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Day 1 Assignments
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4 Replies
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David Harper’s Project and Market
What I learned today is 1) I’m terrible with titles. I have a full script here but still don’t have a title I’m satisfied with. 2) I need to work as hard (or maybe harder) on the pitch than on the screenplay.
Title: Ashes of Redemption (working title)
Genre: Action/Thriller
Concept: A family drama that revolves around crime, missing loot, and a small town bank heist in the midst of a raging wildfire.
What’s most attractive about the story: I think there is a lot to say here. First of all, it’s unique in that the heist takes place in the middle of a raging wildfire. It’s a bit like Hard Rain, except replace the flood with a fire. Second, I have some good roles for bankable actors. And I think it will have wide audience appeal because at its core it is a family drama, with a love interest thrown in to make things extra interesting for the protagonist.
Who I’ll be targeting first: I’ll be targeting managers first, because I think they might help open doors into some places to which I don’t have access. I’m not repped, and I need to build a team.
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Lesson 1 – How To Get 50 Script Requests – Assignment
Mike O – Project and Market
What I learned doing this is the importance of marketing and creating a marketing campaign that targets producers who work in the genre you’ve written and in the budget your script calls for.
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1. Give us your Genre, Title and concept.
Genre: Holiday Movie
Title: “Christmas Trimmings”
Concept: Protagonist finds love after loss
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2. In one or two sentences, tell us what you think is most attractive about your story.
The character arc of the protagonist who begins the movie as a sheltered artist who buries herself in her art, to a young woman who accepts her estranged father’s posthumous love and fights to keep his legacy alive.
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3. Tell us which you will target FIRST — managers, producers, or actor’s production company — and why you picked that target.
I believe I want to target an agent given your description of their needs and wants: (1) Easily sellable writer who will consistently produce paychecks; (2) Writer with a library of three or more marketable scripts; (3) Writer who will do paid writing assignments & have a great writing sample to show their skill level. ||
In addition, I believe if I align my script with a producer who works in my genre, it might be a quicker way in.
I have the last two requirements that any agent would find most attractive. I write, study and have a dozen finished/marketable scripts in several different genres. I have received good coverage on at least four of the scripts. I need to market them in a way that produces results, not check marks on an excel spreadsheet.
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POWER PLAYERS ASSIGNMENT ONE
FRAN’S PROJECT AND MARKET
WHAT I LEARNED: I already took one class to help me with getting my work out into Hollywood circles. But this one said Power Players and this is what I want. Power Players. The TARGETS. I know what I need in targeting with this first assignment. It really makes sense to hone in on the people who can and will mostly likely want to do my script.
GENRE: History/historical fiction, a love story
TITLE: THE GREAT STEAMBOAT RACE BETWEEN THE NATCHEZ AND THE ROBERT E. LEE
CONCEPT: It’s about the greatest race to ever be written in the annals of American History.
It is also a story about a fledgling newspaperman who earns his right of passage into the newspaper business in telling the story.
WHAT IS MOST ATTRACTIVE ABOUT MY STORY:
The two captains’ stories and the race itself that brought millions to the Mississippi River to watch and revel in their rivalry in 1870. Millions were bet on this race.
The two lovers and how they got together on board the Robert E. Lee, when Charles was far from looking for a new love in his life.
WHAT WILL I TARGET FIRST:
Actors’ production companies.
And History Channel
Why:
Leonardo DiCaprio, Jeremy Renner and Ron Howard
All three have done outstanding jobs in producing and/or directing history/historical presentations, first, on the History Channel with (Leo) stories of the presidents, (Jeremy) the story about the Knights Templar in Knightfall (and the movie Wind River), and then (Ron) with stories like Apollo 13 and In The Heart of the Sea. (I have to say this, the diary that this script was based on was found in an historical society’s repository—in a town called Penn Yan, only 30 minutes from my home!)
This is why I’m choosing to target actors’ production companies first. I think they can really do a service to what I’ve written for the screen.
And I’m hoping I can entice Tom Holland into thinking about taking on the role of Charles Welbourne Knapp.
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Genre: TV Police Ensemble Drama, 1 hour
Title: Detroit PD: DART
Concept: An old-school Detroit police force is forced to work with the progressive, civilian DART team to resolve domestic related cases peacefully, resulting in disruptive culture clashes.
2. This action-packed drama is on the cutting edge of social change and police reform, and is loosely based on real programs that have just launched in Denver, CO and Oakland, CA.
3. I will target managers first, because you need one to be able to sell…I think? If not, I will target producers.
4. What I learned is the importance of tailoring your marketing to your audiences and their needs.
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