What everyone’s trying to tell you is that you don’t understand this business. They’re doing their best to try to help you out and YOU keep missing the point and having little temper tantrums when people don’t buy your premise. The truth is, what you are asking doesn’t make a lick of sense in light of how this business actually works. This is a business. Your question is sort of like asking, “what if I just want to build one house – I’m passionate about it – but I really don’t want to build any others.” Well, okay, if your’e willing to invest in architecture school and all of that to build that one house, more power to you. And getting a movie made is as big an endeavor (actually, bigger).

Feel free to write your screenplay. When you’re done, get an agent (who, by the way, will not be interested in representing someone who doesn’t want a career). Then, if you get an agent, he/she will send the script out to people who might buy it and/or help it along the road to getting made. Of course, odds are, nothing will happen, but if you’re lucky, you’ll find a producer who is as in love with the project as you are and who is therefore willing to fight for it. The other route, which almost never works, is to hustle your ass off to meet producers who might be as passionate as you are and to see if they will be willing to help you get it to the screen. Your best bet will be producers who have studio deals with discretionary funds. Of course, most of them won’t talk to you unless you come through an agent. But who knows, maybe you’ll find a way… And note this: when/if you do get your project to the screen, chances are you won’t be the only credited writer (in fact, depending on how good you actual are at screenwriting, you might not be credited at all). At the end of the day, if your script doesn’t work, any producer who gets involved will hire other writers who can deliver a script worth investing in. For all I know, you might be a brilliant screenwriter, but first-time screenwriters rarely are. Why? Because, it takes time to develop any craft, and screenwriting is not the same as novel-writing or non-fiction writing. Each has it’s own demands and very few people work in multiple mediums well.

I only asked because it seemed like knowledgeable people might be able to help with little nuggets of wisdom. But really, I think you’re right and I think that I know what else I need to know about targeting the right people and so forth.

That one legged blind midget plague movie sounds good, are you going to write it? :)

From what I’ve seen it doesn’t matter if a great script is fringe, edgy, dark, twisted, bizarre, non commercial. If it is really really good then people will respond to it. It may sell, though never get made, and at the very least you’ll get meetings/assignments off of it. I don’t care if you write a script that is set during the Black Plague about a 1 legged blind midget who dreams of bigger things. If it is a great script with great writing it will get noticed and move forward in some manner.

If you have no interest in being a screenwriter but simply have 1 idea that you think is amazing and you want to see it on the big screen. Go ahead and write it, but if your just looking to make one big sale…then I wouldn’t bother.

I was asking for a little suspension of disbelief. My question was if the finished screenplay happened to be good, but it was a tough sell because of the kind of things discussed above (too racy, edgy, fringe, etc) then what would someone do if the screenplay was truly a work of passion and not one of many different types of screenplays that the author was interested in writing.

Clearly, the answer “don’t write it in the first place, just get an agent to find a writer based on the (racy, edgy, fringe) idea” doesn’t help.

(Again, I have always been a writer so I might end up writing a bunch of others, but this is besides the point).

This subject area is my passion, and I write about it in non-fiction form regularly. I happen to be more drawn to the screenplay format than the novel format, and my screenplay is actually based on a novel. I am possessed by writing it and work on it every day. I am not against getting help from a professional screenwriter, however handing over a treatment and outline to an agent is even less realistic than the idea that I might produce a decent first screenplay.

My plan is to get through a couple drafts and then begin looking for sympathetic screenwriters as well as sympathetic agents, production houses etc. Once I feel confident enough in my draft, I can get help from professionals. I’ve always been told I need professional help, so thats no big shock :)

You won’t convince me to give up writing, so you can stop trying. I was just looking for a little practical advice similar to what Rodney was asking, but when the subject matter is what is edgy and the subject matter is also of primary importance to the writer.

Paula’s post is very well put; she knows what she’s talking about.

liberty,

If you’re not a screenwriter and you have little or no ambition to be one, but you have a ‘great idea and subject for a movie that you’ve been researching’, I guess I would try to get an agent at one of the big five agencies to look at it. Then the agent could put you with a client who could help you get the idea set up and put into development somewhere–the client being a writer or a producer.

But when you approach the agent, don’t present yourself as a writer. Present yourself as an expert in this field you’ve been researching, and have something to show the agent what you’re envisioning–a treatment, an outline, background info on the subject that frames it in a cinematic way, or some sort of combination.

And don’t call big agents. If you’re going to cold call, find out who the lit department coordinators are at the agencies and hit them up. They’re junior-level agents who are looking to get promoted, so they’re the ones more likely to be scouting for projects/material to work on. Send a fax or email first, to introduce yourself and say why you’re contacting him, and what you want. It’s better to send something in advance of a phone call, otherwise it’s a longer conversation that you’re trying to hurry along.

You know, “Hi, my name’s liberty, I’m a scientist and I’ve been researching a subject that I think would make for a great movie, if I could just have a minute of your time, I…”

Agents hate that phone call.

I tried to frame my question to avoid that obvious answer. That is why I said “assume honesty” etc. I can get that answer a dime a dozen. That isn’t what I was asking. I was asking what to do in the event that (wild fantasy, I know) the script is actually good.

Because you are pushing for it, I will give you my defense of my position. First of all, I didn’t say “someone who has never written anything before, is only writing one screenplay ever, etc.” What I said was “someone not interesting in writing lots of screenplays for money, but has one Magnum Opus.” There is a big difference.

What I am talking about is a professional in another area who is knowledgeable and wants to put to paper this major idea. Sometimes this can be someone who had a major life experience and works with a professional screenwriter to get this experience onto paper (but is talented enough to help) but other times, this is a historian or scientist or something who also has a knack for writing. A lot of professionals in other areas write books- many are nonfiction, but many read like a good novel. They often do this without a writers help, or without very much help from a professional writer.

I have been researching an area for several years, it is my passion, my love. I have also always considered myself a writer and have written in various formats (poetry, fiction, non-fiction) and have attempted screenplays a couple of times before, but aborted the process early on because I knew that the idea wasn’t solid and I wasn’t passionate enough about it to finish it. Now that I have a solid idea which is based on this area that I have been researching for its own sake, it is pouring out of me and I know that I will complete it.

Will I start another one as soon as this is finished (or even before)? Yes, maybe. I don’t know. However, I have no interest in running off to Hollywood to try to make it big. I am not interested in screenwriting for screenwriting’s sake. I am interested in getting my baby onto the screen – the story that I want to tell. This thing inside me that I will fight to the death to get onto the page and then fight another lifetime if necessary to get onto the screen.

So, now that I have wasted everyone’s time defending my position, would you do me the favor of answering my original question?

Thank you.

I happened to randomly come across an old Hollywood Reporter article that illustrates the point, using Little Miss Sunshine as an example. You can check it out at http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/contentdisplay/features/columns/riskybusiness/e3if6f6d214a3f51357145ade0208961a18. There’s also a story behind Being John Malkevich, Forest Gump, Go (as John mentioned) and the list goes on.

Good luck!

From my experience — they are giving you an excuse.

Simple — make a list of all the movies and DVDs similar to your script and find out the producers/directors and production houses involved and give that list to your agent. If he’s not motivated, then hire a manager or do it yourself. That’s what I’m doing.

If you have an aggressive, well written gritty dark script — it will be made, maverick directors are always looking for these scripts.

You ever thought of turning your script into a graphic novel and grow a fanbase?

Best of luck, Benjamin

It’s unlikely you’ll get your script made if you’re just ‘dabbling’ in screenwriting (i.e. you only have one script). And I doubt it could be a very good script–any good at all, honestly–if that’s all you ever even intend to write.

Good and great writers are brimming with ideas, and are possessed to write them. They have no choice. Writing chose them, they didn’t choose it. It’s part of your core, your identity.

People move to LA and spend years writing scripts and trying to get them made–more than years, decades and lifetimes, even. If you just have one script, if you don’t intend to write any more, if you’re not in LA, then you’re not really trying, you’re just dreaming, and I don’t see it happening for you. In terms of percentages, you need to be here, you need relationships, and you need to FIGHT.

Essentially, you’re competing with people who’ve dedicated their whole lives to the craft and business of screenwriting, so you’re unlikely to outmatch them. Unless you’re a prodigy and an outright genius.

There are prodigy geniuses out there–Travis Beacham and his script KILLING ON CARNIVAL ROW, for example. But most writers aren’t–they’re working class guys/girls who have to kick, scratch and claw for everything.

If you only have one script, and all your eggs are in that one basket, then you’re not serious about screenwriting, you’re not serious about the business, and you just like the ‘idea’ of getting your script made, but you’re ignoring the reality of it.

It’s like you’re trying to play in the NFL, but you never played high school or college football, and your workout regimen is a 45 minute rapid-walk in the morning before you go to work.

Time will tell if I was right with my decision , we start filming in a few days.

GPSchnyder

Since you seem to know all about this, I have a question. What if you are a screenwriter who is not really trying to “get in the business” in the sense that you describe. For example, rather than getting writing jobs and selling several scripts, what if you are more interested in getting one major Magnum Opus sold and it is this script that is described as “too bold” or “too fringe” or something, but is (lets assume for the moment, honestly) respected as good writing? In this case, what would you suggest?

Obviously, one could go to fringe indie producers, or more specifically, find people who are sympathetic to the style, subject matter, etc in question. Do you have any other suggestions?