John August

Film Industry

MPAA numbers

Film Industry, QandA

I know about WGA and Library of Congress copyright registration, but someone
told me that films also get MPAA numbers on the scripts? Is this true?

–V. Thomas

You don’t need to worry about this. Really. Ever. At all. I’ve made a couple
of big studio movies, and I’ve never seen an MPAA number on anything.
But since you’re curious, I’ll tell you a bit about the the magic numbers.

The MPAA is a trade organization made up of
the seven major film studios: Fox, Warner Bros., Sony, MGM, Disney, Universal
and Paramount. While these studios compete fiercely with each other, they work
together through the MPAA on issues of common interest, such as preventing
piracy, maintaining copyright, and establishing ratings. The MPAA — specifically
its president, Jack Valenti — is the "face" of the film industry
to Congress.

Way down on the list of MPAA responsibilities is the job of keeping track
of its members’ movies, for all sorts of internal reasons. That’s when a movie
is assigned a number, which is probably the same "MPAA number" your
friend saw on a script.

It’s nothing a screenwriter ever needs to worry about, but now you know.

Do I show my scripts or my short?

Film Industry, QandA

I have just finished my first feature APPLESEED LAKE which
I wrote/directed/produced on a very low budget. I am now at the stage where
I am preparing
to show it to people whilst at the same time writing my follow up script. Would
it help me get (writing) representation by showing agents the finished film?
Or should I just stick to showing prospective agents scripts that I have written?

–Peter

If you’re interested in both writing and directing, you’ll obviously want
to find an agent who handles both fields. Both your screenplay and your feature
will be important at some stage.

Because of the time commitment involved, not many agents are apt to pop in
a videotape to check out a low-budget movie from someone they’ve never heard
of. The odds of suckage are just too high. They are, however, more likely to
crack open a script. Your instincts are right.

If your film gets into some festivals, however, that can be a great way to
get the process started. Say an agent sees your film and introduces herself.
That’s a tremendous opportunity to talk about the scripts you’ve written and
offer one to read. Most writer/directors at a film festival don’t have representation
going in, and smart agents will always be looking for new talent.

Moving to Hollywood

Film Industry, QandA

My question involves networking.
I’m at the level where most of my trusted, objective readers agree I have a
legitimate shot, but I live far from Hollywood. Time and again I hear how important
it is to network to get one’s work in the hands of the industry players, but
I don’t have access, being so far away (DC). Do you have any good ideas about
how to make such connections apart from simply relocating to LA?

–Robert Remy

Unfortunately, I don’t have any brilliant suggestions. Outside of a few screenwriter-specific
competitions, such as the Nichols Fellowship or the Austin Film Festival’s
screenwriting awards, the kind of networking you’re talking about relies on
some face-to-face interaction, and that’s pretty much impossible if you’re
in the wrong city.

If you’re trying to make Hollywood movies, this may be the time to move to
LA. If it’s independent films you aspire to, you may find just as many opportunities
in New York, Austin, Seattle, San Francisco or other metropolitan cities. The
Baltimore/D.C. area does have a film community (we used a crew based there
for my television show), so it’s even possible you could make a movie right
where you live.

But I suspect it’s big movies you’re talking about, and big movies require
big money, which pretty much means LA. Some of the bigger screenwriters live
outside of Southern California, but most of them started their careers here
or in New York. If you’ve done everything you can in D.C., consider whether
you feel ready to make the move.

Male vs. Female lead

Film Industry, QandA

I am writing
a script that could have either a male or female lead. I need to make the decision
because it will either be the mother or father of the central figure. It is
a futuristic action script. I have outlined it and completed drafts both ways.
If all things are equal, is a Male or Female action lead easier to sell?

–David

Male. Which is stupid and wrong.

I’m currently working on an action script that has a male lead. Since I haven’t
pitched the story to anyone, I could easily change him to a her. I’ve thought
about it many times: it would be an interesting if somewhat arbitrary change.
Yet in the back of my mind, I know that having a female lead would cap the
budget at a lower level than the male equivalent, and since the nature of
the movie is hellaciously expensive, I worry it might not get made at all.

So he stays a man, and the stupid and wrong Hollywood system is perpetuated.
Although, in my defense, I wrote both CHARLIE’S ANGELS movies, so I might get
off the hook.