for some examples, take a look at what is happening over on http://www.moviestorm.co.uk with amateurs using a great little freeware tool to make short movies. If you want to make a feature, just edit the scenes together :-)

Most directors can’t write at all. That’s why they’ll pay you a lot for a script. There aren’t many good projects around.

But getting in- it hurts, it hurts so bad, but you have to let that first one go.

Don’t change it to try to make it something it isn’t. Nothing ever works out that way unless you are writing high-concept mindless stuff, and I don’t think the people who do that think it’s dumbed down. I think they think that’s great, that’s their palette and they love it. Just be who you are.

Tarantino sold the first 3, each one a heartbreak.

The person who said make it cheap is 100% right.

You have to get some kind of a reel together. A doc, a small feature, shorts, videos, something.

Keep going. This conversation inspired me.

It is worth the struggle.

For an actor, insist on being attached! You can’t write another you into existence.

@Nick

Why not sell this one, gaining invaluable experience and exposure, while writing another one to direct?

Yes, a strong short film can help you. I knew this and was in the middle of post producing an ambitious short at the time of my script’s flurry of interest. A few things I now call life lessons occurred: I needed a lot of money right away to finish said ambitious short and didn’t have it. I wasn’t willing to show other shorts I’d directed because I’m a perfectionist and thought them too scrappy looking to show around. I decided to tough it out and go in to meetings without a resume or reel – just the script that they liked.

And then suddenly nothing happened.

I said tense is everything – okay – and timing is everything too. If I had my short film completed and ready to show – that would have illustrated my ambitions. I’ve learned that telling people you’re a born director doesn’t mean to them what it means to you. There’s the chance that your script is so flat out amazing and perfect for the production company that they are willing to let you direct. (Banking on that chance is not highly recommended.)

You sound like you’re doing everything right. Your film is doing the festival circuit and hopefully garnering some attention/awards. You have a hot script ready to shop. (best case scenario: your script bares a resemblance to your short – at least thematically)

Should I have waited to shop until I had script and short in hand? I think so. You’re asking for two jobs and you need all of the proof you can muster to make them see that as not so crazy. But I’m not out of the game and I didn’t crust over and anger (in spite of the wizard that wuz line above…) I know that when I sit down at my keyboard to write – I’m not dancing for my own enjoyment. (that ain’t it kid) There are others who like what I write and that makes me not so crazy for continuing. A damned relief. I will be in that enviable position again. And like I said, tenacity is everything.

1. Do you think it would have made a difference if you had a strong short that you had directed on hand to hold up as evidence of your directing style, facility with actors, previously produced work, etc?

2. Or did either of you have a strong short in hand, and/or what, in your estimation, would have made the difference to the companies you were dealing with? A microbudget feature? Having directed music videos, or episodic television? What more could you have brought to the table, besides being a known quantity as a commercial feature director, that would have had people willing to attach you to your great scripts?

I’m very interested to hear what you think. In case you’re wondering, yes, I’m working on what I think will be a strong, original spec, and yes, I have a strong short in hand on the festival circuit right now.

People congratulated me on my focus and determination. While I struggled to land financing (I had it three times and lost it that many) another film was produced and released that was just similar enough in plot to weaken my pitch.

I’ve given much thought to that choice – those sleepless nights you know. How I view it now? I have more than one original script in me. If a firm offer comes my way for one of them – sold. Move on to the next one. There’s no reason why you can’t write a script that sells and one for yourself to seek financing on. I’ll temper that with this: If your original script is getting hot notices – I wouldn’t be inclined to commercialize it and soften it to mush. Those edges were probably what they fell in love with whether they even know it or not. Stay opinionated on your work.

It’s true, I wasn’t offered a directing job and that’s what this was all about for me but I could have made contacts at the production company that would have made my film. I may have been in a better position the next time around to hold out for directing.

Every deal and offer is its own thing so my commiserating and hand wringing may not be your experience at all. I think it’s valuable though to see how one such scenario played out. Best of luck to you – an original voice will always find its way.