 15, 2006)

learning the basics of the craft is not all that hard, if you start out by studying it, with the aid of a good how-to and plenty of good screenplays as models... 

the hard part is learning to do it _well_... harder still, is having the ability to do it well _enough_ to write scripts that will be taken seriously by agents and producers... 

if any of you want help along the way, i've been mentoring aspiring screenwriters for several years now and will be glad to add you to the thousands i've enjoyed working with so far... 

hugs, maia


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## FLickTick (Jul 24, 2006)

*Read - Read - Read*

Ampersand,

Do you know all about structure, story-lines, turning points and other issues of screenwriting?
Get a peer group going and let them read your script to sort out fluff.
You should also, if you have not already done so, read as many produced scripts as you can lay your hands on.

Here is a good place to start and build your knowledge on a daily basis:

http://www.scriptsecrets.net/index.html

Hit on '*Tip of the day*'.


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## mammamaia (Jul 24, 2006)

flick...
how come what looks like a link to your personal site [http://tinyurl.com/s49d3 ]takes us to thewritersbuilding.org's intro page?


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## Kimba (Jul 27, 2006)

I'm inclined to ask if it is his personal site ...


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## mammamaia (Jul 27, 2006)

i doubt it, since it's a pretty major site and professionally designed... it may be that the site has a place to post members' work and the url he provided just wasn't complete...


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## wcmartell (Aug 22, 2006)

*Unsolicited*



			
				ampersand said:
			
		

> Do film companies accept unsolicited screenplays?


 
The answer is yes and no.

NO ONE accepts unsolicited screenplays, so you have to get  them to request it. The way to do that is with a query letter or phone call. This is a numbers game - out of hundreds of query letters you may send out, you might only get a couple of bites. 

Target your production companies - you want the ones that make films like your script. Alway address query letters to the actual person in charge of finding and developing scripts, not "to whom it may concern" (or some other impersonal junk mail name).

It all comes down to the *concept* - does your script have a good idea? No one wants to waste time on a script with a dull idea. 

- Bill


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