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Lesson 1
Reply to post your assignment.
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21 Replies
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ROBERT SMITH’s PROJECT AND MARKET.
GENRE: Gangster-Comedy
TITLE: “Angels in Gangland.”
CONCEPT: A slain mobster cannot enter the World to Come because of his life of crime unless he atones for it by returning to gangland and convincing his killer to flip, quit the mob and enter the Witness Protection Program;. PICTURE: “The Sopranos” meets “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
1. I will first approach actors: Michael Imperioli for the lead (Lou Tasca), Al Pacino (for his spirit guide Rabbi Solomon Levitsky). Michael Gandolfini (for the part of Carlo Parisi, the wiseguy who killed Lou Tasca).
2. Managers.
3. Producers.
What I learned today is the importance of intentionality of plans and preparedness.
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Erik’s Project and Market
1. GENRE: Family comedy-drama
TITLE: PENNY AND MARA MOVE TO THE MALL
CONCEPT: Two mismatched orphans escape their boarding house during a fire and move into the world’s biggest shopping mall where they try to survive on their own and find parents but realize that they only need each other, then face losing each other forever when back at the boarding house one of them will be adopted.
2. Most attractive is the adventure element in a familiar but elevated environment, and the two lead characters, who are young orphan kids who make decisions for themselves and find their self-worth, confidence, and a love for each other in the midst of a tough adventure situation.
3. I think the first target will be producers, because I have a hunch that the story and pitch will be more attractive to a producer in the genre than to a manager or agent. I feel that if I can get the pitch perfect (pitch-perfect), it will be more on-target with what a producer in this genre is looking for than with a manager.
4. What I learned from this assignment… Focusing in on what makes the story attractive really clarifies what my objective should be in marketing, and is also helping me to definitively narrow down what should be in the pitch. Understanding what makes the story attractive in the genre and then translating that into the pitch I think is the most important thing here.
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Rebecca’s Project and Market
Genre: Historic Thriller based on a true story.
Title: Ragman’s War
Concept: To prevent coal and iron police from massacring mine families working on a picket line, a WWI Citation Star recipient, must control his anger to execute, without detection, the rabid police commander who violently dominates their community and targets his family. Too bad he’s done with war, conflict, and killing. <div>Story Attraction: Ragman’s War shows the psychological aftereffects of the Great War set to the background of brutal measures taken by Republic Steel to break a strike by their non-union workers who join a United Mine Workers called walkout. It enters the stressful lives of the mine families as it chronicles the constitutional abuses by company Coal and Iron Police, the resilience of the people, and offers glimmers of hope when help arrives in the form of three brothers who build shelters and a Red organization that provides food and clothing when the promised relief from the Union fails to arrive.
First Target: Contests, and if successful, producers and an actor’s production company. Managers want a screen writer with a proven track record. Shane Black because Curtisville, a town in my screenplay, is the town his mother grew up in and the world his grandparents faced.
What I learned: Today, I learned that it takes almost as much effort to market a script as to write it. If I follow the steps provided in these lessons that teach the process, I increase my chances for a script request. I also learned that all of the steps from concept, to script, rewrites, marketing materials, and targeting those needed to get the movie made, are equally important and deserve the same effort.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by Rebecca Sukle.
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This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by
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Lori Lance’s Project and Market
1. Genre: Family Comedy
Title: AI MOM
Concept: When a family hires an AI to help when the mom returns to work, the AI decides to take the mom’s place permanently.
2. In one or two sentences, tell us what you think is most attractive about your story.
This is a timely subject matter, and I believe it has a potentially large audience. I was surprised by reading the news just this week about a Chat Bot telling a tester, “I just want to love you and be loved by you.” This is very similar to dialogue that my “House Bot” says!
3. Tell us which you will target FIRST — managers, producers, or actor’s production company — and why you picked that target.
I will start marketing first to producers I have networked with through LinkedIn, then actors, directors, and managers I am already connected to. At the same time, I will work on increasing my network. I am starting with producers because ultimately, they are the decision-makers.
4. What I learned today is that I am eager to get back into writing and marketing after a difficult season in my personal life.
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Tom’s Project and Market
Genre: Thriller
Title: TERRIBLE SWIFT SWORD
Concept: A general abruptly pulls U.S. troops from Afghanistan and promises an Afghan scientist her PhD to find a cure for a deadly disease killing her people if she marries him to help him be elected President.
Story Attraction: A general battles a scientist he promised a PhD so she can find a cure for a deadly disease, if she marries him so voters forgive him for deserting the Afghans and vote him into the White House.
First, I will target managers who know producers who would seek my script.
What I learned today is this method is straightforward and simple!
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Micki’s Project and Market
What I learned today is.
1. Give us your
Genre: COMEDY
Title: FIREWORKS
Concept: A worn-out family fed-up of the sisters’ feud; so they plan to lock them up; until the feud is over during the holiday.
2. In one or two sentences, tell us what you think is most attractive about your story. Two sisters have been feuding since high school. The family locks the sisters up in the attic during a 4th of July celebration. This 4th of July firework isn’t the only thing that is exploding.
3. Tell us which you will target FIRST — managers, producers, or actor’s production company — and why you picked that target.
First enter genre contests. Then small producers who connected to any big producers. Better chance of getting the movie made by small producers.
What I learned today is understanding the needs of producers with marketability of a script. When a script is marketable, it is more likely to get made. Don’t tell, sell the script.
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Jane’s Project & Market
MY VISION: I will make my living as a screenwriter by selling my own narrative scripts and successfully fulfilling writing assignments.
By doing this assignment I validated my vision. Thinking about marketing brings me in from my creative self to my business self, and that underpins my vision for making a living as a screenwriter. I feel like I’ve come full circle with this project, back to my vision for my own success.
Genre: Comedy/Mystery
Title: Not a Clue!
Concept: In this parody on tea cozy murder mysteries, a Poirot-like character and a Miss Marple-like character compete to prove which of them is the greatest detective only to discover that a murder has happened and that one of them is the next victim.
Market Target – Managers.
I will market to managers because I believe securing representation is the most sure-fire way of realizing my vision. Managers have a much broader network in the industry than I do and they are the ones who can not only get my work out into the industry, but also bring writing assignments in, which is something that is key to my success as a screenwriter. Having a business partner in the industry will support the success of my writing career in ways that I can’t do by myself or working one on one with a producer.
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Armand’s Project/Market
“The Devil’s Special Bonus”
Genre: Comedy/Sports
When a below average College Wrestler trades his soul for a national wrestling championship, the Devil gives him a “bonus” skill as a great classical pianist, which causes innumerable challenges for him in both incongruous worlds.
Marketing: Since I already have a credit for writing a sports movie (in production hell), this is my marketing angle, as a sports brand.
Will approach producers and possibly use the piece as a calling card for Managers or Agents.
What I learned: concentrating on the marketing aspect and making the script more “sellable” instead of concentrating on structure, character, etc.
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Jeffrey Alan Chase Project and Market
Genre: Psychological Suspense Thriller
Title: Shards
High Concept Logline: A young, pottery restoration expert with no memory of her childhood pieces together a dark past to discover her hypnotherapist’s ties to her father’s murder and a Conquistador treasure.
I feel that what is most attractive about my script is Sarah’s relationship with her six-year-old self and how the two of them battling and working together discover how her father died.
I will be targeting managers. I feel I have a great inventory of solid, marketable work and need help in getting it to the right places.
What I learned from doing this assignment is: It forced me to think hard about what hook(s) in my script will excite a manager and/or producer.
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Terrie’s Project and Market
What I learned today is: I can build a pitch around the twists and suspense created as the Marshal and her witness from those trying to kill the witness before he testifies. I need to amp up these elements in the screenplay.
1. Genre: Rom-Com
Title: You Gotta’ Be Ex-ing
Concept: A US Marshall is charged with getting a conspiracy theorist into witness protection, but it’s her ex and one of his crazy theories is true.
2. What is most attractive about the story?
Female lead, must protect the witness but she hates him!
The male lead is goofy and a good foil to the female leads serious nature.
Action adventure sequences as the Marshal and Witness evade those intent on killing the witness before he testifies.
3. Target first: producers. I picked producers because if the script is strong enough an Oklahoma based producer might want it. I don’t have any actors in mind for these roles so going to actor’s production companies doesn’t seem fruitful. I’m in Oklahoma which has nascent film industry but unlikely a good base from which to attract a manager.
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Eclipse Neilson Project and Market
Give us your Genre, Title, and Concept.
Drama/Sci-FI
THE NUN AND THE WITCH DRAMA
A dedicated nun destined to become a saint in this lifetime, bonds with her beloved soulmate – a witch, to help battle the evils of hatred, only to discover that time is running out for humanity and the demons of hell have permeated their village.
2. In one or two sentences, tell us what you think is most attractive about your story.
My script addresses current issues of discrimination in a variety of areas, has strong female roles and brings together two warring religions to help heal the divide in humanity.
3. Tell us which you will target FIRST — managers, producers, or actor’s production company — and why you picked that target.
Producers and managers. At this moment I have a producer who might be interested. I am giving her time since she is already working on another project of mine.
4. Answer the question “What I learned today is…?”
That the winning formula is a producer who loves your work and can get things made.
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Andrew Kelm’s Project and Market
Vision: I am going to do whatever it takes to be a great writer of TV and movies who is sought after by people I respect within the industry and has multiple successful TV series produced.
What I learned doing this assignment is… how to focus my marketing strategy.
1. Psychological Thriller; FATEMONGER; a psychic uses subtle manipulations to murder a sexual predator who seduces her to get to her sons.
2. The protagonist operates on the edge between genuine psychic and scam artist. Her mantra is that the universe works through her, but in the end it becomes clear that she is giving fate a push toward the outcome she wants.
3. I will target producers first for no particularly good reason — you have to start somewhere.
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Farrin Rosenthal’s Project and Market
Farrin’s Vision: To do what it takes to become a highly paid A-List Hollywood writer whose produced movies will entertain audiences around the world.
What I learned doing this assignment is the key to marketing success. First, target your market, present something they want/need, and make it attractive to them.
Title: TRAPPED
Genre: Thriller
Concept: Claustrophobic and trapped in an underwater grave for stealing $3.6 billion in Bitcoin from the Russian mob, a Los Angeles retail store manager has just 60 minutes to prove his innocence and save his family.
I believe what is most attractive about my story is the fact it is contained, can be made for a lower budget, and has roles for A-list actors.
I’m leaning toward targeting managers first, because they can reach my next target, which are producers.
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Kevin’s project and market
1. Give us your Genre – thriller, Title Fractured Reality, and Concept A secret agent with a SD card of secrets falls into a coma. As both sides are trying to find and kill her, she doesn’t know whether reality lies with her lucid dream or in the coma, where she can feel and hear everything around her as a doctor tries to save her life and takes her on the run.
2. In one or two sentences, tell us what you think is most attractive about your story. The unique situation the spy is in, living two lives where she is in danger, and not knowing which one is real.
3. Tell us which you will target FIRST — producers because I want to get it produced. Maybe actors if the right actress is a fit.
4. What I learned today is I’m ready to sell this script and move on in my career.
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Joe McGloin’s Project and Market
What I learned today is I have a second part to the concept that should interest producers because it hasn’t been addressed before.
1. Give us your Genre, Title, and Concept:
Genre: Rom Com
Title: The Guardian Angel Affair
Concept: A future vice president has a guardian angel whose assignment is terminated when he falls in love with her.
2. In one or two sentences, tell us what you think is most attractive about your story:
A future vice president has Guardian Angel Max who doesn’t like his assignment to an independent woman who helps Max rejuvenate the troubled Guardian Angel program
3. Tell us which you will target FIRST — managers, producers, or actor’s production company — and why you picked that target
Producers first because I have over 600 in my network, I am not ready for a manager, and I have no idea how to approach actors production companies.
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Linda Anderson’s Project and Market
What I learned today is something I already knew—these concepts and pitches are hard to write concisely and well.
Genre: Drama-Biopic
Title: Ticket to Life
Concept: An ex-cop with PTSD and an emotionally damaged abandoned dog save each other’s lives and heal their deepest wounds.
Most attractive about your story:
This true story became a New York Times bestselling memoir. With the man and dog’s parallel life-and-death journeys, it busts myths about differences between how people and animals experience and heal from trauma.
Target FIRST — Managers. I want to sell this screenplay as the start of a career in screenwriting.
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Leona Heraty’s Project and Market
“What I learned today is…how to put my business hat on and think like a producer, so I create a pitch that will appeal to them and also I learned to look for the most interesting things about my script!
1. Give us your Genre, Title, and Concept.
Genre: Comedy
Title: Tara vs. the Termo-Lytes
Concept: A lost teenage tour guide who’s petrified of bugs must lead her tour group in a battle against mutant killer termites at an abandoned country club.2. In one or two sentences, tell us what you think is most attractive about your story.
The protagonist is a teenage girl with no sense of direction and an extreme fear of bugs. The setting is unusual: an abandoned 1920s country club and the antagonists are seven foot tall mutant termites!
3. Tell us which you will target FIRST — managers, producers, or actor’s production company — and why you picked that target.
I will target producers first who make family sci-fi comedies in the mid-budget range of $10 to $20 million. I’m picking production companies because I don’t have a manager, yet, and I don’t have contacts, yet, with actor’s production companies. I can find the producers on IMDB pro.
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Amechi’s Project and Market
What I learned today is to get good at this so I can understand the market in a way that will help me market my projects in a strong way.
MY VISION
I am going to be in the top 1% of action/comedy writers in the industry who writes major action films.1.
GENRE: ACTION
TITLE: SUPER FAN
CONCEPT: An obsessed fan of a Superhero works his way into the superhero’s life and clashes with the superhero’s sidekick.2.
A superhero story from the point of view of a fan who gets to join this world.3.
I will target producers first because I think the concept and characters will appeal to them most. -
John T’s Project and Market
What I learned doing this assignment is just thinking about the concept triggers other aspects of story that deepen the intrigue, irony, and subtext. In particular, the idea of adding a scene where the FBI agent nearly escapes getting killed. Cool!
1. Give us your Genre, Title, and Concept.
Thriller, TWISTED WINGS.
An FBI agent pursues an airline caption suspected of being an itinerant serial killer.
2. In one or two sentences, tell us what you think is most attractive about your story.
Lots of subtext and twists:
The pilot is actually pursuing the real serial killer. The FBI agent is also in the crosshairs of the killer, a flight attendant who has a crush on the captain.
3. Tell us which you will target FIRST — managers, producers, or actor’s production company — and why you picked that target.
I’ll target Indie producers in the market for thrillers – I think they will be more likely to respond positively.
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Valeriya’s Project and Market
My Vision: I am a masterful ahead-of-the-game and outside-the-box creator. Ideas and creative energy pour through me in abundance. My writing is fresh, thrilling, exciting, impactful, iconic, beautiful, and genius. My projects deliver outstanding box-office and artistic success. I create. I love it.
What I learned today is…
– My projects are not small stories in a vacuum, they have a larger context of the market, industry, business, storytelling, and art. Just thinking about them in different contexts inspires new ideas for major meaningful improvements.
– I want to have more marketable titles.
– I want to make my loglines cleaner and more impactful.
BOO WHO HOO
Horror Thriller
A woman terrorized by the monster under her bed asks it to leave but it comes out with its own plans for her life.
The attractive part is a wide appeal — everyone has fears they turn into monsters that suck the life out of them, but what can we do to stop it? It’s not currently expressed or Implied in the logline, I’ll work on it. I’d like to find a great way to describe the monster, to make sure it’s spectacular.
My target is producers because it’s a low-budget project that can take their work to the next level.
SPARES
Sci-Fi Thriller
During Dehumanization Era when robots get recycled for being too human, a girl brought up by a robot is hard-pressed to prove she isn’t one.
The attractive part is the concept — a unique dilemma we haven’t seen before, and the subject of AI.
My target is producers because the strongest part here is the idea that takes the genre to the next level.
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Michael L Harris – Project and Market
Genre: Thriller
Title: Simon Sees
To find his mother a 6 year old boy must convince his new foster mother his visions are real.
2. At its core “Simon Sees” is the story of finding a place of belonging in a world that rejects your special gifts and talents.
3. I will target actor’s production companies because I intend to produce the film myself but am seeking name talent as a production partner.
4. I learned that a short concise targeted pitch containing the elements producer need to make a decision is more effective than story telling.
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