Screenwriting : Selling horror films by Steven M. Cross

I'm not aware of a website that just handles horror.

-I've done much the same as you have so keep trying.

- I've learned low budget horror does not sell well with major studios. That seems odd since you'd think they'd want some cheap movies that do well to help pay for their 100 million dollar bombs. But apparently few cheapo movies become blockbusters. But I have a couple and hoping someone will see the next "Blair Witch Project " in one of them.

You are mainly looking for just a producer that has at least one horror film under their belt. IMDBPro is your friend. You can definitely reach out to the different companies you see on sites like ArrowInTheHead and see who is making what. We tried for a long time to go this route and attached some producers and directors. Ultimately, our best successes have come from just learning how to do it ourselves. Jamie's directed two shorts and a feature that way. She is about to direct her first "big" feature. We attached our biggest director to date to one of them. I'm directing one next year. We've self financed most of our reel. Hers is the first one with a real (although still micro) budget. The way we did that one was to prepare a look-book and shoot a short film showing the tone of the movie and the "feel" of what the feature would be like using all local cast and crew. It turned out fantastic.

Lance check www.indiestream.tv We are a distribution platform for independent filmmakers. You earn from ad revenue from the first view. If you are interested please submit or email me at angeli@

ndiestream.tv

Thanks Angel. I just tried to logon and it came up with an empty first page. Nothing to go to. - I can try again later. However I only think of myself as a writer. I have no experience in being an independent film maker. Does your company make scripts available?

Make your own horror movie. Partner with young people with “can do” attitudes. There is no money for low budget horror scripts but there is money selling a finished movie! You got $10,000 to $15000 in the bank? fund your own. Visit the American Film Market as a seller. Flip a $10grand movie into $25K profit.

Playing off of what Dan said - he took the words right out of my mouth! Or to quote Lloyd Kaufman, "Make your own damn movie!" Seriously, instead of being one in a thousand on Inktip, why NOT attend film festivals and approach young, up-and-coming and some established talent to help make your script. Raise some money on your own and find an experienced producer who can match the funds - or increase them significantly. Who has connections to distributors and actors that can attach. The feature I'm producing - my 17th movie with an 18th on the way - is a horror and I was approached by the young filmmaker's sister, who is an actress and producer. Moreover, the project has snowballed into something Special - much BIGGER than the two younger filmmakers originally intended and to their pleasant surprise. Also, as for the, "You don't need a name for the horror genre," I've yet to meet a distributor who doesn't care about who's in your movie, so that's a bit of a falsehood. I think out of the sites you mentioned, VPF is the best. I am one of their pros taking pitches and I have requested several of the scripts in the past few months that I liked. And, I always do my best to help a writer refine his pitch if I don't care for it. But, other than VPF, which actually does connect you to many filmmakers who are there to hear pitches, I can't speak for the others. But, again, in the advice of Lloyd Kaufman, "Go and make your own #@%& Movie!" Again, outside of VPF, you can go to Film Festivals and Networking Events and meet up with filmmakers and experienced producers/writer-directors such as myself. You'd be surprised what you can accomplish! Break Legs! GOD BLESS and STAY FRESH! <3

Steven:

If you want to go the indie route for low pay to play fee, the Inktip newsletter advertises for low budget thriller and horror nearly every week. I've received four script requests from Inktip clients over the past month. Here is an Inktip add for horror in today's Newsletter:

10) Seeking Horror Script to Shoot in Los Angeles (Preferred Lead 5691)

We are looking for completed, feature length, horror scripts that can be shot in Los Angeles in the vein of ”Paranormal Activity,” "Evil Dead,” and "Happy Death Day.” So we are open to horror scripts that are either set in Los Angeles or which do not have specific settings. We are especially interested in scripts with limited or few locations.

Budget will be between $1-3 million. WGA and non-WGA writers may submit.

NOTE: Access to writers' scripts on InkTip is normally restricted to producers who have already produced at least one feature film; however, we realize that every producer who got a first feature off the ground had to find that script somewhere. So, instead of providing access to scripts on InkTip, we offer leads to writers about up-and-coming producers who show real potential and who provided good references in an effort to help our writers connect with such producers. Note that this is one such lead.

To find out about this company AND submit to this lead:

1) Go to https://www.inktip.com/leads/

2) Copy/Paste this code: ma9ysj56d9

Thanks, everyone, for the advice. Surely, I can find someone who'd at least look at a screenplay. Inktip or VPF will be my route, I guess. I'm not looking to get rich, just optioned first, and then maybe produced.

Surely Steven don't call me Shirley - looks like the wrong day to stop sniffing glue

One can dream, can't he? Never did glue. Now, in my teaching days I heard rumors of whiteboard markers. .

As an adjunct professor of engineering, those white board markers provide a pleasant fragrant aroma smile. Erase nicely. with style... Lloyd Bridges rules on new glue

Bloodlist is free. :) https://www.bloodlist.com/

Teresa, thank you for the information.

I did find a place to pitch my horror screenplay. Wish me luck.

Good Luck Steven