Thread: On breaking in, staying in, launching your career in showbiz. I was a development exec- we made features like JUST FRIENDS w Lotus Ent. #screenwriting
1- Contests can help you get reps if you win or place high but it’s really on you to query- reps won’t come to you.
2- You’ve got to work hard at your craft until you’re good at a competitive level. Take acting classes, join a writers group (@CindyBegel has been helping writers find groups). Dig deep to learn. Read pros. Watch the Sundance films and Cannes winners. STUDY craft. Hard.
3- Make friends. Fuck networking. Make friends! And reach out to people better than you and ask them how you can improve. Stay humble. Grow. Give your earnest attention and a mentor may spot your dedication.
4- Cold queries to reps can work! But the warm handoff from a friend is better. People fire their reps all the time in this biz. You want a team who has got your back. Make sure you’re clear w your goals so you know if their a fit. Research reps.
5- (this one may be contentious- it’s only my opinion) Only get notes from people (ideally pros) who have the RESULTS you want. True for actors, directors, writers, producers. Network UP.
6- So you placed in a contest! Now make sure your network knows, and start asking for referrals. I call it finding your wolfpack. You need lateral reach to work with people you want to call friends. ASK ASK ASK. Find producers- they need you!
7- Be a giver. Show up on time. Ask people in meetings how their day is going and what they’re most passionate about. Listen. Learn. Keep running notes about everyone you meet. In this heartless industry, the givers stand out- and they WORK because of it.
8- People like to hire people they know. That they SEE. So go to events. Film festivals and markets. Get a job on a studio lot. Even if you temp. BE SEEN. You’ll get promoted even if you start low on the totem poll. Be excellent and get promoted.
9- When I worked for Garry Shandling, I was amazed to realize how tough the conpetition in even once you’re famous. There are levels of fame and celebrities are your competition. You have to HUSTLE your ass off to get relevant- then to stay relevant. WORK HARD.
10- Build your reputation now. Your life experience matters a lot. Position what’s cool and unusual about yourself. Your EXPERTISE. Your POV. Your quirky humanity. Your VALUE. You gotta stand out.
11- Creatives hate hearing this but: you’re in sales. You’ve got to practice pitching, networking (aka making friends) and proving you’re at the pro level. Be playful. Be memorable in the room. Make sure your reel or script is killer! It’s your ad campaign.
12/ Learn marketing. Actively participate in maketing and promoing your work. Shine. Persistence isn’t pestering. No one will come to you. It’s your job to get in front of them. Always be promoting.
13- Lastly pitching. PRACTICE. Film yourself to learn. Bring props and visual aids. Have fun with it. Love the sales part. It’s hard- I know you’re an artist- but sales is how you feed yourself. I teach pitching- so do others like @roadmapwriters
14- Help others. Develop your reputation even here on Twitter as being a giver. Post like a pro. Add value. Then ask for who you should connect to that they know. Share your goals also.
15- I run a class called the Entertainment Business School where I teach and coach serious above the line creatives the business side of film/TV. Early bird special is live now! We start Aug 1. See abd apply entertainmentbusinessleague.com/entertainment-…
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This year I hacked my brain with nootropics and diet and exercise. And my mental performance and stamina has improved a lot. It matters because at 46, the cognitive decline is real. I got scared and want to write to old age. So here is what I discovered in case you want to try:
1/ Your morning ritual is everything. I drink tea, then read a little and go work out on an empty stomach. Here at the nootropics in the tea (or coffee)
2/ If you drink coffee try Bulletproof. It’s clean fuel. No additives. I like black tea. Add cream or milk- your brain needs fat. Honey. If you take a capsule of psillium at night you’re guaranteed a good poo too!
Thread: Some suggestions for indie film financing. Paths that are proven to work, with links. For docs and low budget scripted (under $3mm) #screenwriting#writingcommunity#producing
Docs and docu-series: This is the greatest era in history for docs. Get on it! If you don’t have a fiscal sponsor yet- who gives investors a tax write-off and you get the money- look at siesociety.org I like Creative Visions and Partnerships for Change
Crowdfunding: is BYOC (bring your own crowd) really helps to have an investor match funds. It’s also a fulltime job. You need to seed the interest to surface the campaign on their site. Try for less money or a short if you haven’t done it before. Hire a campaign manager if u can
For above-the-line creatives: writers, producers, directors. I was a dev exec at Lotus Ent, so this is my perspective as a buyer. What to do, what NOT to do, and how to nail it. #screenwriting#WritingCommunity
1/ All pros pitch. Even at the highest levels
2/ Pitching is really hard, so you need to practice, practice, practice. First off know that the cardinal sins of pitching are
a) too boring
b) too confusing
3/ The first thing you're often pitching is getting the buyer to read you. Whether that's a query, an email, or an in-the-room pitch, you have to fascinate them and compel them to read. If they send it out for coverage, you may be doomed, so ASK THEM TO READ THEMSELVES.
Thread: What writers should know from my job working as a development exec (we made Just Friends w/ Ryan Reynolds, Peaceful Warrior, the Good Night, Hachi a Dog’s Tale, Air I Breathe) #screenwriting#WritingCommunity
1/ There are 2 main pitching mistakes I saw as a buyer: too boring or too confusing. Pitches shouldn't be a monologue the whole time. Share your story, but check in with the room. Converse! Have fun talking :)
2/ If you write comedy you MUST be funny in the room during the pitch. Make 'em laugh. Or we won't think you're funny on the page. That's a big disconnect you can't afford. Write jokes into your pitch.
Thread for writers: So you placed in a contest, how do you query reps, producers, directors with your project? I was a buyer at Lotus Entertainment (prev Inferno), and this is what I can tell you re: #screenwriting:
1- If you have a great script, there are people who want it!
2- First make a list of producers from your comp shows/films, and go to IMDB to get their contact info. Make a list of your ideal reps that you are a fit for long term (not just this project). Make a list of indie directors you love. (These should be long lists.)
3- Now work on 2 things, your logline and your HOOK. A logline is NOT a mini-synopsis! It's what makes your project- to use manager @johnzaozirny 's million dollar word "undeniable". Your logline should be memorable and stunning, basically ON FIRE with undeniablity (Now the hook)
Unrepped writers, an advice thread from someone who was a buyer:
1- As my pal Scott Gardenhour says, “It’s better to have too many babies than a spoiled baby.” Write more. Submit more. Write so much you forget who is reading you and you need a spreadsheet to keep track
2- As a coach I counsel many creatives- many who have reps- and some reps don’t work very hard for their writers. The writers wait, and worry. No, not you. You never sit on your laurels because you are a networking QUEEN/KING/NONBINARY BADASS 👑
3- The one thing you can control in this insanely stressful business is: your attitude. What comes out of your mouth about others. I recently passed on producing a great writer’s project because that person badmouths people and I’m aware I would be next. Who needs that? Pass