LA is like a war zone: there are gang drive-by shootings, violent car-jackings and high speed car chases beamed into our homes real-time by news helicopters on the prowl. However, what is not seen is the emotional slaughter of aspiring writers and actors who pour by the hundreds into Hollywood daily, all high on dreams of stardom, imbued with talent, drive, and chutzpah only to be bloodied and discarded by a callous and indifferent system. So, knowing this, how can you avoid becoming part of the carnage? Politics and perseverance. Plain and simple...and maybe a few tricks.
First of all, part of perseverance is continuing to hone your craft (writing on a daily basis, reading scripts, studying books on screenwriting, etc. and playing the political game). Honing one’s skills is a given, and I assume that all serious writers are doing this, but the politics part is incredibly ethereal. I devoted six years to studying this subject by interviewing successful writers, producers, and agents. And I published the interviews in the UCLA Writer’s Block newsletter and later in a book, “The Screenwriting Life.” I also have six years experience working at Paramount Pictures in the Network Television Business Affairs and Legal departments. I will tell you what I’ve learned about the system and how it works here at Paramount in Network TV. Features is still kind of an anomaly to me, but I will pass on what little I know.
Series TV has a very clear writer/producer hierarchy, and once you get inside (the big trick) you can move quickly through the first four steps (a year at each step from staff writer through Co-producer). It goes something like this (The numbers quoted here are 2000/2001 numbers and apply to both half-hour sitcoms and one-hour drama series.):
1. Staff Writer (Pay is WGA Scale based on weeks worked, such as $2,641/week for 20 week minimum. Scripts are credited against salary.)
2. Story Editor (WGA Scale is based on weeks worked, such as $4,309 for 20 week minimum. Script fees are on top of weekly compensation from this level up.)
3. Executive Story Editor (Year 3: $9,500/episode.)
4. Co-Producer (Year 4: $9,500/episode and up.)
5. Producer ($9,500/episode and up.)
6. Co-Executive Producer ($10,000/episode and up.)
7. Executive Producer ($30,000/episode and up + profits.)
8. Executive Producer/Show Runner ($30,000/episode and up + profits.)
Although a new writer can potentially advance to co-producer within 4 years, it’s not a guarantee of any kind. Each production year, the studio (who actually hires the staff) has the option to rehire the writer. Once you get on a show, there is no guarantee that you will be picked-up year after year (assuming there are subsequent years). And in my 6 years at Paramount, there have been a number of situations where options have not been exercised, and writer/producers have been dropped mid-season because “they weren’t working out.” But assuming you do advance, after reaching the co-producer level progress up the hierarchy ladder slows. Some never get beyond co-producer. But then a mid-level co-producer can make very good money ($9,500 x 22 or more episodes + 2 or more scripts), we’re talking about the $300,000 neighborhood. So that’s not too bad.
The big question is: How do I get a staff gig? The truth is that it’s extremely difficult (duh). It’s mostly who you know, or more importantly who knows you (double duh). Here at Paramount we have Creative Executives who help develop and nurture shows. Included in their numerous duties is the search for new writers and directors. Agents submit writing samples from their crop of freshman writers, and the Creative Execs wade through these scripts and from those make recommendations to the shows. Simultaneously, show staffs search for prospective writer/producers from their own resources (writers/friends who are out of work and writers who are recommended to them by other respected industry contacts/friends). In the end, it’s the show’s executive producer who tells the studio who to hire.
When an existing show is picked up for another season, most of the writer/producers are going be picked-up, leaving only one or two entry level slots and maybe a lone gap in the upper levels to be filled. Considering the huge pool of aspiring TV writers, the odds are against you, the unknown newbie. There is a sea of out-of-work, experienced TV writers vying for slots. So, you’d better learn to love politics. You’d better be networking your ass off and finding ways to get some exposure. And you’d better have an incredible sample script. The competition is too great. Anything less will not make it.
Now, as most of you know, it’s useless to fire off that awesome spec script to your favorite show because as a rule they won’t read it. It will be returned unread with a letter from the legal department saying they can’t read it, and here’s one example of why. One of the show runners I interviewed related this story to me, and it’s the kind of situation that has forced the studios to implement the “no read” policy.
The show runner had a nanny who pleaded repeatedly to pitch a story for his current series, and eventually he gave in and she was given an opportunity (it’s who you know). To his surprise, instead of a pitch, she came in with a spec script. Well, the co-executive producer was tasked with reading it, and found it completely unusable. The nanny was disappointed but accepted the judgment. Later that year, the show was sued by a man claiming they used his idea. It turns out that the claimant was a man who typed the script. He provided no creative input, he simply transcribed what the nanny had handwritten or verbally relayed to him. Yet, he found an attorney to forward his case. This is how insane things can be.
| The agent system is in place to protect the professional writer as well as the studio/show. |
What inspired the suit was that the series aired an episode that took place in the same setting as the nanny’s story (namely a circus). The nanny’s story line had nothing to do with the produced episode (except that the events in both stories took place in a circus setting). Further, the produced episode came from a freelance writer who pitched and wrote a completely original idea. Well, the studio concluded that it would be cheaper to pay this person off than take him to court, where they would certainly win, but it would cost them time and money.
It’s situations like this that have driven the studios to implement a policy of never reading (or listening to) unsolicited material. The agent system is in place to protect the professional writer as well as the studio/show. When an agent sets up a meeting they document the meeting and what is discussed, and some will even attend. Then in the future if there is a question about the origin of idea, there is documentation. FYI, the nanny was devastated when she heard about the suit. She was not a party to it and got nothing out of the process. Talk about being double screwed.
Bottom line, if a script is not submitted through the proper channels, it will be returned unread. [Note: there are a couple shows that do accept unsolicited scripts. One is the Star Trek franchise. But they have a specific system and procedures for accepting these scripts. To learn more, check out the official Star Trek web site or my book to get the info. I’m assuming that the new Star Trek series will be accepting scripts, but I don’t know this for sure. I believe that in the WGA magazine (“Written By”) those shows that do accept unsolicited material are indicated. There are only a couple.]
How do you break into this system? How do you get read? Well, get to know people personally (agents, producers, WRITERS, etc.). Don’t overlook fellow writers; they can be your greatest resource. I regularly refer writers with feature specs to independent readers, and I’m currently talking with Script magazine about adding a web page to their site (http://www.scriptmag.com) that will have contacts to some of these readers. But your first line of attack is through personal contacts. If you persevere at making contacts, you will find a hole in the wall. However, expect this process to take a lot of work and a whole lot of time.
| If you are an outsider without any contacts, you will have to go to a lot of parties and attend a lot of gatherings to make contacts that can open doors for you. |
I don’t consider this pejorative. I absolutely love meeting and talking with industry people. Back in Maryland, where I come from, no one understood my attraction to Hollywood. I had few people to talk to about my passion to write. But here, I’m surrounded by people with the same artistic affection. And it’s exciting to spend time with people who have that same energy and excitement for filmmaking. It’s infectious. Most never lose that childlike enthusiasm no matter how long they’re been here, whether they are very successful or not.
Look at Lew. Look at his incredible history and success. He could retire and very comfortably sit back at his home in Nebraska. But no, he and Pamela have something inside that compel them to embrace new writers, new adventures and to help old friends. They are breaking new ground in Europe, working with emerging and established writing programs. This is what I consider the Hollywood personality. They have a zest for life and for artistic pursuits.
So if you are an outsider without any contacts, you will have to go to a lot of parties and attend a lot of gatherings to make contacts that can open doors for you. Lew’s support for my desire to produce the newsletter and his personal help to get those first interviews changed my life. Lately, I’ve made a lot of contacts at a local café in Studio City, just a block from my house. So get out there and meet people. And you can do it online. The WGA has an “Online Mentor Service and FAQ” where seasoned writers will answer questions from just about anyone. They have a list of people and their specialties, and you can email them. I did and got some great advice on writing for TV.
Again, my point is persevere! Try hard enough and you will make a contact through which you can get read without being represented. So get to know people. And you better have great stuff to back up the opportunity or it will be your last shot. Turn in something half baked, and that contact is dead. If you were that nanny and you actually had talent, you may have made a sale.
I currently put my material through the “The Writers Group.” It’s a group of writers, actors, producers and directors who meet every Wednesday from 7-10 PM at the Two Roads Theater in Studio City. Each night about 25-30 people show up, and on a typical night, 4 writers get to present 30 minutes of original material. If it’s a play or screenplay, the writer will cast it with the actors in the group. They take seats on the stage and read 30 pages with a narrator tackling all the non-dialogue business.
After the reading, the actors step down and the writer takes the stage with a moderator and gets 15 minutes of feedback. Hearing your words read aloud is amazing. You instantly know when dialogue is not working. FYI, the actors are SAG and have a ton of training, they’re working professionals who come to work on cold reading skills. And while some actors are not familiar with structure, they know character and can have great insights when it comes to this. And when people unanimously agree that there is something not working in your story or characters, it may simply be that you have not properly conveyed what’s in your head. It’s a great proving ground.
I advise that if you don’t have a group like this, form your own. Many very successful writers rely on a small 3 or 4 person writers group. They will meet, read each other’s material and offer comments and encouragement. Build these support cells into your life. Find people who will offer positive constructive criticism and support. You’ll be surprised at how buoying it will be to your efforts to stay afloat in this ocean filled with sharks (negative reviews) and other deadly currents (the naysayers) that threaten to drag you under.
OK, getting back on track. Another avenue is through film schools. Here you hone skills and make contacts. Again, your classmates will become one of your most prolific resources. Then, after completing the program, whether it’s a masters program, certificate course, or other continuing education course, use your affiliation with these institutions or groups to get meetings. If you attended UCLA, look for graduates from UCLA who are in the system. Write or call them and ask for a meeting to discuss “career strategies.” Some will respond favorably. Most probably won’t, but this is a numbers game. Knock on enough doors and some will open. Just get in the door and see where it leads.
| When contacting agents, keep in mind that you’re entering a war zone where they take no prisoners. If you don’t want to get shot down, arm and protect yourself with knowledge and skill. |
I created an opportunity by producing a UCLA sponsored newsletter and used that to meet people and interview them. Hey, it worked and will still work. I made tons of contacts and got some incredible inside information. And later when I had a polished script to go out with, I got read by some of those interviewees.
If you’re not in LA and there is no local screenwriters group, start one of your own. Create a newsletter and write for it. Create your opportunities. Again, if you’re not in LA, write to people in LA and ask for phone interviews or email interviews. Then when you do get to Hollywood, ask these people for an opportunity to come by for a couple minutes just to “put a face with the voice.” Hollywood, can be receptive and open if you use a little foreplay.
Agents do respond to query letters (maybe not as often as the non-represented community would like, but they do) so get those letters out there and make them clear, concise and topical. Don’t waste the paper if all you are going to say is that you have a script that is a guaranteed blockbuster. Learn how to write a meaningful query letter. Keep in mind that you’re entering a war zone where they take no prisoners. If you don’t want to get shot down, arm and protect yourself with knowledge and skill.
One absolute about this business, you must build up a thick skin to rejection. What one person rejects as tripe and trash, another may treasure. Not all readers are created equal. Too many readers have no training. Many are acquaintances of producers who landed a reading gig. Way too many have zero screenwriting training. They’ve never read a screenwriting book nor attended a course and have no idea what structure is or what a genre means. So don't take rejection too personally. I have a feature script that Paramount (my home) read upon request from Howard Koch, Sr. (a VIP producer whom I met on the lot one day and got to meet with for 30 minutes, which led to submitting my script to him). Anyway, the coverage basically said my script wasn’t worth the paper it was written on.
| In small, intimate settings, producers, agents, managers, development execs, etc. are more likely to stick around afterwards and talk one-on-one with attendees. |
Well, within months, several other independent studios had read this same script, and most liked it. And here at Paramount, a major action producer on lot read the script and based on the writing invited me to pitch other stories. The VP of development called me after reading the script and the first words out of his mouth were, “You definitely have it as a writer.” So don’t take negative feedback personally. If it’s constructive criticism and it’s valid, address it, make changes. But every person will have a different take on your story and will come at it with a different need. You have to judge when changes are truly needed and when it’s just a difference of opinion.
Months later, an independent producer read and loved that same script. They immediately optioned it and attached a director. They sent it out to A-list actors and quickly found some serious interest. The script made the Hollywood Reporter twice, but eventually the producers couldn’t nail down the talent they wanted at the price they wanted and the funding fell through (actually, it went to another production).
During the summer of 2000, there was a frenzy to rush scripts into production to finish prior to the potential writers and actors strike. That made the marketplace extremely volatile. Actors were getting unbelievable money offers. You see the money people are less concerned with a great story and more concerned with who is attached. But that too is another article. At the moment, my script is in limbo, it’s not quite dead, but the pulse is thready. However, the important point is that it got into the production pipeline, and I used the hell out of that to get meetings elsewhere and to make more contacts. Strike when the iron is hot.
If you get rejected what can you do? Well, to begin with, you write another script. I’ve worked on several since the start of that activity with my script. I used the attention to get pitch meetings with other production companies. Most execs who read the script were at least impressed with the writing, if not the story. And based on the writing, they invited me to pitch. Now I have dozens of doors open to submit whatever I write. And I am working on just that.
How did I get meetings with development execs and producers without an agent? Well, besides contacts from the newsletter interview process, I attended every small writers group with speakers that I could find. I discovered that producers, agents, managers, development execs, etc. speak to all kinds of groups, even the small groups. And in these small, intimate settings these speakers are more likely to stick around afterwards and talk one-on-one with attendees.
| An average writer with good people skills will go further faster that a brilliant writer who sits at home in a vacuum. |
In just about every case, after chatting with the person and making a positive impression, I asked and got a chance to submit my material. I stress small groups because in the large setting, guest speakers tend to duck out quickly because they know they’re going to be inundated. And if they do stay, they politely announce they can’t accept material. Some tell the larger groups that they can submit query letters. But in the small groups, it more personal. I usually got, “Call my assistant and have him/her fax you the release form. Sign it, fax it back and send the original along with your script.”
I’ve gone to bars with acting friends who were gathering with other industry people and made inside contacts. And I have certainly made and nurtured contacts here at Paramount, although it took five years, a book and several magazine articles to be taken seriously as a writer. I constantly keep my eyes open for opportunities to meet people.
Not long after moving to LA, I met Lew at his Writer’s Block social. That night I discovered that the Writer’s Block newsletter had been out of print for some 8 years. I immediately saw the newsletter as a calling card to make industry contacts. Lew warmly and enthusiastically endorsed my motion to resurrect the newsletter, and I went to town with it. What continues to amaze me is that in the six years that I produced the newsletter, not one other person stepped forward to do an interview. And for two years in my “From The Editor” column, I begged people to come forward. No one did, and when I stopped turning out newsletters, the publication went dormant again. I don’t get it. People are just lazy. If you are not, you’re miles ahead of the pack.
Script contests are a simple way to get read. If you can reach the finals, agents and production companies will come to you. Most of the screenwriting web sites have links to dozens of competitions. (MovieBytes.com) Check them out. Some are very specialized, and they might cater to your specialty.
Finally, ask yourself what is unique about your background or life that Hollywood could use. I’ve made my initial inroads to Hollywood because I am a former Navy SEAL. I parlayed that into a technical advisory gig on an episode of a popular TV show and got a couple acting gigs in the trade. When we shot that first episode, I met studio execs and a year later one of those contacts indirectly led me to Lew’s Writer’s Block party, that led to the newsletter, that led to a book, that got me more meetings, etc. I can even trace my current job at Paramount directly to that one contact. One person can change your life.
Bottom line, use all assets at your disposal and all your creative ability to work your way into the system. Success is not just about how well you can write or how inventive and original your stories are, it’s also about playing the game.
The good news is that few people will do the political grunt work to start and build a career. When I recommend this, most people tell me, “I hate politics. I won’t lower myself to do that. I want to be respected as an artist without all the b.s.” HEY! Hollywood is a BUSINESS, and business is politics. Filmmaking is not just art, it’s mostly business/politics. (They call it show business, not show art.) In fact, I’ll go as far as to say that 95% of a Hollywood career and longevity is politics. Art is the gravy on top.
So whether you’re in LA or not, find a way to make contacts and make friends, and make a career at the same time. If you’re shy, get over it, even if you have to do it more slowly at first. Learn how to meet people, how to start and hold an interesting conversation. You don’t have to be brilliant at all this to make headway. An average writer with good people skills will go further faster that a brilliant writer who sits at home in a vacuum.
Either you are like the masses, who by and large are just sitting back, waiting to be discovered (won’t happen), or you are proactive.
You choose. It’s your career...or not. |
