Finished screenplay, what next? - Page 2 - Writers Forum

Glen1 · 07-15-2006, 03:34 PM

I'm still involved with learning about the different parts of the screenplay. Every time I sit down to write something on it I get turned off and have to scrap it. I've done that with two plays. Has this happened to any of you? I'd appreciate hearing from anybody that has this problem.

Kimba · 07-15-2006, 07:32 PM

That depends on how determined you are to succeed in writing the actual screenplay. Mine was originally written in novel form but I scrapped that because I had trouble finding the time to write in that form. So far, I've kept just about everything I've written with this screenplay, apart from certain scenes in which I thought either distracted the audience from the main plot or just didn't sit well within the plot itself.

I tend to find writing a brief treatment before writing the screenplay itself helps because then I have a fair idea what is in each scene. The main challenge then is writing the scene itself.

mammamaia · 07-15-2006, 09:06 PM

learning the basics of the craft is not all that hard, if you start out by studying it, with the aid of a good how-to and plenty of good screenplays as models...

the hard part is learning to do it well... harder still, is having the ability to do it well enough to write scripts that will be taken seriously by agents and producers...

if any of you want help along the way, i've been mentoring aspiring screenwriters for several years now and will be glad to add you to the thousands i've enjoyed working with so far...

hugs, maia

FLickTick · 07-24-2006, 02:21 PM

Ampersand,

Do you know all about structure, story-lines, turning points and other issues of screenwriting?
Get a peer group going and let them read your script to sort out fluff.
You should also, if you have not already done so, read as many produced scripts as you can lay your hands on.

Here is a good place to start and build your knowledge on a daily basis:

http://www.scriptsecrets.net/index.html

Hit on 'Tip of the day'.

mammamaia · 07-24-2006, 07:54 PM

flick...
how come what looks like a link to your personal site [http://tinyurl.com/s49d3 ]takes us to thewritersbuilding.org's intro page?

Kimba · 07-27-2006, 02:29 AM

I'm inclined to ask if it is his personal site ...

mammamaia · 07-27-2006, 08:10 PM

i doubt it, since it's a pretty major site and professionally designed... it may be that the site has a place to post members' work and the url he provided just wasn't complete...

wcmartell · 08-22-2006, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampersand

Do film companies accept unsolicited screenplays?

The answer is yes and no.

NO ONE accepts unsolicited screenplays, so you have to get them to request it. The way to do that is with a query letter or phone call. This is a numbers game - out of hundreds of query letters you may send out, you might only get a couple of bites.

Target your production companies - you want the ones that make films like your script. Alway address query letters to the actual person in charge of finding and developing scripts, not "to whom it may concern" (or some other impersonal junk mail name).

It all comes down to the *concept* - does your script have a good idea? No one wants to waste time on a script with a dull idea.

- Bill