How do I Sell my idea to Hollywood?
While not strictly necessary, selling your idea to Hollywood is easiest if you're in Hollywood. If you're serious, it's time to move to LA. Consider sending your idea through a pitching service.
How do I sell a script to a Hollywood studio?
Meet with an agent to interview and sign a contract. If an agency likes your screenplay and wants to try to sell it to a Hollywood studio, they’ll set up a meeting with you to sign a contract regarding your payment and so you can’t sell the script somewhere else.
How can I Sell my film ideas to a producer?
You can contact an agency to find you a good writer, or try to contact a writer who has been successful and whose work you admire. Thanks! Is there any website or company that can help me sell my film ideas to the right people? Submit your screenplay to a screenwriting contest. Most of them offer to give the winning one to a producer. Thanks!
How do I find out what's being made in Hollywood?
Subscribe to Hollywood trade publications ("the trades") and websites, like the ubiquitous Deadline.com (a must-read), to get a handle on what's being developed and produced by a studio or network. For example, Deadline reported last year that NBC was pushing big on medical dramas.
How much can you sell a movie treatment for?
If you sell an idea or a storyline, you can expect to get $5,000 on the front-end and about $20,000 on the back-end if the movie gets produced. If you sell a treatment, you should expect around $15,000 on the front end and $30,000 on the back-end.
How do I sell my idea to Hollywood?
Here are her seven tips to selling an idea in Hollywood.Find a void in the marketplace. ... Find ways to make your idea appeal to the biggest demographic. ... Keep your pitch simple. ... Know your buyer. ... Partner with someone with experience, but not just anyone. ... Great! ... Find ways to extend your successful idea into a franchise.
How do I sell my script to Hollywood?
7 Ways to Sell Your Story (Script, Book, Stage Play or Podcast) to "Hollywood"Sell/Option to a Producer or Production Company. ... Get Management Representation. ... Attend a Film Market. ... Get into a Development Program. ... Connect with an Up-and-Coming Director or Producer to Get the Film Made. ... Create Your Own IP. ... Use a Pitch Platform.
How much do Hollywood scripts sell for?
In the 2017-2018 period, WGA spec script sales ranged from $72,600 to $136,000. The average? Around $110,000. There are different WGA minimums for everything, from a 15-minute episode of television, to selling a movie script, to a big budget feature film.
Can you sell a movie treatment?
Can You Sell a Screenplay Idea? No, generally producers don't listen and buy movie ideas because of legal reasons and you cannot copywrite an idea. But if your idea has some type of influence such as a famous actor, producer or intellectual property attached with a film treatment then yes.
Can you get paid for a movie idea?
When you sell a treatment or idea, you can make between $20,960 and $47,940. When you complete a treatment, script and final draft, you can pull in a minimum payday between $34,936 for a nonoriginal screenplay and $119,954 on the high end for an original screenplay with treatment.
Will Netflix buy my script?
First and foremost, thank you for your interest in Netflix content! Unfortunately, we cannot and do not accept or review any materials (whether manuscripts, treatments, scripts, drawings, ideas, pics of rainbow-colored unicorns, etc.)
Who buys movie scripts?
We're back to Who buys scripts? Other than major studios, there are really only two categories of buyers: production companies and independent producers. There are other people who don't buy scripts but who can help you sell them. These include directors, actors, distributors and their entertainment attorneys.
How do I get my script sold?
5 Tips to sell your first scriptWrite something worth buying: Invest time in your screenplay.Create marketing material.Compile a list of potential buyers.Network, network, network.Keep writing.
Is Hollywood still buying scripts?
Yes, production companies buy screenplays. In 2020 alone, 16 companies bought spec scripts, and 6 of them were production companies. The rest were Major film studios.
How much will Netflix pay for a script?
When comparing the two streamers, Netflix pays notably more than Amazon for these screenplay deals, with median total guaranteed compensation of $375,000 versus $300,000 at Amazon....Screen Compensation Guide for Streaming Services.StreamerMedianMaximum ReportedNetflix$150,000$1,600,0001 more row•Oct 6, 2021
How much Netflix pay authors?
How much does a Writer make at Netflix in the United States? Average Netflix Writer yearly pay in the United States is approximately $51,401, which meets the national average.
Who do I send my movie idea to?
iPitch.tv offers a platform that showcases your TV Show and Movie Ideas. Hollywood Studios are looking for an angle into a marketable project, and pitching a highly original concept for a story that hasn't been told before is a new writer/filmmaker's best bet at selling a movie idea.
How do I submit an idea for a TV show?
Here's a list of production companies worldwide that accept online submissions for TV show ideas and scripts:Megalomedia. Megalomedia is a small TV show company that is owned and created by a true megalomaniac. ... BBC Writers' Room. ... PieTown. ... RockShrimp. ... Gass Productions. ... Take 3 Talent. ... Shaky Alibi Productions. ... Discovery Studios.More items...•
How do I get an agent for my TV show idea?
Screenwriting 101: How to Get an AgentMake Query Phone Calls. It used to be common to send query letters, then emails. ... Attend Screenwriting Conferences and Summits. ... Send Your Script to Screenwriting Competitions. ... Go to Film Festivals. ... Get a Job as an Assistant. ... Stunt Marketing.
How do you pitch a movie idea?
How to Write a Movie PitchWrite an introduction. Start your movie pitch with a brief overview of the film, which should include the title, logline, genre, and theme of the project. ... Include a synopsis. ... Discuss the characters.Address the filmmaking elements.Write a compelling conclusion.
How to stand out in Hollywood?
1. Understand what makes a great idea in Hollywood. Development executives, the people who review ideas and choose what gets made, are constantly bombarded with ideas. To stand out you need to know what kind of ideas are going to capture their attention.
Is it necessary to sell your idea to Hollywood?
If you've published before, or have industry experience, you could consider hiring an agent, though it is not strictly necessary. While not strictly necessary, selling your idea to Hollywood is easiest if you're in Hollywood.
1. Find a void in the marketplace
Sure, Hollywood studios and TV networks are all about the franchises right now. Why? If an idea was successful in one medium – a book, a play, a comic, a movie, or TV show – there's a better chance that it will do well if adapted to another medium. But Sullivan doesn't think that should scare people off from pitching original ideas.
2. Find ways to make your idea appeal to the biggest demographic
"I think the biggest mistake people make when they’re trying to sell an idea is keeping it too narrow," Sullivan said. "It speaks to such a small demographic that there’s no way that it can be financially successful. Creatives become so attached to their ideas that they’re afraid to make it bigger, because they think it waters it down.
4. Know your buyer
One pitch doesn't fit all, Sullivan said. She believes that pitches should be tailored for each potential buyer, so do your research. Again, she used her Bravo show as an example.
5. Partner with someone with experience, but not just anyone
Sullivan with Head of Motion Pictures for Will Packer Productions James Lopez on the set of "Breaking In."
6. Great! You've sold your idea to Hollywood – but you may want to keep your day job
"There is a gross misconception that anyone who has ever sold anything in Hollywood is rich," Sullivan said. "I would recommend that you have a short-term financial strategy, as well a long-term financial strategy."
7. Find ways to extend your successful idea into a franchise
Sullivan has extended her "Jersey Girl" concept into a book published by Touchstone.
What is treatment in a script?
For someone that is new to the business of writing screenplays, the term "treatment" will most definitely be new to them as well. Basically, if a writer has an idea for a story but for one reason or another does not want to write an entire script, they'll need to know about treatments.
What are the aspects of a treatment?
These include a solid opening that takes hold of the reader from the very beginning. There must also be a climax to the film that strikes and satisfies them.
How many pages are there in a treatment?
Generally, a treatment will range anywhere from one to twenty-five or more pages, depending on the kind of treatment it is and its purpose. The three most common kinds of treatments are Original dramatic treatments, treatments of true stories and Adaptation treatments.
What is the difference between a screenplay and a treatment?
One big difference between treatments and screenplays is that treatments are written in paragraph form where as screenplays have a very technical format. Keep the language simple yet forceful and declarative.
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What is Hollywood Storyteller Treatment?
As the framework used to transform your work into another medium, Hollywood Storyteller Treatment is the first step to adapting your book to film, television, or new media formats. A professional screenwriter who has experience adapting books to film and television will write the Treatment for you. By defining exactly how to approach ...
Does Hollywood Treatment have rights to your story?
The screenwriter waives all rights to the treatment, so you maintain full ownership of your story. Please Note: Hollywood Treatment provides an adaptation based on your book. Details in your plot, characters, etc. may change in order to best fit movie and/or television production.
How to sell your first screenplay?
1. Use screenwriting contests to help sell your first screenplay. If you submit your screenplay to a contest, then only the people who read for the contest are the ones who will see it. If you win, then your screenplay has a great chance of being bought by a Hollywood producer.
What are the biggest agencies in Hollywood?
Some of the biggest agencies in Hollywood include Creative Artists Agency (CAA), International Creative Management Partners (ICMP), United Talent Agency (UTA), and William Morris Endeavor (WME). There are also a ton of agencies that specialize in certain genres.
What to do if you don't have an agent?
If you don’t have an agent, you can contact an agency and pay them to read your script. If an agent is interested in representing you, ask them to set up a video conference pitch. Your agent may ask you to do a video pitch to help sell your script to a Hollywood executive.
Think From A Producers Perspective
It’s very easy to get so caught up in your idea and think about your movie. But coming up with a great idea is only part of what you need to do… You need to get inside the head of the people who would be interested in buying your movie idea. And these people are thinking one thing; that is, what’s in it for me.
Making the Pitch
Ahhh, the good old-fashioned movie pitch. For many people, it’s hell. Nothing is more terrifying for a lot of people than actually pitching your idea to a bunch of strangers, who can instantly reject you and sink your hopes faster than a ship smashing against a cliff.
Is Your Idea Appealing?
Have you ever listened to someone tell you a story and found yourself getting restless? I had a good friend who used to do this all the time. They would tell me about something interesting that had happened, but they would go into so much detail that I found myself getting bored and impatient. Don’t make the same mistake with your pitch.
Put Yourself At An Advantage
What do I mean by this? Everyone in Hollywood loves a great idea, no one more than producers and studios. But a new idea is always risky and has an element of risk attached to it.
High Concept Stories
I’d like to take a moment here to talk about high concept stories. These are stories that are very simple and easy to pitch. For example, Aliens was pitched as “Jaws in space” and the movie “Snakes on a Plane” was pitched as just that… “Snakes on a Plane”.
How Much Can You Sell Your Idea For?
Realistically, it’s possible to sell your idea for anywhere from a couple of thousand dollars to $500,000 or more. If you are able to sell one story idea each year, then you can expect to make a nice income. But doing this requires organization and putting together a good pitch.
Hollywood Doesn't Buy Pitches from Unknowns
First things first. Hollywood no longer buys pitches — unless you're a well-established screenwriter with some noteworthy clout within the industry. If you've just scored significant ratings for your latest television series, you're a hot commodity, and the sharks of Hollywood will smell that blood.
You're a Producer
Believe it or not, that's just what producers are. They either acquire projects to develop, or they conjure projects to develop. And they don't write the scripts themselves.
How to Become a Hollywood Producer
Okay, we've established that your an idea man or woman. You're creative. You love movies. But you're just not a screenwriter.
The Steps You Need to Take to Become a Producer
Your first step is going to be making the move to Los Angeles — if you don't live there already.
How to Sell Your Movie Idea as a Producer
Once you've started to gain some momentum, now you need to do what every great producer does — produce.
Outlines
Since outlines are often written solely by the screenwriter during their own development and writing process, they vary in size, shape, and form — depending upon the writer, as well as the needs of the possible producers, directors, and managers that they may be working with during the developmental phase leading up to the actual writing of the script..
Treatments
Treatments vary in length and cover the more specifics of the story, utilizing prose in the form of descriptive paragraphs that tell the story from beginning to end with all of the plot points, twists, turns, revelations, and character descriptions, but void of much dialogue.
21 Outlines, Treatments, and Scriptments That Screenwriters Can Study
Since outlines, treatments, and scriptments represent the pre-writing stage of the screenwriting process, you don't often find many online examples.
1. Avatar (Scriptment)
Written by James Cameron (The Terminator, Aliens, True Lies, The Titanic, Avatar)
2. Batman: Year One (Treatment)
Written by Larry & Andy Wachowski (now known as Lana and Lilly Wachowski). They are best known as the auteur sibling writing and directing duo behind Bound and the Matrix Trilogy.
4. Big Fish (Sequence Outline)
Written by John August (Go, Big Fish, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Aladdin)
5. Big Fish (Post-First Draft Outline)
Written by John August (Go, Big Fish, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Aladdin)
