Category: Screenwriting

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“How to Get Your Script Read by Hollywood”

Have you ever wondered, how to get
your script read by producers, agents,
studios and production companies in Hollywood?
You need to draft a query letter. I can
send you my article about how to write
a persuasive query letter, or you can see
it in “How To Sell Your Screenplay” by
Joan and Lydia Wilen.

Also, draft up a phone script. Get a
copy of “The Hollywood Creative Directory.”
Then, select markets from the directory that
fit your premise. In other words, contact
producers who have produced programs and/or
movies similar to yours. Send the query letter
and make cold calls.

Utilize the script for the cold calls. Keep
it basic. From the directory, select the Director
of Development, for the calls and for the query
letters. Always address your query letter to
someone with a name and a title. The Director
of Development is in the position to put projects,
such as yours, into development. Apply the
same approach with your phone calls.

The person you first talk with on the
phone will be a “gatekeeper”, so to
speak. So, that’s the first person you
will pitch to over the phone. So,
think in terms of selling your idea
to that person. How do you do that?

Think about how that person would
benefit by passing you through the
gate to the next person. This person
will benefit by having the opportunity
to “discover” you! So, keep that in
mind.

Donald L. Vasicek
On Writing and Screenwriting
http://michaelc.nextmp.net/wordpress
dvasicek@earthlink.net

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“The Naked Writer’s How to Get Movement in Talky Scenes”

When you create movement in a scene for the mere sake of moving characters about in talky scenes, it is very likely the scene comes off just as that on the screen, creating movement for the sake of creating movement. Every movement in every scene should orchestrate and expand the character(s), the theme and the story.

For example, instead of having two characters walk in a park and talk to give them movement and us story information, have one of them riding a bicycle and the other using a pogo stick, you see different sides of who they are. Let’s pretend the theme is health. Maybe the bicycle rider is unable to walk or run for distance because of a serious knee injury he sustained in college. This disability will come suspensefully into play later when the character has to save the other character from the villain before he kills him. When his knee fails him, he hops on a bike and saves the day.

Simultaneously, the pogo sticker is pogo sticking because walking doesn’t move him along rapidly enough and riding a bicycle is boring for him. He is a Type A personality. His impatience causes him to be disabled by the villain. He uses pogo sticks to escape unaware that to slow down would save himself because his friend is chasing the villain on a bad knee.

It all culminates when his friend comes to the rescue just as he is slowing his pace because of exhaustion. He learns that speed is not always the quickest way to success.

It is obvious by this example how much the story is embellished and the characters fleshed out by not only giving the characters movement in talky scenes, but giving them dimension as well. In turn, this dimensionalizes the story and makes for more depth in the film.

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“Cursing in Movies”

I hear “fuck” so much in movies that it’s become cliche to me, just like “holy shit!”. “Holy shit”, I swear is a term invented by Hollywood. Actually, the use of “fuck” and “holy shit” are becoming major turn offs for me when watching movies. Yes, I think there is an unnatural amount of cursing in movie dialogue. I believe it is a way of expression that writers/ directors/producers believe emphasize points in movies. In other words, cursing is common is real life, but in movies, cursing plays into the fantasy, the “un-reality” of how real life is.

The core audience Hollywood focuses on is 16-25 year old males. This age group, perhaps, more than any other group, are into cursing. In order to write, sell, and get their screenplays produced, many screenwriters incorporate cursing into their screenplays in order to attract producers, i. e. one approach to attract the core audience.

If a screenwriter desires to succeed in the film business, then, they must always keep an eye and ear open to what kinds of films make Hollywood money, and what the content is in those movies. Cursing is a standard by which producers utilize to attract audiences, increase box office receipts, and earn some money for making their next film.

So, you have to make the call. The first issue a screenwriter should confront is who is their audience going to be? What kind of audience do you want to attract, to come see your movie? Look at what caused you to come up with this idea. Think about what you were doing at that time in your life, where you were, when the idea come up, and who helped trigger the idea. Honestly answering these questions should give you an idea about your passion for your movie idea. This passion, correctly identified, will then, become the main theme for your screenplay/movie. These answers, then will help you determine your core audience, which, in turn, should help you make the decisions you need to make with respect to cursing in your movie.

Donald L. Vasicek
Writing and Screenwriting
http://michaelc.nextmp.net/wordpress
dvasicek@earthlink.net