Guys, the last of the Jason Calacanis videos are up, and they look terrific. Be sure to check them out here. Jason is a terrific speaker, and his words are very inspiring (especially given the state of the economy). Check out the last couple of vids - should we change as Jason suggests?
Hey everyone,
Sorry for being out. If you follow the blog regularly, you got a full dose of Sunil and newsletter archives. Charming as they both are, I thought I’d add my own splash of prose now that the fog has rolled in.
Ghiradelli chocolate, clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl, triangles in the skyline, mist in the August air, and fog horns in the distance. It must be summer in San Francisco. And while San Francisco offers some of the finest in views and ethnic eats, it is also a hotbed for entrepreneurship. It made sense for one of the Scripped Guys to plant here for the summer.
Summer has gone by quickly. The days and weeks spent in this little breakfast nook with my computer, sipping on coffee bought at the marina mart down the street, working out the finer details of our scrappy screenwriting startup, have been lovely. I guess that’s why I wasn’t posting; it’s as though I didn’t even notice the time going by. It actually wasn’t until this morning when my very pretty roommate, the one who took me in for the summer, reminded me I haven’t posted in a month. Crazy, I thought. A month.
But that’s what happens between phone calls and drafts of PowerPoint presentations. Even companies promoting art need a business plan and investors. Nothing is cheap about starting a company, and when your founders are recent grad students under the age of 30, and not some 40 year old millionaires (like a few other startups we know), it’s tough. You sometimes get anxious. You sweat. And then you remember why you did it. It’s fun. You love your partners. The chase is a thrill. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll start to get paid.
But right now it’s not about the money. Not here with my coffee, looking out onto Scott and Chestnut. Not later today with my uncle and cousin on our way up to the family cabin. I am a firm believer that hard work and passion eventually pay themselves off. And Scripped has its share of millionaire friends, chipping in as needed.
So follow your heart and follow your art. The rest will take care of itself.
Cheers,
Ryan
Scripped Newsletter #6
August 5, 2008
IN THIS ISSUE:
Partnership with the Write Brothers
A Little Help from the UCLA Film School
Submit Your Material with WordHustler
Blog Questions - Ask Eddie and Aaron and Creative Screenwritng Magazine!
Scripped on Facebook
Contact us any time at: contact@scripped.com
Dear Writers:
Well, we promised you some big announcements, and here they are.
- Scripped has partnered with the makers of Movie Magic Screenwriter, an Academy Award-winning professional product that is the official software ofthe WGA-East. Get your coupon below!
- Two top professors from the UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television have offered to read scripts from the Scripped community. Details below!
- Scripped is also working with WordHustler, a fantastic new service that gives you FREE access to over 3,000 markets for your material.
- Eddie Burns wants your questions! Creative Screenwriting Magazine wants some too. Send your queries directly to Sunil, our humble CEO, at sunil@scripped.com.
- Want to know more about us? Join us on Facebook. And become a friend of Sunil.
Read on to get the skinny on these exciting developments.
Movie Magic - A Match Made in Hollywood
What if you could write online AND offline? What if it was easy to transfer your material between Scripped and professional packaged software?
We thought this would benefit writers tremendously, and so did the Write Brothers, makers of Movie Magic Screenwriter.
To get started, they created a coupon just for Scripped users. Click here and then click “Add to Cart.” Enter SCRIPPED01 in the Coupon or Gift Card field and receive an immediate discount on Movie Magic Screenwriter. If you’re a student or educator, call 1-800-84-STORY for academic rates and mention the coupon code.
We’re now working out how to forge ahead together, and the possibilities are very exciting. The [http://www.scripped.com/submission] Horror Collection we hosted last month was just one example of how our submission platform could be useful to movie studios.
This is an exciting moment for the screenwriting industry. We are proud to be leading the way!
UCLA Professors will Read Your Script
Richard Walter, the head of the UCLA screenwriting program, and another top professor agreed for a limited time to read your scripts and give detailed notes or in-person coaching!
Despite our haggling, they won’t work for free, but they are anxious to see what you’re made of. If you’re ready to be read by the best eyes in the biz, send an email to Sunil at sunil@scripped.com. Put “Richard Walter” or “Script Coach” in the subject.
The UCLA faculty will soon participate in other ways as well. We want to provide you with the means to succeed, and they can help you make it in Hollywood.
WordHustler - A New Button on My Scripts.
You may have noticed a new little W on your My Scripts page. The more adventurous of you may have even clicked on it. Here’s the scoop:
Scripped and WordHustler teamed up to allow seamless transfer between your account on Scripped and your portfolio on WordHustler. When you click on “Submit to WordHustler” for the first time you’ll be prompted to confirm your request to link accounts. If you don’t yet have a WordHustler account, you will be asked to create one.
From that point on, you can easily move PDFs between Scripped and WordHustler with just the click of a button. Once you’re in WordHustler, you have access to thousands of opportunities to submit your work!
And as always, for additional security, don’t forget to Vault it before you submit.
Questions? - Our Bloggers Want You.
We have new posts up at Eddie and Aaron’s blog and the Creative Screenwriting Magazine blog. For their next posts, both want to answer questions from you, the writers on Scripped.com. Send your questions to Sunil at sunil@scripped.com today!
Finally, Facebook.
Yes, we too have a Facebook page, and we’d like to add to the 100 “fans” who already joined us. If you have a Facebook account, please click here and then click “Become a Fan.”
To be Sunil’s friend on Facebook, you can click here and then click “Add as Friend” but make sure you mention Scripped. You’ll then join the throngs of other business school and college and various other friends. You can also peruse the pictures of Sunil with famous people at weddings.
Sorry this was a long one, but we have a lot going on. We hope you’re enjoying this ride as much as we are!
Cheers,
Zak, Sunil, and Ryan
The Scripped Guys
Scripped
Note
July 30, 2008
IN THIS ISSUE:
Submit to The Horror Collection and Vault
Contact us any time at: contact@scripped.com
Dear Scripped Writers:
We noticed a hiccup in the Horror Collection submissions and need some of you to resubmit. We’re sorry for the inconvenience.
If you submitted on 7/18, 7/19, or 7/20, please go to http://www.scripped.com/submission and submit
your horror treatment again.
For everyone else, the Horror Collection ends today, 7/31!
Also, thanks to those of you who are already using our new Vault screenplay security service! We improved it based on your feedback and you can now secure your scripts with ease.
Start registering your material at http://www.scripped.com/vault.
For other updates or just to see what Sunil ate for lunch, check our blog at http://www.scripped.com/blog. We’ll try to keep it tasty.
More big news coming soon!
Zak, Ryan, and Sunil
The Scripped Guys
Hey all, below is a press release that we issued this morning. We’re very, very excited to work with The Write Bros!
SCRIPPED AND THE WRITE BROS ANNOUNCE JOINT MARKETING AND TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIP
Partnership will extend Best of Breed Features and Technologies from Leading Web-based and Packaged Screenwriting Software
LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Scripped, a new provider of Web-based screenwriting software and services based in Los Angeles, and Write Brothers® Inc., a Glendale-based publisher of the award-winning screenwriting software, Movie Magic® Screenwriter, today announced a strategic technology and marketing partnership that will change the way that screenplays are written and submitted to Hollywood.
Scripped.com and Write Brothers® will partner to provide aspiring writers both an online and an offline solution for their screenwriting software needs. Additionally, the two companies will leverage existing partnerships to help screenwriters take their works from concept to completion. The new partnership will entail:
“This is the first collaboration between a Web-based script writing company and a traditional scriptwriting software company and we’re excited to have the Write Bros’ as our client-side software partner,” said Sunil Rajaraman, CEO, Scripped.com. “Partnering with Write Brothers will dramatically shorten our time to market with new modules that enhance the screenwriting process and help both companies better connect all of the elements of the screenwriting value chain.”
“Expanding opportunities for Write Brothers clients and Scripped.com clients is at the heart of the partnership. We see a lot of potential,” said Chris Huntley, V.P., Write Brothers® Inc. “We’re excited about teaming up with Scripped.com. We think there are terrific opportunities to join the desktop generation with the Internet generation. It is win-win all around.”
In addition to joint technology development, Scripped and Write Brothers® will develop co-marketing programs to expand the use of their technology from screenwriters to other markets outside of the traditional Hollywood screenwriting value chain. The new integrated technology solutions are expected to be released by next year.
About Scripped.com
Founded in 2007, Scripped’s goal is to make screenwriting accessible to writers of all levels and provide the tools and community writers need to bring their ideas from inception to completion. Scripped aims to encourage and support the needs of all scripted content writers.
Scripped Inc. promotes the art of screenwriting by providing Scripped Writer, the first completely free web-based screenwriting software for writers. Scripped Writer is an innovative text editor that functions like a standard word processor but automatically formats and catalogs each screenplay element according to industry standards. Since its launch in January 2008, Scripped Writer has amassed a user-base of over 8,000 writers from all 50 states and over 50 countries. To try Scripped Writer, visit http://www.scripped.com. For additional corporate info and biographical information on the management team, please email us directly at contact@scripped.com.
About The Write Brothers
Since 1982, Write Brothers® Inc. (formerly called Screenplay Systems) has been a world leader in film and television screenwriting and production software. Since 1993, more than 80 percent of the Academy Award® nominations and 95 percent of the Emmy® awards went to companies and individuals that used Movie Magic Screenwriter or other software originally created by Write Brothers®.
Writer Brothers® is the first and the only creative team ever to receive an Academy Technical Achievement Award for screenwriting software. Thousands of Hollywood films and TV shows have been written and produced with Write Brothers®’ software.
For more information, contact the Write Brothers® via email at marketing@screenplay.com or on the web at http://www.screenplay.com.
MovieMagic is a registered copyright of The Writer Brothers, Inc. All other company and product names are copyrights of their respective holders.
Scripped Newsletter #5
July 18, 2008
IN THIS ISSUE:
Protect Your Script With Scripped Vault!
Horror Collection Deadline Extended to July 31
Eddie Burns Blogs!
Creative Screenwritng Magazine Blogs, Too!
Contact us any time at: contact@scripped.com
Dear Writers:
Whew! It has been a busy month for The Scripped Guys, and you’ve been busy too. We tallied up your scripts and found something amazing: 14 MILLION WORDS written on Scripped! That’s a lot of writing.
Now with 8,000 writers and 10,000 scripts, we are making Scripped stronger and safer than ever. In fact, we are happy to announce a new service to keep you and your scripts secure.
Protect Your Script With Scripped Vault!
Are you sharing yourscripts, pitches, and outlines with friends? Submitting them tocompetitions, festivals, producers, and agents? Sending them out forprofessional feedback/coverage or even just your little sister?
That’s when you need Scripped Vault.
Whether you are protecting a work-in-progress or a completed work, registering your script provides you with peace of mind AND the authentication you need to prove you are the original author of the
uploaded document. Questions? Check out our FAQ page to get the low-down on how Vault
works.
Register today and get $5 off for a limited time only.
Resubmit Your Horror Scripts by July 31.
If you sent your script after July 18, please resubmit! We have extended the Horror Collection to July 31. Now you can register your script for just$15 (5 bucks off) and put it on the desk of an Oscar-winning producer, all in thespace of 5 minutes.
Even if you already submitted your script you can Vault it today and be protected.
Submit your horror script now! (But Vault it first.)
Eddie Burns Blogs on Scripped
In case you missed it, Edward Burns is now blogging exclusively on Scripped with his producing partner Aaron Lubin.
Their first post is a great take on how to get an agent; the next one will discuss the importance of coverage.
Read his blog on Scripped.com!
Creative Screenwriting Magazine Blogs Too!
Also, our friends at Creative Screenwriting Magazine have agreed to blogexclusively for Scripped!
With your script written and protected, Eddie,Aaron and the folks at Creative Screenwriting Magazine will provide the knowledge necessary to take your writing to the nextlevel.
Check out the Creative Screenwriting blog!
And in case this is not enough, there are a couple other big announcements on the way…
Cheers,
Zak, Sunil, and Ryan
The Scripped Guys
To our loyal readers/users - I hope you are having a good week. I just ate a fantastic meal at Sunnin, which is easily one of the best restaurants in Los Angeles. Of course I happen to be in Long Beach now, but the LA location is just as good. I’ve been eating a lot of good food lately, come to think of it….
Irrelevant intro aside, I wanted to address a couple of emails we’ve received from our users and non-users alike regarding our long term plans. A user recently emailed us expressing gratitude and satisfaction for providing such a “robust, free service.” The second part of the email expressed concern over whether a free screenwriting software company can exist for longer than a few months in this dicey economy.
To that user and to all Scripped users, I want to assure you that we are not going anywhere. We will be around for a very, very long time. We are not building a company with the 1 in a trillion hope that it will be acquired by Google (those who build a company for that purpose generally fail, FYI). We are not doing this because we are the only philanthropists in Hollywood. We actually do have a plan, and if that plan doesn’t work, there is a plan B. If that plan doesn’t work, there are also plan C’s, and then plan D’s, or whatever else you want to call them.
In the meantime, relax! The software will always be free and we want you to enjoy Scripped for one year, ten years, or however long it takes to write your screenplay. We are here to guide you throughout the creative process. We are also dreamers, and thinkers, and our 500 grand worth of education bought us more than a few beers at a frat party (incidentally, none of us were frat boys). We think that screenwriting software is great, but we believe the possibilities are much greater for us, and for you.
Enjoy the rest of your week, and finish that screenplay already!
Well, the past few weeks have been pretty insanely busy for me. Last Friday, I graduated from UCLA’s MBA program and my whole family was in town. It was great to have my sister here from Barcelona, and a few other friends from college. I was also happy that my girlfriend took a short video of me receiving my diploma (just in case I need to use it to verify that I actually graduated - just kidding of course).
The weekend before, I was in Las Vegas with my classmates celebrating our last weekend as students. We stayed at The Palms, and the entire time I was looking for the Carl’s Junior, but I couldn’t find it (there’s an advertisement with the Maloof Brothers about a “6,000 dollar burger.”). Not that I would have spent the $$$, but I had to check out the Carl’s just to see what it looked like. I guess the simple pleasures in life keep me happy.
I was in Maryland the weekend before for a wedding of a good buddy of mine from college. Chelsea Clinton was there (see picture above), and I had the chance to run Scripped by her , which was pretty cool. The wedding itself was in St. Charles (which is where The Wedding Crashers was filmed), and it was an extremely beautiful location…. I’ve just been all over the place lately.
The big news is that Zak, Ryan and I are all grinding away at Scripped and we’re going to be making more exciting announcements over the next month or so. We really want to help every single member of the site have a shot at making their Hollywood dreams come true! If you’ve written your screenplay, the hard part is already over…. In any event, free screenwriting software is cool, but we want to give you guys more than that!
Email us and tell us how your screenplay is going.
I’ve been trying to learn as much about screenwriting as possible, though I doubt my knowledge will ever rival Zak’s. That being said, I’ve been surfing around for experts’ advice on screenwriting, etc, and came accross this site: http://thedialogueseries.com.
Here is what they have to say:
THE DIALOGUE: Learning From the Masters is a groundbreaking interview series that goes behind the scenes of the fascinating craft of screenwriting. In these 70-90 minute in-depth discussions, more than two dozen of today’s most successful screenwriters share their work habits, methods and inspirations, secrets of the trade, business advice, and eye-opening stories from life in the trenches of the film industry. Each screenwriter discusses his or her filmography in great detail and breaks down the mechanics of one favorite scene from their produced work. To purschase these DVDS visit www.thedialogueseries.com.
Looks interesting!
It’s interesting how throughout my life “just business” has implied impersonal or mechanical interaction. Like the person to whom the phrase, “Calm down; this is just business.” is directed to is not really a person at all. He or she is instead an object to be acted upon.
In my experience, and especially with Scripped, the contrary is true. Business is people and business is personal. In my last business-y post I described a little bit about the emotional and financial investment we, the founding team, had to make to put Scripped together. That makes it personal. And the recent surge in writer interest in Scripped makes the other people side relevant.
And here I find that some interactions with people can be impersonal, and that’s okay. I think that’s why we have this blog. There are people coming to the site, poking around, and probably thinking, hmm, why is this free? There must be a catch. And who are these guys, anyway? Then they go to the About Us page which says amazingly little about who Zak, Sunil, and I are. And so they go to the blog.
And then it becomes a little more personal, but not for us. I don’t know who reads this and what they think about it. No one leaves us comments. Maybe it’s a little charming to see that we’re pretty regular people, certainly not professionals, and aren’t really bad. And, obviously, we like to write. We just don’t get that much time to do it. And maybe, just maybe, it is compelling enough to take the plunge and try out a script. Maybe having a blog and taking a web-based glimpse into our souls makes some people feel more comfortable. Whatever it is , sign ups recently have been fast and furious! This is good because it keeps Zak excited about perfecting our new import function.
To summarize, whoever first made the implication that business is purely transactional probably didn’t stay in business very long. Or if he did, he died a wealthy man with no friends. Instead, be nice but play safe. And if you do what you love the money will come.
You don’t need business school to learn that.
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