I got this question recently:
“I am a screenwriter who has written 3 features in different genres (comedy, drama and crime thriller) and all the coverage I’ve received has been very good but I am having absolutely no luck in finding an agent or production company to even look at them.”
First, having three completed screenplays, while it’s not nothing, it really isn’t a lot either. Most screenwriters I know who have been successful have written a half dozen or more full length feature screenplays before they were skilled enough to write one that was actually good. I’m not saying that your three aren’t good, but when someone approaches me and tells me that they’ve written one, two, three, or four screenplays my initial reaction is to usually tell them to keep writing because most likely they aren’t ready to show their work.
I read some where that Platoon was Oliver Stone’s eleventh screenplay and the first ten were terrible. It got him work but wasn’t produced until after he had used it for several years as a writing sample. So there is no shame in having to write ten terrible screenplays before you are skilled enough to write one good one.
But no matter what the quality of your work is, you should keep writing. You can never have too many well written screenplays.
Also, before you start making submissions to anyone you should be sure that you have a few well written screenplays. I’m not sure what sort of “coverage” you have gotten and from who, but in general you should have a small pool of industry professionals who will critique your work and they will let you know that it’s ready.
But to answer your original question… Once you have a few well written screenplays prepare for an all out frontal assault on the gates of Hollywood. Even the best screenplay ever written would get passed over by most agents, mangers and production companies so you’re going to have to send out a lot of letters, emails, faxes, and make a lot of phone calls to get your script out there wide enough that it has a chance of getting recognized. We’re talking about thousands and thousands of letters, emails, faxes, and phone calls. You’re no longer just a writer you’re now a salesman too, and your product is your screenplays.
The whole point of this blog is trying to show people some of the ways in which I’ve sold and optioned screenplays so start reading every post I’ve ever written. I recommend you start here as this post gives you all the nuts and bolts of starting a sales campaign for your screenplays:
How to Sell Your Screenplay (in a nutshell)
Hi Ashley…
I just had to say that I have been perusing thru your amazing website off and on for the past two or three days and it has been filled with so many tips, how-to’s and insights, yet I rarely see any comments….
I am compelled to just say “THANK YOU!” for all the how-to’s and what-not’s!
I’ve never written a screenplay. I have a multi-layered three part script with an “ooooof, I didn’t see that coming!” at the end. I have done a month of research on the “technical” aspect so that the dialog comes off tight and have had aa blast with it because it’s what I’ve wanted to do all my life… I’m now home bound, after 8yrs, with Epilepsy and have slated an 8hr day to research and write this screenplay onto a screenplay software program to that it is “proffessionl” and not “substandard”.
While not writing the screenplay, I am researching the very element’s compiled all in this one blog…. amazingly help full!!!!!!! it’s also relieved a great deal of the aspect of the discouragement that I’ll never get it out there because I’m clueless on how to~ now, I rest easier and keep focused on the story not, “how will I get this to the right people, in the right way?”
Thanks for checking the blog out. I was exactly like you, before I had some idea about how to sell my script I never thought that writing it was worth while. Once I had an idea about who to send my script to, it inspired me to really start writing.
From above: “I read some where that Platoon was Oliver Stone’s eleventh screenplay and the first ten were terrible. It got him work but wasn’t produced until after he had used it for several years as a writing sample. So there is no shame in having to write ten terrible screenplays before you are skilled enough to write one good one.”
Some folks can write em, some cannot. From Stone’s writing credits listed on IMDb, it would appear Platoon was the first if not only script ever produced solely credited to him as a writer. Every other one has additional writing credits. No harm in that. Then take Good Will Hunting. Not that it was my fave but a first attempt for Affleck and Damon who took home Oscars for Best Original. I prefer Syd Fields’ and David Trottier’s take on it. If it’s good it’s good and sooner or later it’ll get noticed no matter how many you’ve written in the meantime. Besides, if you love it, you’ll keep writing anyway. And not for the glory. For the joy. For the sheer freakin joy. It’s what we do, right?