Newly joined so was wondering (and hoping this is the right place to ask) on how other screenwriters have found success on getting work in front of agents and production companies, and taken seriously. The UK market seems to be getting more "closed door" than ever before making it difficult to get that break.
A couple of direct questions:
1) Do you blind approach production companies with query letters ? With much success ?
2) Do people think the US and UK markets have much difference in being open to approached from new writers ?
3) What do people think if Inktip, and similar. Especially the Preferred Leads emails which is something I have considered signing up to?
4) Is there a central source of production companies seeking scripts, that others are aware of ? Or are details best sourced from other avenues, like IMDB Pro. All of which cost of course!
5) What are others thoughts on screenwriting comps. Is this becoming the best way to break through?
Thanks to anyone for giving their time, and helping to reinvigorate and exasperated writer still trying to get through the door beyond no "unsolicited approached please"!
(1) Cold e-queries? I tried it once, sent out about two hundred, got a one or two percent hit rate (a hit being a request for the script). I don't know of anyone who does substantially better with cold queries. (2) The difference between UK and USA markets for screenwriters? I have no idea. (3) Inktip? I've never tried it. I have tried a similar service, Virtual Pitch Fest or VPF, with some success. VPF charges $10 a pitch, all written queries. There are a couple more expensive options which can be done for about $30 a pop, including here at Stage32 (see the Happy Writers tab), and you can query in person via Skype. People do get script requests that way too. (I'm not sure how many pitches have resulted in development deals via Stage32 pitching. I'd be interested to know.) (4) A central resource for production companies? I used IMDB pro when I was sending out cold queries, but I do believe there are a couple other similar resources, but the names escape me. (5) Screenwriting contests: the dilemma is, the more prestigious the contest, the longer the odds of advancing in the competition (see Nicholl, Austin, a few others). There are some lesser known contests that have helped break writers too, but on the other hand, there are other contests that really aren't worth entering. (See who the judges are, what the prizes are, to determine what to enter.) Hope this helps ...