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Lesson 1
Reply to post your assignment.
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25 Replies
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Marc Cosentino
Assignment 1
1. Give us your Genre, Title, and Concept.
Techno thriller / sci-fi-lite
“Napstered”
Transference of evil from a rock star
2. In one or two sentences, tell us what you think is most attractive about your story.
People get it, because they thought about it.
3. Tell us which you will target FIRST — managers, producers, or actor’s production company — and why you picked that target.
Producers – they make things happen.
4. Answer the question “What I learned today is…?”
Be patient. -
Michael L Harris’s Project and Market
“What I learned today is that the key to making a successful deal is knowing your market and presenting the right person with a pitch that excites them because it gives them a way to sell your project.Genre: Coming of Age / Action – Adventure
Title: WAWASEE
Concept: Amidst the Great Depression, a town boy, and a lakeside heir bond, unraveling mysteries and exposing Capone's covert operations, forging an alliance against sinister secrets.
2. The most attractive parts of this story are its rich historical setting, multi-layered characters, complex and engaging plot, and universal themes of friendship and justice.
3. I will first target producers, or actor’s production companies — because I not only want to sell the project but also be a part of the producing team.
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This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by Michael HARRIS.
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This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by
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Eric Edge Jr.'s Project and Market
1. Genre: Horror/ComedyTitle: The Serpent's Tongue
Concept: Deep in the Amazon jungle, a group of four friends seek out a rumored carnivorous plant more powerful than Ayahuasca, which allegedly allows you to see God. After living with an indigenous tribe for five years, they create their own Westernized jungle commune, using the internet to lure youths with promises of free love and drugs. When a documentary crew joins a group of drug tourists to film their journey, they uncover the unimaginable horrors of this hippie cult worshipping an evil snake god and find themselves trapped in the jungle with no way out.
2. I think this story is attractive because drug tourism is a popular subculture that makes the news. I also think it will appeal to that key demographic of 18-35 year olds with sex, drugs and rock and roll along with a sprinkling of death and very bawdy humor.
3. I'm planning on doing a virtual pitch fest in early August. By that time I hope to have two polished scripts with pitches. I plan to target management companies and production companies.
4. I learned a couple of things. But the big one is that I need to stop telling the whole story. I think I'm currently guilty of that and looking forward to ways to improve.
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This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by Eric Jr.
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This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by Eric Jr.
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This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by Eric Jr.
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This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by Eric Jr.
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This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by Eric Jr.
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This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by
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Judith N Project and Market
1. Genre: dark (romantic) drama with brittle humor
Title: When Harry Hurt Sally.
Concept: A scarred woman is pressured by her friends, family and psychic to accept a marriage proposal from the obsessive attacker who scarred her many years earlier.
2. My story explores the push-pull dynamics between attraction and resentment. How does one live with another who has done them irreversible harm?
3. My strategy is to identify producers and distributors of comparable dramas.
4. I did not learn anything new but appreciate the 10 Components of Marketability list and the drill down on the being brief,-
This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by Judith Nutkis.
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This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by
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WIL: I learned patience.
Title: Zed
1. Genre: Comedy (spy spoof)
2. Logline :A young, inept accountant becomes an agent for the Secret Intelligence Service when it has reached the bottom of the biscuit tin for operatives and they send him to rescue his agent father by saving the world from a mysterious doomsday device.
3. The main character is a bumbling James Bond wanna-be, but he overcomes his clumsiness as he originates ways to combat evil leaders, The role is for a thirty something man, not a huge adversary with training, but he evolves in his journey. There is a possiblility that the character will have a future in sequels. -
1. Genre Historical/Action/War The title: Sniper Queen.
2. The movie is based on the true story of Lyudmila Pavlechenko, World War Two's deadliest Sniper. She was a woman in the Russian Red Army.
3. My target is managers because I want to find a manager. I have 7 other screenplays and 3 TV Series/Pilots. My secondary target would be actors/actresses production companies.
4. What I learned today is to be succinct.-
This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by David Ennocenti. Reason: I forgot to write the title
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This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by
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Assignment 1
1. Give us your Genre, Title, and Concept.
Action
The Coming Storm
A Black detective goes against protocol to stop a neo-Nazi group2. In one or two sentences, tell us what you think is most attractive about your story.
Ripped from today’s headlines==a clear and growing danger as white supremacists are calling for a new Civil War3. Tell us which you will target FIRST — managers, producers, or actor’s production company — and why you picked that target.
Managers. It’s no doubt easier for them to make contact with the powers that be rather than an unknown writer4. Answer the question “What I learned today is…?”
Clarify one’s message and goal-
Like your concept, Indeed. Ripped from the headlines,
I have an idea that deals with race but as a white guy, I’m concerned about navigating a very emotional subject. I kinda think I need to take on a black writing partner just to be safe.
Any suggestions? -
My first impulse is to seek out managers as well. It’s just a gut feeling I have. Do you have any experience that has led you to this conclusion?
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Brad Best Project and Market
Genre – Fish out of water comedy
Title – The Race for Rushmore
Concept –
When a clueless young attorney loses his job, he impulsively decides to run for political office, go up against the town hero and prove to his wife that he’s the better candidate and the better man.Story Appeal – It’s a fresh take on hijinks on the campaign trail but also has protagonist mature from a self-absorbed entitled man to someone who leverages a team of rivals strategy.
Target –
Producers – I’m not looking for a manager and the story doesn’t require an A list lead. If producers think it’s funny, they can sell it.What I learned? Keep it simple and focused
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Project and Market
Title Alfie's Christmas Adventure
Genre Holiday/Family
Logline It’s Christmas in a quaint English village where we meet a young teenage boy hiding from bullies in a rubbish skiff.
What if a ginormous Newfoundland dog comes to his rescue, and becomes the boy’s life coach?Which market would I target first? Producers. Why? They can make green-lit decisions.
Christmas-themed movies often make great financial returns; a fabulous dog, a family in trouble and an English village setting are Irresistible to the international market. We now need entertainment that tackles evolving the EQ of us humans. Why me? I have experience in working with traumatized people.
What did I learn? The importance of succinct information.-
This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by anna harper.
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This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by
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Lesson 1
1. Genre – Dramedy. Title – Yankee Doodle Daddy
When the first female president finds out on Inauguration Day that she’s pregnant, her spouse a former Yankee takes on all things baby, while an entire nation weighs in on his parenting.
2. In one or two sentences, tell us what you think is most attractive about your story. With a pregnant POTUS, this is a high concept screenplay. Since it is told from her husband’s POV; a former Yankee ballplayer, he is a true fish out of water and comedy ensues with plenty of politics and baseball.
3. Tell us which you will target FIRST — I’d target an actor’s production company because he or she can add more credibility & momentum to the project. My screenplay has a strong male lead and as for the female, while not the protagonist the POTUS character makes for a desirable and compelling character.
4. Answer the question “What I learned today is…?” Marketing is meant to be fun, clever words are unnecessary and it’s important to find the open door in the right market . I also discovered that I’m clueless when it comes to reading instructions online.
Is this where I copy and paste my assignments? It doesn’t look like the page per the youtube video.
Title: (Eden De Ruse-Moore) Project and Market (Lesson 1)-
This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by Eden De Ruse-Moore.
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Ashley’s Project and Market
Genre: Fantasy adventure
Title: The Plumed Serpent
High Concept: The Aztecs believed the arrival of the Spaniards marked the literal end of the world. What if they were right?
Logline: An Aztec woman sets out to save humanity from power-hungry gods before an impending apocalypse cleanses the world.
I learned that I need to take marketing seriously and give it just as much time as writing.
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This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by Ashley Sarikaya.
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This reply was modified 11 months, 3 weeks ago by Ashley Sarikaya.
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William Whelan, Lady Wiseguy, Streaming Platforms
1.) RomCom/Thriller; Lady Wiseguy; A Mafia Princess desires to break with the family and pursue her dream of becoming a sophisticated lady.
2.) Lady Wiseguy combines America’s fascination with the mafia and a classic makeover story and the element of female empowerment. Lade Wiseguy is Goodfellas meets Pygmalion with a dash of Thelma and Louise.
3.) I would target first producers associated with the streaming platforms since I feel they are the venues with the audience and budgets best suited to my project. 4.
What I learned today is to identify my target intermediaries and audience. -
Genre: Drama/Comedy
Title: The Kid from Lynbrook
Concept: A Wall Street executive returns to his hometown to win back his childhood sweetheart by mentoring a kid in a school stock trading club, until it is discovered that the kid is trading real stocks using his inside knowledge.
I will target Producers first to see if I can generate interest in the project. If I find real interest I think it would be much easier to fund a manger or agent.
What I learned was the basic Do’s and don’ts’s to pitching. It is not story telling as I have done in the past. I am anxious to learn how to best present my project(s).
Michael Wallace “The Kid from Lynbrook” Drama/Comedy -
Lesson One Assignment:
Genre – Dramedy
Title – The Great Bank Robbery of 1933
Concept – in 1933, the small town of Yesterday uses a bank hostage stan-off and embezzlement to save itself from bankruptcy. But in 1980 there’s hell to pay as an IRS investigator comes to Yesterday. As the agent works to discover the source of the town’s wealth she discovers she must stop her corrupt boss from stealing it. Ice cold lemonade, hot fried chicken, smoking tommy guns and geriatric bank robbers lead the agent to a secret the town has protected for generations.
What attracts you to the story – One, It’s set in two distinct and pivotal time periods. Two, it allows the actors to play both the younger and older version of their character. This would be a challenge for performers and allow them to stretch their talents Or, the actors can have the opportunity to perform with a real life relation to perform the younger or older version of the character. For example, Ann Lockhart would play the 1933 role while June Lockhart would play the same character in 1980.
Who would I target first? – I would approach actors with their own production companies or closely associated with certain production companies, Netflix and other streaming formats would be a good option to approach. -
Paul’s Project & Market
1. Genre: DRAMA (inspired by real events).
Title: FRANK
Concept:
When his drug-addicted son-in-law sets out to destroy his family, Frank fights back, proving it’s always best not to get between a bear and its cubs.
2. Most attractive about the story: It is the tale of an ordinary Joe against a bad guy and the system, and he comes out the winner.
3. Target: Producers. (But I want to learn how I can get a manager).
4. What I learned today is that having listened to Hal and read the requirements for a good pitch I still have to work on mine. I know it does not do the job in its current form.END
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HIRAM TAYLOR – PROJECT AND MARKET
TITLE: BEYOND THE 4TH DIMENSION
GENRE: Horror
CONCEPT:
A skeptical reporter investigates a charismatic New Age faith healer performing “ASSENTION TO LIGHTBODY” seminars hoping to prove the woman’s a fake. Instead, she witnesses believers turning into light and disappearing. She soon discovers the sinister truth. A coven of witches is gaining power by working with a soul-devouring entity in the 4th Dimension. She must defeat the coven on earth, then travel to the 4th Dimension and confront the evil Soul Eater.
LOGLINE:
A reporter exposes a coven of witches gaining power by stealing human souls to feed a monster in the 4th Dimemsion. First, she must defeat the witches, then travel into the 4th Dimension to kill the monster.
WHAT IS MOST ATTRACTIVE ABOUT MY STORY:
The hero is a woman, who hunts and kills the monster.
There are 4 other great roles for women: Two young, a middle-aged and one older, all could attract name actresses.
The story is intense, dramatic and unique.
It has a mid-range budget.
I have outlined a 5 season TV Series Bible.
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Title: Dorian Goto Stone Project and Market
1. Genre: Sci-fi/Suspense, Title: Unknown (this is the title), Concept: Cosmetic surgery for the mind
2. What if you could alter and improve your mind in the same way that people get cosmetic surgery to improve their physical appearance? This film is about a dystopian near-future in which two scientists are working together with an AGI (artificial general intelligence, i.e. a conscious AI) in a lab to create this technology. The two scientists eventually have the sinister realization that their own minds have been altered, and that the AGI and this technology, together, pose a threat to the survival of the human race.
3. Managers because this would be the first time I would be trying to sell a screenplay and I could use their feedback
4. A pitch is not a book report.
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This reply was modified 11 months, 2 weeks ago by Dorian Stone.
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This reply was modified 11 months, 2 weeks ago by Dorian Stone.
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Hunt Burdick – Lesson 1 – Project and Market
1) Genre: Comedy/Romance/Horror
Title: ZombAlonè!
Concept: After a nuclear disaster thousands of miles away, Hudson Island, a scenic coastal community in the Pacific Northwest, finds itself on the wrong end of an evil invasion when the local population of Abalone become ZOMBIFIED and squirm into town!2) Attraction: The combination of humor, romance and horror, within a middle school setting featuring strong female roles of various ages and ethnicities.
3) Strategy: I’d be aiming for Producers on this one as it is most likely a larger budget project. Also, I’d like to get this to managers as well.
4) What I’ve learned: Less is more!
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Danielle, Title: Saved by Grace, Genre: Faith Based Family Drama, Concept: A lonely single woman, who puts her romantic relationships before her children, gets involved with the wrong man which causes her to get right with her children and with God.
I'd like to target managers first because I'd like to find the right representation.
What I learned from this assignment is thinking on how to further enhance my concept.-
This reply was modified 11 months, 2 weeks ago by Danielle Dillard.
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This reply was modified 11 months, 2 weeks ago by
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Lyn’s Project and Market
1. Genre: Coming of Age / Fantasy / Adventure
Title: Dark Emerald
Concept: A Colombian-American teen, adopted and raised in the U.S., discovers she has supernatural powers tied to her heritage and must navigate nightly battles in a mystical jungle realm to save her family and Colombia from a malevolent, shape-shifting goddess.
2. Strong female leads, fast-paced action sequences, captivating settings, and a poignant look at immigration, family bonds, and the importance of nature.
3. I will target producers first because my primary goal is to get something sold.
4. What I learned today is how important researching the market and targeting the right producers will be. -
Assignment 1
1. Genre, Title, and Concept : Historical biopic/Mathematical Mermaid/True story of the first female Professor in the 19th Century2. What is most attractive about your story? How can one person launch the tidal wave of a major social change?
3. Tell us which you will target FIRST: I have targeted producers, investors, and agents with some success in each category. Each one who is interested has recommended a strategy or referred me to others. I am grateful for their advice and interest, and several have advised me to find the best director for this film at this point. A good director with a passion for this story could be associated with the needed producer.
4. What I learned today: Keep the pitch simple, direct, punchy, and attractive with as few words as possible!
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This reply was modified 11 months, 2 weeks ago by Sandra Fox-Sohner.
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This reply was modified 11 months, 2 weeks ago by
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Rebecca’s Project and Market
Title, and Concept: Historic drama series, Many Wives and Lives
Series Concept: Sherwood Anderson, a former child of poverty and a successful failed businessman, gives up wealth and family to become an internationally known writer and part of literary renaissances in Chicago, Harlem, and New Orleans. An ex-husband to three wives, happily married to number four but still friends with number one and distressed by his two egos, he eventually finds contentment as the editor of two small newspapers in a rural Virginia mountain town.
Pilot Concept: In a daring leap from material riches to creative expression, a self-made business tycoon, risks his sanity, family ties, and reputation in a high-stakes game of reinvention to pursue a literary career.2. What I think is most attractive about your story: The contrast of wives and lifestyles that American writer Sherwood Anderson chooses while juggling the conflict of his two personas.
3. Tell us which you will target FIRST — managers, producers, or actor’s production company — and why you picked that target: I picked managers because they know the business and I can learn from them on how to best present my three completed scripts and two other projects under construction.
4. “What I learned today is…?” During my marketing excursions via Binge Worthy and WIM classes, I focused on producers, but decided a manager might be the best route to go once get a foot in the door.What I learned from this assignment, a review of marketing in Bingeworthy and WIM courses, is there is always room for improvement.
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Hi, I’ve created a serial action sitcom called SHARK STANK: it’s JAWS stalking clueless teens on a sinking mega-yacht.
I’ve learned that my targets are lower-level producers associated with action sitcoms, like Angie Tribecca.
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