Marketing a spec script is a proactive endeavor. You have to create your own advantages.
One way to be proactive is to keep up with the industry trades and follow the trends. What types of scripts are selling? Which movies are doing the best at the box office? How much are studios spending to purchase a script?
Get to know the basic script elements and their purpose as well as related terms.
Act: A sequence of significant moments of change. Ideally culminating or leading to a major change in the storyline.
Announcer: An individual who reads the voiceover copy for the television spots. Also called an off-screen or off-camera announcer.
Beats: Action that marks a change in the behavior of the characters.
Even as you work on your screenplay, whether you are developing characters or crafting your query letter, you should stay on top of the industry. Read movie magazines, watch movies, read other screenplays and more to stay informed about industry trends and happenings.
Don’t let something like your margins give someone a simple reason to chuck your screenplay. Make sure your screenplay follows the standard formatting guidelines. If anything makes your screenplay stand out from those written by veterans, it won’t even get through the first round.
Remember that each page of a screenplay generally equals one minute of a movie. Don’t let your screenplay go too long. That’s why Courier 12-point font is the standard. That font matches the one page-one minute guideline.
The first 10 pages of your screenplay are the most important. You can’t underestimate how important they are to the story and to attracting an audience, and therefore, an agent or producer.
The first 10 pages must grab the reader so tightly that the reader simply must keep reading to find out what happens next. Some say that many Hollywood agents tear the first 10 pages off of scripts and base their buying decisions on those alone.
Selling a Screenplay: Coverage
Ideally, your screenplay would find its way into the hands of a studio executive who would offer you a handsome sum and make it into a blockbuster movie. In reality, you’re lucky if your screenplay makes it into the hands of story analysts employed by studios, production companies and producers.
If you become one of the few aspiring screenwriters who actually sells a screenplay or gets writing work as a result of your spec script, you should get to know the legal lingo of the industry. What are the various types of agreements and what exactly do they mean to you?
One way to get agents and producers interested in your screenplay is by entering one of the numerous screenwriting contests that now exists. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon famously changed the screenwriters’ landscape when they wrote Good Will Hunting and each won an Oscar for it. They set up Project Greenlight which was designed to seek out promising screenwriters and get their films made. Academy Award-winning actor Kevin Spacey has since set up www.triggerstreet.com for aspiring screenwriters.
One way to get agents and producers interested in your screenplay is by entering one of the numerous screenwriting contests that now exists. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon famously changed the screenwriters’ landscape when they wrote Good Will Hunting and each won an Oscar for it. They set up Project Greenlight which was designed to seek out promising screenwriters and get their films made. Academy Award-winning actor Kevin Spacey has since set up www.triggerstreet.com for aspiring screenwriters.
A screenplay consultant might be a good investment for you. These professionals have experience in the movie industry and not only know what will sell but also can advise on how to improve your writing, make the writing more compelling and better develop your characters. Their experience in reading and analyzing scripts should offer insight as far as what works, what doesn’t and how to fix it. They also should be able to help you pick the best agents or agencies, perhaps even the best screenwriting contests, for your screenplay.