How To Sell Your Screenplay In 8 Not So Easy Steps (pt.3)
Here’s the final part of our series of posts on how to sell your script.
Step 7. Send out your screenplay
Armed with your list of managers, producers and leads from people you know in the industry, it’s now, finally, time to get that puppy out there!
In order of preference, we suggest the following steps:
1) Give your script to someone you know (or someone a friend knows) in the industry.
2) Call the producer / manager and request to send in your script.
3) Email / snail mail the producer / manager and request to send in your script.
4) At the same time as doing one or two of the above, submit your script to showcase websites, such as InkTip.
The number one golden rule in sending out your script is: Never Send Your Screenplay To Someone Who Hasn’t Asked To Read It.
The second golden rule to requesting a submission is finding out what the company’s submission policy is, and then adhering to it.
The third golden rule is to keep your query brief and professional; whether it’s a call or an email or a letter.
Step 8. Sit back and wait… Then, repeat
Resist the temptation AT ALL COSTS to leap on the phone after three days, call all the companies you queried and demand to know why they haven’t yet responded to your masterpiece.
If they don’t get in touch, they’re not interested. However, there are a number of possible favorable responses to your query:
1) A request to read a synopsis. Great, send it in!
2) A request to read the script. Even better! Ask them their submission policy and then send that bad boy in!
3) A pass on the script you sent in, but a request to read something else. In this case you should ask whether they want to read a synopsis or the whole script, and send it in.
After receiving one of the three responses above, in this case it’s permissible to follow up your submission after a couple of months . Again, keep the query to the point, friendly and professional.
And then, wait… But while you wait, you should be writing, honing your craft, networking and sending out new queries.
If you hear absolutely nothing favorable about your work after sending it out, then it may be time to concentrate on trying to get your craft up to standard.
There are no guarantees in this business, but eventually, if your work is good, and you diligently follow these eight steps, you will sell your screenplay.
