And more of agencies

If you don't know anyone at an agency or anyone who knows anyone, there are other ways. Another way is to find someone who has friends who might work in the business. One thing in this town is sure; everyone is somehow connected to someone in the film business.

A few years ago I fell off my mountain bike on Ventura Boulevard and two people rushed to attend me. I had a compound fracture on my wrist and as we waited for an ambulance they began to talk with me. It wasn't long before I realized the older man was a relatively famouse writer producer named Marty Kroftt who with his brother literally owned Saturday morning cartoons and kids series back in the 1960's.

The woman who was helping me gave me her leather jacket was in production design. Where else could you fall and have two movie people help you up. Both gave me cards. And you never know who you might help. I even had a psychologist who even offered to "make some calls" when I was without an agency. But I don't advise breaking your wrist.

So find out who you know who knows an agent, it can be another writer although most writers prefer not to share their agent for obvious reasons - you might become competition.

In reality an agent can have anywhere from a dozen or more clients, he most likely will never tell you who else he's selling. You can ask directors, producers and camera men/women and editors and below-the-line crew members.

It's not impossible to get something to read without an agent as things have changed greatly in the agent world. Ten years you couldn't get your screenplay read without an agent or a friend at an agency or production company.

These are websites like InkTip and The Blacklist and others who will for $50 or more and you can post there. 

There's also screenwriting contests but mostly wasted money. There are some big ones like Pitch-fests that can waste money, wherein you get to meet a "known screenwriter" to give you their take on your script.

I like The Black List because it's based on studio people who will give you a real idea as to what your screenplay is or can be or be not. It's real. $50 but they're real.

I've never pitched to someone I didn't know or who hadn't read anything of mine. Doing that scares the hell out of me, even at my level of career. Pitching is tough, if you want to spend that kind of money, go ahead, you might get lucky.


These notes come from my book The Working Writer's Screenplay.