In part 3 of this post, we talked about adapting another published work into a screenplay, screenwriting awards and accolades, and getting other prominent people involved in promoting your script.
In this final post about writing a script that sells, I’d like to talk a little bit about promoting your script and choosing the right genre.
Promote your Screenplay
If you’re struggling to get an agent to represent your script, or for that matter, you’re struggling to get your script read, then it might be worth your while to start promoting your screenplay.
You can do this a number of ways.
Make Videos
The first way is to start collaborating with other filmmakers to get scenes of your screenplay filmed and posted on an Internet site like YouTube.
You can use different strategies here. You can film short versions of your script, or, alternatively, you can film your script in its entirety and release it in multiple parts.
Working with other filmmakers is a great way to actually shoot your material and see your words being spoken by actors.
Now, if you have written an intriguing and engaging script, then it doesn’t matter too much about the quality of your independent footage. As long as it’s entertaining, it will find an audience.
And if you can write material that speaks to people, that engages and entertains them, then guess what? You will not only get an audience, but you will gain the interest of people in Hollywood. Screenplay agents will take notice and producers might suddenly become very interested in buying your script.
I’ve seen it happen before. And when it works, it works beautifully.
It’s a win-win for all involved. The screenwriter, the director and the actors all gain some much needed recognition and exposure.
Use the Internet
In the age of the Internet, there are many ways that a person can gain exposure. One of these is to harness the power of the Internet and write about something interesting.
Now, you don’t necessarily want to be posting your screenplay online. But you can, like Diablo Cody, write about something on your own blog post. If you are good and gain an audience, Hollywood might come a knockin’.
Agents and Producers take note of what’s going on, not just in Hollywood, but also elsewhere in the world. If someone in Hollywood thinks that you have a unique voice and can express yourself in such a way that people are interested in hearing your stories, then someone might just ask you to write a script for them.
And if you have a script, or several scripts ready to go, that’s even better!
(Incidentally, Diablo Cody blogged about her experiences as a stripper. Hers was a fairly popular blog and when it came time for her to write a screenplay and try to sell it, agents and producers were much more eager to hear what she had to say.)
Choose your Genre
When writing your script, it’s important to have your goals in mind. Do you want to sell your script? Do you want to get a screenplay agent? Or do you want both? Most likely, it’s the latter.
If that’s the case, you’ll want to adjust your material accordingly.
Now, you have to consider something very important before you start writing your screenplay. That is, what genre should my screenplay be?
You have a number of choices here. But think about this. If you want to shoot your material and gain a viral following through YouTube or the independent market, then it is much easy to shop a script in the horror or comedy genres.
It’s also much easier to make a sale in these genres too.
If you’re looking to get an agent, then you will most likely be judged on the quality of your writing and the genre won’t matter as much.
However, there is no doubt that Hollywood is trend driven. A few years ago horror films were all the rage. In the 90s it was the action film, now, it seems to be a bit more open with a little bit of everything.
I don’t recommend writing for trends. They’re fickle and they change from month to month, depending on what movie has just been successful.
Instead, write what you’re interested in. But note that if you want to gain some exposure through filming your own work, you’ve got a better chance in certain genres.
(As a side note: Sam Raimi wrote and directed the Evil Dead movies when he was just eighteen years old.)
Get a Screenplay Agent
Let someone else do the heavy lifting. You want to sell your script but you want to let someone else do the negotiating and make deals on your behalf.
It sounds like a pretty good dead, and it is, if you can get it.
It’s certainly not out of reach. If you’ve written a great script, there are plenty of agents out there who would be willing to read your screenplay, and if they like it, they will certainly want to represent you.
This significantly increases your odds of selling your screenplay. An agent will know exactly which producers, directors, actors and studios are looking for the type of material you’ve written.
And they are also able to negotiate with potential buyers and sell your script at a higher price once they generate interest from multiple buyers.
Finding representation with an agent can do wonders for you career, and it can make the process of selling your screenplay so much easier.
It’s a Wrap
In this series of articles, we’ve touched on some of the things you can do to sell your script.
You don’t need to do everything in this list, but you should try to explore all your options and give yourself the best chance possible.
Remember, there is more than one road leading to Rome. All of the paths mentioned in this series of articles have worked for other screenwriters and they can work for you too.
Just keep writing and remember, quality writing wins out every time!
*Jennifer Sloane has worked as a screenplay agent in Los Angeles and Nashville for the last five years. Jennifer loves good movies, music and animals. A former television and movie executive, Jennifer currently heads business development at Script Mailer (a company that connects screenwriters with agents and producers in Hollywood).