Happy New Year!
Well I’m fed up not having got funding to make any of my movies yet so have decided to sell a screenplay toward that end. Can anyone suggest a good agent to approach to help with this?
PLEASE don’t suggest me paying for people to make ‘notes’. I’m looking to make a sale.
PS - Yes I am being pro-active, have begun approaching agents myself.
Thanks!
3 people like this
I know one WGA East Writer who sold 3 original specs and hired for 1 studio assignment The money is never what's printed in the trades.
I think it took her 8 years to sell her first spec & earn a union card. Her 'break' was meeting a friend who was friends with an Attorney of legit Filmmakers/Producers. She passed her spec script directly to people in the business (Union folks aka "The Industry").
1 person likes this
Kay has given you pretty much the hard core truth. I would go one step further and ask you what makes you believe that your script is worthy.
I know a couple of very fine Agents out here in the West - Kay's right; there's no way in hell that I would blindly recommend you to them. You must make your own connections. Go for it.
4 people like this
You have to find the agent or manager that fits you and your writing... so nobody else can really help you. You have to do the research yourself. I'm sure that you have been reading the trades every day and have been paying attention to the sales and deals already - so look at the ones similar to your writing and make a list of the agent and manager involved. Focus on the managers. Agents just want to make the deals, not find them. Managers will find the deals. But you don't really need either to sell a script - just a lawyer to negotiate the contract. What you do need is the 1 in 100,000 screenplay. The cream that rises. Most people don't have that, and haven't worked hard enough to get to that point. I have no agent or manager but have 19 produced scripts and many more sales and assignments and hundreds of studio meetings from my scripts.
2 people like this
If you look at agents as filters. They stop producers/studios (whoever) getting flooded.
So getting an agent isn’t easy as their function is to filter you out. So if you have that mindset it may help you position yourself as a saleable item.
2 people like this
I agree with Craig that agents are filters. A lot of producers will only accept material submitted via an agent so having one is a beneficial. Those producers aren't as flooded with screenplays so there is usually a lot less competition when you submit via an agent. So when I started out I never gave up on trying to get my scripts to an agent. The small ones are usually more willing to reach out to. The more script have under your belt the more likely they are to accept your material. To get funding nowadays you almost need a name actor attached and or a known director because that is what investors want. Good luck with your projects and keep trying both and selling your script yourself.
Ditto. The bigger issue seems to be your focus on a film that is beyond your means to create. What would it look like to write and then produce a movie that is within your means?
Thank you everyone for your replies. Craig I really enjoyed reading some of your site and will send you a logline or two. Doug - why should I tell you why I think my scripts.are worthy in my initial post? Of course I think they are .Stephen - I would think that most screenwriters initially write scripts we can’t afford to make.. But yes, I do intend to make a movie with the resources I have before long. Again, thank you for taking the time to share your opinions, and I wish everyone a successful and happy New Year!
1 person likes this
Thank you Lauran Childs. I would really enjoying reading them. I did one episode of the podcast. Then a family death and a tech issue happened and I got diverted. 2020 back to the podcast.
Lauren.why.indeed. I'm just a small time Producer and although I'm no longer looking for new projects, my circle of friends and acquaintances include several Producers who are actively seeking new worthy material - I know what they're looking for. If you'd rather not share...that's perfectly fine with me. Over & out.
1 person likes this
Craig and Doug - thanks for replies.
Craig - commiserations, and I will send a couple of loglines to your site.
Doug - that’s good you have connections. The way you put things previously read to me like you were suggesting that I state the reasons I consider my scripts ‘worthy’ in my initial post, which seemed inappropriate to me. However if you had suggested that you had connections that could be useful and I send you a logline or two, and even reasons, I would have related to that. Suggesting I state my ‘worthiness’ in my initial post suggested to me what goes on here a lot of the time on this site and what I don't like - people merely approval seeking. And often paying for that.
I am not looking for approval on this site. I am seriously working to get my movies made and anyone who can help with that I’m sincerely interested to hear from.
Learn to pitch. Attend pitch fests. There's no suggestion that can be made regarding agents as each agent will invariably differ in taste - You must research and seek out answers yourself.
There's little help for most people in film. You either learn fast enough to become successful, or learn too slowly and become outdated.
Hi Christopher - I know how to pitch. Part of my research is asking here. It’s possible that someone knows somebody open to taking on a new client/able and ready to be useful. Etc.