Screenwriting

I'm on the comic book train. Kickstarter provides a great vehicle to find backers and finance your comics.

Of course, novels represents a lower cost option. However, a novel that no one reads will not do much for developing your IP.

I've ada[ted a lot of novels. Write one if you want but the odds of selling the screenplay as a result is a real long shot at best unless the book becomes a best seller and that also it a long shot. Just write a good screenplay and call people on the phone. The odds of selling a screenplay on the phone are about ten times better than just doing whatever every other screenwriter is doing.

The two highest grossing films in the specialty (indie) market the last two weeks were original screenplays. Take a look on the streamers and see how many films lately have been made from original screenplays. The studios are one thing, the indies another.

Wow! Thank you Richard "RB" Botto

Yeah... similar to other replies, certainly write it if you want to write it but I wouldn't bank on it as a solid strategy. I've done it, but moreso cherished what I got out of it, story-wise/character-wise. But in the interests of efficiency, I dedicated a far smaller percentage of time to it than say the marketing of the screen version or development of other screen projects. Also, from my chats with producers, story quality (original or IP-based) ranked higher (unless based on a best-seller).

Hey guys this sign up link will be going out shortly today from edu@stage32.com !

Thank you Sydney Summers. I havent received an email yet and it is Thursday 5/23/24. If it has gone out already can someone re-send it to me? suzanneporush666@gmail.com ?

I'm from Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station, Antarctica. Greatings to the world!! I will follow all Stage 32 education from my igloo!

Is there a class this sat? looks like the schedule says next session is June 8th

SUCH A GREAT CLASS! Thank you so much, Colleen! It was really great to meet all of you amazing, brilliant, and talented women! I'd love to continue meeting in a writer's group, hit me up if you're interested : seteres@serqetproductions.com

Congratulations to everyone who finished a script and submitted. Excited to be in the quarters.

Richard "RB" Botto "Straight-laced superhero Maeve meets Jack at a mutual friend's party and spends the night with him, only to find out afterward he's actually her archenemy. And that she's pregnant with their child." It's up in loglines too.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!!

This is funny Rich Hynes

Congratulations to all Quarterfinalists! My Name is Billie was a labor of love. #LetsGo!!!

Congrats. Coming out where?

congratulations

nice dude!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7u3NIyHDxjI

WAY TO GOOOO Jackson Reid Williams

Matthew Kelcourse A lot of screenwriters here are submitting screenplays and if they get a pass they move on and hope they find some other producer that might want to option their screenplay. The odds of that happening are less than 1 in 5,000, which is a generous estimate. A screenplay is a screenwriter's calling card. If a producer is willing to read it then it then it did its job even if they pass on it. You should thank the producer and thank them again after you finish your next screenplay so they are the first to know about it. The first screenplay I optioned was to a producer who passed on two previous screenplays. Also, another thing you can try is to attach a director who has a lot of credits directing movies that are similar to the ones you are trying to sell. That way if you don’t have a track record you can use their credits and contents which would make your screenplay more valuable.

Good tips coming in from a number of good people. Let's tack on an epilogue: when someone says "no" - executive, director, talent, producer - then make sure the door is open so you can come back and submit another script! You'll be building a relationship(s). (Like Dan said above, a producer passed on two of his scripts, and then optioned on the third submission)

Your point is massively important, Lindbergh E Hollingsworth, and it's one that eludes many writers. Opening a door should be viewed as a massive success. Even if this script is a pass, the invitation to pitch or send others is a big deal. Further, what might not be a fit for one, might be for another. We've seen numerous successes here over the last 13 years where an exec passes on a project but sends the script to a colleague at another prod co where they might thing the material is a fit.

All great stuff. Hate to pull a Biden, but my father had a saying: don't burn your bridges, keep your footpath clean, and the gate slightly ajar. Translation? What they all said :-)

Grteat points Richard "RB" Botto & Matthew Kelcourse

No, you don't have to be a member of the Writers' Room to enter the contests, Alejandro Marello. You have to be a Writers' Room member to enter the Open Writing Assignments though.

In my experience, what's best about contests is often the chance make industry connections with people in places that can actually move your career forward, whether that's getting you signed or optioned or just getting into those exclusive pockets that elude so many of us on the outside looking in . In recent years, it feels like even the contests considered most "prestigious" have lost a bit of their prestige, so if a contest isn't putting you in front of people who want what you have, it can often become sort of an empty thing to win a "big one." Of course winning any contest is a great marketing tool and you should hang that success banner on all of your social media profiles (including here on Stage 32). That's what's great about the contests here at Stage 32, they run year round and the team is committed to not just finding one great script per year, but dozens of great scripts and getting those great writers in front of people who can make a difference in careers.

Pat Alexander I very much appreciate this Pat. I attended my first awards ceremony for a fest tonight in LaLa Land and it was actually a lot of fun, however, I will be picking and choosing from here on out.

That's one hell of a post, Pat Alexander. Spot on in every way. And I fully agree, a few of the so called prestige contests haven't had a writer signed, optioned or produced in close to a decade. They don't go to work for their writers either. They announce the winners and it's off to the next. Many have seen through the facade, which is why their submissions continue to decrease. Yet, on broad based social media, newbies especially are lured in by people talking how they are the ones to enter.

Again, why would you enter any contest that doesn't put your screenplay in front of and give you access to decision makers? Made zero sense to me when I was breaking in, makes even less sense to me now.

The only people who profit from screenplay competitions are the people who run them. I never entered one and have zero desire to ever do that. However, if I did the only ones I would ever consider would be the ones they offer here on Stage 32, The reason being they try to promote the winners. At least that is what they say and I have no reason not to believe them

There are folks here on S32 that can help you with that Thom Reese

Hey Thom Reese, it's very conscientious that you are thinking along those lines, i applaud you for that. Yes, screenwriting is a creative endeavor, 100%, but to turn one into an actual feature film is a logistical enterprise involving time, money and people. As mentioned in this thread above, looking at comps certainly would help. And within your script itself, be cognizant of things like scenes with large amounts of background actors, VFX elements, how many speaking roles there are, your location count, if it's period you have to think about wardrobe, picture cars, props and so on. I can look at a script and fairly easily give you an estimate of it's budget range based on the scope of the script and which budget tier it would fall under. All producers should have this skill set, they should be able to speak to both the creative development elements of the script as well as the physical production requirements, and I think to some extent screenwriters should have this same ability. It will provide you with more agency over your own writing and level the playing field in your interactions with the producers once it goes into their hands to actually go and make.

If planning on directing/producing it, you should, and for that you might need some advisor...otherwise don't burn extra cells by overthinking a budget for just words on paper...fantasy's free my friend...at least until they got us all strapped on AI googles...

Sam makes a good point. There are ways you can educate yourself on what sort of budget your script may fall between. There are articles where you can find out film budgets and IMDb includes budgets in a project's production information page (take som of these with a pinch of salt though).

If someone asks you what the budget is they probably want to know what the below-the-line budget might be because you wouldn't possibly know who they would hire to direct it or act in it.

Congratulations! It’s a great accomplishment!

Ian, you're on fire!

Congratulations!!!

Good on you for taking those scripts off the shelf and getting your work out there, Ian Milne. Glad to see it's paying off. Inspiring.

Thanks Richard "RB" Botto and all! Appreciate your support.

Congratulations to all the writers who gained script requests and meeting requests! Here's wishing you more and more success!

Congratulations everyone.

Congratulations!!!

Congrats to all. Post mtg update: my project led to the producer sharing an original feature idea of his, which I loved. Now developing a pitch to take out w/producer...

That's great, DT Houston! Congratulations!