1 Lecture 15: Being Proactive Professor Daniel Cutrara Jaws (1975) Peter Benchley (Novel) Peter Benchley (Screenplay)

Previous Lesson Writing is Rewriting More Guidelines for Revision Assignments

This Lesson Being a writer Selling your work Agents, managers, attorneys Assignments

Being a Writer Lesson 15: Part I Diablo Cody Juno Paul Haggis Crash

5 The Writing Life Know what it means for you to be a writer. Find ways to support yourself as a writer. Protect your work.

6 Why Write? William Faulkner Follow the link below to listen to and or read William Faulkner’s acceptance speech of the Nobel Prize awarded in reates/1949/faulkner-speech.html

Support Working with a writing partner. Finding a writing group. Committing to the writing. 7

Protect your work Keep records Copyright The WGA Registered mail 8

9 Selling Your Script Lesson 15: Part II The Player (1992) Michael Tolkin (Novel) Michael Tolkin (Screenplay)

The Player Pause the lecture and watch the clip from The Player. –What does it tell you about Studios and executives? –What does it tell you about writers? 10 The Player (1992) Michael Tolkin (Novel) Michael Tolkin (Screenplay)

Hollywood is a Business The business of Hollywood -Time is money -Connections are critical -The politics 11

Prepare Your Script for Market It is your calling card Ways to polish: –Writing group –Script consultants 12

Your Selling Tools A showcase script A provocative pitch hook A compelling story summary A captivating query letter A scintillating synopsis Treatment 13

Crafting the Query The concept in a sentence or two The title and genre A brief pitch of the story Your qualifications Request permission to forward your script 14

The Pitch Pitching –Be prepared –Be flexible –Have more than one idea The meeting The two-minute pitch The long pitch 15

The Pitch - 2 The Synopsis The Treatment The Outline 16

17 Agents, Managers, Attorneys Lesson 15: Part III Entourage Doug Ellin Executive Producer/Creator

The Agent How to find an agent Working with an agent –Agents get 10% –The agent’s primary motivation is money What the agent can do for you –Make a sale –Option the script –Development deal –Audition 18

The Manager How to find a Manager Working with a Manager –Managers get 15 to 25% –They focus on developing you and your work –May attach themselves as producers 19

The Entertainment Attorney Can be used in place of an agent Will charge by the hour or 5% 20

Become a Producer Produce your own work –Acquiring rights for adaptation –Attaching talent to your project –If you go this route, make sure you learn the business of producing. Otherwise, you could face financial ruin. 21

22Assignments Lesson 15: Part IV

23 E-Board Post #1 Strategies for an Emerging Writer: What are your plans to develop yourself as a writer before you submit work?

End of Lecture 15 End of Lecture 15 Little Miss Sunshine (2006) Written by Michael Arndt