Regardless of how talented one might be with respect to
screenwriting, regardless of how hard one might work to write
market ready screenplays, regardless of how passionate one
might be with respect to writing screenplays, the key
ingredient to success is “perseverance”.
So, with that, agents and producers are very busy people. Many
of their offices contain scripts that are stacked in every
available space. These scripts are waiting to be read. In order
to get your screenplays noticed by agents and producers, you must
write a query letter. An article I wrote, “How to Write an Irresistible
Query Letter” is on my web site at http://www.donvasicek.com. Or simply
run a search on Google or you can purchase the book at Walden’s, “How to
Sell Your Screenplay”, by Joan and Lydia Wilen. These can give you the tips
you need to write an effective query letter.
Once you have written the query letter, then do a search on the
Internet to find agents and producers to whom you can send your query
letter. InkTip.com is an excellent website where you can post your
screenplays for sale. Producers and agents come to the site in search
of screenplays. You can also write a very short “pitch” script with
which to make cold calls to agents and producers. Here, write the
pitch so that you can get through the gatekeepers to the director of
development or story editor or creative director. A key here is to
make the gatekeepers feel like if they pass you through to whom you
want to talk, they will benefit by doing this.
Your chance of selling your screenplays are very low. There are far
more screenplays “out there” than there are agents and producers. More
than 5,000 screenplays are registered with the Writer’s Guild of America
every year (be sure and register yours with them or go to the Library of
Congress website and take out a copyright on them). Less than 600 movies
are produced each year that obtain theatrical release.
The way this works is that if you find an agent or agents and/or a producer
or producers who are interested in your screenplays, you will send your
screenplays to them (be sure and enclose a self-addressed, self-stamped
envelope with the screenplay so that they can send it back of they pass
on it). They will read them. If they have an interest in any of them, they
will contact you and tell you that. From that point forward, an agent will
negotiate a contract with you to represent the screenplay. Do not expect
an agent to be aggressive with your screenplay. Once you acquire an agent,
you must continue to market your screenplays on your own. The Internet
contains a vast resource of markets with which to do that.
As for a producer who has interest in your screenplay, he/she will offer you
some sort of contract. It could be an option/purchase contract which means
they will seek financing until the option runs out. At that point in time,
they will either renew the option or turn the screenplay back to you. If
they acquire financing, they will offer you a price for your screenplay.
At all times, think in terms of hiring an entertainment attorney to help you
with negotiations with agents and producers and the execution of contracts. I
can put you in touch with one when you feel that you need one.
So, you have your work cut out for you. Others have walked the same path
you are walking. They have succeeded. There is no reason you can’t. If
you persevere, you will succeed.
Award-Winning Writer/Filmmaker Donald L. Vasicek
