THREAD: What the f*ck is happening in Hollywood?

A laypeople's explanation of the tea leaves on why there's so little work right now, what you need to know.

(Hint, it is NOT the fault of the strikes, or your reps.) To wit: #screenwriting 1/ I'm breaking down 4 crucial factors today because they all overlap in our lived experience working (and not working) in Hollywood:

1- Value of the media companies in Wall St terms
2- Housing rental market in CA
3- Inflation
4- New guild MBAs

Thread 🧵 Mistakes to avoid in your Hollywood career for writers, directors producers - from a former development exec (me).

1/ Trusting someone else with your money. Keep 👀 on the numbers- don’t risk getting taken advantage of. Embrace learning business. #screenwriting 2/ Working for free. It’s really tempting sometimes just for the oppty to work with a big name somebody. But you must command respect and draw the line. Pre-establish WHO gets WHAT by WHEN. This is what deal memos are for!

THREAD: For writers about contests, and real career progress this year. Some tips and mistakes to avoid from a former development exec (me).

1- Think of screenwriting contests like the Olympics of writing. You have to podium for it to matter. Really, you have to WIN. Because contest platforms get behind winners - winners also make them look good. They won't tell you this because they like dollars. 2- If you enter contests, remember that's not a career strategy, that's buying a lottery ticket. It's a subjective business. One reader who just doesn't like your writing will be the reason you don't move forward.

So if you DO enter contests, I recommend workshopping your screenplay well ahead of time, either with peers, pros or a reputable consultant. So your script is in the best possible shape at the pro level.

🧵The reason studios focus on rebooting Harry Potter, eg, rather than finding the next Parasite, is called “cascade theory” and it is a safety net applied by buyers to provide financial reasoning for backing projects. Here’s how to tap it to position an original like a cascade: 2 Whenever the strike ends, writers will start pitching again. When you get back out there: DONT say: this thing I wrote is unlike anything else! Do say, it’s similar, but different. That’s key. (Cont #screenwriting )

🧵 of resources for writers:

1/ The entertainment business is opaque and tough to navigate, so here are my recommendations of awesome pros and companies who provide valuable support to newbies whether your goal is to learn craft, discover how the business works, get a rep, grow… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 2/ Showrunner @DavidHSteinberg offers insider secrets you can’t learn anywhere else on craft, the business, contracts, and experience of a writers room. He has a free newsletter, a Patreon (which he should rightly charge gold bullion for but doesn’t) and also runs the monthly… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

Hollywood communication etiquette 101.

This is a legacy industry with best practices of communication that have been established over decades. Ignore them at your peril.

1- Phonecalls build trust and teamwork. How long should they be? 5 mins is golden. 2- Yup I know that freaked out the digital natives. Guess what? You have to learn the art of phonecalls or you’ll stumble. I train my whole team to pick up the phone- even those in their 20s. People in power - producers & execs, place calls, not just texts or emails. Why?

Thread: So you placed in a contest, what now?

How to take that momentum and query managers, tap producers and hustle like a pro. #screenwriting

1- Someone out there will love your writing. You have to find THEM. They don’t find you. 2- Screenwriting contests are a lot like the Olympics. If you WIN, reps will come to you. If you place, you need to reach out to them. Start with a query letter for managers and producers interested in #preWGA writers. Here’s a basic template:

Joke thread: What Hollywood execs really mean when they "pass". #screenwriting

1- We have something similar in development = No one in the office can find the coverage we did on your project and we're all too busy to read your script. Pass. 2- We love it, we're just waiting to hear back from our team = Boss is on the yacht till September, when we'll officially pass.

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.

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)

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

Thread: On Pitching

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

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 :)

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.)

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 👑

Thread: What writers should know from my job working as a development exec (we made Just Friends, Peaceful Warrior, the Good Night, Hachi a Dog’s Tale) 1: There are 2 main pitching mistakes: you are confusing or boring. Pitches should not be a writer/producer/director monologue the whole time. Converse! Have fun talking.