At some point in every agent or manager’s career, we have attended a pitch festival. Then we decide to never attend again.

 I don’t know how much these pitch festivals charge writers. I imagine it’s a lot of money. I’ll tell you one thing, pay an agent a quarter of what you pay these festivals and I’m sure you will get us to read your script page by page!

 There are a lot of pitch festivals out there, and I have not attended all of them. I’ve attended a few in my career, and here is what is really interesting, and will probably help you writers out and probably NOT help the organizers of these festivals out. The further away you get from Hollywood to attend a pitch festival, the better agents, managers and producers you are going to be pitching to.

 There are several in Los Angeles. I believe the big one is the the Fade-In pitch festival. I remember going to this when I started off as an assistant. At this pitch festival, you are going to be pitching to assistants, or managers who are on their own and even to interns. Now, this is not a bad thing. Assistants really are the gate keepers in this town, and can push scripts up the ladder. All the other pitch festivals in LA, will mostly consist of assistants. The exception to this rule is the USC pitch festival and the UCLA one, but the USC pitch is the big one in Los Angeles, and the one agents and managers really pay attentino to.

So why is this? Well, I hate to break it to you writers, but when agents and managers go to these pitch festivals, it really isn’t about finding material, it’s about hanging out with other industry people. Pitch festivals that are far away, such as the Portland Film Festival and the Austin Film Festival, usually have a great list of agents, managers, producers and studio execs. The reason is because they fly us in and put us up in hotels. We go to these festivals to hang out with our buddies and go out at night in a town we aren’t familiar with… the pitches are secondary.

 Here is the good news. You DO have the agent and manager’s ear while you are there! Problem is, we hear so many bad pitches that we tend to fall asleep, but if you really have a great pitch, then this is a great opportunity to have a one on one with a professional.

Bottom line. You don’t have to be in LA to pitch to an agent or manager. In fact, pitch festivals that fly in the professionals are better than the pitch festivals in town that don’t offer legitimate agents or managers any incentive to come. Do you really think we need to attend to find material? We are bombarded each day with new scripts. Go to a festival like Portland or Austin, you will meet actual agents and managers, and not our assistants.

So you got your foot in the door. Finally had an agent read your script and you get a call to come in for a meeting. Maybe you get really lucky, and you are getting several agents and managers calling you for a meeting. It’s a great position to be in, but you still have a difficult decision to make. Who should you sign with?

This is a great question that a screenwriter recently asked me. So I am to try and place myself in the writers shoes and see what the best questions you can ask an agent. I am sure after writing this blog, I’m going to forget some other important question…so maybe down the line I’ll post the best 3-6 questions to ask! Another important note, is that there are different questions to ask a manager.

If you have the choice of picking your agent, this can be a very big decision in your career. Your agent will be getting you work and guiding your career. If you have the opportunity to meet with a few, you will see different styles and personalities, but make sure you do your own homework, don’t judge a book by its cover.

1) What did you think about my script? So this may sound like a simple question, but here’s the truth - some of the agents in the signing meeting, have not read your script. If you have to ask this question, then that’s not a good sign. Most of the time, the agents will talk about how they liked your script off the bat. Pay close attention. Are they talking about specific scenes in your script? If so, then that’s a good sign. As I mentioned earlier, you would be surprised about how many agents have not read a potential client’s script in a signing meeting. How does this happen? Well, the person who really liked your script will bring in some other agents into the meeting to WOW you and pretty much for show. Remember, the agent has to sell you and your work…you will be able to tell how many agents are actually going to be selling you. One of them, or all of them?

2) What’s your strategy for taking my script out? The agents may not have had a lot of time to think about this, but this can shed some light as to how they think. Do they want to attach a director or a piece of talent to your script first, or do they want to send it out? If they do, who will they send it out to? This can show you how the agent thinks. If they say, they don’t know, then that’s a red flag.

3) How many clients do you represent? This question is to basically judge how much time and attention you are going to get. The more clients each agent represents, the less amount of time they will be able to give you, it’s just a fact.

There are a lot more questions and answers, but the problem is, you can’t ask them because you won’t get a truthful answer. For example, “what happens if my script doesn’t sell?” Well, no agent is going to tell you they will forget about you. So why ask this if you aren’t going to get the real answer? Also, if you start asking too many questions, the agent may not want to sign you at the end because they may sense someone who is going to take up too much of their time.

So talent is great, but talent can only take you so far. I represent many talented writers, but for some reason, they aren’t selling specs or aren’t booking assignments…why is this?

I look at some of the most successful writers I represent. Screenwriters who are selling specs and also constantly getting assignments. What is it that makes these writers different than the other talented writers not making any money?

I don’t know what their inner work process is. And I’m sure each working writer does this different, but I can name one constant theme in all my working writers: flexibility.

I’m not saying they can stretch. I’m saying they are adaptable, easy to get along with, open to change and great note takers. I’m still amazed at how some writers who are not working, think they know the business. If you are not constantly working at the studio level, then something isn’t working, right? So why the hell don’t you just admit that you don’t know the business and let your rep guide you?

Great screenwriters have several great qualities. From the beginning of the process, they will have several ideas and pitch them to me. If I don’t like any of them, no problem, they go back and think of some more until there is an idea I like. Stubborn screenwriters, won’t share ideas with the reps and they will start writing. They say it’s just their “process.” Well… most of the time, this “process” will make you no money. We are reps, we know what’s out there, so why not listen to us?

So once the good screenwriters have an idea, they will work on an outline. It also amazes me how many screenwriters start writing scripts with no outline. They say they know exactly how they will write…well, EVERY TIME I’ve heard a writer tell me this, the script has not worked.

Good screenwriters know how to take notes, and IMPLEMENT them. I can keep giving you notes, but if you don’t implement them, it makes no difference. Most of the time, a screenwriter will tell me they made changes, but when I read it, I can’t even tell what they changed!

So above are some of the good qualities of a good screenwriter. There are many other qualities at different stages in the game. For example, when going after assignments, when pitching, when taking general meetings, etc. etc.

Bottom line. If you want to make it in this business as a screenwriter, you have to be open. If you are stubborn, forget it. Your agent or manager will drop you. Especially if you have not made them any money. Life is too short.

Do I have to move to Los Angeles to be a screenwriter?

Screenwriting is one the greatest professions if you can make money at it. You can be on a tropical island with a laptop and still be a successful screenwriter. But what are the chances of this happening?

Well, I’ll break this into two categories. Screenwriters trying to break in, and screenwriters already working in Hollywood.

The simple answer to this question is NO. You don’t have to move to Los Angeles to be a screenwriter. But it certainly HELPS.

The first question you need to ask yourself is if you can afford it? If you can continue your day job in Los Angeles, then do it. For everyone that lives here, you know that you can go to any party or restaurant and you will meet somebody who is in the business. You never know who you will meet out here, and just by being here, you have better opportunites to meet people who can help you out. I’ve actually been at parties, met an aspiring screenwriter, he bought a round of drinks and I ended up reading his screenplay the following week! I didn’t sign him, but that’s a different topic. Being in this city will motivate you and you will meet other screenwriters and screenwriting groups that can help improve your writing.

Now for screenwriters who have representation, it changes a little. If you write indies, you can get away with living on the East Coast. It does add a certain type of sexiness. But if you are writing commercial films, it definitely helps to be in town. Whenever agents/managers put you up for assignments, I hate to break it to you, but you are not the only screenwriter we are pitching. So lets say there is an open writing project that is a thriller. We pitch a couple of writers and then the exec will send material out to the writers. The screenwriters who live in town will pitch their take in a meeting, those not in town will have to do a conference call. Guess what? Those don’t usually work that great compared to physical meetings. You could be missing out on a lot of jobs by not living in Los Angeles.

But don’t worry. If you don’t live in Los Angeles, you can still be a successful screenwriter. It’s a little harder, but if you are an amazing writer, that’s the most improtant thing.

Good luck!

The first thing you need to figure out is the type of personality that you have. Are you better having your own space? Or do you need that extra push and the bouncing of ideas with another screenwriter?

Creatively, I can’t answer that. In terms of selling you and your film, I can answer. It doesn’t really matter. However, whatever you decide, make sure you stick to it. This is a big mistake a lot of writers make. A lot of writing partners will split up and believe their career will continue at the same spot where they left it with their partner. It doesn’t work that way.

Lets say you have been writing comedies with a partner. All of a sudden you want to write on your own. This could be for a variety of reasons, maybe you don’t want to share 50% of the money, or maybe you feel you are the true talent of the relationship and your writing partner has not really contributed. Well the scripts you have written before this point can’t really be used as writing samples for your SOLO career. Any executive that gets the previous script is going to ask, “ok, I see you had a partner, who wrote what?” Even if you really are the one who wrote everything, it is still difficult to prove that. So if you do decide to break it off, you at least have the experience, but you will have to start from scratch to reinvent yourself.

On the flip side, I see many solo writers who decide to write a one-off script with a partner, but they never intend to write as a team in the future. The problem is that if the script doesn’t sell, it is useless to you if you want to continue solo. Why waste several months writing with someone when you don’t intend to keep that person as a partner? As a matter of fact, if it does sell, then you better continue with that same partner, or else it will continue to be difficult to write on your own because the agent/manager won’t really be able to use that script effectively.

Think about it this way. Imagine a writing team is a car. One writer is the engine and the other writer is the body exterior. Together, they run and look great. OK, now they want to go on their own. Take away the engine or take away the body exterior. Will that car be the same?

Bottom line, there are pros and cons about writing a script with somebody else, but make sure you think long term. Whatever you decide, try and stick to it. And like I mentioned in previous blogs, there are always going to be exceptions to this, but for the most part, this is the general rule of thumb.

This is a pretty extensive topic, and it can be one of the most important one’s you will need to know. I’m also pretty sure, by the end of this blog, I’ll have several screenwriters upset, but once again, I’m giving you my opinion and that of my peers on the representation side of the business.

What script to write? Well, I wish I had a magic 8 ball so I could feed all my clients stories to write. Unfortunately, I don’t, and also, i’m not a writer and I don’t pretend to be. I just know what has the best chances to sell out there and what is already out in the marketplace.

For all of you new writers, don’t worry, this is the hardest part of the business. In fact, it is so hard, that even established writers have a tough time with this. Ok, so lets get back to answering what type of screenplay you should write. There is one key word that you are going to hear just about every agent or manager say. COMMERCIAL. Yep. Now what exactly does commercial mean? There is a long answer and there is a short one. Here is the short one: it’s the type of movie that has the best box office number over the weekend. Now I know there are going to be a lot of you screenwriters out there saying, “COMMERCIAL? Forget it, I’m not going to give in to Hollywood, I won’t conform, I will continue to write my oscar award winning movie and prove everyone wrong.” I expect this. And if you are saying this to yourself right now, and you aren’t willing to change, then you might as well continue your day job, because chances are, you won’t become a professional writer.

Now before you start throwing rocks at the screen, hear me out. I’m not saying there shouldn’t be small, independent and dramtic films out there. There should. And as a matter of fact, I represent client’s that write these. But remember one thing, at the end of the day this is a business. These small personal movies don’t make the agents or managers that much money, and they take a lot of sweat and tears to get off the ground. We can work for years on putting these projects together, and at the end, most of them will fall apart last minute. The few that actually get made, are really a stroke of luck. But in every agent and manager’s view, was this long grueling road worth it? Was putting an independent film for 5 million dollars, and getting the writer 2.5% of that budget with a ceiling the same as getting the writer a blockbuster film? Unless it wins an oscar, many agents and managers will have a tough time taking on new clients in this genre.

Every agent and manager probably has 5% to 10% of their business with these type of writers. So the chances of an agent or manager signing you off a screenplay like this is very very slim. Remember, we have to make money.

So here’s my advice. Give in. Write a commercial script. Then once you are successful, go work on your passion project. But if you don’t write a screenplay that can make an agent or manager money, then don’t look for one. You will continue writing these scripts, and will contine doing so for a long long time with few results.

So back to the original question. What type and genre to write. Hollywood goes through cycles. Some cycles, the studios don’t want teen movies, other times that’s all they want. Sometimes they want romantic comedies, other time they don’t. Horror, etc., etc., you get the picture. So once you want to give in to Hollywood, then what do you write? Here’s a trick. Go read what is being released by the studios. For example, if you see that there is going to be a big blockbuster being released that is family adventure, then it would be good if you wrote one of those. Aside from this trick, there are some genre’s you just can’t go wrong with. Thrillers and comedy.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Remember, there are unique situations as well, and you might be lucky enough to be one of those. To sum all this up, there was a recent speech Mark Gill gave on the industry. I’m sure you can google it and it will pop up. Read it. He basically explains the current film situation for smaller independent films. In summary, not good. So do yourself a favor and write big.

Let’s start off this blog with the most popular question I get. There is not one right way to get one. I’ve seen writers get signed for all kinds of reasons.

The most important thing is talent. If you are really an amazing writer, don’t worry, agents and managers will come to you.

If you are a good or decent writer, you can still get signed. Yes, it’s true! If you are a good in a room, that is a huge benefit. Let me put it to you this way. I would rather sign a decent writer who is amazing in a room, over a talented writer who is a dud in a room. Remember, being a writer is a job after all. When you are put up for writing assignments and meet with executives for rewrite jobs, executives want to work with people they will get along with.

Most writers make getting an agent or manager their focus. Trust me, if you write a great script, an agent or manager will come to you. If this has not happened yet, and you have had your script out in the world for a long time…go back and do more work on your script. Focus on writing rather than getting repped.

So if you really think your script is amazing and you don’t have an agent or manager there are several ways to expose yourself to the entertainment community. You can try what most writers do and submit query letters. Don’t send query letters by snail mail. No one reads those. Well, maybe the interns do, and they make fun and keep the worst ones to share around the office. Sometimes, if your script has a real catchy logline, then you can try email, but most agents and managers will delete after reading the subject line. At this point, my eyes are trained to delete query emails the same way I’ve been trained to delete viagra emails. In my opinion, one of the best ways for a brand new writer to get exposure is to submit your screenplay to screenwriting festivals. A good one is the Nicholl Screenwriting Fellowship. You may not get many agents calling you, but if your script is good, you will get managers and smaller producers calling you. They have more time to read these scripts and they will request the top 5 scripts of the competition. Once this happens, your script will make it’s way around town, maybe not the right way, but you need to start somewhere.

There are many other ways to access a rep. Try interning for a management company, agency or reputable production company. You can be a reader and do work for free. After you read enough scripts, the manager or agent will be more than happy to read your script! If you do happen to live in Los Angeles, being in the right social circles helps. You can meet plenty of managers and agents at parties, and more than likely they will be drunk…they will agree to read your script.

Above are the best ways I think to access agents and managers. Just remember, in the end, it’s an organic process, if you have an amazing script, you will have agents and managers knocking on your door.

Here is a quick summary of ways to get an agent or manager:

• Submit your screenplay to screenwriting festivals.
• Intern for an agency, reputable management firm or production company.
• Attend entertainment mixers and parties. Get business cards and send them scripts the following week.
• Meet other writers who have agents. They can send your script to their own agent.
• Send email queries (low percentage unless your logline is amazing).