Getting "The Meeting"

[Landon D. Parks]

Ok, So lets say you have a completed package (Name Cast agreeing to star in it Script optioned, Name Producer / Cinematographer / Editor, ect Attached) And your ready to approach a studio to pitch the Idea to them, and see if they will give you oney to make it.

 

Exactly how does the producer get that "Meeting" with the Studio Exec's? Does this involve a Producers Represenatve or some other king of Agent?

 

(Not that I have a completed package :rolleyes: , It's just a question I have always wonderd. How the little guy gets the meeting with the big guys.)

[David Mullen ASC]

It helps to be represented by an agent; they can arrange such meetings sometimes. Otherwise, it's sort of hit or miss -- sometimes you have to pass through their script readers and development people to get that meeting. A name actor can also get you in contact with a producer. Or you can start at a smaller studio that handles indie films. It sort of snowballs -- one contact leads to two more, etc.

[Mark Allen]

An agent or manager is going to help you get a meeting if you've just got an idea or an existing script and nothing else.

 

If you have a good script with a name actor - and they really are famous - (say, top 1000 of IMDB at a minimum and preferably top 300 as a ball park) - you can call a studio on your own.

 

Do not attach an editor, or cinematographer, or anyone else unless they are Academy Award winning or generally thought to be the top of their field. That actually is thought of as a negative (baggage) on a project.

 

When your playing the Hollywood game, you need to always have things as succinct as possible and then a secondary follow up which is also short.

 

You are probably not going to be calling one of the major four studios though - you'd more likely be contacting a production company who has a deal with them.

 

Here's a sample process.

 

You have a action script with Joe Actor (imdb ranknig 212 - he's a rising star, people know his name).

 

You do some research and find a handful of production companies with studio distribution deals and you find the ones who make movies like the movie you have (not identical, just that genre). Then you find out who the head of production is (John Head). And the conversation goes like this.

 

SECRETARY

Minimajor Studios.

 

YOU

I would like to speak to John Head about a action project I have with Joe Actor.

 

SECRETARY

Is he aware of this project?

 

YOU

No - but I thought you guys would be interested in it.

 

From there - it is all dependent on what they feel about that actor, what their production schedule is like ....but that actor is the key... so, maybe she turns you away and you go down your list and you finally get a company that for them Joe Actor would be a coup to have in a movie and you get through to Fred Head there.

 

FRED HEAD

So tell me about this project.

 

YOU

It's a blah blah action thriller with Joe Actor as blah blah who blah blah's the blah blah.

 

FRED HEAD

Interesting - how did Joe Actor come to thr project...

 

then you chat for four more lines and they ask to see the script.

 

The key is that you have something they want. That's how the star system works. It's supply/demand (very capatalist). (By the way, they may ask for a letter of intent from the actor.)

 

If you don't have a star - that's a whole nother thing, but that wasn't what you asked.

 

 

Questions -

 

What if my star is 1789 on IMDB?

 

Try smaller companies or try doing it totally independent.

 

Why didn't I try to pitch to the studios?

 

You can, try it. But they can get whoever they want usually - they're heavy financed, they can throw millions into an escrow account to get an actor to read something if they're resistant. You gotta focus on what you have that is valuable.

 

Is a great idea valuable?

 

Not really.

 

Is a great script valuable?

 

Absolutely!!! - Especially if it's castable.

 

How do I get an actor to read a script?

 

Well, when an actor is really hot - they're getting way too many scripts - and it's hard. But when an actor is six months out from their heat - that's when the coolness starts and they want to work... they probably had three top producers promise roles and none of those got made - reality is settling in. Now they are reading - and they want something great... and great is really really hard to find.

 

I was part of a team looking for a movie for an actress who is about 30 years old to play an interesting, powerful, attractive woman who is the lead role (not 2nd role). We scoured the earth and inktip.com, asked friends, we had 200 pitches or more... nothing was actually that good. All very derrivative. Finally, the project had to be generated from inside. You'd be amazed at how few good scripts there really are.

 

Are imdb ratings absolute?

 

Not at all - they are just decent guidelines when you get under 1000 or so. Paris Hilton is in there, but obviously people aren't clamoring for her to be in Merchant of Venice. But if you had some sassy stupid sex comedy... maybe.... but still, her fame is more from being notirious and your really don't consider those anomalies.

 

Good Luck.

[Landon D. Parks]

Thank you again guys. :ph34r: One more question though. Exactl what kind of "Agent" does one get. When you say Agent, do you mean Producers Represenative.

 

And where does one find these agents at?

Edited December 7, 2004 by Landon D. Parks

[Phil Rhodes]

Hi,

 

I've always felt it best to forget about agents. If you need one, you'll know how to find one, or more to the point - they'll find you. Pester agencies too soon and you'll just get blacklisted; there's no reason for them to scour around for people, they're inundated with people who're better than you or me will ever be as it is. Yes, it's a sucky situation!

 

Phil

[Brad Grimmett]

Ok, So lets say you have a completed package (Name Cast agreeing to star in it Script optioned, Name Producer / Cinematographer / Editor, ect  Attached) And your ready to approach a studio to pitch the Idea to them, and see if they will give you oney to make it.

 

Exactly how does the producer get that "Meeting" with the Studio Exec's? Does this involve a Producers Represenatve or some other king of Agent?

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If you've got a "name" producer then they know how to get a meeting. If you've got a "name" actor then their agent will have plenty of suggestions as to where you should take the project, and the actor may have a deal somewhere already or their own production company. At that point it just becomes a matter of who wants to give you the most money.

[Matt Pacini]

If you figure out how to get a major star to read your script, by all means share your magic with all of us here.

 

You are on the verge of finding out what a lot of us cynical old farts already have: there are huge road blocks at every level to keep you out, or "crap filters" as I call them.

It's really annoying, but frankly, there is so much terrible junk out there, with people trying to beat their doors down with, I don't blame them.

The industry operates by simple supply & demand principles, as well as natural selection principles, with the assumption that if something is worthy, it will find it's way to the top of the junk heap somehow.

That's true for the most part, but too bad lots of good stuff gets lost in the chaos of the process.

That, and the fact that "good saleseman, bad product" wins out more than "bad salesman, good product", which is one reason why there are so many bad films that get made.

 

The thing that bugs me, is when you read interviews with producers, directors, etc., and they say "oh, we're definitely reading scripts. I don't care if the guy at the car wash hands me his screenplay, we need good scripts, and I don't care where they come from."

Then you call their office and get the usual "gatekeeper" response from whoever answers the phone.

 

Matt Pacini

Edited December 8, 2004 by Matt Pacini

[Mark Allen]

If you figure out how to get a major star to read your script, by all means share your magic with all of us here.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Well - one way is to get a really excellent pitch line (for a finished script) and then email their agents, managers, producers, production company - or even a production company that has worked with them - and get right to the point with it...

 

I have a project for Joe Actor about a man who is living in a world where everyone has magic powers but him and he needs to find his magic powers. (btw that plot is stolen from a recent screenplay sale to a major studio.)

 

There are 1000s of possible types of movie and 20 of them are going to be interesting to one actor or another one because of some thing in their mood or whatever - and the agents might generally know this (the managers definitely should know). You're trying to get them thinking "Hey - that's actually unique."

 

But don't complain that no one listens until you try everyone. I'm not saying your guaranteed to get someone - but you never know. Really unique ideas are the key though when you're coming from the outside. It will hard to get anyone to read the "story of two brothers in the desert" drama even if the actual script is the most brilliant work ever written. You get to sell/make that one when your name gets you in the door.

 

I'm always on the look out for scripts for two well known actresses - but I can honestly tell you - while maybe 10% of what comes our way is good writing or a good idea, the chances of that 10 percent being what they are looking for is like another 10 percent of that. And, yes, it can be as simple as "I don't want to play the 2nd character, I want to play the title character. I don't want to play someone i their 20's, I don't want to play the same role I just played. I don't want to play... etc." - but there are things they do want to play. I've seen actors latch on tightly to movies that other people didn't think were as good - but they loved this script - they tried to help the unknown writer get it made because they thought it was so interesting/good/perfect for them, whatever. Happens.

 

By the way - if anyone has a screenplay for a well known attractive female in her 30's who plays strong characters well - send me a pitch for the finished script to my message box here.

[Alex Ellerman]

Mark - I would love to find out where you can find the ranking of actors on the imdb... is that a pay function? Any help you can offer is much obliged.

 

Best,

tt

[Mark Allen]

Mark - I would love to find out where you can find the ranking of actors on the imdb... is that a pay function?  Any help you can offer is much obliged.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

It is a pay function - BUT the first two weeks are free! it's right up there on the right hand side of the tabs on the normal imdb page.

 

The Hollywood Reporter also has a ranking system which costs $10 per session - HOWEVER, you have to be a premium HR user already to use it and I think that's a pricey membership - I forget how much.

 

Also, there are the Q ratings but those are seriously like $2,000 per actor... yikes!

 

The ultimate thing is to just run names by a distributor if you can get to one. If you are at AFM, you can. Some people pay the $600 or so fee just so they can walk the floor and when they see a distributor selling movies like theirs - they say "Hey what do you think of Andrew McCarthy in an action film." "You got to be kidding." "What about Joe Actor?" "Who?" "What about Joe Television Guy?" "Hey! that's interesting." etc. (AFM is now in November though) Personally - that's sort of a pricey way to do your research.

 

Remember btw that the imdb rating is HIGHLY suseptible to recent news... so you gotta use a little common sense. I've not sued Hollywood Reporter's but I will when I'm about to push on something next Feb.

[Landon D. Parks]

If you figure out how to get a major star to read your script, by all means share your magic with all of us here.

Well, you should hire a casting director to do that for you. I read somewhere that casting directors will usually work for very little or even free to get a major star or twoattached to your production to secure financing, as long as you agree to hire them to cast the rest of the film.

Edited December 10, 2004 by Landon D. Parks

[Rob Belics]

Having a good script is everything. Like it was said, almost all the scripts I've seen are bad, derivitive, etc.

 

But who decides what you have is worth reading? Not you. If I had a good script, I personally know people who could (probably) get Kevin Bacon, Bill Murray or one of the leads of "Lord of the Rings" to read it. Maybe even Tom Cruise or Spielberg.

 

But I'm a nobody who knows some people whos opinions might help that along. Otherwise you are one of a million who claim to have the next great idea.

[Brad Grimmett]

Well, you should hire a casting director to do that for you. I read somewhere that casting directors will usually work for very little or even free to get a major star or twoattached to your production to secure financing, as long as you agree to hire them to cast the rest of the film.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No, it's not going to be a casting director that gets a major star attached to your script. Their agent or manager is the person that will get the script to them. Casting directors are hired to find actors for specific parts, not to try to get one particular star to read your script.

[Landon D. Parks]

No, it's not going to be a casting director that gets a major star attached to your script.  Their agent or manager is the person that will get the script to them.  Casting directors are hired to find actors for specific parts, not to try to get one particular star to read your script.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ok, But how do you get the script to there Agent or Manager? most likly you will not be the one handing it to them. That is where the casting director comes in to be a medium between the stars agent and the producer.

 

I am just re-typing what I seen in a Film Production book.