Download or read book Selling Yourself As A Scriptwriter in Hollywood written by Peter W. Smith and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2001-08 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: AS A NEW SCREENWRITER, WHERE DO YOU START? Selling Yourself as a Scriptwriter in Hollywood is your most important resource as you begin your career as a professional screenwriter. LEARN THE HOLLYWOOD LITERARY MARKETPLACE New screenwriters need to learn the playing field before getting into the game. ABOVE ALL ELSE YOU MUST LOOK PROFESSIONAL This easy-to-read manual teaches new screenwriters state-of-the-art spec script format and selling techniques. LEARN PROFESSIONAL TRICKS-OF-THE-TRADE Many of the tools needed by new screenwriters are readily available—if you know where to find them. BE AWARE OF THE DOs AND THE DON’Ts No-nonsense warning of the common and not-so-common mistakes made by new screenwriters. GETTING YOUR SCREENPLAY KNOWN IN HOLLYWOOD After your screenplay is finished, learn how to uncover potential buyers and how to access reputable agents. A PRODUCER OR AGENT WANTS TO READ YOUR SCRIPT What should you send? What shouldn't you send? Learn how to create an effective submission package. SCREENWRITING CONTESTS & FELLOWSHIPS Are they useful? Which ones are best? There are some great opportunities offered by Hollywood’s major players. The Peterbrook Series

Download or read book Selling a Screenplay written by Syd Field and published by Delta. This book was released on 2009-12-30 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: - Breaks Down the Business of Screenwriting - Explains What the Buyer Looks For - Shows You What to Do to Get in the Door - Tackles the Pitching Process - Provides Personal Insights from Famous Screenwriters Everybody has a story to tell. Everybody wants to write the great American screenplay. But what do you do after it’s written? How do you sell it? Studio honchos. Development Executives. Independent Producers. What do they want? Do you need an agent or manager to get it into production? Selling a screenplay can mean earning $250,000 or more, so competition is fierce. Syd Field gives you an insider’s look at the movie and TV industry, packed with essential tips from the pros. Selling a Screenplay is a must-have guide for every screenwriter, filled with frank real-life advice from Hollywood’s most powerful deal makers and most celebrated screenwriters. They all started somewhere.

Download or read book The Complete Idiot s Guide to Screenwriting written by Skip Press and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2000 with total page 365 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Provides advice for aspiring screenwriters on how to write scripts for television and motion pictures, including what topics are popular, how to rework scenes, and how to sell screenplays in Hollywood.

Download or read book The Screenwriter s Bible written by David Trottier and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 330 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of the most popular and useful books on screenwriting, now greatly expanded and completely updated. This edition includes a list of resources and contains approximately 100 new entries.

Download or read book Good in a Room written by Stephanie Palmer and published by Crown Currency. This book was released on 2008-03-11 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Whether you work in Hollywood or not, the fact is that selling ideas is really difficult to do. The reason the pitching secrets of the most successful writers and directors are relevant is because these people have evolved an advanced method for selling ideas. Whether you’re a screenwriter, a journalist with an idea for a story, an entrepreneur with a business plan, an inventor with a blueprint, or a manager with an innovative solution, if you want other people to invest their time, energy, and money in your idea, you face an uphill battle…. When I was at MGM, the hardest part of my job was not cutthroat studio politics or grueling production schedules. The toughest part of my job was whenever I had to say “No” to an idea that was almost there. I had to say no a lot. Every buyer does. The buyer’s work is to say yes to projects that are ready, not almost ready. And no matter how good the script is, if the seller can’t pitch it in a compelling way, how can the buyer see the potential? How can he get his colleagues on board? How can he recommend the seller to his superiors? The fact is that poor pitches doom good projects. It happens all the time. The ideas, products and services that are pitched more effectively… win. That’s just how the game is played. No sense getting upset over it. Instead, let’s accept the challenge and learn the strategies and tactics that will allow us (and our ideas) to succeed. -From GOOD IN A ROOM Business consultant and former MGM Director of Creative Affairs Stephanie Palmer reveals the techniques used by Hollywood’s top writers, producers, and directors to get financing for their projects - and explains how you can apply these techniques to be more successful in your own high-stakes meetings. Because, as Palmer has found, the strategies used to sell yourself and your ideas in Hollywood not only work in other businesses, they often work better. Whether you are a manager or executive with an innovative proposal, a professional with a hot concept, a salesperson selling to a potential client or investor, or an entrepreneur with a business plan, GOOD IN A ROOM shows you how to: Master the five stages of the face-to-face meeting Avoid the secret dealbreakers of the first ninety seconds Be confident in high-pressure situations Present yourself better and more effectively than you ever have before Whether you want to ask for a raise, grow your client list, launch a new business or find financing for a creative project, you must not only present your ideas in a compelling way - you must also sell yourself, as well. GOOD IN A ROOM shows you how to construct a winning presentation and deliver the kind of performance that will get your project greenlighted, whatever industry you are in.

Download or read book The Perfect Pitch written by Ken Rotcop and published by . This book was released on 2001 with total page 188 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Learn how to communicate through a memorable and passionate pitch that will make you and your story a winner. A terrific book for anyone interested in how showbiz works.

Download or read book Writing Screenplays That Sell written by Michael Hauge and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 1991-08-16 with total page 356 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Covers story concept, character development, theme, structure, and scenes, analyzes a sample screenplay, and tells how to submit a manuscript, select an agent, and market oneself.

Download or read book How to Sell Your Idea to Hollywood written by Robert Kosberg and published by AuthorHouse. This book was released on 2011-07-14 with total page 198 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How to find develop, pitch, and sell your ideas for films to the movie studios, from the man Sherry Lansing calls the best idea man in Hollywood. How to Sell Your Idea to Hollywood gets to the very heart of the script: the idea. A mere idea can land you fame, fortune and status. At the very least, it can be your way into the movie business. This book can show you just how powerful an idea can be in Hollywood. Ideas are not a dime a dozengreat ideas are one in a million. Even if you cannot write a script, you can definitely come up with an idea. Once you have an idea, you can use that idea as leverage to get yourself into the movie game. If your main goal is to be a screenwriter, you still need to start with a good idea, which can help you make a deal to write your script for a studio (or you might choose to just sell your idea or your story). Successful producer Robert Kosberg has never met anyone who didnt have an idea. And this book will help you to learn how to find ideas, create ideas and pitch them to the right people. Youll also learn what a high concept idea is and most importantly, how to get your ideas to the right people. Rememberyou control the rights to your own ideas and thats why ideas are so powerful. How to Sell Your Idea to Hollywood encourages people at all levels who are attempting to get their break in the business. It has everything you need to know to sell your ideas to the movies. If you never thought you had something to offer the movie businessyou do!

Download or read book Writing Movies for Fun and Profit written by Thomas Lennon and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2012-07-03 with total page 328 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A hilarious and helpful insider's guide to launching a successful writing career in Hollywood. . . . The only compass readers will ever need to navigate the treacherous waters of filmmaking"--("Kirkus Reviews," starred review).

Download or read book The Complete Book of Scriptwriting written by J. Michael Straczynski and published by . This book was released on 1982 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: To survive and thrive in the fantasyland that is show business, you need to know the realities of writing and selling. J. Michael Straczynski learned these realities the hard way. With his help, you'll learn them the easy way. Here the writer/producer of Murder, She Wrote and creator of Babylon 5 tells you how it really is - and how you can really succeed writing scripts. Straczynski shows you the importance of distinguishing yourself, through professionalism and discipline, from the wannabes. He helps you strengthen your writing technique while urging you to bring your own vision to your work, avoid formula, and create from passion. And he takes you in for a close look at every entertainment medium hungry for good scriptwriters.

Download or read book Breaking In written by Lee Jessup and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2017-03-31 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Breaking In: Tales from the Screenwriting Trenches is a no-nonsense, boots-on-the-ground exploration of how writers REALLY go from emerging to professional in today’s highly saturated and competitive screenwriting space. With a focus on writers who have gotten representation and broken into the TV or feature film space after the critical 2008 WGA strike and financial market collapse, the reader will learn from tangible examples of how success was achieved via hard work and specific methodology. This book includes interviews from writers who wrote major studio releases (The Boy Next Door), staffed on television shows (American Crime, NCIS New Orleans, Sleepy Hollow), sold specs and television shows, placed in competitions, and were accepted to prestigious network and studio writing programs. These interviews are presented as Screenwriter Spotlights throughout the book and are supported by insight from top-selling agents and managers (including those who have sold scripts and pilots, had their writers named to prestigious lists such as The Black List and The Hit List) as well as working industry executives. Together, these anecdotes, learnings and perceptions, tied in with the author's extensive experience in and knowledge of the industry, will inform the reader about how the industry REALLY works, what it expects from both working and emerging writers, as well as what next steps the writer should engage in, in order to move their screenwriting career forward.

Download or read book Successful Scriptwriting written by Jurgen Wolff and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2011-05-30 with total page 448 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: SUCCESSFUL SCRIPTWRITING Let's start with "The End." The credits roll - we see "Screenplay by ..." and there's your name. The show's a hit! It's Emmy/Oscar night, and you're seated up front. The nominations are revealed; your name is called. Your acceptance speech is memorable, an inspiration to the new writers "breaking in." Variety says your "future looks very bright." Hooray for Hollywood! But how did you get here? With talent, determination, and the help of this comprehensive guide, you'll have the wherewithal to move your dream from your mind onto the page and to succeed in this fiercely competitive, highly selective field. Starting with a basic course in scriptwriting, Jurgen Wolff and Kerry Cox teach you the fundamental skills of writing the feature film script, from original idea to finished screenplay. Then you'll learn how to apply your new-found skills to every type of television and film script: movies-of-the week, episodic television, situation comedies and soap operas. You'll also find helpful insight from the greats in the business, like Colin Higgins (Harold and Maude, Foul Play, 9 to 5), Larry Gelbart (Oh, God!, Tootsie, "M*A*S*H"), William Bickley ("Perfect Strangers," "Happy Days"), and Steven Bochco ("Doogie Howser, M.D.," "L.A. Law"). And you'll find answers to these essential questions: • What fundamental skills and essential ingredients do I need to write a feature film script? • By what criteria do producers and studios evaluate scripts or ideas presented to them? • When should I write an outline or a treatment for my script, and what are the formats? • How do I go about protecting my work? • Is there a cut-and-dried technique for pitching my ideas? Every part of this book reflects the needs and realities of today's TV and film industry, providing you with insight as well as practical knowledge. With this book as your guide, you can start at the beginning and follow a well-defined path to successful scriptwriting.

Download or read book Writer s Guide to Hollywood Producers Directors and Screenwriter s Agents 1999 2000 written by Skip Press and published by Prima Lifestyles. This book was released on 1998 with total page 468 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Hollywood, it's not just what you know, it's "who you know that counts! With "Writer's Guide to Hollywood Producers, Directors, and Screenwriter's Agents you have the friend you need to succeed in this very competitive industry. In this insider's guide, Hollywood screenwriter Skip Press tells you who's who, what they're looking for, and, most important, how to reach them--by mail, phone, fax, even e-mail. Also included: - Essential information on submission protocols and preferences for hundreds of agencies and production companies - Extensive interviews with key people - How Hollywood works: An A-Z tour - Books, CD-ROMs, and other back doors to Hollywood - And much, much more! "Skip Press has written a book that combines fearless opinions and invaluable hard facts, both of which are hard to find in Hollywood. This book is thoughtfully written, clearly laid out, and of great value to beginners and old-timers alike." --Gareth Wigan, co-vice chairman, Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group "An invaluable resource for breaking into the movie and television business." --Barbara Anne Hiser, Emmy-winning cable and network television producer "[This book is] not only entertaining but a valuable tool for anyone interested in show business." --Paul Mason, Sr., vice president of Production, Viacom "The bonus for any reader of this book is that Skip Press is just a good writer--accessible, clear, persuasive, motivating, and easy-to-understand." --Jerry B. Jenkins, author of the "Left Behind series and "'Twas the Night Before "An insightful guide to the intricate Hollywood network." --Oliver Eberle, founder and CEO, ShowBIZ Data.com Aboutthe Author Skip Press, a novelist, screenwriter, and producer, is the author of "How to Write What You Want and Sell What You Write and dozens of other titles, as well as hundreds of entertainment articles and short stories. He lives in the Los Angeles area.

Download or read book Make Your Story a Movie written by John Robert Marlow and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2012-12-11 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: $50 Billion of Advice in One Book* Have you ever wondered why some books and stories are adapted into movies, and others aren't? Or wished you could sit down and pick the brains of the people whose stories have been adapted--or the screenwriters, producers, and directors who adapted them? Author John Robert Marlow has done it for you. He spoke to book authors, playwrights, comic book creators and publishers, as well as Hollywood screenwriters, producers and directors responsible for adapting fictional and true stories into Emmy-winning TV shows, Oscar-winning films, billion-dollar megahits and smaller independents. Then he talked to the entertainment attorneys who made the deals. He came away with a unique understanding of adaptations--an understanding he shares in this book: which stories make good source material (and why); what Hollywood wants (and doesn't); what you can (and can't) get in a movie deal; how to write and pitch your story to maximize the chances of a Hollywood adaptation--and how much (and when) you can expect to be paid. *This book contains the distilled experience of creators, storytellers and others whose works have earned over $50 billion worldwide. Whether you're looking to sell film rights, adapt your own story (alone or with help), or option and adapt someone else's property--this book is for you.

Download or read book Hollywood Screenwriting Directory Spring Summer written by Jesse Douma and published by F+W Media, Inc.. This book was released on 2016-03-14 with total page 2595 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: To get your screenplay in front of the right buyer, you need exclusive information and specific details you can only gain through years of industry experience. That's why The Writers Store has compiled the Hollywood Screenwriting Directory, the product of more than three decades working directly with the decision makers behind the world's favorite films. This invaluable reference features: Thousands of listings for Hollywood buyers, industry insiders, studios, and independent financiers, all with verifi ed contact information Crucial details for submitting your screenplay to specific markets: how they prefer to receive submissions, and whether they accept unsolicited material A guide to properly formatting your script and packaging your submission Clear, step-by-step instructions for crafting professional query letters, treatments, and log lines A Silver subscription to ScreenwritingDirectory.com (a $49 value) In addition, you'll find illustrated screenplay samples, essential legal information, and tips for creating a quality submission. With the Hollywood Screenwriting Directory at your fingertips, you'll significantly increase your chances of script-selling success!

Download or read book Script Selling in Goodluckland written by Andrea Rich and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2013-04-03 with total page 120 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Everyone has at least once in his life thought he had a great idea he could turn into a blockbuster. But screenwriting and making a living out of screenwriting can be compared to the twelve tasks of Hercules. Many books will tell you how to write a script but none will tell you how hard it is to sell it. Script Selling in Goodluckland will spare you a lot of time and disillusion. Read it before you even type FADE IN. This is a unique insider's perspective on the Hollywood film industry and the business surrounding filmmaking from someone who started out just like you Anything you need to know about what happens when you wrote your first movie screenplay and want to sell it. Avoid the pitfalls and the scams, the disappointments and the false promises. Everything you will find in this book has been experienced on my own skin and the one of people I have met along the way. TABLE OF CONTENT INTRODUCTION Why did I write this book? Why breaking into the film business is so tough? ANDREA WHO? A chapter about how I ended up writing screenplays in English and shopping them around in Hollywood. THE SCREENWRITER Why the screenwriter is a masochistic species. MONEY How money is the key to everything in this business. BOOKS On how books can teach you the craft but not the way you will sell your screenplay. FILM SCHOOLS How film schools can give you quality teaching but no industry introduction. SCREENWRITING SEMINARS AND PITCH MARKETS Why seminars are only a good occasion to collect information, but not an opportunity to sell your work. SCRIPT CONSULTANTS How working with a script consultant can help you to write a higher quality screenplay but not to sell it. WEBSITES Why websites are a good place to find information but will not help you to make a striking breakthrough in the business. SCREENWRITING CONTESTS On how screenwriting contests don't deliver their promises and my personal experience with winning first prize at a contest that didn't get me anywhere. FILM FESTIVALS My personal experience as a screenwriter at the Cannes Film Festival. AGENTS, MANAGERS AND LAWYERS How agents, managers and lawyers are blessed people who don't need clients. INDEPENDENT PRODUCERS How independent producers are producers without money. READERS Why it is easier to pass on your script than to recommend it. STARS Why having a specific star interested in your script is the best way to get your film made. L.A. FAUNA Do you need to live in L.A? HELP I NEED SOMEBODY HELP How screenwriters think they need help but they don't. WHAT TO DO THEN? A recap of ten important points for selling a screenplay. GLOSSARY A fun dictionary of the most commonly used terms.

Download or read book Screenplay written by Syd Field and published by M J F Books. This book was released on 1994 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Providing examples from well-known movies, Field explains the structural and stylistic elements as well as writing techniques basic to the creation of a successful film script.