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I have 4 brilliant, at least to my friends and I, ideas for television shows. I have several scripts ready to go, they might need a little tweaking. I also have half a movie written.
There's two shows in particular I feel could make it on air. Both are animated. They'd be perfect for the adult swim block of programming. I have some questions that maybe some here could answer.
Do I need to join the SWG to pitch to the network?
How should I copyright my material before a pitch?
Do I need an agent/manager?
What would be a good way to handle compensation? I know I don't want to sign my rights away, but I don't expect millions of dollars either. I just don't want to get ripped off if it does happen to take off.
I have 4 brilliant, at least to my friends and I, ideas for television shows. I have several scripts ready to go, they might need a little tweaking. I also have half a movie written.
There's two shows in particular I feel could make it on air. Both are animated. They'd be perfect for the adult swim block of programming. I have some questions that maybe some here could answer.
Do I need to join the SWG to pitch to the network?
How should I copyright my material before a pitch?
Do I need an agent/manager?
What would be a good way to handle compensation? I know I don't want to sign my rights away, but I don't expect millions of dollars either. I just don't want to get ripped off if it does happen to take off.
Thanks in advance for any help.
I have a good friend who has a degree in screenwriting, but, I don't think she has ever made an effort to promote her scripts.
If you haven't ever read books such as "The Screenwriters Bible," that is a good place to start. That particular book (and several like it) will answer some of your questions.
Personally, I've found it much harder to get a screenplay past the dust bin than it is with novels and short stories (sadly, because screen writing is much more fun!). It's very easy to publish a novel electronically (on Amazon, for instance) and get book sales right away. With screen writing, you still have to go through the traditional channels, which means it's a pain in the butt (unless you happen to know someone important in a production company). I have several screenplays that have been loved by everyone who has read them. But that doesn't mean much; with a screenplay, it's all about getting the right person to read it, even if it is the best thing since sliced bread. All I can say with a screenplay is... plan on spending a lot of time and money making copies and buying postage (or converting to PDFs and searching for email addresses).
Also, there are several authors I've seen on Amazon who publish their screenplays to kindle and hope someone important reads them. Of course, they do get some sales (at least that's something!), but that's a real long shot for actual production of the screenplay.
Again, my only worthwhile suggestion is to read through a couple of "The Screenwriter's Bible" sorts of books. That'll at least get you started with how to sell your screen writing and give you an idea of what is expected from the production companies, agents, etc.
Your work, upon creation already has a copyright. However, you could file for documentation but that is expensive and is only useful if you have to go to court. If you can currently prove that this is your work, (time stamp on the computer file, and there are other creative ways) then pass on filing.
An agent would be a good thing to get because most big TV/movie entities will not take a look at unsolicited work.
Quite frankly, an "idea" is relatively worthless. Any potential buyer will want to see a script, and unless things have changed, they want to see six scripts, ready to go into production. Lots of people have "ideas" and don't have the skill to turn them into a useable product. Lots of ideas are used up in 2-3 scripts and there is nowhere to go from there.
For animation, they are probably going to want to see at least a scene already in animation.
Television shows have very rigid standards about costs, costuming, number of sets, location, number of primary actors, number of secondary actors, and on and on. Your scripts will have to meet those conditions.
Scripted shows are beng replaced by the reality shows because they are so cheap to produce and the public is willing to sit and watch them. So, just a suggestion, concentrate on a show that is not going to be monstrously expensive to produce.
A different track to arrive there: there is a youngster in my area that made an extremely low budget film and got it on line. It took off and is an internet sensation. Because the writing is good, the camera work is good, and the directing gets maximum out of local non-professional actors, the kid who made that film got a call from a well known successful Hollywood director and got himself a live appointment to go down to Southern California for a job interview.
So, that Hollywood siiting-on-a-stool-in-the-local-drug-store myth still occasionally works. This kid has got some talent, though, that stands out from the pack.
I can not draw to save my life. If I could, I'd already be successful. I've been trying to find people to get me sketches, even crude sketches, no one will do it. It sucks, I can envision exactly what I want but can not get it on paper. If I could at least get a few basic drawings, I could crudely animate it.
I have 3 complete scripts for the one show already, and I just have to add some finishing touches to 4 more. I have outlines for 30 more. I started this on Monday. This stuff flows out of me.
I have a complete script for another show, and 1,000 plus outlines for episodes.
Don't look for artists, go to the computer area of your local college and you should be able to find someone that does computer animation who would take on the project (if the scripts are really any good)
yeah, I was thinking about hitting up the college. The town I came from lacked an art department.
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