representation

Cleaning up after all that dirty work

Maximum Z agent, creativity, manager, query letter, representation, research, screenwriting, self-confidence, writing
Yeah, it kind of felt like this...
Yeah, it kind of felt like this…

Well, that’s that.  The queries have been unleashed, and the process of getting it done was truly exhausting.

Most of the work was research. Lots and lots of it.

Equipped with a few lists of potential recipients, I scoured IMDBPro (signing up is highly recommended) and Google to check the status of each name, agency, management firm and prodco I had.

Are they still in business? (a good percentage were not)  Do they accept queries?  Is the person still there? If not, where are they now? What about that place?  Do they even handle screenwriters? Would they be interested in my script’s genre?

Some of the major houses (CAA, WME, etc.) don’t list any contact info apart from address and phone number, so unless you know somebody there, you’re just plain out of luck. A lot of them also have a disclaimer somewhere on the website stating they don’t accept unsolicited materials anyway. Better to focus on the ones that do.

Proof these lists are not entirely accurate or up-to-date – one listed office info for somebody who apparently died in 2009.

Believe me when I say this is not a small-scale project.

Something else to keep in mind – depending on your determination, you’ll be sending out an immense number of queries, and most likely the responses, positive or negative, will be few and far between. If you hear back at all.  Remember – these places are getting bombarded with queries from writers just like you every single day.

Not getting an immediate response can really be quite a blow to your self-confidence, but unfortunately it’s the way things are.  All you can do is send it out and move on.  Like I wrote last time, use this as an opportunity to redirect your attention towards something else of a productive nature.  Write something. Read something.  Exercise. Whatever it takes.

So while I wait, I’ve got an outline to improve, some podcasting equipment to master and a pumpkin pie that needs baking.

Ready for just such an emergency

Maximum Z query letter, representation, screenwriting, synopsis, writing
Be prepared, and all that...*
Be prepared, and all that…*

After sending out the first batch of query letters, I was reminded of something I need to have ready to go in case someone asks for it.

A synopsis.

Just the thought of having to write one fills me with dread. It always has.  But it’s a necessity and has to be done.  (You’d think a writer would have no problem writing something. You’d be wrong.)

I scoured the internet, desperately seeking for one to use as an example. Success was somewhat limited, but there were a handful, each accompanied with suggestions of what to include and what not to.

The general consensus seems to be a short paragraph for each act.  Each one has to be informative in terms of the story and describe what happens, but without going into too much detail.  Like with the logline, you want to make the reader want to read more.

Keeping all this in mind, and after much editing and rewriting, I ended up with a draft that fills up about 2/3 of a page.  Too short?  Just right?  Hard to say, but I like the way it reads.  Simple. Descriptive. Effective.

Add another item to the ‘done’ column of my metaphoric checklist.

I should probably also start working on a treatment, which is a completely different, but still necessary, thing.

But in the meantime, when I’m not sending out more queries, rather than incessantly checking my email and hitting ‘refresh’, it’s a better use of my time to stay focused, keep being productive and work on the western outline.

-Podcasting equipment has arrived. Still learning how to use it. More details to come.

 

*was there ever any doubt that yours truly was an Eagle Scout?

Queries about queries

Maximum Z query letter, representation, screenwriting, writing
Do people still send actual letters?
Do people still send actual letters?

I started compiling a list of where to send my query letter when I realized I should probably have the letter ready first.

Previous versions have kept it simple. Brief intro, logline, 1-2 sentences about me, and that’s about it. Short, to the point, and hopefully effective.  Don’t know how much of an impact they’ll have, but there are a few me-oriented details I’d like to work in as well.

I’ve seen examples that suggest a few short paragraphs that flesh out the story a little, but that seems like too much.  If the logline doesn’t grab them, why would they want to read more?  I like to think mine’s pretty solid.

It’s also important to write the letter so it really stands out from the hundreds/thousands received daily*.  We all want someone to read our letter and automatically think “Now THAT’S something I want to read!”

It shouldn’t take too long to put a strong letter together. Once it’s ready, back to figuring out who should receive it.

 

*Absolutely true. I met with an agent who had started her own agency – just her and an assistant. They were getting approximately 50 letters a week. Imagine how many a powerhouse firm like ICM or WME gets. Every one is your competition.  Just something to keep in mind.

Striding boldly into Phase Two

Maximum Z Buster Keaton, comedy, I Love Lucy, JRR Tolkien, parenting, podcasts, representation, screenwriting, script, slapstick, writing ,
Might as well make it a nice-looking door, right?
Might as well make the way in look nice, right?

I had to work New Year’s Day, starting at 5am. It wasn’t as bad as you might think.

It meant holiday overtime (always nice), the roads were extremely quiet, so there was a lot of downtime, which provided me with the opportunity I was hoping for: to hack and slash my way through the script, cutting out anything unnecessary.  Turns out there was about ten pages’ worth, including an excessive amount of adverbs.

But it’s all gone now, and the script is that much better for it. Tighter, smoother, a faster read.  114 pages of potential cinematic goodness.

The professional feedback will have to wait for now, but notes from trusted colleagues are proving to be just as helpful.

Apart from a few tweaks, this script could officially be considered READY TO GO.  A minor celebration will be held in the form of a trip to the comic book store.

The next few weeks will be split between researching and contacting potential reps and continuing the fine-tuning of the western outline (gotta keep the creativeness going).

-Awaiting delivery of my equipment to get the podcast up and running, so add contacting potential guests to the aforementioned list.  More details as they develop.

-Movie of the Moment – THE HOBBIT (2012). Enjoyable, but way to0 long. Why exactly did they feel this had to be a trilogy? Two movies would have been fine.  This is not the epic tale that LOTR is, and suffers for it.

Saw it with V. She liked it, and was genuinely surprised at the end because she thought it would be a single, self-contained story. She’s already stated her interest in seeing the next one. I can’t help but wonder how much Smaug will be featured in Part 2, and Benedict Cumberbatch doing the voice is an added bonus.

-V was also off for winter break, so there’s been a lot of crashing/vegging out in front of the TV. I’m happy to say she’s outgrown some of the inane kids programming she used to watch, and has discovered I LOVE LUCY. It’s easy to see why this still holds up today. She’s already watched the Vitameatavegamin episode three times, laughing hysterically each time. HuluPlus only provides parts of each season, so we’ll have to try Netflix to track down the candy factory episode.

When your 21st century child develops an appreciation for Buster Keaton and Lucille Ball, you must be doing something right.

It’s either optimism or hypothermia

Maximum Z baking, blog, exercise, half-marathons, inspiration, manager, motivation, podcasts, productivity, representation, running, screenwriting, The Script Adventurer!, writing
Luckily for me, it doesn't snow here
Luckily for me, it doesn’t snow here

My bike ride to work is an enjoyable 6-mile pre-dawn journey across most of San Francisco. The temperature when I left the house just after 4 this morning was 43 degrees, so by the time I got to work 40 minutes later, some of my outer extremities were a bit chilled and are taking longer than I’d like to thoroughly thaw.  Especially my feet. They’re still cold.

But looking back today at how this year developed for me combined with what I’m hoping to make happen in 2013 make for that warm glow of satisfaction.

-My writing has definitely improved. Several drafts later, DREAMSHIP is much stronger now, and I’m feeling really confident about it. While a sale would be fantastic, I’ll focus on getting representation for now.

-Because of the feedback I’d received on DREAMSHIP, the outlining process for LUCY is working out much, much smoother. Once the outline is ready, and it almost is, I’m really looking forward to getting started on pages.

-I didn’t get to read as many scripts as I’d wanted to, so setting a weekly goal of at least 2 seems pretty doable.

-I had a blast doing The Script Adventurer!, and am that much closer to bringing it back as a podcast. Still planning on a January launch. This is becoming a real learning process, and is actually kind of exciting.

-I did three half-marathons, finally breaking 2:00. I plan on doing at least three more this year, hopefully adding 1-2 more into the mix. Once again, the objective is to break 1:55.

-Since the running took care of my lower body, 2013 will also see more attention to upper body. Hoping for bigger arms and flatter abs. First up – the 100 Pushups program.

-I made a lot of pies this year. So many that they’re now strongly requested when friends invite us over for dinner. Pie-making will continue, but baklava remains at the top of the “I really want to make this” list. (This is not necessarily counter-productive to the previous item – it’s all about moderation)

-I’ll try to keep posting on a semi-regular basis. As always, my appreciation and gratitude for those of you willing to endure my ramblings continues to be limitless.  I hope 2012 saw good things happen for you, and that 2013 is even better.

Happy New Year, and see you on the other side.