Pitching, Selling, representation and more in this live interview

[Filmnut]

Last night on Filmnut we interviewed Lee Zahavi Jessup of Scriptshark and Baseline Studio Systems. Lee has worked with thousands of writers and has lectured across the country, including UCLA's graduating MFA Screenwriting and Producing classes, at Final Draft/Scr(i)pt Magazine's Scriptwriter's Conference, at the New York Film Academy, Writer's Boot Camp, as well as local screenwriting groups.

We talked about how to pitch your screenplay, the spec market, pitch festivals and more... Here is a link to watch the interview:

http://www.thestream.tv/watch.php?v=959

Best,
Jeff Schubert
http://www.myspace.com/powerofnow

 

[Randall_Oelerich]

To be honest, as a writer, what I heard in the video was pretty depressing, demoralizing. Looks like getting a great screenplay sold and produced into a film is about at the same odds as winning the lottery and getting struck by lightning in the same day, sigh.

 

[Filmnut]

To be honest, as a writer, what I heard in the video was pretty depressing, demoralizing. Looks like getting a great screenplay sold and produced into a film is about at the same odds as winning the lottery and getting struck by lightning in the same day, sigh.

I hear you... And I say that as a writer myself... Whether you're an actor, writer, director... in this business, the supply of people trying to make it far exceeds the demand... but there are things you can do to increase your chances and put yourself in the best position to suceede... I think staying active on great boards like dvx is one of them... For some, the stuff we talked about in the interview may be things you are already doing, but for most, you might pick up an idea or two, a link, a resource that you were not aware of that could be helpful... The odds are what they are (though not quite as bad a you suggest I think one of our challenges as writers is to not be overwhlemed by them and stay proactive... I appreciate your feedback... Good luck!

 

[NinjaVsPenguin]

To be honest, as a writer, what I heard in the video was pretty depressing, demoralizing. Looks like getting a great screenplay sold and produced into a film is about at the same odds as winning the lottery and getting struck by lightning in the same day, sigh.

If you're in it for the money, then yeah, it is a lottery. As much as I would like to break in, it's not the end all be all for me. I'll still keep writing and doing what I can to produce within my means.

There's nothing stopping you from going the indie route and making it yourself. I've seen a few threads where people just scraped a few grand together to make something. I'm really inspired by these stories because they're not leaving it up to chance.

 

[Ammar]

To be honest, as a writer, what I heard in the video was pretty depressing, demoralizing. Looks like getting a great screenplay sold and produced into a film is about at the same odds as winning the lottery and getting struck by lightning in the same day, sigh.

From what I went through with my Masters in Screenwriting I would say that the odds are for or against you depending on your idea.

Ideas are the lifeblood of the industry (as a very high-up film exec told me) and a killer, original and commercial idea will get sold if you get it through to the right people.

The problem with the industry is that yes, there are thousands of people trying to make it, but from what I heard from everyone (Hollywood and the London film industry) the vast majority have poor screenplays or weak ideas.

A script reader told me that out of 97 screenplays he read over 3 months, almost all of them were conventional, televisual and boring ideas executed in low-end to mediocre screenplays. He said only 2 were good. Not great, but just good.

So the positive message here is, and I have heard this from some really cool and important people: you have a damn good idea and a damn good screenplay and you have your shot.

Ammar

 

[Filmnut]

So the positive message here is, and I have heard this from some really cool and important people: you have a damn good idea and a damn good screenplay and you have your shot.

Ammar

Yes, I've heard this too... (in fact James Gunn said it to me in a prior episode of Filmnut) but in many cases it still takes a business and marketing sense to help make it happen... I think the show is a good watch for some for that reason...

Also, ditto on the point about doing it yourself the indie way!

 

[10s]

So the positive message here is, ... if you have a damn good idea and a damn good screenplay and you have your shot.

Ammar

Here' the problem, we don't really know what a good idea or story is. Given the numbers cited [97 are mediocre and 2 are OK] this would indicate the vast majority of writers [we must include oursleves in this category if we are being somewhat honest] believe they know what good is and they have written it, when in fact we do not know what good is, or the exec doesn't know what good is and is wrong 97 times out of 99 and we are all great writers.

The basic obsticle in our way is knowing what is Good. This leads us to a question that no one can or will answer. What makes a story good? Successful writers turn out poor screenplays after having huge hits, why? how can this be? because they too don't really know what is a good screenplay. Maybe this is something we just have to live with.

Creating things that the marketplace [people] embace is part science, part art & part unknown. We can write and follow the formulas and put in our dash of artful distinction but in the end we have no way of knowing if what we have created will find a place in the hearts of a large number of people.

 

[Ammar]

I would say there is some truth in what you're saying. I heard constantly in the film industry that truly "nobody knows anything" in that no-one can determine what will be a commercial hit and people will fall in love with.

Part science and part art and part unknown is probably the perfect formula, because it is brave enough to contain the element of unknown.

What I will say though: is that if you care for your idea, throw yourself and your emotions into it and have the talent to create something great then you are still miles ahead than most out there.

I personally the problem is people are fascinated by the idea of becoming a screenwriter and then never really have the cinematic ideas to begin with so push something conventional into a finished script.

I think feedback is really the writer's best friend. I've had people tell me an idea of mine was unoriginal, derivative and even depressing (an old science fiction idea). I have also had people tell me I have written one of the best stories they have ever read with more cool ideas they have seen since The Matrix.

Feedback BEFORE you submit a screenplay from writers and people in the know is invaluable.

I would probably say this is our shield. I do agree with you in that we can never really know. It takes alot of determination, hard work and faith. I would also argue that successful writers creating poor screenplays is not really to do with what makes a good story.

I'd say it is to do with becoming so supercharged for years and years to develop their first amazing story (example: The Matrix) that when they have the money, and the success that they become slack (example: Speed Racer).

You can say the same about M. Night Shyamalan. You have The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, when he was starting out. That man knew a good story. And then you have The Happening, which anyone could tell you is not a good story.

We're not Judge Dredd in determining what is a good story, but I think the problem is that alot of people - and I'm being really honest here - don't have what it takes or don't want give it what it takes.

You have no idea how many people I've met like this. I'm not a script reader but I have read the general standard of screenplays and it does become very easy to tier the screenplays into the strength of the stories.

Everything is so same-old same-old and derivative it is unbelievable. I read alot of screenplays in London and met alot of writers and only maybe 2 I think will make it.

We might not have a definite certainty as to what is "good" but I believe we can make a damn good guess if we work together and are honest with ourselves.

 

[Randall_Oelerich]

I did some number crunching and am feeling better about writing. Voodoo statistics, be warned!

Perhaps you could comment on my numbers, am I way off, in a ballpark at least (or at least in the city containing the ballpark?):

Perhaps 50,000 screenwriters; 40,000 with one screenplay they think is great, 10,000 perhaps more seasoned with 3 screenplays they think are great. So a total of maybe 70,000 screenplays? Let's bump that up to 100,000 screenplays total just for hell of it, to be more conservative.

100,000 screenplays. For producing 1,000 films a year (theatre, DVD, netflix, cable, indie, etc). Odds? 1:100 of a sale. Lousy odds. But wait. Only 5% (as estimated from a number of sources) of the 100,000 screenplays are properly formatted and are structured with a 3 act hero's journey. Now we are down to 5,000 screenplays worth even looking at as potential scripts not to be tossed into a rejection pile immediately.

5,000 screenplays for 1,000 movies a year. Now of those 5,000, perhaps 1,000 are great stories, and properly formatted, with hero's journeys, compelling character arcs, have an important theme. As long as my screenplay is one of those 1000 the odds look good.

So of course all writers think their screenplay is one of the great ones. But it is only fair to producers that only the great screenplays will be purchased. So the key for a writer is simply to learn the craft, write a great screenplay (as judged by multiple outside unbiased sources, like coverage services, story analysts, consultants, etc) , and then I think the sale will happen. Especially with agency representation, which might require a writer getting 3 great screenplays written to show agencies that the writer is not just a one trick pony act.

All these thoughts and number crunching are voodoo, I might not know what the hell I am talking about (likely), so take it all with great skepticism.

I hear you... And I say that as a writer myself... Whether you're an actor, writer, director... in this business, the supply of people trying to make it far exceeds the demand... but there are things you can do to increase your chances and put yourself in the best position to suceede... I think staying active on great boards like dvx is one of them... For some, the stuff we talked about in the interview may be things you are already doing, but for most, you might pick up an idea or two, a link, a resource that you were not aware of that could be helpful... The odds are what they are (though not quite as bad a you suggest I think one of our challenges as writers is to not be overwhlemed by them and stay proactive... I appreciate your feedback... Good luck!