I know that this question has probably been asked a million times, but hey, I'm new. What's the best way to query a script? I've been looking into either Scriptblaster on Inktip, but I've read mixed reviews. Are either of those sites good to use, or is individually querying each company the way to go? Any help would b great. Thanks.
You have met the place where ...
If you think writing your script was hard, get ready for a trip that's even harder and over which you have much less control. Not to give you pause or anything, we all plow this ground.
The answer to your question isn't real straightforward I'm afraid. There are dozens of ways to get your script "out there," the idea is to be choosy and try to line up a few that are seen as being the most effective, which changes from day to day and depends upon who you ask.
There's the old "over the transom" submission, not recommended but people use it anyway. Inktip and scriptblaster are both decent services and worth a shot, although I would choose the former over the latter. Scriptblaster is like using a shotgun to hunt a mouse. Inktip is similar but more effective in that it appears as a report in the inboxes of several thousand movie folks once a month and is easy to scan if you're looking for material. Scriptblaster comes in the form of an email, which is too easily ignored or forgotten, and may be addressed to a generic persona or just a company, as opposed to an individual. It has been known to work, however. But I've seen Inktip's report in production company offices, dog eared from use, with yellow highlighter all over it.
To query production companies you need names and addresses or email addys, information that can be tough to come by. The easiest way is the most expensive (naturally) and that's the "HCD," the "Hollywood Creative Directory," which offers an on-line service as well as a hard copy service.
The HCD is comprised of a huge database that contains the names, addresses, phone numbers, and sometimes email addys of almost everyone in the business who is anyone -- producer, director, agent, production company. The prodco list includes the name of the company and its contact info, a list of its principals and their job titles and contact info, a list of movies the company has produced and a list of those they have in development.
Now that's a list to kill for. It contains some 3,000 prodcos.
But the annul subscription fee for the HCD is around $275. Worth every penny ... if you happen to have that many pennies. You can recruit fellow writers and share this cost, and you all end up with access. I do this with a group and it costs me $25 a year. We all throw in and one us us gets subbed and then shares the password with the group.
In the old days I used to go into movie rental shops and take prodco names off tape boxes. I'd call information to run them down, a real chore this. production companies aren't just in LA, they're in Vancouver, Toronto, Savannah, Chicago, NYC and perhaps even in Austin or Santa Fe. Finding them using telephone information can be a time consuming affair. Google helps.
You do want to target your queries to prodcos to companies you think might have an interest in your work ... based on what they've produced in the past or have in work today. Don't query a Sci-fi oriented company with a Western ... kinda thing. If your script is a comedy, you wanna target companies that produce comedies.
Mind you, the HCD is expensive because it is used by industry folk in aid of their own productions. Company needs a director, they go look in the HCD and grab a few names; same for story development people, packinging people, casting people, production managers, and producers. Although there's no law against using the HCD to develop a list of prodcos to query, that's not its primary or intended use. Everyone who's anyone in Hollywood either has or has access to the HCD. It is a basic informational tool of the industry.
Worse comes to worse I have an MS Word file that's 300 pages of prodcos which I built over the years. I stopped using it when I got into the HCD so it isn't 100% current. But it probably does have the names of nearly all the prodcos you'd likely be interested in. Send me a PM with your email and I'll forward a copy of this file to you ... if you wish. All the work I put into building this thing I almost feel like I should sell the damned thing, but that's probably not gonna happen. Share the wealth.
The WGA maintains a list of its sig agencies (www.wga.org) and it's coded to indicate which of them will accept unsollicited queries. So you can have a look at that. There's just not very many agencies that will accept unsollicited queries. most of then will, however, accept a query if you have an industry person recommending your work to them, and not just some PA or Wrangler, but some known persona who has a rep.
Some writers try to get their work into the hands of actors, but again this is not a recommended approach ... unless you happen to know an A-list actor. Few of us do.
Some writers do websites for their new scripts and attract visitors via links on other URL's or mentions in the media or just plain old word-of-mouth.
As you can see, there's lot of ways to skin this cat. I haven't touched on them all and I'm sure there are ways I'm not aware of.
As we have discussed on the "Screenwriting Books versus Director input" thread, you should get your script vetted by some knowledgeable person to ensure that it satisfies the myriad angles in a script that industry people are used to seeing ... and when they don't see them are inclined to reject out of hand.
Your work has to look like, feel like, and read like the last 198 scripts they've read, and even taste like them should they choose to bite into it.
There's a million things can throw your work off this line and cast it as an amateur piece, and hence not worth considering. You know some of these things but probably there are many you don't know. Getting your script vetted will reveal any such things that may be present and give you the opportunity to revise them out ... before submitting.
If you don't get your work vetted you're running the risk of having something in or about it that will turn industry folks off, precisely not what you want, you wanna turn them ON. You can read the pros and cons of this in the other thread I mentioned.
In this business you pretty much only get one shot at making the kind of impression per script that motivates industry folks to read your work, and reads is what you're after ... because they lead to deals, whereas hardly anything else does.
We used to say that when you have your script finished, you are exactly halfway to the screen. Keep in mind there are 50,000 orher writers out there competing for the two hours it takes a reader to read your work, and they all want it just as badly as you do, if not more so.
Dive in the pool, you probably won't drown, although at times you will feel like you are. Getting our work in front of those in the industry who can do something with it is the single biggest hurdle us screenwriter's face. I don't think there's a shred of doubt at that.
I sometimes imagine "Hollywood" as this big building at the corner of Hollywood and Vine with 50,000 screaming screenwriters crowded around its front door, waving their scripts in the air, begging to be let inside. And here I come with my script under my arm, to swell the crowd by one and make it 50,001 screaming screenwriters, every wanna be from here to Timbuktu and back. How do we differentiate ourselves from that sea of humanity, some of whom at least have damned good material in their hands?
Go stand naked on the sidewalk in front of Paramount studios? Buy a $10,000 ad in Variety? Do some silly or crazy stunt on Hollywood Boulevard?
You wouldn't be the first, it's all been done, and then some.
Break a leg!
...the rubber meets the road for a screenwriter.ian.thomas said:
If you think writing your script was hard, get ready for a trip that's even harder and over which you have much less control. Not to give you pause or anything, we all plow this ground.
The answer to your question isn't real straightforward I'm afraid. There are dozens of ways to get your script "out there," the idea is to be choosy and try to line up a few that are seen as being the most effective, which changes from day to day and depends upon who you ask.
There's the old "over the transom" submission, not recommended but people use it anyway. Inktip and scriptblaster are both decent services and worth a shot, although I would choose the former over the latter. Scriptblaster is like using a shotgun to hunt a mouse. Inktip is similar but more effective in that it appears as a report in the inboxes of several thousand movie folks once a month and is easy to scan if you're looking for material. Scriptblaster comes in the form of an email, which is too easily ignored or forgotten, and may be addressed to a generic persona or just a company, as opposed to an individual. It has been known to work, however. But I've seen Inktip's report in production company offices, dog eared from use, with yellow highlighter all over it.
To query production companies you need names and addresses or email addys, information that can be tough to come by. The easiest way is the most expensive (naturally) and that's the "HCD," the "Hollywood Creative Directory," which offers an on-line service as well as a hard copy service.
The HCD is comprised of a huge database that contains the names, addresses, phone numbers, and sometimes email addys of almost everyone in the business who is anyone -- producer, director, agent, production company. The prodco list includes the name of the company and its contact info, a list of its principals and their job titles and contact info, a list of movies the company has produced and a list of those they have in development.
Now that's a list to kill for. It contains some 3,000 prodcos.
But the annul subscription fee for the HCD is around $275. Worth every penny ... if you happen to have that many pennies. You can recruit fellow writers and share this cost, and you all end up with access. I do this with a group and it costs me $25 a year. We all throw in and one us us gets subbed and then shares the password with the group.
In the old days I used to go into movie rental shops and take prodco names off tape boxes. I'd call information to run them down, a real chore this. production companies aren't just in LA, they're in Vancouver, Toronto, Savannah, Chicago, NYC and perhaps even in Austin or Santa Fe. Finding them using telephone information can be a time consuming affair. Google helps.
You do want to target your queries to prodcos to companies you think might have an interest in your work ... based on what they've produced in the past or have in work today. Don't query a Sci-fi oriented company with a Western ... kinda thing. If your script is a comedy, you wanna target companies that produce comedies.
Mind you, the HCD is expensive because it is used by industry folk in aid of their own productions. Company needs a director, they go look in the HCD and grab a few names; same for story development people, packinging people, casting people, production managers, and producers. Although there's no law against using the HCD to develop a list of prodcos to query, that's not its primary or intended use. Everyone who's anyone in Hollywood either has or has access to the HCD. It is a basic informational tool of the industry.
Worse comes to worse I have an MS Word file that's 300 pages of prodcos which I built over the years. I stopped using it when I got into the HCD so it isn't 100% current. But it probably does have the names of nearly all the prodcos you'd likely be interested in. Send me a PM with your email and I'll forward a copy of this file to you ... if you wish. All the work I put into building this thing I almost feel like I should sell the damned thing, but that's probably not gonna happen. Share the wealth.
The WGA maintains a list of its sig agencies (www.wga.org) and it's coded to indicate which of them will accept unsollicited queries. So you can have a look at that. There's just not very many agencies that will accept unsollicited queries. most of then will, however, accept a query if you have an industry person recommending your work to them, and not just some PA or Wrangler, but some known persona who has a rep.
Some writers try to get their work into the hands of actors, but again this is not a recommended approach ... unless you happen to know an A-list actor. Few of us do.
Some writers do websites for their new scripts and attract visitors via links on other URL's or mentions in the media or just plain old word-of-mouth.
As you can see, there's lot of ways to skin this cat. I haven't touched on them all and I'm sure there are ways I'm not aware of.
As we have discussed on the "Screenwriting Books versus Director input" thread, you should get your script vetted by some knowledgeable person to ensure that it satisfies the myriad angles in a script that industry people are used to seeing ... and when they don't see them are inclined to reject out of hand.
Your work has to look like, feel like, and read like the last 198 scripts they've read, and even taste like them should they choose to bite into it.
There's a million things can throw your work off this line and cast it as an amateur piece, and hence not worth considering. You know some of these things but probably there are many you don't know. Getting your script vetted will reveal any such things that may be present and give you the opportunity to revise them out ... before submitting.
If you don't get your work vetted you're running the risk of having something in or about it that will turn industry folks off, precisely not what you want, you wanna turn them ON. You can read the pros and cons of this in the other thread I mentioned.
In this business you pretty much only get one shot at making the kind of impression per script that motivates industry folks to read your work, and reads is what you're after ... because they lead to deals, whereas hardly anything else does.
We used to say that when you have your script finished, you are exactly halfway to the screen. Keep in mind there are 50,000 orher writers out there competing for the two hours it takes a reader to read your work, and they all want it just as badly as you do, if not more so.
Dive in the pool, you probably won't drown, although at times you will feel like you are. Getting our work in front of those in the industry who can do something with it is the single biggest hurdle us screenwriter's face. I don't think there's a shred of doubt at that.
I sometimes imagine "Hollywood" as this big building at the corner of Hollywood and Vine with 50,000 screaming screenwriters crowded around its front door, waving their scripts in the air, begging to be let inside. And here I come with my script under my arm, to swell the crowd by one and make it 50,001 screaming screenwriters, every wanna be from here to Timbuktu and back. How do we differentiate ourselves from that sea of humanity, some of whom at least have damned good material in their hands?
Go stand naked on the sidewalk in front of Paramount studios? Buy a $10,000 ad in Variety? Do some silly or crazy stunt on Hollywood Boulevard?
You wouldn't be the first, it's all been done, and then some.
Break a leg!
Last edited:
Welcome!
I would say first things first, get your work critiqued, so you aren't the only pair of eyes that have gone over it.
Then learn all about pitching.
Loglines, taglines, hooks, synopsis, query, treatment. If you don't know what one of these are, or more, you will need to. Learn the hows to pitching because without a good solid pitch, be prepared to chuck that script now. More often then not, your first chance to impress the companies is before they even set eyes on your script!
Your query letter must command professionalism, tell them about your story and leave them wanting to read more. If you have mistakes in this first form of communications they will judge all of your writing by it. First impressions are a pain but they are very important. I would suggest you think of yourself as trying to sell the script in person, what would you say that would convince that person to want to buy it, or you are telling your friend about the best movie you have ever seen, what would you say to convince them to see it? You would start with the highlights.
When you get to the point that you are sending out your script, try one company at a time rather than a scattershop, especially if it is through e-query, see how they respond (now granted some won't respond at all). If they do, if it is a cold, we're not interested, move on, if it is a "Sounds intriguing but it's not what we are looking for" then ask what they are looking for. You may have the concept or script prepared that is right up their alley. I would strongly suggest you have three or more scripts written before sending the first one out, and several concepts prepared if possible. If they want to have a read, keep that query as the one to use, and go back and revett it as you learn more and more about querying. The best way to learn how to write an interesting query, is to start writing them, but be fluid, allow your skills to grow just like they do in normal writing. You can also have your query critiqued, it helps.
Save all your queries so you can build and learn from each one, you will want to try and spruce it up after each rejection making for a stronger pitch.
I am subscribed to CS weekly, they have a weekly unsolicited production company they send right to your e-mail. They include credits, people of contact, ways to contact them, current projects, and what they are looking for. Although Goodwriterguy's HCD sounds like the way to go!
I would strongly suggest avoiding Indies, don't query ones with no credits, and remember, you don't write for free, although sometimes getting a small option does wonders in your query letter because, you've been optioned! Someone has taken a chance on your work. But every Indie I have run into has severely lacked either focus or budget, or both. Not good.
Good luck, and it is possible to break it. Learn the steps, write a good to great script, the nice thing about all those people banging to get into Hollywood, most will only write one script and most of them will be poorly done, beyond poor. Absolute crap. So you aren't really competing against them unless your work is also crap.
It is said that it takes about 7 scripts on average for a writer to gain stride. Most won't stick around for that long or fail to learn the mistakes from their first seven to make the later ones worth it.
It took me until my fourth script to gain my stride and I used what I learned from writing each one, and what I learned from this wonderful board, to go back and bring those first ones up to my current level. The more you write the easier it becomes to a point, but writing a good to great story will always require work and those thought processes.
Well I'm off to writing.
Take care and happy quering!
Sara
I would say first things first, get your work critiqued, so you aren't the only pair of eyes that have gone over it.
Then learn all about pitching.
Loglines, taglines, hooks, synopsis, query, treatment. If you don't know what one of these are, or more, you will need to. Learn the hows to pitching because without a good solid pitch, be prepared to chuck that script now. More often then not, your first chance to impress the companies is before they even set eyes on your script!
Your query letter must command professionalism, tell them about your story and leave them wanting to read more. If you have mistakes in this first form of communications they will judge all of your writing by it. First impressions are a pain but they are very important. I would suggest you think of yourself as trying to sell the script in person, what would you say that would convince that person to want to buy it, or you are telling your friend about the best movie you have ever seen, what would you say to convince them to see it? You would start with the highlights.
When you get to the point that you are sending out your script, try one company at a time rather than a scattershop, especially if it is through e-query, see how they respond (now granted some won't respond at all). If they do, if it is a cold, we're not interested, move on, if it is a "Sounds intriguing but it's not what we are looking for" then ask what they are looking for. You may have the concept or script prepared that is right up their alley. I would strongly suggest you have three or more scripts written before sending the first one out, and several concepts prepared if possible. If they want to have a read, keep that query as the one to use, and go back and revett it as you learn more and more about querying. The best way to learn how to write an interesting query, is to start writing them, but be fluid, allow your skills to grow just like they do in normal writing. You can also have your query critiqued, it helps.
Save all your queries so you can build and learn from each one, you will want to try and spruce it up after each rejection making for a stronger pitch.
I am subscribed to CS weekly, they have a weekly unsolicited production company they send right to your e-mail. They include credits, people of contact, ways to contact them, current projects, and what they are looking for. Although Goodwriterguy's HCD sounds like the way to go!
I would strongly suggest avoiding Indies, don't query ones with no credits, and remember, you don't write for free, although sometimes getting a small option does wonders in your query letter because, you've been optioned! Someone has taken a chance on your work. But every Indie I have run into has severely lacked either focus or budget, or both. Not good.
Good luck, and it is possible to break it. Learn the steps, write a good to great script, the nice thing about all those people banging to get into Hollywood, most will only write one script and most of them will be poorly done, beyond poor. Absolute crap. So you aren't really competing against them unless your work is also crap.
It is said that it takes about 7 scripts on average for a writer to gain stride. Most won't stick around for that long or fail to learn the mistakes from their first seven to make the later ones worth it.
It took me until my fourth script to gain my stride and I used what I learned from writing each one, and what I learned from this wonderful board, to go back and bring those first ones up to my current level. The more you write the easier it becomes to a point, but writing a good to great story will always require work and those thought processes.
Well I'm off to writing.
Take care and happy quering!
Sara
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2006
- Messages
- 3,190
- Reaction score
- 328
First: get input on the material. see if people who have no relationship with you feel the material is ready for submission. Here and other boards are excellent places to get that.
Second: Get the address's and names of submission editors for the production companies that produce movies similiar to your own. Even in Hollywood, specialiaztion is key. Do the same for various lit agencies.
Third: Mail out THE QUERRY LETTER NOT THE ACTUAL SCRIPT. If they like your mailed-in-pitch, they'll contact you.
Fourth: while you're waiting for the inevitiable rejection- start your next script.
Fifth: rinse, lather, repeat.
Second: Get the address's and names of submission editors for the production companies that produce movies similiar to your own. Even in Hollywood, specialiaztion is key. Do the same for various lit agencies.
Third: Mail out THE QUERRY LETTER NOT THE ACTUAL SCRIPT. If they like your mailed-in-pitch, they'll contact you.
Fourth: while you're waiting for the inevitiable rejection- start your next script.
Fifth: rinse, lather, repeat.
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2005
- Messages
- 18,805
- Reaction score
- 4,600
- Location
- Caledonia
- Website
- derekpaterson.net
Welcome to the forum. If you haven't already, you might want to check out the screenwriting tips thread which lists some more potential contact links for agents, managers, prodcos, and also contests which many recommend as a way into the business.
-Derek
My Web Page - shameless vampyre fiction & other shameless writings.
Aha! So you're not ruling out that a human being could've boffed a robot. Sex with robots is more common than most people think.
-Derek
My Web Page - shameless vampyre fiction & other shameless writings.
Aha! So you're not ruling out that a human being could've boffed a robot. Sex with robots is more common than most people think.
You can also consider writing short scripts (I've seen guidelines that define 1-50 pages as short) to gain credits; though be warned, generally these won't pay. Your first short may be easier to get read and/or produced though than your first feature. Hint: Write with a shoestring budget in mind - small cast, a few locations, no fancy props, etc. Inktip.com allows free short postings and NEFilm.com allows free postings for shorts and features, though the odds of a funded producer optioning your script are probably better with inktip or possibly sellascript.com You may not get money right off, but you will get something snazzy to add to your feature query letters and the satisfaction of having initiated a project that found a home in the world of film. Enter it into a festival or two- let the world know you've arrived!
I neglected to mention competitive events, and you're right, they can indeed provide an avenue for exposing your work and getting a little buzz going about yourself as a screenwriter. And who knows, you might even win some buckerinos.RainbowDragon said:
Check at www.moviebytes.com for a complete rundown of contests.