Just thought I would post this for discussion since some people here are frustrated about no one picking up their scripts for production.

What really makes a filmmaker want to produce your film?

Personally, I knew right away when I read Them That's Dead by Bert that I loved the story. Then my husband and I went to St. Augustine FL and to the Castillo de San Marcos fort and somewhere in the back of my head some wheels started turning and suddenly I could see that script being shot there. We went back again, this time actually scouting for locations and I knew it could be done there. TTD will be shot there and I'm so stoked about that. I think it will be great! That's how the decision was made for that script.

I know however, a great many writers, like Marnie, who have written A LOT and still can't seem to get anyone interested in making their shorts, much less features. So my question here is, what makes a filmmaker want your script? I'm personally really curious about this since I know I'm not the best technical writer nor the best story teller here, but almost 25% of my shorts posted here get picked up for production.

What makes filmmakers want your script? I don't know. Is it low budget? Or something else? I know I suck at logilines and synopsis's  so that's not it. Thoughts….

I think the most important thing is that the filmmaker has to learn about your script.  While they do show up on the boards, here, they don't show up often enough.  I spend more time shopping my work around, looking for the directors and the producers.

It sounds like a cliche, but a good query letter is extremely important.  While I have a file of them, for each script I've written, I still tweak them before I send them out.  

Being that most of the directors/producers who come here are relative beginners, I try to keep my scripts simple and low budget.  The last couple of shorts I wrote could be done with low budgets and without great experience on the director's part.  The same can be said, to a degree, with my more recent features.

Martin Scorsese isn't coming to this site, looking for scripts.  It's our director/producer equivalent that stops by here.  And, when we write, we should take that into consideration.


Phil

Tee hee.  Thanks for starting this discussion Pia.  I will surely be taking notes!  I am following your advice and will be adding some of my 60+ shorts here. . .slowly of course.  Don't want to clog anything up.  

Marnie, organize all your shorts by genre and keep an eye out for people looking to shoot a particular script.  If someone's looking for a horror script, write a query letter with the loglines to the best three horror scripts... and mention you have others.

If you've placed in any competitions, mention it.  It looks great on the letter.


Phil

I've had one script filmed six times. Honestly, sick of watching different versions of it. So I no longer post them here. Don even had to bring one version to my attention.

IMHO, nothing gets more attention than low budget comedy. If you really want a short filmed, I would say thats the direction to go. Features? Guess I should try writing one before I say anything...

James

Marn, you can post shorts for free, I think, at Inktip. Or maybee it's just a synopsis. They get a lot of looks there. I haven't posted any myself. I really don't write shorts with the goal of being produced. I see them more as writing exercises, maybe test runs for a feature. Actually, I generally only do shorts for OWC's. I definitely enjoy that little break. Sixty shorts, that's quite a little library you got going! Good luck.

Quoted from jwent6688 I've had one script filmed six times. Honestly, sick of watching different versions of it. So I no longer post them here. Don even had to bring one version to my attention

Six times?  I hope you got one really good film out of it.

Quoted from leitskev Marn, you can post shorts for free, I think, at Inktip. Or maybee it's just a synopsis.

Inktips lets you list your synopses on their site.  It works.


Phil

Quoted from dogglebe Six times?  I hope you got one really good film out of it.

I did. I can't wait to post it here, but the film makers are dragging their feet about what to do with it. So it sits... I'm going to fly to the UK and court the lead actress... she's absolutely stunning IMO...

James

Man...I really feel like a loser.  I have shorts listed on InkTip already.  LOL.  Still nada.  

Every now and then I drop a link to my wordpress site - Brainfluffs(26 titles & loglines listed) on filmmaker sites like DVXuser.  To get my name out there I entered a few DVX fests...even won once.  Movie Poet...have 6 HM's, 2 second places and 1 3rd...nada, nada, nada.

I never thought of query letters...maybe cus I have no idea who to send them to.     Where do filmmakers usually post that they're looking for screenplays?

Try craigslist.  I actually replied to a call for scripts in the last hour.


Phil

Quoted from dogglebe Try craigslist.  I actually replied to a call for scripts in the last hour. Phil

Doh!  Have to admit...I never thought of that!

The short answer...story and budget.  I think that applies to shorts and features, because the way things are now you've either got a student trying to do a showcase/final project film, or a producer that's trying to put something together in a shitty economy that nobody wants to invest in.

From the feature side, it's really a bear since you're dealing with a perpetual catch-22.  Investors don't want to put money into a film that has no A-list talent attached, and A-list talent doesn't want to sign on to a film that's not funded.  Really screwed up.  You get around that by writing a script that doesn't require A-list talent (which is pretty much any script unless you have hard headed producers) and making it budget friendly, effects and location wise.

Quoted from leitskev Marn, you can post shorts for free, I think, at Inktip. Or maybee it's just a synopsis. They get a lot of looks there.

You can post a title, genre and logline of a short for free on InkTip.
I've gotten dozens of script requests from their service.
Even got a couple of options from production companies.
It's a great way to connect with people in similar career stages too.

E.D.

This is an interesting thread. I'm brand new and believe it or not...I've had someone contact me about the last four shorts I've posted. Two this week ...one I'm calling tonight about my most recent 'No Experience' short...BUT NONE of the contacts have come through and actually filmed anything yet...or I have yet to see anything. So, until something's actually 'made' ....it's not really worth getting excited about IMO.

Most of the contacts have read my shorts here. I'm still brand new at all of this...so I have no clue, but if someone contacts you...don't get too excited until something is actually made....

Also, the ones who do contact me..ask what I want out of it..I say writer recognition...is this what a new writer should say??? I surely don't expect to be paid for my owc shorts.

Get use to filmmakers disappearing on you; that's what they do.  Twelve filmmakers approached me regarding one short a wrote; the first eleven disappeared on me without even saying good-bye.

I tell those interested in my shorts to keep away from my underwear (wait for laughter to end).  I tell these filmmakers that I want the following if they're going to shoot my scripts:

1.  I get sole writing credit.
2.  I do all the rewrites.
3.  I get two copies of the finished film on disc.
4.  I want to be kept advised of the production.  That usually means that I e-mail these people once a month.  I expect a reply.
5.  I get the right to make copies of the finished work, and distribute them, for personal use.

I don't give away my rights to the script; I'm letting them use it.


Phil