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Miscellaneous answers to Miscellaneous Questions

Friday, September 26th, 2008
“I am afraid my idea will get stolen if I pitch it to a producer/agent - should I be worried?”
No. When I first moved to LA in the early 90’s I was also under the impression that ideas were sacred and you had to carefully guard them, and be very secretive about telling anyone what you’ve been working on. The truth is the more developed your story, and the more specific the “expression” (a copyright term), the more valuable it is. Legally, ideas are not protectable by copyright law. In general, “ideas” are just not that valuable — the execution of a good idea is what IS valuable.  If you do have something more than a logline, or general idea, write it down in treatment form, and simply register it with the writers guild, and keep records of emails, correspondence, so in the very unlikely event your treatment is copied illegally, you have some documentation to prove it.
“Would you recommend posting your screenplay on public sites like Triggerstreet?”
Sure. If you can get feedback, and get people to actually read your script, that’s a good thing. If your goal is to sell the screenplay or present to the marketplace, I would be very hard on myself, and make sure that you were putting your best foot forward. But I think that the best use of a site like Triggerstreet is to improve your screenplay by getting feedback from readers.
“More and more producers seem to be following in Ed’s footsteps and going the ‘independent’ route by financing their first film on their own. Is this route better than some of the more ‘traditional’ routes a writer/producer can use to make it in Hollywood?”
There is no answer here. The reason most people do it non-traditonally, is less about “independent spirit”, and more because, well, it’s easier. For literally nothing, someone can make a feature film. Now, the odds of the film playing theatrically are very slim, but we always say that you should be entrepreneurial in the making of your film, AS WELL AS THE release of the film. The world is changing drastically, especially techniologially, so consider alternatives (straight to download, short films, webisodes, video on demand, day and date, etc.) that may be right for the size of the film you made.
“Do I really need a treatment for my screenplay?”

No. I would suggest outlining your script before you start writing it however, and take a look at Blake Snyder’s book, “Save the Cat.”  It’s very important you understand screenplay structure, and the mechanics of writing screenplays before you launch into a script and see “where it takes you.”  Don’t look to those examples of people who say they wrote their script in three nights. Those are rare exceptions. Most sucessful screenplays are the product of rigorous outlining.  Another book to familiarize yourself with her is Robert McKee’s “STORY”, which can also be purchased on iTunes, and discusses the importance of disciplined outlining and preparation of the story structure.
Not sure that answered the question — a producer may ask you for a treatment if someone does not want to read the entire script.  In this case, a well written synopsis is an effective tool to pique interest, and, as I said earlier, to crystallize your own sense of storytelling. You need to be able to briskly pitch your story in  a user-friendly, active way.

“I feel like I wrote something really big.  Yet, I’m afraid that everybody but the right person will be told about it.  This is Lucas and Spielberg big and I want them to know about it.  So how do I get their attention?”


Is the script exceptional? “Big” is not good enough to get those guys’ attention. It doesn’t matter who you are. Generally, cream does rise to the top with screenplays. I would recommend you focus on getting the script to those you know who can help. If it is in fact special, and exceptional, these people should be able to generate interest in the material.
Ed and Aaron
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Getting Feedback

Monday, August 4th, 2008

There are two types of people. Those who keep clean desks, and those who keep messy desks. I belong to the latter group. Even my computer “desk top” is a cluttered mess (although I know where everything is). When I have tried organizing things and filing them away, I stress that I will forget about any one of the documents, papers, memos, DVDs, and all else that occupy my desk. I feel a lot better when things are in stacks. The problem is that since I am in the movie business and read tons of scripts, my office is crowded with literally stacks of scripts, each loosely categorized. For example, I have the “writers I should read” stack. Then, right next to that stack, I have the “writers that I should read, but probably won’t get to soon” stack. Then I have “great scripts I have read, and may someday want to do something with” pile. All in all, I have about 12 stacks of scripts in various spots in my office. Not 12 scripts. 12 Stacks! Wouldn’t it be great if I could file them away and just have a synopsis and comment on each of these screenplays? Wait a minute, that’s what coverage is for!

For the aspiring writer, there are two primary purposes for coverage. The first is about time (as in saving people time). The second, and more important, reason is about feedback (as in you probably need some).

Most Hollywood executives, producers and agents enjoy reading newspapers and magazine articles. They like to go to the movies. They watch television, even including news shows like 60 Minutes. Few enjoy reading scripts. Your job as a writer is to convince a busy executive, producer or agent, to take an hour and a half out of his weekend, and read your screenplay. Coverage helps enormously. It’s like a tv promo or movie trailer for your script. Typically, someone who works for the movie professional, like an assistant, writes up coverage for his or her boss. The boss reads the coverage and if they are captivated by the story, they might actually read your screenplay.

But since, for the most part, these companies only accept material from representatives they know in the business, and most of you, I assume, don’t have such representation, we need to think of plan B. As I said in the last blog, your job is to make your script exceptional. You need feedback. Actually, you need thoughtful feedback that is, ideally, written by someone who has devoted a couple hours of reading and thinking to your screenplay, and will help you hone and craft your screenplay from something passable, to something great. So, if you’ve exhausted your friends, and your family won’t read your material, what are you to do to get this feedback?

Here’s a suggestion: get your script “covered” by a professional. There are two companies I know of that provide coverage and screenplay analysis. I was very impressed with Coverage Ink’s (www.coverageink.com) overall approach and user-friendly site. In a nutshell, they provide a comprehensive analysis of your screenplay at reasonable prices (Scripped note - SCRIPPED IS CURRENTLY OFFERING “CREATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES” IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COVERAGE INK - PLEASE check out the following link for more information - you receive special offers if you go through Scripped.com for creative support services: http://scripped.com/creativesupport/). There are numerous other services they provide as well, which may suit your individual needs. Also, check out www.triggerstreet.com, which is a site founded by Kevin Spacey, and has a community based review system. I have heard good things about Trigger Street, and a quick perusal of their site, suggests that they have quite a screenwriting community, and that users both get feedback on their material, as well as write reviews of other scripts.

The main goal here is to get a thoughtful person to give you feedback, which will hopefully be helpful in shaping your rewrite, making the screenplay better. Of course, if the material blows away the reader, you may have an asset on your hands. A screenplay with glowing and positive coverage may get attention from those who might otherwise dismiss it.

I also look at feedback as broader than the “comment” section of coverage. It’s also informative to see how a reader synopsized your screenplay. Were they able to understand the plot and communicate it well? Did they get it? Does the essence of the story come through? I always recommend taking time to deconstruct your screenplay, and seeing how someone else has laid out the story can help with your own deconstruction.

So, as you approach your rewrite, research these two sites, www.coverageink.com and www.triggerstreet.com, as well as other sites that may provide a coverage service, and even other services like access to screenwriting competitions. Simply, you need feedback to improve your script, and having a document that synopsizes your story (and hopefully provides a glowing review of your script), will be helpful in getting an industry professional’s attention, by saving them time, and cementing your own understanding of the story you want to tell. At the very least, it will help to keep your desk just a little bit cleaner.

Aaron Lubin

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How to get an agent

Thursday, July 10th, 2008

Easily the most common question I am asked is, “How do I get an agent?” The reality is agents are looking for things they can sell now. So, simply, the best way of getting an agent (and a good one) is by writing an exceptional script. There are tons of writers out there, many with good connections, trying to get people to read their screenplays. Most of these screenplays, quite frankly, are poor. Some are mediocre. Few are actually professional and well-written. Very, very few are exceptional. The harsh reality is it is hard to get attention from agents, producers and executives unless you have an exceptionally good screenplay. So, then, the question becomes, “how do I write an exceptional screenplay?”

Here are three approaches to writing that I think can help enhance your chances.

1. Study great movies and screenplays. This does not mean watching a movie with the lights out and a bowl of popcorn. Bring out a note pad and pen, and outline the movie as you watch it, especially if you are planning on writing a script in the same genre.

  • List the scenes, examine how the story was constructed.
  • Ask yourself how the screenwriter built tension and suspense.
  • What’s the inciting incident?
  • What is the purpose of each and every scene?
  • What are the obstacles?
  • What big decisions did the hero make?
  • Listen to the director’s commentary.
  • Take notes. Read multiple reviews (and essays if they exist) about the film.

When Ed Burns is writing a new script, this is what he practices. If he is working on a Western, he literally will watch 15-20 of the best Westerns ever made, studying every detail until he is a master of the genre.

Of course, I also recommend reading some of the most popular books on screenwriting and writing in general. STORY by Robert McKee, THE SCREENWRITER’S WORKBOOK by Syd Field, and SAVE THE CAT by Blake Snyder (which I am reading now, and is very good in advising how to write material that sells), are just a few that come to mind. But they all provide the vocabulary you need to understand the basic rules of screenplay writing.

2. Schedule Time to Write. A problem I often hear from aspiring writers is, “I simply don’t have time to write.” You need to make time. How? Consider the following three people, each of whom wants to lose 15 pounds in the next 6 months.

  • The first person says he is going to lose the weight by “exercising more.”
  • The second person says he will shed the 15 by “working out 4 times a week, for an hour each time.”
  • The third person schedules his workouts Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8am to 9am and Saturday from 3-4 pm.

Who is most likely to lose the 15 pounds? My money of course is on the third guy. You need to schedule things. Virtually all writers I speak with don’t wait for divine inspiration to push them off the couch and plop them behind their lap top, now eager to type. They treat writing like a job, shut off the inner critic and get words on paper. So, my recommendation is every Sunday (or whenever you look through your calendar), you write into your schedule specific blocks of time that you are writing. Treat it like a meeting or an appointment (by the way, this could also help you lose that 15 if you are so inclined). Good books on the process of writing are BIRD BY BIRD by Anne Lamott and A WRITER’S TIME by Kenneth Atchity.

3. The 15th draft. I attended the Savannah Film Festival recently and David Benioff, who wrote TROY, THE 25TH HOUR (novel and screenplay), and THE KITE RUNNER among many others, was being honored and he spoke about the challenges adapting the book THE KITE RUNNER. He mentioned that he wrote “14 drafts” of it. Keep that in mind. I also was watching a terrific retrospective on the late Sydney Pollack, and they had an excerpt from his former producing partner, the late Anthony Minghella (THE ENGLISH PATIENT, COLD MOUNTAIN), who spoke about writing 20 drafts of THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY. These are two top writers, both experienced and talented, who adapted wonderful literature where characters and plot have in some respects been worked out, and wrote 14 and 20 drafts respectively. What about M. Night Shyamalan, who wrote 15 drafts of THE SIXTH SENSE? On the 6th draft he figured out that Bruce Willis’ character was actually dead…..

How many drafts are you writing on your script? The trite but true adage “there is no such thing as writing, just rewriting,” applies more than ever to screenwriting. You need to be incredibly disciplined about perfecting and improving your work. Especially, especially before showing it to anyone in the industry. Believe me, people hate reading. And you only get one shot with them. This applies to professional screenwriters as well. Ed and I are extremely hard on our screenplays. We like to loosely quote those Paul Masson wine ads with Orson Welles, that we, “sell no script before it’s time.” If you don’t believe your script is there, don’t use your limited capital to test the waters with professionals. Give them the script when you truly believe it is excellent. Use your writing group and trusted friends as critics when you are honing the script.

So, when approaching your next screenplay, you should study films and good screenplay writing, schedule time to write every week, and push yourself to rewrite and hone and improve your script. It will get better. You should also know what I’ll call….

4. The bad news. In a job interview I had many years ago, the interviewer said to me, “Dude, you don’t want this job.” I realized later on in life, that’s a common refrain. Employers only want people who are hungry, who are not scared away by daunting odds and an enormous workload. Anyone who is discouraged by the phrase, “Dude you don’t want this job” simply is not cut out for the job. The same goes for screenwriting. Even successful screenwriters with screen credits, sometimes go years without making a sale. Literally. No money. I have seen it, and I caution you that this is the reality of the business. So, a question to ask yourself is “do I love writing or do I want to have written?” People who actually love writing (present tense) have an incredible advantage over those who simply like the idea of being a writer, of having written something. You know why? Because those who love writing…. write, and write and write. They may get discouraged when something doesn’t sell, or even fail to resonate with their friends, but they fall in love with their next script. If they have a job, they write on weekends and in the mornings and at night. So, consider which person you are. If you truly love writing (and this doesn’t mean that writing is not hard), you will figure out how to make it work for you. If not….there’s always producing.

-Eddie Burns & Aaron Lubin

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