I have a spec script I would like to send to some producers. I have read conflicting information online as to what should be included. For those of us who don’t have an agent, definitely include an address and a phone number. But what about an email? And WGA registration information? A copyright notice?
I read that it looks amateurish to put WGA information on the title page. If not there, where would it go? Thanks!
— Mike
Fargo, ND
You never need to put WGA registration numbers on the title page (or anywhere else on the script). And while legally it could be helpful to include a copyright notice, no one ever does this.
Check through any of the .pdfs in the Library, and you’ll see that title pages are kept minimal: the name of the script, your name, based on (if any), and the date.1
If it’s truly a spec script — and you’re not sure who will ultimately be reading it — then add contact information in the bottom-left corner. To me, an email address is plenty, but add a phone number if you like.
I don’t see the point of including a street or postal address. Are you expecting guests or flowers?
There has traditionally been a bias against phone numbers outside LA’s traditional 213, 323 and 818 area codes. I think that’s fading as people hold onto cell phones and Google Voice numbers. But I’ll always harbor doubts about anyone with a Hotmail, AOL or RoadRunner address.
If you have an embarrassing email address, get something staid and boring at Gmail.
- It’s common practice to bump the dates on spec scripts up so that they don’t appear “old.” ↩