Tip Archive

2008-06-02 It's not personal. If someone passes on your project, it is not because he doesn't like you. It is because the material does not fit what he is looking for. Thank the person for his time and move on to the next person!
2008-05-26 Hold a beat. After submitting your material, give the person at least two weeks before following up. Keep in mind that this person will often receive over 20 scripts a week and needs time to get through them.
2008-05-19 Sizzle, baby. Make a 2-3 minute show ("sizzle") reel to go with your script or project. People love to see what they are getting before they buy!
2008-05-12 It's not what you know but who you know. Use every connection you have to get to someone -- your aunt's sister's hairstylist's best friend -- you'd be surprised by how many people get started this way.
2008-05-05 Get by with a little help from your friends. Before you send your material out, get as many friends to read it as possible. When people give you their honest specific notes, you can use these notes to make your material better.
2008-04-28 Spell check and grammar check. We can't say this enough -- go over and double, triple check your work. If you expect someone to take the time to read it, we expect you to take the time and check it for any errors.
2008-04-21 Get in late and leave early. Always start a scene as late in the conversation and end as early as you can. Audiences do not need to see all the hellos and goodbyes that happen in real life.
2008-04-14 It's all about the characters. The truth is that every script needs an actor to really make it a "go" project. Write a great character that an actor will love to play.
2008-04-07 It's a marathon not a sprint. Most projects take several years, if not longer, to get made. So write something that you can work on for years and it will still excite you.
2008-03-31 Write what you love. Do not write what you think will sell or what you think is "hot". By the time you write what you think is "hot" it will be cold.