URGENT QUKESTION

Enigma · Aug 8, 2005

An agent/packager (with verified credentials) saw the logline - which you guys helped me compose, for which I offer a double and triple helping of thanks - of one of my scripts and asked to see the synopsis.

Question: Would you send the pitch as the cover letter and the synopsis, or just a standard blurb and the synopsis?

Your opinion counts.

Enigma · Aug 8, 2005

W..ha..t?

I know, first I gotta learn how to spell "qkuestion." (Hickup!)

Optimus · Aug 8, 2005

Enigma said:
I know, first I gotta learn how to spell "qkuestion." (Hickup!)

And, "hiccup," apparently.

I don't really understand your question. If he/she wants a synopsis, then I don't know why he/she didn't give you his/her email address to send the synopsis to.

But, if you're snail mailing it, just write a cover letter thanking them for their interest, the logline to remind them of what the story was about, and then the synopsis.

That's pretty much it.

Annabanana · Aug 8, 2005

If they asked for the synopsis, give them the synopsis. Your logline was your pitch. If they're interested in more, they'll ask for it themselves.

icerose · Aug 8, 2005

I would say cover letter with synopsis.

Enigma · Aug 8, 2005

Mail

Optimus said:
And, "hiccup," apparently.

I don't really understand your question. If he/she wants a synopsis, then I don't know why he/she didn't give you his/her email address to send the synopsis to.

But, if you're snail mailing it, just write a cover letter thanking them for their interest, the logline to remind them of what the story was about, and then the synopsis.

That's pretty much it.

Negatory on part of it, good buddy. They want it via e-mail, and they not only gave me their e-mail address but a back number (why I don't know), and they count, so I gotta make it good. As it stands now, I have a one line intro, a one paragraph pitch, and I end it with a nice, polite "thank you for asking to...," followed by the synopsis.

Maybe I should, as you suggested, include the (by forum committee) logline to remind them of what in the heck they asked for. Good idea. I'll do it!

Optimus · Aug 8, 2005

I'm still not understanding.

You don't need a pitch. The logline was your pitch. That's why they requested the synopsis. Another pitch would be redundant.

This person wants you to email them your synopsis.

So...what's the problem?

Fire off an email that opens with something like, "Per your request, I am submitting to you the synopsis for my action-comedy BIG BAD BURT."

Then, at the end, close with something polite.

The end.

My eariler response was based on the presumption that you were snail-mailing the synopsis.

dpaterso · Aug 9, 2005

I echo "As per your request..."

I'd include the logline (as a reminder, and also so they don't have to look it up again when they take this higher up the tree) plus a one or two paragraph synopsis that tells the entire story including the ending (the synopsis isn't an incomplete "teaser" like the logline). The punchier the better. No "ing" words.

Good luck with it!

-Derek
Derek's Web Page - stories, screenplays, novels, insanity.

Enigma · Aug 9, 2005

Dry

Optimus said:
Fire off an email that opens with something like, "Per your request, I am submitting to you the synopsis for my action-comedy BIG BAD BURT."

Then, at the end, close with something polite.
QUOTE]\

Yeah, something typical, and dry as toast. Thanks.

Optimus · Aug 9, 2005

Enigma said:
Yeah, something typical, and dry as toast. Thanks.

What do you mean, "something typical and dry as toast?"

You're making this way more difficult than it has to be and, frankly, more difficult than anyone I've ever encountered.

Someone asks you to email them your synopsis, then you email them you freaking synopsis.

You stick an opening "per your request" line at the top, possibly the logline (as Derek and I have suggested), then the synopsis, then a polite closing.

That's it.

What part of this are you not understanding? It's not a difficult concept but you sure seem intent on making it into one.

The only thing that the person might think is "typical and dry as toast" will be your synopsis.

You should be more concerned about that.

Enigma · Aug 9, 2005

Oh really(!)?

Optimus said:
What do you mean, "something typical and dry as toast?"

You're making this way more difficult than it has to be and, frankly, more difficult than anyone I've ever encountered.

Someone asks you to email them your synopsis, then you email them you freaking synopsis.

You stick an opening "per your request" line at the top, possibly the logline (as Derek and I have suggested), then the synopsis, then a polite closing.

That's it.

What part of this are you not understanding? It's not a difficult concept but you sure seem intent on making it into one.

The only thing that the person might think is "typical and dry as toast" will be your synopsis.

You should be more concerned about that.

When you've read 10,000 plus business cover letters as I have over the years, yeah, they're all "dry as toast," nothing more than a formality that's usually ignored.

The cover letter was written, proofed, edited, the synopsis underwent the same process, I sent it this morning, I got a telephone call twenty minutes ago, so the way I did it worked. Don't sweat the nickles and dimes when you don't have your bet down, and don't lecture!

Derek - thanks.

StephieM · Aug 9, 2005

Congradulations Enigma for getting noticed. I'm glad to hear everything went well with the email. Good luck with the rest!

Steph

Enigma · Aug 9, 2005

Yes

dpaterso said:
I echo "As per your request..."

I'd include the logline (as a reminder, and also so they don't have to look it up again when they take this higher up the tree) plus a one or two paragraph synopsis that tells the entire story including the ending (the synopsis isn't an incomplete "teaser" like the logline). The punchier the better. No "ing" words.

Good luck with it!

-Derek
Derek's Web Page - stories, screenplays, novels, insanity.

That's exactly what I did, only the vague instructions were, "... send me a full synopsis, not a one or two paragraph job, or better still, a treatment, if you have it."

There were no "ing"s.

And, I pray, no misspelled words.

I sent it and he called back asking for the script and added, "... do me a favor; include the logline, a character breakdown and another copy of the synopsis in (the) hard copy, so I'll have it all in one place."

icerose · Aug 9, 2005

That's great!! Best of luck with that.

Optimus · Aug 9, 2005

Enigma said:
That's exactly what I did, only the vague instructions were, "... send me a full synopsis, not a one or two paragraph job, or better still, a treatment, if you have it."

How were those instructions vague?

Enigma · Aug 9, 2005

Thank you

Stephanie76 said:
Congradulations Enigma for getting noticed. I'm glad to hear everything went well with the email. Good luck with the rest!

Steph

Thank you, Stephanie. It's not totally unchartered waters for me but I still can't say I know what I'm doing, because I flat don't. Everybody is different. Every situation is different, and life's too short to go it alone or along a safe path.

As you could probably tell by the original question, I was more than a little nervous but once SEND was pushed, I knew I'd done my best and it was, well, ".. don't worry, be happy," as the song goes.

Getting noticed isn't the problem, delivering the goods is. Now I have to go over a $%^&&$%!$ 109 page script and repeat the process.

So, I'll "see" you guys again in a few weeks. Thanks for "listening."

URGENT QUKESTION

Enigma

Enigma

Optimus

Annabanana

icerose

Lost in School Work

Enigma

Optimus

dpaterso

Also in our Discord and IRC chat channels

Enigma

Optimus

Enigma

StephieM

back in action!

Enigma

icerose

Lost in School Work

Optimus

Enigma