5 DAY SCREENPLAY

Jun 22 2010 ∞
5 Day Screenplay Epilogue Can you sell a screenplay in 5 days?  I believe so.  Did I sell my screenplay in 5 days?  No, but now after a couple days off here’s what’s becoming clear. First, the same action will produce the same results over and over, so the only way to produce new results is a) new action, or b) hope something else changes.  And something I do agree with from my day job is “hope is not a strategy.”  In my case, putting my back against the wall and going to L.A. with my last dollar for 5 days was new action.  Sure, a lot of the things I did could’ve been done from the comfort of my own home, but I wanted to do something different and only this could’ve generated the results that this did. Second, what’s was missing to produce the results I wanted i.e. screenplay sold in 5 days?  Honestly, a more sellable screenplay.  Could I have done more in my time?  I faxed and called over 200 producers and agents while there.  I was never hung up on, rarely couldn’t get through to whoever I wanted and generally found Hollywood to be as accessible as any other “normal” place to a stranger/solicitor.  Six figure screenplay sales happen everyday (see Done Deals Pro), but the way I see it is if I were going to pay somebody $500,000 for a 100 page screenplay or $5,000 per page, for something that they might’ve written in a year or a week, this screenplay and the person selling it must be worth way more than the $60 MILLION it’ll cost to produce the film. Hollywood makes perfect sense to me and I never felt like “it” is trying to keep people out.  Who it’s trying to keep out is people missing undeniable talent and persistence to create stories that are worth the above.  The effect of this I’m sure is to inadvertently keep out many people who have one or the other quality but not both.  The reason why nobody offered me $500,000 is because what I was pitching didn’t seem like it was worth $500,000.  And that’s all it takes.  If I can create a pitch and script that shows that worth, then it’ll sell.  In any industry, when it comes to blinding persistent talent, it’s a seller’s market anyways. Third, so what did happen?  Out of my results I was able to send a query letter to about 20 companies and the script for “The Boob” to 3 production companies who been involved with the Twighlight series, Role Models, and Deuce Biggalow.  I met with a producer who’s interested in shopping the script, and I have whole new support group of writers and filmmakers who not only gave me feedback on my script but am now a resource (as I am for them). I started my new day job yesterday and I thought I would vomit the day if I ever had to do anything non film related for a job again.  But actually, it was peaceful and enjoyable because I know now more than ever my passion and the what I want do with my life is in my hands.  So to any writers or filmmakers out there who’ve never been to L.A. I say go.  Now.

5 Day Screenplay Epilogue

Can you sell a screenplay in 5 days?  I believe so.  Did I sell my screenplay in 5 days?  No, but now after a couple days off here’s what’s becoming clear.

First, the same action will produce the same results over and over, so the only way to produce new results is a) new action, or b) hope something else changes.  And something I do agree with from my day job is “hope is not a strategy.”  In my case, putting my back against the wall and going to L.A. with my last dollar for 5 days was new action.  Sure, a lot of the things I did could’ve been done from the comfort of my own home, but I wanted to do something different and only this could’ve generated the results that this did.

Second, what’s was missing to produce the results I wanted i.e. screenplay sold in 5 days?  Honestly, a more sellable screenplay.  Could I have done more in my time?  I faxed and called over 200 producers and agents while there.  I was never hung up on, rarely couldn’t get through to whoever I wanted and generally found Hollywood to be as accessible as any other “normal” place to a stranger/solicitor.  Six figure screenplay sales happen everyday (see Done Deals Pro), but the way I see it is if I were going to pay somebody $500,000 for a 100 page screenplay or $5,000 per page, for something that they might’ve written in a year or a week, this screenplay and the person selling it must be worth way more than the $60 MILLION it’ll cost to produce the film.

Hollywood makes perfect sense to me and I never felt like “it” is trying to keep people out.  Who it’s trying to keep out is people missing undeniable talent and persistence to create stories that are worth the above.  The effect of this I’m sure is to inadvertently keep out many people who have one or the other quality but not both.  The reason why nobody offered me $500,000 is because what I was pitching didn’t seem like it was worth $500,000.  And that’s all it takes.  If I can create a pitch and script that shows that worth, then it’ll sell.  In any industry, when it comes to blinding persistent talent, it’s a seller’s market anyways.

Third, so what did happen?  Out of my results I was able to send a query letter to about 20 companies and the script for “The Boob” to 3 production companies who been involved with the Twighlight series, Role Models, and Deuce Biggalow.  I met with a producer who’s interested in shopping the script, and I have whole new support group of writers and filmmakers who not only gave me feedback on my script but am now a resource (as I am for them).

I started my new day job yesterday and I thought I would vomit the day if I ever had to do anything non film related for a job again.  But actually, it was peaceful and enjoyable because I know now more than ever my passion and the what I want do with my life is in my hands.  So to any writers or filmmakers out there who’ve never been to L.A. I say go.  Now.

Jun 19 2010 ∞

Final Day in L.A.

Waiting for that call that begins with, “Andrew you won’t believe it…”  What an awesome week filled with insights and possibilities.  Need some time to process and push forward

Jun 17 2010 ∞
“Dang, that guy is a one man boiler room!”  2 more days and got another bite!  Going to try contacting people earlier today and see if I can get some bosses on the line!

“Dang, that guy is a one man boiler room!”  2 more days and got another bite!  Going to try contacting people earlier today and see if I can get some bosses on the line!

Jun 16 2010 ∞
Personal note, having lunch with Morgan’s Aunt Mary YAY, calling agents to find my Ari Gold today, and imagining NBA Finals Game 7: Lakers 120, Celtics 8.

Personal note, having lunch with Morgan’s Aunt Mary YAY, calling agents to find my Ari Gold today, and imagining NBA Finals Game 7: Lakers 120, Celtics 8.

+ ∞
DAY 3 UPDATE Hustling like crazy but a few highlights and insights: 1) Really aware of how not lazy I was being when I was at home in Seattle. The calling, the faxing, and even the writing I’ve been doing all could’ve been done at home. HOWEVER, like a relationship, if you keep going to the same place over and over things get stale and you can lose that fire. So I have no doubt this was the right thing to do for me personally to really get clear this is what I want, this is how hard it is to get (like many have pointed out), and I can’t get enough of it! 2) High concept and timing are really key in getting something sold in 5 days. Like others have said, new writer or not, you can sell a screenplay in 5 seconds if you force yourself in front of the right person, blurt out a sentence worth is weight in unobatnium (Avatar on 2nd viewing on 60 in bluray is breathtaking!) they’ll buy it. If you follow trades everyday for a year, you’ll see a few per year of this happening (also deals on done deal pro from new writers are possible signs too). What I’m aware of is my script and treatment, at least in the way I started pitching them, are high concept for their genre but not necessarily as high concept as say, “air force one gets kidnapped by terrorists” (Air Force One). Anybody could watch Air Force One, while my pitches were crafted to be genre based i.e. somebody could respond “x” people might not want to see that. Point on this is a true high concept is much harder to come by then it seems. Also timing. For example, after Date Night recently came out several specs about couples in danger were picked up. Or after The Hangover, several R rated comedies were picked up. Nobody can predict the next big thing and it makes sense that Hollywood is relying on big hits to guide what to buy (as well as remakes, adaptations, etc.) If you’re writing a non high concept talking heads screenplay, your chances of it being sold are much better if at the same time you are shopping it, there’s a hit movie similar in theme, story, etc. How can you predict this? Look on preproduction charts which are a year if not a couple years out and if you find a movie that you think will be a hit and you have a great idea related to it, start now. It’s like having the winning lotto numbers…for June 16th 2012. 3) Results So Far/Unsolicited Submission My A$$ People in L.A. really don’t want to get sued. After about 120 faxes and 30 phone calls, all cold, the neatest thing I encountered was being forwarded to a lengthy, professional and polite explanation on the legalities of not accepting unsolicited material. Nobody hung up, nobody has been rude, and I wonder if they get sick of explaining this ever. But it’s all irrelevant, because I believe I have an amazing screenplay and if I can get them on the phone/fax, blurt it out fast enough (the high concept mini logline comes into play here) they’ll be interested enough to respond. And so far: - 4 query letters requested & sent, all to execs at production companies who recently produced a $100MM film in my genre - 2 scripts sent, one to a prod company exec who is doing one of the billion dollar franchises right now and another to an assistant to a director who now works on studio films in my genre - 1 meeting with a producer and awesome guy who I knew beforehand, and he’s agreed to help (don’t worry, the deal is fair) shop the script to the really big prod companies (think Benderspink) that he as connections to Time to go home? Heck no, I said 5 days to sell “The Boob” and I got 3 days left so today is Agent day. If you’re an agent in L.A. it will be nice to meet you HA! And thanks for all the help people are offering, social networking is cool :) I’m updating constantly on: http://5dayscreenplay.com/ http://www.facebook.com/pages/5-Day-Screenplay/107381689309511?ref=ts http://twitter.com/5DayScreenplay

DAY 3 UPDATE Hustling like crazy but a few highlights and insights:

1) Really aware of how not lazy I was being when I was at home in Seattle. The calling, the faxing, and even the writing I’ve been doing all could’ve been done at home. HOWEVER, like a relationship, if you keep going to the same place over and over things get stale and you can lose that fire. So I have no doubt this was the right thing to do for me personally to really get clear this is what I want, this is how hard it is to get (like many have pointed out), and I can’t get enough of it!

2) High concept and timing are really key in getting something sold in 5 days. Like others have said, new writer or not, you can sell a screenplay in 5 seconds if you force yourself in front of the right person, blurt out a sentence worth is weight in unobatnium (Avatar on 2nd viewing on 60 in bluray is breathtaking!) they’ll buy it. If you follow trades everyday for a year, you’ll see a few per year of this happening (also deals on done deal pro from new writers are possible signs too).

What I’m aware of is my script and treatment, at least in the way I started pitching them, are high concept for their genre but not necessarily as high concept as say, “air force one gets kidnapped by terrorists” (Air Force One). Anybody could watch Air Force One, while my pitches were crafted to be genre based i.e. somebody could respond “x” people might not want to see that. Point on this is a true high concept is much harder to come by then it seems.

Also timing. For example, after Date Night recently came out several specs about couples in danger were picked up. Or after The Hangover, several R rated comedies were picked up. Nobody can predict the next big thing and it makes sense that Hollywood is relying on big hits to guide what to buy (as well as remakes, adaptations, etc.) If you’re writing a non high concept talking heads screenplay, your chances of it being sold are much better if at the same time you are shopping it, there’s a hit movie similar in theme, story, etc.

How can you predict this? Look on preproduction charts which are a year if not a couple years out and if you find a movie that you think will be a hit and you have a great idea related to it, start now. It’s like having the winning lotto numbers…for June 16th 2012.

3) Results So Far/Unsolicited Submission My A$$

People in L.A. really don’t want to get sued. After about 120 faxes and 30 phone calls, all cold, the neatest thing I encountered was being forwarded to a lengthy, professional and polite explanation on the legalities of not accepting unsolicited material. Nobody hung up, nobody has been rude, and I wonder if they get sick of explaining this ever.

But it’s all irrelevant, because I believe I have an amazing screenplay and if I can get them on the phone/fax, blurt it out fast enough (the high concept mini logline comes into play here) they’ll be interested enough to respond.

And so far:

- 4 query letters requested & sent, all to execs at production companies who recently produced a $100MM film in my genre

- 2 scripts sent, one to a prod company exec who is doing one of the billion dollar franchises right now and another to an assistant to a director who now works on studio films in my genre

- 1 meeting with a producer and awesome guy who I knew beforehand, and he’s agreed to help (don’t worry, the deal is fair) shop the script to the really big prod companies (think Benderspink) that he as connections to

Time to go home? Heck no, I said 5 days to sell “The Boob” and I got 3 days left so today is Agent day. If you’re an agent in L.A. it will be nice to meet you HA! And thanks for all the help people are offering, social networking is cool :)

I’m updating constantly on:

http://5dayscreenplay.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/5-Day-Screenplay/107381689309511?ref=ts

http://twitter.com/5DayScreenplay

Jun 15 2010 ∞

got a couple more yes’ for a query and the script itself, but need to eat!

+ ∞

just left a voicemail actually saying the words chinese boy prostitute.  lmao that’ll be a good story to tell on Jimmy one day!

+ ∞

10 calls in, got crafty and got permission to send a query (which is a letter introducing a script btw for non industry followers) to a major production company!

+ ∞

7 phone calls in and gotten 2 yes’ to query letters.  Not accepting unsolicited submissions my ass!

+ ∞

It’s now or not now

AND I CHOOSE NOW!  Verizon you better load up on your LA networks because I’m blazing Hollywood’s phones today.  Judd Apatow, I’m talking to you!

Jun 14 2010 ∞
Like the movie Boiler Room, cold leads are a numbers game and apparently Hollywood is no different.  Out of about 75 production companies today, only one reached back and asked for my script.  But it was the company producing the Twighlight series, YES! Tomorrow I am making 600 cold calls, which covers my list of agents and managers in L.A.  Reminds me of how NY junior brokers make 300 calls at 6AM every morning to close 1 new account. That + people contacting me back from today’s efforts should = 1 busy Wed - Fri :)  And Team Jacob all the way!

Like the movie Boiler Room, cold leads are a numbers game and apparently Hollywood is no different.  Out of about 75 production companies today, only one reached back and asked for my script.  But it was the company producing the Twighlight series, YES!

Tomorrow I am making 600 cold calls, which covers my list of agents and managers in L.A.  Reminds me of how NY junior brokers make 300 calls at 6AM every morning to close 1 new account.

That + people contacting me back from today’s efforts should = 1 busy Wed - Fri :)  And Team Jacob all the way!

+ ∞

Just faxed 60 or so production companies.  Taking a short break and then it’s 60 more!

+ ∞

Who I am is the possibility of YES!  Starting operation 5 Day Screenplay NOW.  First stop, faxing my contacts on eFax with my killer logline/idea heh heh

Jun 12 2010 ∞

If you haven’t yet, watch and share my screenplay trailer for my comedy script “The Boob!”

+ ∞
Step #2: Getting Packed And Refining the Logline Had a great conversation with Peter who I met from Linkedin and definitely gave me some things to consider for the logline.  Part of selling my screenplay in 5 days means I not only have to get to people with my logline, it’s gotta be perfect! So tonight = refining logline for “The Boob” and my secret project and also practicing different pitches i.e. single sentence, single paragraph, 10-20 min one.  And finding a chicken suit to stand outside of Todd Phillips doors if I have to :)

Step #2: Getting Packed And Refining the Logline

Had a great conversation with Peter who I met from Linkedin and definitely gave me some things to consider for the logline.  Part of selling my screenplay in 5 days means I not only have to get to people with my logline, it’s gotta be perfect!

So tonight = refining logline for “The Boob” and my secret project and also practicing different pitches i.e. single sentence, single paragraph, 10-20 min one.  And finding a chicken suit to stand outside of Todd Phillips doors if I have to :)

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