Handing a screenplay to an actor/director?

plantpot

Registered
Joined
May 3, 2010
Messages
4
Reaction score
1
I think 'handing' is a loose term but a physically accurate one. I was wondering what are do's and don't's of approaching an actor or director and asking them if they'd read your screenplay? And if they're interested in working on it?
I'm asking this as I've read conflicting information... approach actors and directors directly as you can make connections. And also if they said they were interested in your screenplay, it can put some light on said screenplay, hopefully attracting interest from other players in the industry.
But I've also read that approaching actors and directors is a big no-no as it should be done via your agents and the talent are far too busy to read over your screenplay.

What are your views? Does it make a difference if the actor is an A-lister or a Z-lister?
 

Bergerac

Reading & Writing
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 4, 2007
Messages
228
Reaction score
33
Location
It varies
I think 'handing' is a loose term but a physically accurate one. I was wondering what are do's and don't's of approaching an actor or director and asking them if they'd read your screenplay? And if they're interested in working on it?
I'm asking this as I've read conflicting information... approach actors and directors directly as you can make connections. And also if they said they were interested in your screenplay, it can put some light on said screenplay, hopefully attracting interest from other players in the industry.
But I've also read that approaching actors and directors is a big no-no as it should be done via your agents and the talent are far too busy to read over your screenplay.

What are your views? Does it make a difference if the actor is an A-lister or a Z-lister?

Actors are attachments and 99% of available screenplays shouldn't be attached to either an actor or director by the writer.

However, if an actor at the level of Brad Pitt or Sandra Bullock, or a director like Alexander Payne is willing to read your script, that's different. But in order to be read by someone you don't know personally (in other words, you're not their personal chef or babysitter or whatever), you will need to go through their agent. And 99% of the stuff that comes from writers will not be read. Actors are looking for projects that already have money behind them, before they will take a look at a script.

Your best bet is to pitch to production companies -- they will be the ones who raise the money to hire the actors and to get the work off the ground. 99% of the time, writers have absolutely no say on what actors play the roles in the scripts they write. The 1%ers are usually established novelists like J.K. Rowling or Anne Rice or Michael Connelly.

You can, of course, do whatever you like but don't be surprised if you are rebuffed or warned to stay away.