How To Shop Your Movie Script

Pro Movie Writer © 2010

Selling a screenplay is like selling anything: You can’t take “no” for an answer.

If you took a job selling vacuum cleaners door-to-door, and you had to sell a vacuum no matter what, what would you do? Even if the model you sold wasn’t the finest on the market, even if you had no selling experience, what attitude would you adopt to ensure landing that vital sale?

How about this approach? You tell yourself, “I’m gonna bang on doors until someone buys one of these damned things.” That’s it. Keep knocking on doors, showing what you have, and asking for the order. Most people won’t even open the front door. Many more will tell you to beat it. But, sooner or later, someone will buy. Don’t take “no” for an answer.

A pair of writers from Pennsylvania sold a comedy script last year. But before it sold, as is nearly always the case, no one expressed any interest at all in the script.

One of these writers, stating that he was getting fired from every real job he had, relentlessly sent out queries time after time. He refused to take no for an answer. One morning, he emailed an agent who was stuck outside her kid’s school, waiting, bored, with nothing to do. For the first time ever when queried this way, she said, “Send it.” She just wanted to kill some time. He sent it, she read it. Then she sold it for over one million dollars.

Write a great script or have someone write it for you, then show it until it sells.

So, who do you show it to? Agents and producers. Where do you find their contact information? It’s now remarkably easy. There are various books and databases you can buy or tap into. Perhaps the most convenient is the Hollywood Creative Directory. For about 20 bucks a month, you can subscribe to their listings of agents, producers and the like. Just find their website online.

Then show the honchos your work. Keep showing your work. And don’t take no for an answer!

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