producer

Waving the red flag

Maximum Z ambition, experience, producer, professionalism, screenplay, screenwriting, script, social media, success, writing , , , , , , , , ,

Someday my belief that most people are inherently good and really want to help others will win out over my cynicism. But not today.

A new connection on social media was interested in some of my scripts and asked to take a look.

Did my homework. They were listed as a producer, with credits.

I’ve worked with credited producers before. Some have proven to be fantastic connections, whereas others…

After some back-and-forth emails, I found out that after reading my scripts, if they deemed any of them worthy of receiving a “CONSIDER” rating, I could then pay a “collaboration fee” as a confirmed commitment from me to get the ball rolling towards production. The “fee” would also give me an Executive Producer credit in addition to a writing credit.

And if that weren’t enticing enough, they ended with “Be rest assured. Production is guaranteed.”

Of course it is.

I really, really hate when this happens, and it seems to be happening more and more – especially with things getting tougher in the industry. Somebody offers to help out a writer, but IT’S GONNA COST YA.

A new or less-experienced writer is easy prey. They’re desperate to break in, no matter how, and figure “This is it!” Maybe they figure a 3- or 4-digit price tag is worth paying now in exchange for “guaranteed” results later.

Time goes by, with constant reassurances that “it’s coming along”, and then “we’ve hit some snags, but it’s nothing to worry about.”

Communication becomes less frequent, and then they can’t understand why their emails remain unanswered and their “partner” has seemingly vanished from the face of the earth, along with the money they shelled out to make their dream come true.

A tough way to learn a lesson, but it happens more often than we think.

As soon as a more experienced writer sees this, they quickly realize the whole thing is a scam and remove themselves from the situation as fast as possible.

A PROFESSIONAL PAYS YOU. YOU DO NOT PAY THEM.

If you find yourself in this kind of situation, just say “thanks, but no thanks” and walk away.

You won’t regret it.

There’s a lot more to this than writing

Maximum Z agent, business, career, community, contracts, education, manager, networking, pitching, producer, professionalism, representation, screenwriting, studio, television, writing , , , , , , , , , , , ,

As screenwriters, we’re always trying to hone and develop our writing skills. But how prepared are you for what comes after your script’s written and ready to go?

How familiar are you with the business aspect of “show business”? Maybe you’re thinking “I’ll get an entertainment attorney and let them handle it.” But how do you find the attorney that’s right for you?

Or “All I need to do is write and have my rep deal with all that other stuff.” What if you don’t have a rep and somebody comes along with an offer?

A screenwriter (or TV writer) needs to know these things.

I had the good fortune earlier this year to interview Kaia Alexander as part of the San Francisco Writers Conference. We covered multiple topics about being a screenwriter, including finding your “wolfpack”, to making and maintaining professional connections, how to determine your brand as a writer, and the do’s and don’ts of pitching.

If you’re serious about a career in screenwriting or TV, and these sound like the sort of things you’d like to learn more about, you should look into enrolling Kaia’s upcoming summer session of the Entertainment Business School.

The program begins on August 5th and runs for 9 weeks. Among the other topics covered:

-How studios and streamers make buying decisions
-How attachments work and how to get them
-How to pitch to buyers and reps
-How to network and build your community
-How to get producers for your projects
-The way the industry is changing
-How to negotiate like a pro and not leave money on the table
-Film financing and where to find investors, and how to vet them
-The roles of managers, agents, entertainment attorneys, publicists, producers, and development execs
-Entertainment business etiquette do’s and don’ts
-How to think about budgets

Enrollment opens next week – June 28, through July 28. There are two tiers: Balcony and Orchestra. Both include all access to what EBS has to offer, but Orchestra includes some personalized coaching from Kaia and is limited to 24 students.

One caveat: students who move forward from the application will go to a 1-1 Interview with Kaia. Not all students who apply will be accepted.

Kaia is also offering a special discount for readers of this blog: use the code PZ50S24 to get $50 off the enrollment fee. This code is only valid until July 28, which will be here before you know it, so don’t wait to sign up.

I know several writers who’ve taken the EBS courses and have been quite thrilled with the results. This is a great opportunity for any writer, and I hope you take advantage of it.

And feel free to tell Kaia I sent you.

The “Business” part of “Show…”

Maximum Z development, directing, education, pitching, producer, professionalism, screenplay, screenwriting, script, television, writing , , , , , , , , , ,

A lot of screenwriters just starting out often think “All I need to do is write an amazing script, and the rest will fall into place.”

Not really. Having an amazing script helps, but that’s just the beginning.

Learning how to write a script, let alone an amazing one, is one thing. What to do when the script is done is a whole other topic.

Do you know how to pitch? What about dealing with contracts? How are your negotiating skills? These and many other business-oriented topics are vital. And if you’re thinking “Why should I care? My reps can handle all of that,” think again.

A rep can only do so much. A lot of the time you’ll most likely be doing a lot of the work yourself, so it’s smart and practical to know what’s expected.

If you want to further develop your business savvy, here’s a special offer you should seriously consider.

Seasoned writer/development executive Kaia Alexander runs the Entertainment Business League, which features a specially designed virtual course to help you prepare for working in the industry.

The Entertainment Business School Winter session is a 9-week course starting on January 29 running until March 29.

Among the many topics covered:

-If and when you need to create your own production company

-How studios and streamers make buying decisions

-How attachments work and how to get them

-How to pitch to buyers and reps

-How to network and build your community 

-How to get producers for your projects

-The way the pandemic has changed the industry

-How to negotiate like a pro and not leave money on the table

-Film financing and where to find investors, and how to vet them

-The roles of managers, agents, entertainment attorneys, publicists, producers, and development execs

-Entertainment business etiquette do’s and don’ts

-How to think about budgets

Also included are live coaching sessions, mixers, and industry guests.

You also get access to an impressive online portal with a library of business and finance documents including screenplays, pitch decks, show bibles, streamer/network pitch preferences, financial literacy downloads, legal documents, just to name a few.

Don’t live in Los Angeles? No problem. The class is done virtually, and each session is recorded and available afterward, along with email access to Kaia during the work week.

The early bird window for signing up is Jan 8-13, which includes a $50 discount using the code WOLFPACK50.

Space is limited, so don’t wait too long before signing up.

A nice wrap-up

Maximum Z animation, books, comedy, community, determination, directing, fantasy, goals, perseverance, persistence, producer, reading, rewriting, San Francisco, screenplay, screenwriting, script, short films, writing, writing gigs , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

2022 is starting to wind down, and the general consensus around Maximum Z HQ is:

It’s been a pretty good year.

-First and foremost, I finally managed to publish my books. Took a while to put it all together, but thanks to a heaven-sent editor/advisor, they became a reality.

Also nice is that they’ve been very positively received. And they make a great gift for any screenwriter (plug, plug).

-A lot of the year was also spent writing. I completed a few drafts of the animated fantasy-comedy spec – huge shoutout to the readers who provided some excellent notes that helped improve each draft. Hoping the end result achieves what I set out to do.

I’m also wrapping up the script for the microbudget feature. The producer who brought me onto the project really likes what I’ve come up with so far, which is always nice to hear. They’re hoping to start production in the spring, so fingers remain firmly crossed that becomes a reality.

Bonus – the producer also asked me to write a short, which I did. It’s a completed project and is already being submitted to festivals. Keeping any other details under wraps for the time being.

-Wasn’t able to make my horror-comedy short film, but I did connect with a local director who’s open to helping out. This whole “make it yourself” thing is quite a learning experience.

-Speaking of connecting, I got to meet a whole new bunch of local writers. I always enjoy that.

-I once again took part in the screenwriting track for the San Francisco Writers Conference, which included being on panels and offering advice to writers one-on-one. Had a great time with that, and I’ll get to do it again in February.

-Being part of the conference also led to doing a lecture about screenwriting for the California Writers Club, which it looks like I might get to do again sometime soon.

-Didn’t do so well on the contest front, but as evidenced in everything else I just talked about, I think I’ve done okay.

Here’s hoping for more good news and positive vibes for all of us in 2023.

Keep pushing forward, chums. I’m rootin’ for ya.

From the archives: May I be of some assistance?

Maximum Z feedback, networking, notes, producer, professionalism, reading, relationships, screenplay, screenwriting, script, success, writing , , , , , , , , ,

info booth
“Be with you folks in a minute.”

Seeing as how we’re in the season of giving, I thought this post from July 2019 regarding helping out other writers in multiple capacities was rather appropriate.

Enjoy.

For the most part, working towards making it as a screenwriter is a solitary effort. You’re the one who has to write the script and get it out there. It’s a tough journey, but you don’t have to go it alone.

Hence – networking.

Making that initial contact is great, but you should also strive to make it worth the other person’s while as much as you are for yourself.

Once you start to build up your own personal community of Other Writers, and those relationships gradually develop beyond the “Hi. Nice to meet you” stage, you’ll naturally seek out some help in the form of feedback – your latest draft, a query, a logline, what have you.

And that’s all well and good, but it’s equally important, if not more so, for you to return the favor. Rather than just popping up and saying “Hey, would you read my script?”, try “Hey, we’ve known each other a while, and you seem to know what you’re talking about, so would you be open to reading my script? And I’d be more than happy to reading one of yours.”

Helpful tip #1 – don’t be the person who asks for notes but isn’t willing to give them.

Helpful tip #2 – even if you don’t like what their notes say, you still need to hold up your end of the bargain and give them notes – especially if you’re the one who asked in the first place.

Sometimes the best kind of help is when it’s unexpected – either from you or from somebody you know.

A few years ago, a producer friend of a friend was looking for a certain kind of project. I didn’t have anything that met their criteria, but offered to post the listing on a few social media platforms. At least 20 writers responded. I sent their info to the producer, who then contacted a few of them (as far as I know).

What did I get out of it? Just being happy to help and the appreciation from all the writers – even the ones the producer didn’t follow up with.

I’ve also been fortunate to be on the receiving end, with friends sending me emails and messages about listings seeking scripts like mine.

A little effort really does go a long way – anything from forwarding a script or job listing to a few words of encouragement, or even offering congratulations for somebody achieving some kind of accomplishment. Don’t you like when somebody does that sort of thing for you?

As much as we’re all working towards our own individual success, we’re also part of a community; one where each member should help support the others in whatever way they can.