This is a transcript of SYS Podcast Episode 105: Screenwriter / Director Michael Bafaro Talks About His New Film Wrecker.
(Typewriter Keys Tapping)
Ashley: Welcome to episode #105 of the “Selling Your Screenplay Podcast.” I’m Ashley Scott Meyers Screenwriter and Blogger over here at – www.sellingyourscreenplay.com. Today I am interviewing Director and Screenwriter – Michael Bafaro. Michael recently wrote and produced a film called, “Wrecker.” But we get into the details of that, and how he got that film produced. As well as the details of how he got his career started. So, stay tuned for that.
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A couple of quick notes, any websites or links that I mention in the Podcast can be found on my blog or in the show notes. I also publish a transcript of ever episode, in case you rather read the show or look up something else later on. You can find all the episodes and show notes at – www.sellingyourscreenplay.com/podcast, and then just look for episode #105.
I am continually building up the SYS Script Library. I just uploaded “Birds of Spies” with script by John Coster. I also uploaded the screenplay script, “For Chocolate” it was sent in by Mel Scannon. I also added, “A Civil Action” and “The Big Chill” Screenplays, those were sent in by Dave Mel Anderson. If you have a screenplay, they you do not see listed in the script library? Please do Email it to me, the SYS Script Library is completely free. We have well over a thousand scripts in the library. We do have hit movies, award winning movies, there’s television shows. All the scripts are in PDF format so you can download them on whatever device you use. Just go to – www.sellingyourscreenplay.com/library.
If you want my free guide, “How to Sell a Screenplay in Five Weeks.” You can pick that up by going to – www.sellingyourscreenplay.com/guide. It’s completely free, you just put in your Email address and I’ll send you a new lesson once a week, every week for five weeks. Along with a bunch of bonus lessons. I teach the whole process of how to sell your screenplay in that guide. How to write a professional log-on, and quarry letter. How to find agents, managers and producers who are looking for material. It really is everything you need to know to sell your screenplay. Just go to – www.sellingyourscreenplay.com/guide.
Just a few quick words about what I am working on? I’m just, as I am recording this, I’m actually just after the Christmas holiday, right before the New Years. Obviously this episode will be released next week, January 4th. So I’m still kind of wrapping up on the holiday. So, I am not, I have not done a whole lot since the last episode. I am still doing re-writes on my spoof comedy I’ve been talking about that for months. Hopefully that will be over shortly. I will be done with the draft, hopefully this week, or next week. Get that back to the producers, and then they will probably do some work reviewing that. Hopefully this will be the last we’ll have to spend time, a significant portion of my time on it. Once that’s done I’m definitely going to devote all my attention to my “Kick-Starter Campaign.” And get that up an running. As I’ve mentioned, I’ve talked about this for the last few months as well.
I’m still on pace, I’m still in good shape to launch that in mid-January. So, I’ve got a few more things, some odds and ends to do on that. I’ve got to get the page, I started to create the “Kick-Starter page. Just to kind of really, just to see what all I need? What assets I needed to get that page launched. Since I have basically all the assets ready to go, I just need to add them to the Kick-Starter Campaign page. I have my teaser/trailer, I have my, I need to do a little bit more editing on that. But a, it’s basically all ready to go. So, again, I’m still planning on launching that in mid-January, so keep your eye out for that. Anyway, that’s what I am working on.
So, now let’s get into the main segment, today I am interviewing Michael Bafaro, here is the interview.
[03:37]
Ashley: Welcome Michael, to this episode of “Selling Your Screenplay Podcast.” I really appreciate you coming on the show with me.
Michael: Thank you very much, thanks for having me.
Ashley: So, maybe to start out, maybe you could give us a little bit of background about yourself? How did you kind of get into the industry? And break-in and maybe how you sell that first screenplay?
Michael: Well, a, actually when I was a kid, I was always a huge movie fan. My father was a huge movie fan. And he would, you know, take me to movies all the time. And he grew-up in Italy. So he was even a bigger fan. You know, we moved to Canada. He only sold two gas tickets, about, you know, for movies and what-not? What ended up happening? I just started out wanting to be that film maker at a certain point. And in my life, you know, at as a kid, always wanting to write stories and stuff. I was writing screenplays that you found gold. But I wasn’t even aware that I was writing screenplays.
Ashley: Yeah, wow, wow. Did you have to try and shoot some of those screenplays from when you were nine years old?
Michael: A, you know, those were funny. Because the first screenplay I ever did was pretty well a road movie. Which was again, later on we’ll be talking about I guess, “Wrecker.” But, it was a road movie, but I steal the car and I’m on the run. Again, I was like maybe nine, ten years old when I was writing it? I didn’t know back then that, I always had a thing for like road things, road stuff. Yeah.
Ashley: Huh? Okay, so now I’m just looking at your IMDA page and the film you just described. So, your first writing credit is a film called, “Car Jacker.” Is that the film you just talked about?
Michael: Yeah, it was called, “Cracker Jack” my first chance as a writer.
Ashley: Okay. And that was literally something that you wrote as a nine-year-old?
Michael: No, no. “Cracker Jack” was a thriller picture. It was more of a, no I never did that carjacking movie, I’ve never done it? But I just find it funny that it was my first film was a road movie. Which took me years to do, to get to do a road movie. Which was “Wrecker” which was, but “Crack Jack” was my first movie film as a writer. Which a, sort of a, you know, a holiday that goes bad.
Ashley: Okay, now take us through sort of that early process of optioning and selling your first screenplay? How did you go about doing it? And just like the nitty gritty of doing it? Any specifics of, I find very interesting just to hear, you know. Exactly how you got this script out there? Who did you send it to, who liked it, who bought it? And who produced it? So, maybe you can run through that, script, option scripts? So all that?
Michael: So, the first screenplay I ever did was “Cracker Jack.” And I was working on it with another guy by the name of Jonus Christel, we worked on it together. And prior to that I was working with an Assistant Directors, you know, working on sets and whatnot? And I was working on this one film. With this one produced by Lloyd Semandel, working with American Pictures at the time. Lord was sort of like the Rod Corpman of Canada. Instead of like, action packed thrillers, and horror films and whatnot? And I was just working on one of his movies one day. And a, you know, once we finished that movie. I went up to him and asked him, I said, “Lloyd, I went to see my office one day.” And said, “How, a, you know, would you want if I wrote you a, something one day?” And he goes, at the time, he says, “Die Hard” was huge at the time, the movie “Die Hard.” So, he says, “Write me a “Die Hard.” And so, that’s, I went and started writing, you know, a clean slate. Sold that option, full of, you know, whatever? And he was gone, and he proceeds in making the movie. And when he came back I had the screenplay ready for him. And he read it, and I got a call a few days later, saying, “I told you to write me a “Die Hard,” boy did you write me a “Die Hard!” Those were his exact words. And I was excited and means, I’m going to make your movie, and good job.
Ashley: Okay.
Michael: I got lucky because I knew a lot of new people in the business, you know, working with them and whatnot? That’s how “Cracker Jack” got made, that was my first movie. You know, I spent a lot of time just making sure I did something that other people might, you know, want to see. And would want to make, especially the producers.
Ashley: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Take us one step back, and just kinda set-up and wrap up that story. So, you’re in the riven and you’re in film production in Canada, as an Assistant Director, is that correct?
Michael: Other Assistant Director, yeah, yes.
Ashley: Okay, yeah, perfect, perfect. Now did you go to film school? How did you get to be an Assistant Director of these films?
Michael: Well, I just, you know, I did go to some school. I studied films for a little bit. And basically got a job working on the set.
You know, and started meeting people. And, you know, I was happy where I was. Because I always wanted to tell stories, you know, actually when I first started, that I was doing crops. Which was, at least not bad, at least there was a creative part to it. But the part to the Assistant Director was something that I was, you know, keen on. Although, I did learn a lot about production and time management and what not. It real does help me as far as directing was concerned. Because I do manage my time better. And then, you know, you get to meet people. You’re working with actors, you see how the director works with you and the actors and whatnot. And I just knew I had more to offer when I was working on some of these a, productions. Just felt like, you know what? I really want to tell my stories. And so, you know, there were opportunities for me to go and talk to these people. And that was pretty alright.
Ashley: And this was all in Canada, all these productions you’re working on in Canada? As well as, a the directing you’ve done? You’re living there, living in Canada?
Michael: I was yeah, I was born in a small town in Barstoke, which was in the Rocky Mountains.
Ashley: Okay.
Michael: Which was about ten thousand people, which was about a ski resort town now. But prior to that, I mean, which, if you didn’t play hockey, and if you didn’t ski? You know, you had to keep yourself occupied. So, what I like to do is, watch a lot of movies. I would go to the movie theatre and I would watch everything. And I would, and they would only play one movie a week type of thing. So I was, I would see that movie over and over again. With no mercy all the time. So, I think that had a big intrinsic thing on the fact that I really wanted to. Yeah, I lived in Canada my whole life, pretty much my entire life. I am a child by nationality. But, I shot most indie movies over-seas, like in the Chech. Republic, places like that. Just where-ever the production wants to take me, right?
Ashley: Yeah, yeah, sure.
Michael: As far as the, you know, the work calls, and learning my craft. Yeah, everything was done here in Vancouver or around Vancouver.
Ashley: Okay, let’s get through, I know I did a lot of writers coming to my site. And if you’re wondering, hey, I want to write and direct. And maybe you can kinda take us through that transition? It looks like an IMDB, and I just glanced at this quickly? But it looks like your first writing/directing credit is a film called, “The Barber.” Maybe you can talk a little bit about that transition? How did you get in a position where you said, “Okay, I have a screenplay, but I also want to direct it?” And it sort of a negotiation that and just, you know, maybe some tips for people that maybe are looking at they want to write and possibly direct something?
Michael: I was really fortunate, I worked with some, Evan Tyler on a project, a few years, prior to “The Barber.” It was prior to “The Barber.” I’d done a movie called, “A Few Lousy Dollars.” I’d directed that film, Evan had come to me and asked me, if I’d look at the script.
I’d put polish on it and everything, and I ended up directing the film as well. So, that was sort of like my, you know, my, sort of my great break as a writer. I mean, “Cracker Jack” was my first screenplay literal writer. “A Few Lousy Dollars” was my first screenplay, it was sort of my first paying gig where I’d actually written a bunch of stuff, not really getting the credit for it. And then not just, you know, my relationship with titles and industry works. We ended up doing “The Barber” together, you know, just because we had that relationship. I’m sorry, what was the question again?
Ashley: Yeah, no, no. I think that answers the question. I was curious how you made that transition? And it sounds like a great tip is, you went in and directed something that you hadn’t necessarily written. And then actually gave you some leverage when it came time to write and direct the same story.
Michael: Yeah.
Ashley: Let’s get into “Wrecker.”
Michael: Yeah.
Ashley: And just talk about this a little bit? But, maybe just to start you can give us a quick
log-line for the film.
Michael: Oh, yeah. A, it’s basically this story of two women that go on a road trip and encounter, you know, a bad guy on the road.
Ashley: And, maybe we could talk a little bit about.
Michael: There’s more to that story.
Ashley: Yeah.
Michael: A terrible log-line that was, I mean, I’m terrible at giving log-lines.
Ashley: Yeah, yeah. That sums it up. Let’s, maybe you could tell us a little bit about kinda where the idea came from? This idea, where sort of the germ that sprouted this idea?
Michael: Yeah, I mean, I was on a road trip once. I grew-up, like I said, I grew-up in Rebelstoke it is a small little town outside of, you know, it’s about, I don’t know? About six hours outside of Vancouver, it’s in the Rocky Mountains. The city is sort of in the middle of nowhere? There’s not that much around. And as a young man, as I got my driver’s license, I was always driving around, going on road trips. So, road trip movies were, you know, your mind wanders a lot. You know, you’re on the road by yourself? At one time I was actually working on a movie, you know. Working on a film, I was going away for, just to visit Rebelstoke. Because we were just going to be shooting a movie there. Actually, when I was doing “The Barber.” And I always had this idea in my head. And, I never really thought about it until one day when I was up at this one place, at a gas station.
And I overheard these two young women, they were talking and arguing about where they were going or something? And you know, my mind had gone the wrong way. And so then, my mind had started going on sorta like little, you know, adventure with these two girls. I was like starting to think about what, you know, what, did they take a wrong road? Bla, bla, bla, and who did they encounter? You know, “Duel” I remember the movie “Duel.” You know, “The Hitcher” movies like that. You don’t know who you are going to encounter when you’re on a road trip? So, I started thinking that. And I was having coffee with entirely in one day. Who are, again, in this industry works, and we started talking. And he goes, “Yeah, we should do something? Yeah, bla, bla, bla, bla.” And I said, “Whoa, what about a road trip film?” And or he mentioned, I don’t remember? So, we discussed it, and I told him, hey, what about, you know, this? You know, what if we do a movie about two girls, you know, clearly to serve like a, you know, I wanted to make it, sort of like a, to like a bad relationship. You know, like road rage gone on, you know. But a bad relationship, where you have a car and a truck. The car winds up in the middle of it. The truck representing you know, like the safety of the man, or whatever? It’s beginning to sound like a chauvinist movie, or whatever? But, you know, and the two girls are on the road trip and once they encounter the truck, it’s now like, a man, a woman, it’s a man, and you don’t really know them at first? First impression is a, that person is nice, and then as the, you know, the relationships starts to develop. You know, signs starts to show. And before you know it, here comes a life threatening situation, you know? So that’s what I want to do. And we discussed this, Evan and I, and said, “Let’s make it!”
Ashley: So, now, when you’re meeting with Evan. I’m sure.
Michael: Is it better this time?
Ashley: No, I think that’s perfect. When you are having this meeting with Evan? So, you’re sort of pitching him the idea, had you already written something out? Had you just thought about it for a long time, so you could just sort of had some idea beats, or pitch him? What is that process like? What does that actually look like when you’re having lunch with him?
Michael: You know, to be honest? I did have an idea for, but it was a very basic idea. Basically an idea, you know, I knew that I wanted to make a picture about, you know, about a road trip. And then, sort of, I always knew that. Sort of wasn’t sure what we were going to do? How it was going to be? I knew it was going to be about two girls. I didn’t wanted to do like, you know, two too close to, “Duel” for instance. I wanted to bring in others influence, like a, “The Vanishing” the movie, “The Vanishing.” You know, movies like a “Breakout” or “Breakdown.”
Ashley: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Michael: So those, you know, those types of films, certain one, you know me. We just started talking about and developing over coffee.
Ashley: Now, one thing I’m curious about, and when you’re talking about this? One of the things, and when I’m watching the movie that immediately stands out is? There is a lot of marketable elements, and maybe it’s just because you’re having a conversation with Evan. Who is a producer and understands sort of the market? But, like some of the comments you made, like, two girls, obviously having two girls, two sexy girls in the lead. It’s kinda something like it is potentially something you can sell more easily. So, I’m curious if from, those things change as you start to talk to Evan. It sounds like from the very beginning concept, you’re kinda aware of these things, of like, putting the two sexy girls in the lead. And I’m just, my question is, how sort of conscious of marketing of the film and the sale of the film are you? When you’re at the very early stages of this process?
Michael: A, I mean, I’ve been doing it this a long time, right? So, it’s a, it’s something, you know, again, I didn’t go through the sexy girl thing. They are good actresses alright?! So, I just wanted good actresses, I mean, I had a tough time finding the right person matched with, I mean, that Anna. And I found Andrea, She was fantastic, she was, actually the way I wrote the character in the script. Was a, you know, it is a, she nailed it the minute she sat down in the chair in front of me. And a, but anyway, going back to the question, the sexiness, you know, the cuteness. It is part of the business if that does achieve making the new movie producers, want certain things. Distributors want certain things? And you have to pretty well accommodate, I don’t know really what the question, you’re actually trying to maybe asking, sorry.
Ashley: A no, no, fine. I get the jest of. I’m always curious to hear kinda conscious are you when you are conceiving of these ideas, like, you know, as an example, do you come up with a bunch of ideas and realize they are a bunch of just not marketable. And you don’t sort of perceive them. To where as some of these other guys ideas, you have an understanding of. Hey, this is something Evan might right like. So, I’m going to pitch him this idea? That’s opposed to these other five ideas that don’t have these things. Just how conscious are you of sort of the marketing?
Michael: Would I do, when I set-up to write a script, the pre-k especially, always something that would I really like that show? Would I enjoy it? I am a huge fan of the event, it doesn’t matter what they are? Whether they are horror, or whether they are thrillers, you know, even dramas, all that stuff, action pictures. As long as I can sorta see myself going while saying, “Gee, I’d love to direct that film.” You know, I would go, I’m always in remembering, I always go, “You know, that’s something I really want to make.” So, you know, and it’s characters are too good girls, or two women that are on a road trip. You know, what’s going to make it better too. I think, I know a guy to be, two guys going on a road trip for instance. Probably wouldn’t have been as scary a movie? I think we hit the female market even more as well. So, that was my, sort of feeling on it, about it? And, a, so maybe through the producers and what not? But, I still feel that a, you know, that the market that I think that is probably more frightening film because there were two women involved.
Ashley: A-huh. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sure, sure. No, no. Yeah, yeah, absolutely, I do. And that’s kinda what I’m getting at, it sounds like for you. It’s more about the creative choices then the marketing choices, and it worked out well for both, so that’s good to hear. So, maybe you could just tell us, how people can see “Wrecker” you know, if it’s going to be on Video On Demand, if it’s going to get a theatrical release. Maybe just list out some of the dates and people can find the movie.
Michael: Um, not really sure where they are playing right now? But, the film is screening on the 6th on West Los Angeles.
Ashley: Okay.
Michael: I forgotten the name of it, the theater now? Shoot, I should have been prepared for that question I expected, you know? You know, the movie screening in New York, at the New York City Horror Film Festival.
Ashley: Okay.
Michael: I believe it’s the 15th?
Ashley: Okay, perfect.
Michael: It’s closing the film festival.
Ashley: Okay.
Michael: And then a game, the, I’m not really sure what the dates are? What the official release date is? I believe the 5th of November.
Ashley: Okay, perfect, perfect. And I always like to end the interview with.
Michael: If anybody wants to check it out? Go to the industry works website. And Facebook, they’ve got like all these websites on there what not, all set-up. I think you can go and check it out?
Ashley: Yeah, yeah. And I will link to that and share show notes. And that’s how I like to end the interviews. Is just to ask my guest if there’s some way for people to just like keep up with what you’re working on? You can throw out your Twitter handle, or Facebook page, or a blog, or whatever you feel comfortable sharing? Are you on Twitter or Facebook and would you be okay sharing those?
Michael: A, not right now, I’m actually working on some new, my Facebook page right again, a new one.
Ashley: Okay.
Michael: But they can, like I said, they can go to – www.industryworks.com
Ashley: Okay.
Michael: If you go check that out, it’s all on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, all those, all the social media outlets.
Ashley: Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure.
Michael: And I’m sure the distribution company in the United States, is excellerator. Which they will probably have something up there as well.
Ashley: Yeah, yeah. perfect. Well, I’ll track all that stuff down and I’ll put it in the show notes. Michael, this has been a great interview, I’ve really enjoyed talking to you, well done on the film. I wish you luck with it.
Michael: Well, thank you very much for having me, I really appreciate it.
Ashley: Hey, thank you, we’ll talk to ya later.
[25:24]
Ashley: I just want to make sure of two things I’m doing at www.sellingyourscreenplay.com to help screenwriters find producers who are looking for new material.
First, I’ve created a monthly newsletter that will be sent directly to producers. Every member of SYS Select can submit one log-line per newsletter. I went and I Emailed my large database o producers and ask them if they would like to receive this monthly newsletter of pitches? So far it’s well over 200 producers who have signed up to receive it. Again, these are producers who are actively hiring and looking for new material. And are happy to read scripts from new writers. So, if you want to participate in this pitch newsletter and getting your script into the hands of producers. Sign-up at www.sellingyourscreenplay.com/select.
And secondly, I’ve partnered with one of the premier screenwriters who needs services. So I can syndicate their leads to SYS Select members. There are lots of great paid leads coming in each week from our partner. Recently I’ve been getting 10-12 high quality paid leads per week. These are producers and paid production companies who are actively looking to buy material or are looking to hire a screenwriter for a specific project. If you sign-up for SYS Select, you’ll get these leads Emailed directly to you, so, several times per week. These leads run the gambit from producers and production companies looking for a specific type of effect script. To producers looking to hire a screenwriter to write a property that they have ownership of. Or perhaps just to write an original idea that producers have. There are producers looking for shorts, they are producing. They are looking for features, they are looking for TV pilots, web series pilots. It’s a huge a-ray of different types of projects that these producers are looking for through these leads. And these leads are exclusive to our partner who will send them to us of course SYS Select members. So, again, to sign-up, go to – www.sellingyourscreenplay.com/select.
I recently set-up a success stories page, for people who have had success through the various SYS Select Services. So if you want to check that out and see what some people are have said about the SYS Select Services, check out – www.sellingyourscreenplay.com/success.
So I just want to wrap things up today, touching on a few things from today’s interview with Michael. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.
Working in the industry as Michael did. Really is probable with the single best way to start a screenplay writing career. Even if it’s not working as a screenwriter. You start with a low-paid job, he was starting doing an Assistant Director work, Production Assistant work. He was started off at the bottom, worked his way up, networked, met people, and that’s really it. Is probably the one single biggest way you’re going to break into the industry. Again, I mention to this in a Podcast several times. I wrote a post where basically took a roughly maybe the first 75 episodes of the Podcast. And I just broke down how those people broke into the industry. And far and away, the single biggest way that people broke into the industry, was working in the industry, as Michael did. I think Michael’s story is that of a very if there is any typical of how screenwriters make it? I think that’s probably any again, it’s not all screenwriters and there is certainly other ways to break in. But I think Michael’s story is fairly typical for a lot of screenwriters. They get low-level jobs in the industry that network, and they break in. They slowly move their way up. They get to direct some smaller projects, get to write some smaller projects then those eventually turn into feature films. Now, again, we talked about networking, we talk about networking a lot. People in the industry talk about, oh, you gotta get out there and network. And you know, sometimes I wonder? What exactly does that really mean? And I think Michael’s example is a real clear example of how networking and how working in the business can get you to the people you need to meet to sell your scripts. When you listen to his story, you, he was working, he was an Assistant Director on a low-budget movie up in Canada. The production wrapped up, he just went up to the producer and asked him? What kind of scripts are you looking for? And then he went and wrote that specific script. This is an important point on two fronts. Number one, as I said, it’s a concrete example of how networking actually works. And how it can actually sell scripts. I do want to be clear, too, I don’t think Michael’s situation is necessarily typical? It’s not always going to work out that well where you’re going to write and ask a producer what he wants and you write it. And then he buys it, and goes and produces it? But that, in some ways was pretty lucky. You probably just going to be a hundred stories of people doing the same thing and it doesn’t quite work out as cleanly. But, the point is, he’s doing, in the entrepreneurial world, this is called, “Customer Development.” Your customer is basically the producer. He’s basically going up to him and asking him, his customer, “What do you want?” He’s trying to produce a product that he knows the customer, producer in this case, wants. In this case, it’s the producer, and I think that’s something that’s missing so much from newer writers. You know, everybody as we’re
growing-up, we live our lives. We have these ideas and that we think are cool. Or we think they are interesting screenplay we write them up. And they’re may or may not be a market for that script. And this is a real way of how you can get real practical information from producers. That is really going to translate to writing a script that there is a market for. Maybe it’s a small market, but there’s at least one producer. And most likely there’s one producer that wants a script like that, there’s going to be other ones, and other producers. So even if that one producer reads your script and says, “Eh, that isn’t for me.” At least you know you’ve written something that potentially could interest a producer. Because you’ve talked to a producer before you wrote it. Now again, I’ve mentioned this often on the Podcast, now everyone doesn’t, you know, their family situation, their life situation, their work situation. They can’t necessarily just pack up and move to Hollywood. Or in Michael’s case, move to Canada, where there is a lot of film production.
I understand that, people are not always in a position to go there. So, the question is, how can I network, and how can I make connections with these types of producers? Without having to actually be working as a Production Assistant or an Assistant Director in one of these low-level positions? And I think a lot of them value that, that might Email and Fax Blast Service. What this service provides, Is this sort of networking. What’s happening in a lot of cases where, with my own Email and Fax Blast when I went on and sent out the script. I’ve sent out the script to people, they don’t necessarily like it, the script. But they might like the writing enough to keep in contact with me. And I always try and follow-up, someone Emails me back, if I do want to make a Email Fax Blast? They respond, “Yes, they want to read the script.” They read the script, they come back and say, “Hey, we like the writing. But it wasn’t for us.” I try to respond to those Emails. So, what kind of scripts are you looking for? What kind of scripts are you making? What kind of films are you making? Getting that feedback from them, sometimes they don’t respond? And sometimes they respond rather curtly, and sometimes they are very generous with their time. They give a very detailed response. But those are the types of connections you can start to make. And again, it’s not just my shoving my Email back to Fax Blast Service. It’s other things that I have talked about on the Podcast. There’s the virtual film fest, and again, we go into these types of things, or the Great American Pitch Fest. Where you actually go in and talk to people. There’s a hundred ways, you know, getting and following people on Twitter, following some of these producers on Twitter. And try to get to know them that way, and sending them tweets after you’ve gotten on their radar and gotten to know them. Base 32 is another example, so there’s lots of ways in this day and age to network online and get to know these people. And it might not be that simple, hey, I got this spec. script here’s the log-line, do you want to buy it? That a very sort of a, it’s a short site a good way of looking at it. Networking at least connections, it’s not just about you selling your spec. script? It’s about you understanding what the market is all about? And getting to know these producers, and asking them? Hey, what kind of scripts are you looking for. And you might have an idea, hopefully your keeping an idea back. I know I do, I’ve got a rooms documents and it’s got, you know, fifty or sixty log-lines. And you know, I come up with an idea and I just put it into this document. So, you know, if I talk to producers, and he says, “Hey, I’m looking for a script like this.” I can probably go back to my document and it’s something just odd old document I keep adding to it? And you know, someone might call stuff or delete stuff, or whatever. But, I just basically just keep building this document out. And hopefully you do something similar? If I talk to a producer, hey I want a script kinda like this, I go back to that document and look through it. And I might find some ideas, that you know, are close to what he’s looking for. And maybe I need those sort of hire-up and start to think about those a little bit more. But, this as I said, is what entrepreneurs call, “Customer Development.” But I think it’s something you really, really want to consider. And whether you’re working in the industry as a PA, or 2nd Unit Director, or whatever it is? You want to get to know these people. You can do it, but online, or anything, you can do it pretty much now from anywhere in the world. And again, it’s not just about selling that spec. script that you think is great! It’s about writing scripts and getting to know producers who are actually producing movies. And potentially writing something that they might want, that they want to produce.
Anyway, that is the show, thank you for listening.
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