Script supplies..

Jonathan Spear · February 21, 2006

Hi, I'm about to submit a script I've been working on for years now. My last had standard Kinko binding and looked too, er, 'thesus-like'.

Does anyone have a link to an online store that sells the right kind of brads, paper (preferable thin ;) ) and/or anything else I might need?

Thank you,

Jonathan

Alex Ellerman · February 21, 2006

http://www.writersstore.com/products.php?categories_id=130

Don't put anything on the title page is what most people say, but I think you can get away with the title of the script in small print, and contact info, lower left corner... i usually put title/info on the first page inside, and use 2 manilla type thicker pages as the title and last page. no fancy colors. no crazy plastics. no photos. no bribes. it used to be two #5 acco brads i think, but some people use three now, and some people use locking brads/washers...

but really, if the script is awesome, none of this will matter.

Best of luck,

ae

Jonathan Spear · February 21, 2006

Awesome, Alex. Thanks!

elvworks · February 21, 2006

but really, if the script is awesome, none of this will matter.
Best of luck,

ae

The script could be awesome, but if it doesn't pass the many firewalls set up to screen out amateurs, then it will stay awesome but end up in the "later" or "never" pile.

If you're are sending it to a friend in the business, proper protocol may not be that necessary.

But if you are like most other screenwriters, you really will have to have a professional image. And surprisingly, what people think is professional, is not always the case when it comes to submitting your writing.

Here is what I suggest:

Paper - I suggest paper around the brightness of 92, you can get it any staples.

Clips - The clips you can get at Staples as well. I suggest two, not three.

Title Page - Title should be centered almost half way down.

Title of Screenplay

by

John Doe

Actual screenplay - Should be in the courier or new courier font in screenplay formatting. I suggest using a screenwriting program. Also, make sure the pages are numbered. Make sure it doesn't pass 120 pages. Trust me. If they get a bunch in, they take all the ones that are over 120 pages and put them in the "later" pile.

Mailing - Mail in a plain o brown paper envelope and send it book rate (media rate), nice and slow.

This doesn't sound professional, but it is. Do not send it registered, insured, nothing. You can get the electronic certification if you like as long as there is no inconvenience to them. Some people even put a post card in there for a recipient to put in their outgoing mail letting you know they received it.

Packaging - Do not use fancy anything. It should be plain. Do not use padded envelopes because they make a mess when opening. Use a bubble envelope if you feel the need to have it padded (which is hardly necessary). Also, make sure you have a release form when you mail it, no matter who you are sending it to. You can find these online.

Cover Letter - Cover letter is important with your info (arial font size 11 or 12). Make it short and sweet. Just let them know they requested the screenplay and the simple log line (short summary). On cover letter, also state "contents need not be returned" this way you don't have to put a return envelope in there. You're better off printing a new script up anyway.

I also suggest that you do not say it is copyrighted and or WGA certified because it's a given if you are a professional. They will ask later, then you can give them the registry numbers. (You want to show you're easy to work with and you are not thinking they are going to steal it.)

Outside of Package - Write, "Requested Material" in an open space (not obtrusively).

The basic idea is, the emphasis should be on your writing. I'm sure you can bypass some of these steps and still get your script read, but it's too much of a risk. If you send your stuff professionally, then while they are reading it, it sits in the back of their mind that you are professional. They won't have any initial judgements against you or your writing when they do read your stuff. In this industry, you need all the help you can get.

I hope this helps. You only get one time to show yourself a professional. If this seems like alot, don't worry, after the 50th time, it just becomes second nature.

All the best to you and your project, :D

Rick

Alex Ellerman · February 22, 2006

i stand by my "if the script is awesome, nothing else matters," quote. it's quintessential hollywood truth. drop it on the freeway, and it will be found. I hate voiceover, but if a script is good enough, i'll put up with it.

Best to include an email address as well... and NEVER pay anyone to read your work. Ever. Non-negotiable. Anyone who asks for money is a SCAM.

the other thing is, and i only bring this up b/c elvworks was kind enough to give you detailed instructions... a lot of big places DO NOT accept unsolicited submissions.... by big places, i'm talking about the big (CAA, ICM, UTA, WM), the next level (Gersh, Paradigm), the boutiques (Broder Webb), etc. very few accept unsolicited material. they say that they throw it away without reading it, but who really knows?

so if you're submitting this as a school project, or to a friend, or a director, that's one thing. a prodco, that's another thing. an agent is yet another.

if you're submitting to an agent, you may want to work on writing a kickass query. which is an entirely different beast. Short. punchy. intriguing. Go to www.twoadverbs.com and read up on queries and loglines from Christopher Lockhart. he's awesome.

it can be done. i did it. so be encouraged. but the easiest way to do it, is figure out who you know - who knows someone - who knows someone - who is in the film business or is an agent. 6 degrees.

Good luck!

Best,

ae

Jonathan Spear · February 22, 2006

Thank you both so much.

I'll be submitting this "rewrite" (a.k.a. -- proper first draft) to the same guy. The first time around I made practically every mistake and broke every single rule I could've broken.. not to mention the fact that the story itself was solid in my head but vague and bland on paper. He's willing to give me another chance.

Thing is, I worked really hard on writing properly, while maintaining the story and feel, but this time around I really want to go about the whole "script to reader" procedure without reaking of amateurism. Truth is, I'm not as stressed out about what he'll have to say. I'll be happy to get nasty critisizm and a "PASS" as long as he tells explains why.

Then again, hard work does pay off once in a (great) while doesn't it? You never know.

Thanks again. :)

-Jonathan

elvworks · February 22, 2006

Not to belabor the subject but this is really a tough industry. "theturnaround" made alot of great points. And I do believe your script has to be awesome. But it takes more than just hard work, you have to work smart along with have a great deal of passion for what you're doing.

You may want to keep in mind that if you really want to be a screenwriter, you will have to be in it for the long haul. If something doesn't happen in five years, you're still going to be pressing forward full throttle regardless.

There are some good books available as well as good sites you can scour, so take the time to educate yourself. Never stop writing, once your done with this one, start on the next one, then later you might come back to this one with fresh eyes and make some changes.

You really have to ask yourself what the budget is for your movie. Then, once you determine a pretty close number, you ask yourself, "If I had 30 million, and it's my last 30 million, would I invest in my own screenplay to make this movie? Do I believe in it that much?" Hmmm......if we wouldn't invest out money, how can we expect others to. I know our job is different from the producers but I'm just trying to make a point.

This isn't to give you cold feet, just to let you know it could be a long journey. But I hope to see your movie on the screen.

All the best,

Rick

, and hopefully we'll see your movie on the screen.

Max Jacoby · February 22, 2006

How many drafts do you guys write before you submit your script? It takes me literally ages to get something that I'm happy with. Even on scripts for short films I work for over a year before I'm satisfied with them. I know from my own experience that my first 10 drafts are crap. I only show those first ones to people who know my work and whom I trust, in order to get feedback so that I can improve the script.

elvworks · February 22, 2006

The number of drafts depends. It differs if you're working with someone or once you realize how your mind works, you learn to cut alot of steps.

Anywhere from 3-5 times, for me anyway.

There is something to be said when you put the script down and pick it up in 6 months or more. Then you really see the core story and chop off the excess and add anything relating to that core.

Rick

Alex Ellerman · February 22, 2006

How many drafts do you guys write before you submit your script? It takes me literally ages to get something that I'm happy with. Even on scripts for short films I work for over a year before I'm satisfied with them. I know from my own experience that my first 10 drafts are crap. I only show those first ones to people who know my work and whom I trust, in order to get feedback so that I can improve the script.

Audiris - I wrote the first draft of a novel that got me repped in 4 mths... i'm handing in what i believe to be the final draft 4 yrs. later!

I'm putting together the final touches on a low budget indie that i wrote the first draft of many, many years ago... that i'm going to really push this summer. i'm a much better writer now, and i had to sharpen those projects. But if you outline, step outline, you can really cut down the rewriting process.

TSM - if writing is your path (and i'm not sure it is? are you interested in camera? directing? writing?), you will eventually get to the point where you write every day, most likely. i think that was the dividing line for me... writing on weekends, or writing every night...

Best,

ae

elvworks · February 22, 2006

Max, it sounds like you're working hard at it, keep it going man.

Rick

James Steven Beverly · February 23, 2006

Not to belabor the subject but this is really a tough industry. "theturnaround" made alot of great points. And I do believe your script has to be awesome. But it takes more than just hard work, you have to work smart along with have a great deal of passion for what you're doing.

You may want to keep in mind that if you really want to be a screenwriter, you will have to be in it for the long haul. If something doesn't happen in five years, you're still going to be pressing forward full throttle regardless.

There are some good books available as well as good sites you can scour, so take the time to educate yourself. Never stop writing, once your done with this one, start on the next one, then later you might come back to this one with fresh eyes and make some changes.

You really have to ask yourself what the budget is for your movie. Then, once you determine a pretty close number, you ask yourself, "If I had 30 million, and it's my last 30 million, would I invest in my own screenplay to make this movie? Do I believe in it that much?" Hmmm......if we wouldn't invest out money, how can we expect others to. I know our job is different from the producers but I'm just trying to make a point.

This isn't to give you cold feet, just to let you know it could be a long journey. But I hope to see your movie on the screen.

All the best,

Rick

, and hopefully we'll see your movie on the screen.

If you know of some good sites please list them. They may be of benifit to everyone. I'm always on the lookout for a great site. Thanks.

Jonathan Spear · February 23, 2006

"""TSM - if writing is your path (and i'm not sure it is? are you interested in camera? directing? writing?), you will eventually get to the point where you write every day, most likely. i think that was the dividing line for me... writing on weekends, or writing every night..."""

I write everyday for at least 4 hours. By "write", I mean research, edit, rewrite, read out, act out and polish.

I work with three books handy at all times -- McKee's Story, a dictionary and a thesaurus.

Last week I spent 6 hours on two lines of action and a full weekend on 10 seconds of dialogue.

After studying screenwriting and reading a $hitload of made scripts, albeit completely contradicting my former beliefs on screenwriting, I've concluded that writing a really good, memorable script is almost impossible. :D

You need to invent a story, 3 dimensional characters and believable dilemnas -- which won't bore your audience (or reader). No easy task.

Mike Kaminski · February 24, 2006

Not to stray off topic, but can any of the pro writers here give advice to submitting NON-fiction manuscripts? I'm going to be tackling this sometime this year but all of my knowledge pertains to screenwriting.

elvworks · February 24, 2006

I would say your best bet is to go to the bookstore and find a book on it. It will give you more of a full view of what you need to do, more than you can receive here. Also, after the book is written, the rules for submitting screenplays, fiction and non-fiction to agents/publishers differ and you'll need to know what those rules are.

All the best to you,

Rick

Alex Ellerman · February 24, 2006

Mike - i think finding book representation is easier than film representation. Only NY and LA matter... don't waste your time with anywhere else. I mean, there is the odd agent in DC or perhaps Boston or the like, but really, LA/ NY is where the publishing world resides. and for film, it's mainly LA. all the talent is in LA, all the big studios are in LA, etc. if your agent has never sold a book, then you don't want them repping you.

Get the Guide to Literary Agents from Rachel Vater... other than that, some agents specialize, in Gen X writing, women's issues, fiction, non fiction, but again, they specialize in great work. more specifically, work that sells and they can make a commission on. of course, worry about the book first, and the repping later.

submission rules aren't hard and fast. it used to be that you couldn't multi-submit, but that is fine now. i recommend 3 of your best chapters, and a cover letter, get the agent to request more. email or hard copy. again, six degrees of separation is the best route, find someone who knows an agent. Biopics are HOT now, by the time you finish, who knows? you can't time the market anyways.

Best,

ae