obsessive
Michael Oliver
which it is easily the best, however i have now become concernd about
what next to do with my project
if anyone has any advice on how i should go about getting people to read
my project i would be very gratefull for any assistance...
thanks a lot..
Mike
Rich Wilson
Hi Mike,
First step is to make better title for your newsgroup messages. If you
were to send a new one, using a subject like "Young writer seeks
script feedback," that would be far more likely to attract attention
of m.w.s. users who might be willing to help you out. "Obsessive"
kinda sends a very different signal!
Hope this helps. :-)
--
Rich Wilson
http://www.communicator.com
JEyers
Don't show your script to just anyone (especially other writers!); be careful!
J. Eyers
Michael Oliver
cheers but how do i go about finding out a "good agent" as i have a few
names and contact addresess in London but am not sure wether to just
send the script to them.. becasue as you say i need to be carefull...
thanks for your response..
Mike
atlas
You need to be careful and you need an agent in L.A., not London. Go to
the WGA at wga.org and send away for the agent list. This is a list of
credible agents who "follow the rules" established for the care and
feeding of writers by the WGA. Then start sending queries to those who
will read the work of new writers.
Good luck,
atlas
Rich Wilson
Michael Oliver wrote:
>
> JEyers wrote:
> >
> > If you haven't got an agent, a good script will more or
> > less secure you one.
> >
> > Don't show your script to just anyone (especially
> > other writers!); be careful!
> >
> > J. Eyers
>
> cheers but how do i go about finding out a "good agent" as i have a few
> names and contact addresess in London but am not sure wether to just
> send the script to them.. becasue as you say i need to be carefull...
>
> thanks for your response..
Hi Mike,
I suppose that J. Eyers meant well, but your FIRST instinct -- to get
good critical feedback on your first-ever screenplay -- was the RIGHT
one.
The general advice given in this newsgroup is that "writing is
rewriting." And rewriting is greatly helped by constructive input from
expert sources, however you find them. Secondly, when approaching any
agent for representation, you should always have *at least two
scripts* ready to show. This demonstrates not only that your talent is
consistent from script to script, but also that you have the
commitment required to do all the work required.
So the advice you just received is a bit premature, at the very least.
As for "don't show your script to just anyone" -- if you push that to
extremes, it turns into Newbie Paranoia. Yes, you should be careful --
but not paranoid.
If you have not registered your script with the Writers Guild of
America, and the copyright office of the U.S. Library of Congress, you
should do so. If you want reasons or explanations about copyright or
WGA registration, please go to my website and look under the Writing
section for various links to websites that will explain it. (Sorry I
don't have the links handy right here.)
Once your script is registered, that is as much protection as you're
likely to ever need. If you show the script to other people, make sure
you know WHO they are, by name, preferably with addresses or some
other details -- and keep records. That way, in the very *rare*
situation where you might need to pursue legal action, you can
demonstrate that the person had access to your material.
BUT: that is rarely a problem, even though it's a common fear.
Numerous discussions here have covered this ground over and over and
over. Your *biggest* problem is getting feedback from people who know
what they're talking about -- and then, doing all the revising
required! ;-)
By the way, there are a fair number of writers here from the UK,
and I gather that those in the London area may have some sort of
networking. I'll forward a copy of this note to some of our UK users,
and perhaps they can make some suggestions.
Once again, good luck. :-)
Rich Wilson
Hi again Mike,
Sorry for the error in my last post. I had forgotten that you had said
in your first message, that you had finished *three* scripts, so
ignore the part where I discuss having finished just one.
But anyway, the rest of the advice remains sound. You still need to be
sure that the best of them -- what some folks call the "Calling-Card
script" -- is as good as it can be.
Hope your local writers have some tips for that side of the pond.
Regards,
Rich Wilson
http://www.communicator.com
JEyers
I then recommend the Artists and Writer's Yearbook from AC Black which not only
has hints and tips about how to set out scripts, but has a comprehensive list
of agents and film production companies as well.
J. Eyers
D C Harris
<mj...@ukc.ac.uk> wrote:
JEyers wrote:
>
> If you haven't got an agent, a good script will more or
less secure you one.
>
> Don't show your script to just anyone (especially other
writers!); be careful!
>
> J. Eyers
cheers but how do i go about finding out a "good agent" as i
have a few
names and contact addresess in London but am not sure wether
to just
send the script to them.. becasue as you say i need to be
carefull...
thanks for your response..
Mike€
D C Harris writes:-
You are not going to get any type of meaningful
agent anywhere if you write in the above manner.
The above contains three spelling mistakes, apart
from the matter of sentences starting with a capital
letter and such niceties. Also, getting an agent in the
UK is tough - if you wish to believe otherwise
do so.
Jon S Green
> You are not going to get any type of meaningful
> agent anywhere if you write in the above manner.
Hey, DC, what's a "meaningful agent"?
Jon
--
Work: jonsg(at)harlequin_co_uk <<CHANGE '_'s http://www.harlequin.co.uk/
Private: jonsg(at)pobox_com <<TO '.'s! http://www.pobox.com/~jonsg/
Ask for PGP key <*> Opinions my own ***Del. '.nojunk' from reply addr***
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atlas
jo...@nojunk.harlequin.co.uk (Jon S Green) wrote:
> "D C Harris" <dcands...@btinternet.com> wrote:
>
> > You are not going to get any type of meaningful
> > agent anywhere if you write in the above manner.
>
> Hey, DC, what's a "meaningful agent"?
>
>
> Jon
Yeah, and your writing on the Usenet is 100% predictive of your writing
skills in other areas. Why, daily I have agents and publishers e-mailing
me to praise my fabulous posts. I have more publication offers than I
know how to handle, and several of my finer threads have attracted options
from Hollywood.
atlas
JEyers
UK. Elsewhere, I don't know. But remember, it is in the agent's interests to be
"good" or they don't get paid.
D C Harris
at...@aloha.net (atlas) wrote:
In article
<3665ffbd....@newshost.cam.harlequin.co.uk>,
jo...@nojunk.harlequin.co.uk (Jon S Green) wrote:
> "D C Harris" <dcands...@btinternet.com> wrote:
>
> > You are not going to get any type of meaningful
> > agent anywhere if you write in the above manner.
>
> Hey, DC, what's a "meaningful agent"?
>
>
> Jon
Why, daily I have agents and publishers e-mailing
me to praise my fabulous posts. I have more publication
offers than I
know how to handle, and several of my finer threads have
attracted options
from Hollywood.
atlas
D C Harris writes:-
If the above is the case I am happy for you.
I mean that.
In reply to the *meaningful agent* post I meant an
agent too busy to answer letters which read as if -
to be honest - they originate from mental retards.
D C Harris
Yeah, and your writing on the Usenet is 100% predictive of
your writing
skills in other areas. Why, daily I have agents and
publishers e-mailing
me to praise my fabulous posts. I have more publication
offers than I
know how to handle, and several of my finer threads have
attracted options
from Hollywood.
atlas
D C Harris writes:-
The above IS a joke isn*t it?
Or do the agents and publishers
who mail you daily live at the end of
the same rainbow cuddling pots
of gold?
Brevity
>In article <3665ffbd....@newshost.cam.harlequin.co.uk>,
>jo...@nojunk.harlequin.co.uk (Jon S Green) wrote:
>
>> "D C Harris" <dcands...@btinternet.com> wrote:
>>
>> > You are not going to get any type of meaningful
>> > agent anywhere if you write in the above manner.
>>
>> Hey, DC, what's a "meaningful agent"?
>>
>>
>> Jon
>
>
>Yeah, and your writing on the Usenet is 100% predictive of your writing
>skills in other areas. Why, daily I have agents and publishers e-mailing
>me to praise my fabulous posts. I have more publication offers than I
>know how to handle, and several of my finer threads have attracted options
>from Hollywood.
>
>atlas
While yes, this is an informal medium of communication, and occasional
typos and the odd misspellings are to be ignored, overall, one's
ability or lack thereof to communicate effectively here, is absolutely
and indication of where they stand as writers in any medium.
"Some people have a way with words, and some people . . .uh . . .not
have way, I guess." -Steve Martin
Bob Stone
Associate Editor
Hollywood Scriptwriter
http://www.hollywoodscriptwriter.com
(remove the x to reply via email)
D C Harris
at...@aloha.net (atlas) wrote:
In article <362DCE...@ukc.ac.uk>, mj...@ukc.ac.uk wrote:
You need to be careful and you need an agent in L.A., not
London. Go to
the WGA at wga.org and send away for the agent list. This
is a list of
credible agents who "follow the rules" established for the
care and
feeding of writers by the WGA. Then start sending queries
to those who
will read the work of new writers.
Good luck,
atlas
D C Harris writes:-
In addition to the above good advice I would
say never be afraid to get a directory and ring
people directly. If you know what to say you will
say it, and if they are worthwhile people they will
listen - usually!
Johnny Deadman
in a new one in case the old one died of old age while I was away.
- You DON'T need an agent in the UK. I have had my scripts read seriously
by, f'rexample, Miramax, Pathe, C4, BBC etc without one. However, you DO
need to be able to jazz the producers with a query.
- To get an agent, you also need to jazz them with a query letter. See a
billion other threads on writing queries. My tip on queries: don't try to be
cute. Any sentence which could (a) be followed by a smiley face (such as
"I'm unknown, but very handsome" or (b) be contradicted by the reader (such
as "This script is the best you'll read this year") is cute, and is
therefore suicide, and should be deleted.
- UK agents are pleasant, but amazingly secretive. The Writers & Artists
Yearbook lists a few who do film but many of the real players are NOT IN
THERE, or in fact in any directory I own. Example: I recently spoke to a
producer who gave me the name of of the guy who wrote THE FULL MONTY's
agent.
Never heard of them, but they're 'players', apparently. Not in ANY of my
directories.
Also spoke yesterday to a well known writer who'd offered to give me notes
on a script and just finished a Tom Cruise movie. Talked to them about their
agent.
Never heard of them. Not in ANY of my directories. But 'the best there is',
apparently. (Actually, I saw the deal on a recent script of this writer.
They must be a FUCKING good agent, is all I can say).
Unfortunately, I'm not going to share these contacts till I've written to
them myself.
Anyhow, you might as well start with the agents in the W&AYB, but bear in
mind the following Catch 22 which I came across. The little guys who will
have you aren't players, and the big guys who are players are too busy to
bother with even very talented minnows. This is not entirely true - or
no-one would get anywhere - but it contains more truth than I feel
comfortable with. DO NOT, repeat DO NOT just sign with an agent because they
offer you representation. You have got to trust this person, and you have
got to believe that they believe in you, or you are wasting your time.
Mad suggestion (but it worked for me). Say an agent is lukewarm. Tell them
you want to send your script out, and will they offer to act on your behalf
if a deal materialises? All agents will say yes at this point as you are now
offering them money for nothing. Now say - "who should I send it to?". If
you are lucky, they will now give you their best contacts for free. You face
the moral dilemma of whether you actually get them to do the deal if one
materialises, or a better agent (as you would now be able to pick and
choose) - but WE SHOULD ALL BE SO LUCKY TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.
Anyway, in the interests of all our sanity, here's today's nugget from the
coalface:
SECRET OF SUCCESS # 1003455
Getting an agent is not as important as forging relationships with producers
and financiers. An agent is a means of doing this, but only one means. You
can also forge relationships with producers by getting them to read your
script - if it's wonderful. If it isn't - why are you even THINKING about
sending it out? - go back and write it again!
The secret of attracting producers is - think like a producer. By this I do
NOT mean 'talk like a producer', or 'think like you think a producer thinks'
or, worst of all, 'talk and think like producers you've seen in the movies'.
This will get you thrown into a mental home.
No, I mean go out and read the trades, figure out where the money comes
from, work out who's hot, who's got deals, who's taken a flyer on new
writers, who does the kind of stuff you're writing. Learn what a producer
REALLY does. Get inside their skin. Then get in touch.
By the time you've done this, you may well feel (as I do) that you might as
well produce the frigging thing yourself, as you now know where the money
is, and you're more passionate about it than any producer is likely to be.
Well, here's the tip.
If you can attach an 'element' such as a name director or actor, you can
probably do this.
How? You walk in to the offices of any major studio or production company
and say "I've have Barry Levinson and Dustin Hoffman (or whoever) attached
to this script. Will you help me produce it?". Then spend the next ten
minutes removing the teeth of the executives from your arms.
However, you will use up 18 months to 3 years of your life doing it, and
probably won't write anything in the interim. You pays your money and...
Anyway, off to the dayjob. Only 2 rejections in the post this morning.
--
Johnny Deadman
sagit...@my-dejanews.com
"Johnny Deadman" <dea...@jukebox.demon.co.uk> wrote:
Relax, Johnny D., if anybody had the secrets of success, particularly,
in this industry, they would be selling their mothers and offspring!
Good advice, all around, but please remember a dictum of the biz:
DON'T TAKE IT PERSONAL!
Peace,
The sag
P.S. What the fu*k is a 'coalface'? ...... :-)))
-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
WriteTV
<< SECRET OF SUCCESS # 1003455
Getting an agent is not as important as forging relationships with producers
and financiers. An agent is a means of doing this, but only one means. You can
also forge relationships with producers by getting them to read your script -
if it's wonderful. If it isn't - why are you even THINKING about sending it
out? - go back and write it again! >>
Folks, this is GOLD.
Thanks, Johnny.
Genia
-----------------------------------------------
"Have you still got your thumbs?"
- THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW, "It May Look Like a Walnut," written by Carl Reiner
Johnny Deadman
wrote:
>Relax, Johnny D., if anybody had the secrets of success, particularly,
>in this industry, they would be selling their mothers and offspring!
Hell, they're long gone. Got six bucks each.
>P.S. What the fu*k is a 'coalface'? ...... :-)))
That's the bit of the mine where the miners dig the coal, day in, day out,
for a pittance, until their lungs fill with dust and they go to miner
heaven.
--
Johnny Deadman
Fred Taylor
Deadman <dea...@jukebox.demon.co.uk> writes
>In article <70r5k8$eo7$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com> , sagit...@my-dejanews.com
>wrote:
>
>>Relax, Johnny D., if anybody had the secrets of success, particularly,
>>in this industry, they would be selling their mothers and offspring!
>
>Hell, they're long gone. Got six bucks each.
>
I'd fire your agent.
--
Fred Taylor