Monkey Business

[UncleMeat]

Having finished two screenplays to a standard that I'm happy with I am now stuck as to where to take it from here. One of the screenplays is a really original, interesting Horror/Sci-Fi idea that I'd really love to take further. While the other screenplay is a sort of coming of age/crime type affair. I believe them to both have their own merits but feel that with the crime story there is only so much I could do, creatively, in filming it and the sci-fi idea has almost limitless potential as far as creativity goes.

So, having no money or equipment with which to make either film (I really don't think a wobbly 8mm home movie of me and my mates mincing about would do them justice) I was thinking I could sell the simpler screenplay. I was hoping that in selling this I'd have at least some money to put towards making my sci-fi film. All well and good but, how the hell do I sell it? I have searched the 'net and it all seems to be rather suspicious looking schemes of questionnable virtue. Do I go to a literary agency or straight to a production company? Do I include camera direction in the screenplay? What else will they need, ie, a treatment, synopsis, etc, etc?

If anybody would be kind enough to answer any of my questions I'd be eternally grateful (well, that might be a bit over the top but I'd certainly be pleased).

[miker]

First watch the film The Player

Then describe your film in 25 words or less

Follow this up with a 1 to 4 page synopsis/treatment that is easy to read and kind of charming, or will get people's interest.

Make sure the first 20 pages of your script are excellent.

DO NOT include camera directions or character directions. What do you think a director does ;-)

Then... you could walk up and down Wardour street with your script

or

You could send it to the readers at the various studios, or turn up in person to do a pitch.

BUT

Be prepared for rejection. You might be told 'hey, we like your style, now come up with another idea for us by tomorrow'

OR

Become a runner for a Soho based company, many well known ppl pop in and out of the post houses, all you need is a second and a copy of your script...

IN THE END

It's not what you know, or what you have written, it is who you know, or can bump into!!