Break into Screenwriting: Selling screenplays, Online Movie Markets, Advice on Agents and Brokers

The Screenwriters Web www.breakingin.net Screenplay Marketing Advice

Will Online Brokers Revolutionize the Spec Script Market?

Writing a great screenplay is only the first step to breaking into the screenwriting business. Aspiring screenwriters need to put the same passion, talent and heroic effort into marketing that screenplay as they did writing it.

When I joined the Writer’s Guild twenty years ago, writing a script on speculation was the best way for unsold screenwriters to break into the business. We used our spec scripts as writing samples to attract agents and to show off our storytelling skills. If our spec sample was impressive, then we took pitch meetings hoping to land writing assignments from producers and film executives.

THE SPEC MARKET TODAY

Today, the spec script marketplace is more complex and competitive than ever. Aspiring writers aren’t the only ones writing and marketing spec scripts. Veteran screenwriters with older credits hope to jumpstart their stalled careers with a splashy spec script sale. Even well-established screenwriters with recent credits write spec scripts expecting to spark an auction and raise their price quote into the stratosphere.

No wonder it’s nearly impossible for aspiring writers to sell their work, it’s difficult for them to even get their scripts read. Last year alone, screenwriters registered nearly 40,000 new projects with the Writer's Guild. Some industry insiders estimate that more than 80,000 original screenplays are written each year.

Here’s where that passion and talent I mentioned upfront comes into play. Aspiring writers must search for creative ways to attract a professional referral who will help them get their script read by those who can recognize and realize the script’s potential.

And that’s the catch…

Marketing Original Screenplays

How does an unproduced screenwriter find that enthusiastic agent, manager, producer, or film executive who can help them penetrate the film community's inner circle of power?

This challenging question has spawned a whole new industry - the marketing of original screenplays.

Even if you’re new to the business, you’ve probably noticed that the spec script market is a growing industry with many facets to explore. There is a script marketing plan for every taste and every budget. There are now hundreds of original screenplay competitions for aspiring writers, many of them with heavy-duty commercial sponsors and hefty entry fees. Dozens of new online script registries offer to post scripts on the Web and market them globally to a subscriber base of film industry professionals. Some courageous screenwriters even choose to run the gauntlet of script gurus in order to make their scripts more marketable. All year long, dozens of amazingly brilliant and captivating lecturers crisscross the continent passing on the secrets of writing a great screenplay to aspiring writers.

All of these marketing services boast success stories. But the new script-marketing niche that fascinates me is the sudden appearance of online companies offering to broker screenplays for writers.

These script brokers claim the old system of selling screenplays (through agents located in Los Angeles and New York) is antiquated. They believe their new online services will revolutionize the spec script market.

How Online Script Brokers Work

Online script brokerage companies are staffed by ex-agents, movie executives, and producers with decades of movie-packaging experience and current production contacts. Writers submit their original material and these companies provide professional ‘coverage’ for a fee. If the writer wants more feedback, these industry pros will analyze the marketing prospects of each script, give notes on how to make it more saleable, and sometimes work one-on-one with the writer to polish the script for market.

If their ‘coverage’ yields a positive recommendation; then the writer is given a personal referral to an agent or a producer. Of course they do not recommend most of the material they read, they are a filtering service.

Some services will even launch the ‘recommended’ script into an online spec marketplace where it is exposed to a subscriber base of industry pros including agents, managers, producers, and film executives.

This sounds like good news for aspiring screenwriters. However, these brokers are not agents who are signatories to the Writer’s Guild, so they can charge a fee for analyzing a script as well as a percentage if the script sells. So don’t take out your Visa card and launch that your spec screenplay into cyberspace just yet.

Here’s where you need to expend that heroic effort I mentioned upfront. Take a close look at these companies and see what (if anything) they have to offer you and your script.

Online Script Brokers whose spec sales have made headlines:

Script Shark Spec Market: http://www.scriptshark.com

If your script receives a 'Consider' or a 'Recommend' in their coverage, it is placed into iFilmPro's Spec Market database where it is exposed to 20,000 industry professionals. They will also attempt to set you up with an agent.

Here’s the ScriptShark pitch: “The current (script submission) system is inefficient. ScriptShark is creating an alternative channel for the industry as a whole to find new talent outside of the usual submission pipeline. Some most companies will not allow unsolicited submissions, ScriptShark serves as a functional medium that will accept and review all material referred to the site.”

ScriptShark success stories:

First timer Jamie Bussin sold her script, “A Small Claim”, to Cappa productions (Martin Scorsese, Barbara Defina).
Craig Doyle was an unrepresented writer till his script impressed a producer at Artisan (a top film production company) who subscribes to Script Shark. Artisan is now developing the project and they helped Doyle get an agent at CAA.
Mark Smith, an aspiring writer from North Carolina sold his screenplay, “The Devil's Kiss”, to Mel Gibson's Icon Productions.
Novice writer Kyle Thorton sold his first script "Neon Messiah" to producer Anne Francois (Nine Months).

The Pipeline into Motion Pictures: http://www.scriptpimp.com

If your script receives a 'Consider' or 'Recommend' in the coverage from Pipeline, their staff will help you polish your script and circulate it to their industry contacts. They currently have over 300 producers who provide them with details of their production agenda. This insider information enables Pipeline to send these producers exactly the type of script they are looking for. They are already working with a dozen new writers in the development of their movie scripts.

Chadwick Clough, a spokesman for Pipeline told me, “We saw our niche – a filter, a matchmaking service, a means to streamline the process. We had to attract ‘good’ writing – writing that could be marketed and sold. However as a company made up of independent filmmakers and writers, we also wanted to work with talented writers that fell between the cracks of the system. We wished to work with these writers on a managerial basis – we would read their scripts, offer them a full coverage service with development notes, help them through the rewrite, and then present our recommended scripts straight to production companies.”

Success Stories from Pipeline into Motion Pictures:

Sy Dunn sold his screenplay, “Thieves Honor”, to Ehtesham Hamid, a producer in England.
David Earle sold his script, “The Chat Room”, to Cynthia Cortopassi of TSC Inc.; Tony Picciotti will direct.
Martha Ivery made a mid-six figure deal for her script, “Grave with a View”. Linkletter/Atkins/Kritzer will produce.

Studio Script Sales: http://www.studioscriptsales.com

This company provides an arena for writers to reach producers, executives, agents and managers. Tom Skouras and his staff have fifty combined years of experience in the film industry as producers and agents. They charge service fees only - not a percentage of a future script sale.

Here’s their pitch: “Executives just don’t have time to read everything that comes across their desk, especially unknown material from an unproven writer. With coverage posted on our site, these industry professionals will know in advance that they aren’t wasting their time.”

The Insider's System: http://www.insiderssystem.com

This company describes itself as: “the doorway between undiscovered writers and top industry decision makers”. Well-known script coach, Natalie Lemberg Rothenberg, runs this company. Her site offers the usual script broker services as well as a 'Writers Showcase" published quarterly for selected scripts. A helpful bulletin board unites writers with writing partners and enables independent producers to connect with independent rewriters on pending projects.

Story Bay: http://www.storybay.com

This global literary marketplace was co-founded by Brad Warrington and staffed by credited movie producers and experienced ex-agents. They offer extensive story notes and phone conferences. If your script receives a 'Consider' or a 'Recommend' in their coverage, they provide personal referrals to agents and directors. They send monthly emails to tip off industry executives to the best submissions in their databases.

Story Bay Success Stories:

Jon Danzinger, an aspiring writer in Nyack, New York, recently acquired an agent through the site and sold his first spec script, “Dead Pool”.
Caren Bohrman, an agent, signed up two first time writers she found listed on the site, Manfredi and Hay; then sold their original screenplay to Disney.

Literary Library: http://www.literarylibrary.com

This brokerage entity for original material is an offshoot of Story Bay. It accepts fiction and nonfiction manuscripts, articles and short stories for publishing and as springboards for movie scripts. They offer the same editing and coaching services as Story Bay. If the material is given a high recommendation, it is placed in a subscription database and circulated to their publishing and movie industry contacts.

The Writers Agency: http://www.thescriptagency.com

This is the online version of The Writers Agency in Quebec. They charge 5% if they sell or option your script. There are no fees for writers to post their material in their database; but they don’t post every script submitted, they filter the projects for quality.

How to Choose a Script Broker

Check their credentials thoroughly. To be of help, script brokers need extensive industry experience and current contacts. Advice from an anonymous reader without solid industry connections won't help you much.
Get references from other screenwriters. Most sites list personal recommendations from clients - check them out. Some even post email contacts - make use of them. If you belong to a screenwriters networking group (and you should!) ask your peers about their experiences with online script brokers.
Before your sign up for these services, be clear which services you are choosing and how much each service will cost.

Investigate their success stories. Find out how many scripts they actually 'Recommend' and circulate to their industry contacts.
To get value for your money, don't send them a first draft screenplay. This is not a writer's workshop. Send them a polished script you believe is ready for market.
Most services offer reduced fees for scripts that you re-submit after polishing them. This can be worthwhile; but be sure your draft is significantly improved before sending it back to them.

If you follow the guidelines for choosing an online broker or script coach, you will get a clear idea of the services available to you. Whether you choose to take advantage of these services is a very personal decision, one only you can make.

These new online marketing services spark healthy controversy among screenwriters. Younger writers are more open-minded toward these marketing tools; they are Web-savvy and see the advantages. Aspiring writers are keenly aware of the depth of competition in the marketplace. Many older, veteran screenwriters claim they would never pay anyone to read their script or even for professional feedback; and they would never consider paying for a consultation that might or might not lead to an industry referral.

Years ago, I would have sided with the veteran screenwriters; but I no longer do. The spec script marketplace grows more competitive each year. When I joined the Writers Guild there were 2,400 members; now there are more than 11,000 current Guild members. The movie market continues to expand worldwide. Perhaps it's time for a more global style marketplace for screenplays.

Marketing a spec screenplay is a proactive endeavor; screenwriters need to create opportunities for themselves. Even if you don’t use these new online services, perhaps while researching them you will discover other ways the power of the Web can help you get your script into the right hands – those who can help you make that all-important first script sale.

Please let me know what happens as you take your spec script to market. This is a cliffhanger; I plan to stick around till the last reel.

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This article was first printed in Script Magazine Online.

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