How do u get represented?

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I don't speak from experience, because I don't have an agent. But the best advice I know to give is to not worry about getting an agent and write the best screenplays you can. How many have you written? You've been writing a year, you say. So you've got what, one or two screenplays under your belt? I've been writing screenplays on and off for five years (I'm 26), and I just finished my 5th full-length. This is the first one that I would even consider anyone in the business looking at. Your first script is going to be unreadable. Your second is going to be really bad. Your third might show some promise. Your fourth or fifth might be good. This is just from my experience. Read "The Writer's Guide to Selling Your Screenplay" by Cynthia Whitcomb. She didn't get representation until her 12th script, and even IT never saw the light of day. But she has made millions writing TV movies and such on assignment, and her book is really insightful.

Screenplay competitions aren't necessarily going to get you anywhere, but they are a good litmus test of your talent. Make the second round on one of the big ones and it at least gives you some motivation to keep writing.

Just a few thoughts.

Good luck,

Scott

English - it is very hard to get an agent.

It's much easier to get your work read, if you know people in the industry (or know people who know people). If you don't, you gotta do it the old-fashioned way.

The WGA has a list online of agents that are guild signatories. The list desginates which agents will accept queries. Go through the list and start querying. Make sure you have a killer logline and a great query. If you don't know what a logline is - you've got some research to do.

There are also companies that will serve as a middleman to get your stuff to agents - i.e. script shark. They only take on the scripts that they feel are really good and commercial - they charge for their services.

There are also pitch festivals - where you can pitch one-on-one to agents and producers. It's a cattle call scenario, but you can get read if you have a good pitch that connects with the agent or producer. Most of these are held in LA, but occasionally you'll find them in other places. Writer's often fly in from all over the country to attend these events.

Chances are if you've only been writing a year - you are quite a ways away from being agent- ready. Having a well written, commercial script is the most crucial element. Without it you are wasting your money and spinning your wheels.

there's no magic recipe

only your recipe. I've torpedoed too many contacts by sending out premature material. I may even be gunshy, but getting better everyday. Because you can turn on a fastball thrown by the only kid in 5th grade with hair under his armpits doesn't mean you can hit a Johnson slider.

Write three scripts then worry about it for a hiccup, then write three more.

Don't know any chef in any restaurant on any continent that became profficient by following another's recipes. Experiment, find what works, understand where you can improve and keep building a method. So, you write a decent script, maybe even great - you still have to write another. Sure, one just might write that script that sings, but you'll always get what else.

I would bet that when finished with your first spec, you'll write a second and then realize what a disaster that first one is. And this cycle will repeat - but by all means exhaust yourself in finding good critical reads so you can improve.

In the movie Miracle, Kurt Russell once said:

"I'm not looking for the best players. I'm looking for the right ones."

The same holds true for scripts. Even a truly exceptional script may go unnoticed or unproduced simply because people may not be interested in that particular script at that particular time.

Write several scripts - I'd say 5-7 - and then start pitching to agents. Send a query letter first describing the synopsis, logline, genre, etc. Politely and maturely ask if the agent would like to read your script, and explain why they should. Don't joke or pal around with an agent you don't know - it can make you look pretty amateur.

Another thing: Do your research. Find out which agents deal with work in your particular genre, and which have actually done anything. Mention your accomplishments - if any - and praise the agent's work or clients.

If you want a particular actor(ess) to read your script, mention that immediately. I do NOT recommend saying something like "I think that you would enjoy this script. Perhaps your client, XXXX XXXXXX, would be interested in reading it as well." If you specifically want the actor(ress) to read it, say something more like "I have a script that XXXX XXXXXX may take an interest in reading. Given his/her recent work in That Movie and That Other Movie, the script is suited well to his/her style."

Just a thought.

fedorable1 said:

If you want a particular actor(ess) to read your script, mention that immediately.

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I don't recommend doing this for a number of reasons.

Most agents specialize - few literary agents rep actors as well. Although the bigger talent agencies rep both and they do package projects - it's not something that should be brought up in a query.

This is a town that runs on egos - you don't want an agent you're approaching to think that you want them because they have access to a particular actor - you want them to think you are approaching them because of who they are.

You don't want to sound like you have pipe dreams that Tom Cruise will star in your first script. This rarely happens, so to put this in a query - might suggest that you really don't understand how things work (i.e. that you probably won't sell your spec even if you do get signed by an agent).

You probably won't have much luck if you approach an actor's agent directly, solely for the purpose of getting your script read by the actor. The bigger the name, the more scripts that are thrown their way. Their agents are flooded with scripts submitted by producers and casting directors. Agents don't normally want to waste their own or their client's time reading unsold scripts. It may happen, but the odds are against you.

You are far better off sending queries directly to production companies set-up by actors. Many actors have their own production cos. and are actively seeking projects to develop.

Your query should be about you, your spec and the agent you are approaching. No more, no less.

In response to Zagoraz

Zagoraz, that comment about not having a decent script until someone has written their 5th script is both innaccurate and depressing. I am directing my first feature script (shooting on 35mm film 4 weeks from now with a 30 person crew). I wrote it in highschool with absolutely no experience in anything even related to screenwriting.

What I'm saying is that your first good screenplay will come when you get your first good, ORIGINAL idea. It might be the first one you write or it might never happen, but if you've written 5 screenplays and wouldnt consider showing a single one to anyone in the industry, you might want to consider another career/hobby. As far as selling a spec script, its all about ORIGINALITY. The more off-the-wall original the script is, the more likely it is to be noticed (as long as it's still appealing to people in it's weirdness). An incredibly well written script about a topic that has been covered over and over and over will not get you noticed.

As far as representation goes- You get represented when an agent thinks you can make him or her money. That means, write a great script that you can sell, and you get representation. That's all there is to it. People tend to overthink this industry quite a bit. If you have the talent, and you have a way in (like a friend of a friend of a friend who works for a talent agency, and with enough networking research most people can find SOMETHING like that), you are on the right path.

The last thing that I will say is that if you have even the slightest interest in directing, try to gather the funds to shoot your own script. Write a low-budget script and shoot on super-16 for under $20,000. That's how Kevin Smith started out, and while it took some luck, he got there mainly by working his tail off to make his movie and get his movie seen by the right people. Now, if he wanted to just write for the rest of his career he could do it, just like you all want to do.

Best of luck.

Jartoon.

Congratulations on your success and I wish nothing but the best in your endeavor. However, writing and directing your first project is an rarity in this business. Not to sound depressing, but most micro-budget films by first time filmmakers never make it to the theatre and fewer still onto DVD. I know so many guys shopping their finished film to distributors. For those who don't have the money or power to make their own work, spec scripts are the only way to go.

And although there are the several (I am being kind) 1st time scripts that are exceptional, the reality is that it takes time to develop the skill and the talent to write a successful script. 5 scripts is conservative. Most say 10 and not over a lifetime but one every 5 to 6 months. If it takes longer for you to write a script, then you don't belong in the business. Rewrites happen in weeks and even days. What producer would want to work with a guy (or gal) who took six years to write 120 pages? What What agent would want to rep a person who may only sell one more script in his lifetime?

Even the best script in the world takes time and effort to get read. American Beauty was passed and rejected for years, The tv show ER was dead for over a decade. So, expecting that a great script will get you repped is conditional at best. Bottom line is you need to write a script that is marketable and a stand out from the rest. Not something so out there though. Familiar but fresh is the industry buzz phrase. It needs to resonate with people but offer a fresh perspective or angle that makes it unique. Once you do that, which takes a while to write to that level, shop it to any and all who are willing to read it.

I got a manager from a competition win, he loved that script and signed me on, but he's having trouble selling it or getting an agent to co-rep. So, I write more and he pitches those too.. It's a numbers game. The more you have to offer the more likely you will get a rep and get that sale.

I used to direct and I am happy now just writing. The hours are better and the politics of filmmaking are less involved with me now.

Some people write not just because they can't or won't direct their own stuff. Some people, like me truly enjoy only working with the page.

As for the poster's original question. Write and write some more. Keep an open eye and ear to what the industry is looking for and pitch to every agent, manager and production exec who likes and deals with the same stuff your writing. Agents will not rep you only if you have a marketable script. They will only do so if they also like what you wrote. Don't confuse the two. Many agents do not have the time to take on new clients and will not waste that time for a one time quick sale. If they take you on they want to see a developed career and not a one shot wonder.

So, yes. people get agents all the time. Competitions is one small way, but the best and only tried and true way is to pound the pavement and query all of them.

Sorry I ranted so vigorously. I didn't have enough coffee today. My words are meant as suggestive opinion based on personal experience and should not be considered the gospel. To each his won way.

jartoon said:

Zagoraz, that comment about not having a decent script until someone has written their 5th script is both innaccurate and depressing.

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It may be depressing - but it is extremely accurate. Of course there are exceptions, of course some hit it on their first or second script - but those instances are very, very rare. The fact is takes quite some time to learn the craft - and most people do not learn it until they've got several scripts under their belt.

jartoon said:

What I'm saying is that your first good screenplay will come when you get your first good, ORIGINAL idea.

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This is utterly false. An original idea that is poorly written is still a lousy script. Execution matters just as much - if not more - than originality. And a derivative idea that is executed well often gets bought and made - just check the weekly B.O. charts. Fresh but familiar is the refrain in Hollywood. The Charlie Kaufman's are sadly few and far between. Put an original spin on a tried and true story - and you will have something commercially viable.

jartoon said:

The last thing that I will say is that if you have even the slightest interest in directing, try to gather the funds to shoot your own script. Write a low-budget script and shoot on super-16 for under $20,000. That's how Kevin Smith started out,

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Again, very misleading - for every Kevin Smith - there's hundreds or thousands of wannabe directors who throw their own money (or other people's) into a micro budget production - that gets absolutely nowhere. I'm not saying you shouldn't do it - I'm just saying you need to be realistic about the odds. Most low-budget festival entries never get distribution and don't lead to directing or writing gigs - most low-budget festival submissions - are rejected from the festivals.

The fact is that it's a very, very, very tough business to break into and if you are not prepared for that reality - the frustration and rejection - you'd better think twice about pursuing a film career at all.

ok...

Jartoon,

Your comments come off as somewhat uninformed.

"What I'm saying is that your first good screenplay will come when you get your first good, ORIGINAL idea. "

This couldn't be any more wrong. You might have the best idea in the world but if you don't know how to write it's going to turn out horribly. That's just common sense.

"It might be the first one you write or it might never happen, but if you've written 5 screenplays and wouldnt consider showing a single one to anyone in the industry, you might want to consider another career/hobby."

That is really bad advice. You can't just send out the first crap you throw together and call a screenplay, because by the time you have a decent script no one will want to read it. You'll have burned too many bridges.

My comments my be inaccurate and depressing in your opinion, but for the majority of writers, that is the case. Writing quality material takes time, practice and repetition. Maybe your script is exceptional. Maybe your film will make it into Sundance and there will be a bidding war over it. You're taking your fate into your own hands by putting your idea on celluloid. Your putting your money where your mouth is. That's honorable. That's ballsy.

But that doesn't make you the next Kevin Smith. He had written multiple plays and screenplays (including a rough draft of Dogma) BEFORE he wrote Clerks. He also attended the first half of the Vancouver Film School program where he wrote and directed a short film BEFORE coming home to write 'Clerks.'

Good luck with your film. You should post some pages on the critique board. I'd like to check it out.

Scott

Jarrett C Slavin.
Although you may have written your script in Highschool, you are working on a degree at UMichigan as a film major, so I assume you took a screenwriting course or at the least have studied film. You did make the short film "Death Before Dishonor: Thief's Theme I" so, you have some practical experience as a filmmaker. To make it sound like you don't know anything but made it despite of it, is a bit misleading. I wonder if you would be making a film if you didn't have those experiences under your belt?

Whether you write a dozen scripts or take a few courses, you need some experience and knowledge before taking the leap.

I can't believe a writer just typed, "You may have wrote your script..."


WRITTEN, buddy.


Written.

Sorry, Joe. But I'm gonna have to "pass."

I stand corrected. That's what I get for adding "may have" during an edit and not reading the sentence. Me bad...

Well, I don't think there's any one way into the industry. I basically just recommend doing your research and determing what is the best path for you. And just asking questions on this board isn't research. Read books, talk to bona fide industry professions, talk to struggling artists in LA, NY, and London, do a variety of things.

"Again, very misleading - for every Kevin Smith - there's hundreds or thousands of wannabe directors who throw their own money (or other people's) into a micro budget production - that gets absolutely nowhere."

I've known a million of these. And yes, I've known people who weren't even able to get into a festival, as well as others shown at festivals who never got distribution. This isn't meant to discourage anyone from doing this, but IWrite and Joe are correct in say this is far from a foolproof way of getting into the industry. No one way is surefire.

How do u get represented?

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Indeed.

Oh yeah, that question.

Answer is: nobody reall knows. At most they know what worked for them.

There is no number of scripts you have to write in order to hit the good one, but you shouldn't bother agents until you have at least three you can show them. It's going to be one of the first things they ask.

Shooting one's own film does not mean that one has produced a decent scipt, much less know how to sell one. But it can be a resume item. Wining contests can be a resume item. Being "Script of the Month" on Triggerstreet or Zoetrope is something.

Once you are ready, start wracking your brain for people who can help you. Do you know nobody who knows an agent? Oddly, most people do. Anything smacking of referral is a big help.

I would simulataneously probe agents and small production companies. There is nothing like having somebody wanting your script to motivate people to represent you.

Good luck

"There is no number of scripts you have to write in order to hit the good one, but you shouldn't bother agents until you have at least three you can show them. It's going to be one of the first things they ask."

There have been cases when people who went to good screenwriting programs had their professors take such interest in the Final Draft of their first script that they made industry recommendations for them.

That isn't all, or even most cases, obviously. But it's why I do think we should all shy away from massive generalizations, because everyone is different. Some people may have learned how to properly write with their first script.

Nia Vardolos, because of industry interest in her play, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, sold her first script, My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

I know this is going to sound dull but I landed my agent the old-fashioned way; with query letters and lots of them. I sent out around fifty to sixty in all over a period of at least four or five years and finally got interest when an agent asked to read a script I'd told him about. It didn't happen right away, they wanted to read more examples to make sure I wasn't fluking it but finally they decided to sign me on earlier this year.

Some people say it's about who you know and in many cases that's true but I'd say it's more like... 1% what you know, 1% who you know and 98% how badly you want it. That makes a hundred, right..?

And like everyone else is saying, you've got to keep writing whatever happens.

That doesn't sound dull at all, Clock. If it worked for you, that's GREAT.

Thanks Justino. I know, it's not dull really. It's just a lot of writers I know who are looking for agents assume that I must have done something dramatic like extorting representation out of an agent because query letters aren't working for them. I'm not smart enough for that!

Dominic -

Please, please PLEASE tell me you did not tell the agents in your query that you "hit it out of the park" or that they would be "blown away" or anything else that made it sound like you were remotely tooting your own horn.

Also please tell me you did do research on how to write a query and that you had a really strong logline.

"Please, please PLEASE tell me you did not tell the agents in your query that you "hit it out of the park" or that they would be "blown away" or anything else that made it sound like you were remotely tooting your own horn.

Also please tell me you did do research on how to write a query and that you had a really strong logline."

You are just god's gift to screenwriters, IWrite. Not!

You assume, IWrite, that someone's queries you've never even seen is an idiot. I think your tone towards Dominic is almost insulting.

CHILL, DUDE.

First of all, everyone I've ever met in the industry in Los Angeles would not even suggest you try to find an agent via queries. As hard as it is to get a producer to read a script from an unknown person, it's going to be that much harder to get an agent from a major agency.

Even if the query letter is TOTALLY written by the book, the agency still has to accept unsolicited materials (some don't), they have to be taking in new clients (at times agents might not take on new clients), they have to love your material, and they have to think it is commercial enough for them to sell.

This doesn't mean you should send off queries, but it's not going to be easy. And I've never heard of anyone sending off 30 queries and just gaining representation outright.

Before you say it's the writer's responsiblity to do all this research, I might add that a writer on the outside will never be in the know like an industry insider. The best a writer on outside can do is read trade magazines, buy certain books or subscribe to certain websites. But by the time these sources distribute information it may already be old news.

Justino - It is often unwise to make a statement when you don't have all the facts. Especially when the statement you make is insulting, arrogant, rude and smarmy.

Dominic made those comments I said I hoped he didn't make to agents on another thread on this board. And the fact is his writing is so good and so strong that I didn't want him to turn off agents at the query stage. And the fact remains that the best way in or not, the vast majority of writers have no other way in but the query. So they better learn to perfect them. And incidentally production companies require queries as well.

Like it or not Justino, I know more than you do about the things that I know more than you do. And like it or not I know a hell of a lot about story development, structure and character - and a thing or two about the business end as well.

I give feedback here to help. People can either take it or leave it. But you don't have to worry about me giving you advice or feedback, 'cause I'm not about to waste my time helping someone who obviously has so little respect for me.

So you go on and keep telling people that querying doesn't work - and I'll keep telling them how the business works and helping them become better writers.

"Like it or not Justino, I know more than you do about the things that I know more than you do. And like it or not I know a hell of a lot about story development, structure and character - and a thing or two about the business end as well."

I'm not claiming to know more than anyone here. I'm not trying to make myself look big or look like anything. I am dismissing anyone who claims to know everything. Because no one does.

And in my latest post I didn't say that queries don't work. At no point did I mean to discourage people from querying. I said this to say that just because a person sent out 30 queries and got no agent representation doesn't mean he or she wrote crappy queries.

I did give a whole list of very valid reasons why queries may be rejected, even if they are well written.

I'll recap them for you.

The agency doesn't accept any unsolicited materials.

At the moment, the agency isn't taking on new clients.

They simply don't like your concept.

Or they do like your concept, but they don't think it can sell.


With that said, I don't know what anyone's queries are like here, and I'm not judging them. There's no need for me to jump to conclusions about work I haven't even seen. And I think that's what you did in your last post. You assumed because 30 queries hadn't gotten this person an agent that he must have done something wrong. And that's not necessarily the case.

If you really want to help beginners, perhaps you're in need of an attitude adjustment. Because I think your so called desire to help seems to be driven by a massive ego. Not by any actual concern or empathy for writers.

Did you offer to read over that poster's letter to see if in fact he really did have a poorly written query? No. You sounded like you were slamming him (ah, you idiot, how dare you submit a poorly written query)

Let's keep our cool guys. Things have been rough today.