entertainment industry coach question 750:I wrote & self published a book.I have been told it should be a Liftetime movie.how do I go about doing that

There are many ways to go about the process:

1. A literary agent can represent the project and take it to Lifetime

2. You can write a treatment and along with the book, pitch it to Lifetime

3. You can actually write the script and have it read by Lifetime

Sounds easy enough right? Except, that Lifetime won't read unsolicited material and unless you have an agent, or an entertainment attorney, there's "grass-roots" work that needs to be done.

My first question to you is: Is Lifetime the only network this book/movie is right for? If so, you're going to have to create relationships with people in development there, because they are literally the only people who would make your movie. Therefore, you may or may not want to spend the time going after an agent to rep the project.

It's difficult to answer this question more specifically, because I don't know your relationship to the industry (this question comes from Twitter). If you have no connections at all, I'd give you a very different answer than if I knew your self-published book had sold a million copies and you have interest from agents.

And then finally, there's a query letter that you can send. You can google how to write that, and research the right person to send it to at Lifetime. If they have an interest in the book and the synopsis of your story to be made into a screenplay, they'll ask for more.

entertainment industry coach question 657:Should I let someone produce my feature film without paying me for the script?

I feel like I've answered this question before or maybe I've just lived it. Either way, you always want to create a win/win, without biting off your nose to spite your face. If given the choice, everyone would be paid for their art/talent. That said, if you are trying to build your credits, you have never had your writing produced, and you are suddenly given the opportunity, it may be worth it to you.

As I started with, you want to create a win/win. I'm assuming you're not being paid because it's a low budget, non-union production company. They want to produce your script because they believe in it. Therefore, talk to a literary agent, manager, or entertainment attorney, who can give you some advice on signing a contract to receive money should it sell. You may also be able to add a few more things to the contract in the event that the movie "takes off."

The reason I advise you to speak to a professional, is because, without contract experience, you could end up losing a lot of money. Numbers people can be very tricky, and it may not even be the production company you're dealing with now, but the one that they sell to.

Approach it like you would a pre-nup, with love, trust, and "a teensy need for insurance." You appreciate the opportunity, you believe in the producers, and therefore, you want to know that they are just as invested in your success in the end, since you're willing to sacrifice in the beginning. If a contract is going to be a deal breaker, you have to decide if getting your first screenplay produced is worth it. Either way, congratulations on getting this far.

www.theGreenlightCoach.com FIND ME

www.twitter.com/GreenlightCoach FOLLOW ME

www.TheGreenlightMentorProgram.com JOIN ME

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visitwww.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

To stay current on The Greenlight Coach's speaking engagements, recommendations, and work success articles, sign up for her free newsletter at the top of the page and get a great bonus 1-hour MP3 on creating powerful business partnerships when you do!

entertainment industry coach question 642: What exactly is a spec script?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A spec script is a "speculative" screenplay, one that the Varietyslanguage dictionary defines as being "shopped or sold on theopen market, as opposed to one commissioned by a studio orproduction company."^[1]

Spec scripts are written for various reasons:^{[citation needed]}

• by writers who hope to have a script optioned and eventually purchased by producers or studios;
• by writer/directors who want to direct a film themselves;
• by amateur writers hoping to convince a literary agent to represent them or a producer to hire them.

I would like to add that spec scripts are also written for television to show that the writer can write for other people's characters. In television you usually need multiple sample scripts from various shows to prove that if you write one great spec, it wasn't a fluke.

If you want to write a spec, and have no idea how to start, I highly recommend the UCLA extension program. If you live in Los Angeles, nothing beats the class atmosphere where you get help form your teacher and create relationships with the students as well. However, if you're not, you can take online classes and have a spec done in one semester.

www.theGreenlightCoach.com FIND ME

www.twitter.com/GreenlightCoach FOLLOW ME

www.TheGreenlightMentorProgram.com JOIN ME

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visitwww.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

To stay current on The Greenlight Coach's speaking engagements, recommendations, and work success articles, sign up for her free newsletter at the top of the page and get a great bonus 1-hour MP3 on creating powerful business partnerships when you do!

entertainment industry coach question 614: I wrote a pilot. Now what do I do?

That depends on your long term objective. The person who asked this question is an actor. So, if you wrote it to act in it, you can shoot the pilot yourself. It would have to be the most exceptional, original, well-written pilot in decades in order to sell it to a network without an agent or an established career.

Now, if you want to pursue a second career as a writer, before seeking out an agent to represent you, make sure you have about 3 spec scripts for other shows. Even if you have a great pilot script, the next question you're going to get is, "So what else do you have?" Be professional and have more to show.

www.theGreenlightCoach.com FIND ME

www.twitter.com/GreenlightCoach FOLLOW ME

www.TheGreenlightMentorProgram.com JOIN ME

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visitwww.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

To stay current on The Greenlight Coach's speaking engagements, recommendations, and work success articles, sign up for her free newsletter at the top of the page and get a great bonus 1-hour MP3 on creating powerful business partnerships when you do!

Entertainment industry coach Question 520: How can I talk to Warner Bros. about a movie version of a vid game they own rights to?

You need a connection. Regular "Joes" don't get into Warner Brothers to discuss movie rights to WB properties. Either a literary agent, an entertainment attorney, or a production company would be your best bet to getting you in the door. How do you get to them? Again... connections. Whom do you know who is connected to one of the above? If no one, you're going to have to go back to the beginning of my blog and start reading on how to build relationships in the entertainment industry from where ever you live.

www.theGreenlightCoach.com FIND ME

www.twitter.com/GreenlightCoach FOLLOW ME

www.TheGreenlightMentorProgram.com JOIN ME

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visitwww.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

To stay current on The Greenlight Coach's speaking engagements, recommendations, and work success articles, sign up for her free newsletter at the top of the page and get a great bonus 1-hour MP3 on creating powerful business partnerships when you do!

entertainment industry coach question 310: How do you pitch an idea?

I asked him to be more specific and he shared that it is a reality show idea that he wants to pitch to a specific television network. This could almost be two questions:

1. How to create a pitch

or

2. How to get in the door to pitch

I'll focus on 2, because you can google "how to create a pitch," or buy a book on it. It's a skill/art that is too long for a blog post.

So how do you get in the door to pitch your idea to a network. There are so many ways. Here are a sampling:

1. Get a literary agent or manager to represent the project and set up the pitch meeting for you. **You may need to have connections to get you a meeting with an agent or manager. If you don't, you'll have to pitch yourself on the phone and convince them that you have a truly unique idea.

[aside- speaking of truly unique ideas, protect yourself. Register your treatment with the WGA]

2. Attach yourself to someone who already has a track record. There are many smaller reality show production companies out there with established track records who can get in the door at networks. **from #1 applies here too.

3. Reach out to everyone you know and ask if they have connections to anyone at the network you are interested in. Even if it's someone in the mailroom, establish a relationships and then let him/her steer you to the right people.

4. Go to the website or call the development department to see what the submission policy is for a synopsis. Some companies won't look at your proposal unless it's submitted through an agent, manager, or entertainment attorney. Others will have you sign an agreement before accepting your synopsis.

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visit www.The GreenlightCoachBlog.com

entertainment industry coach question 296: Should I let someone produce my feature film without paying me for the script?

I feel like I've answered this question before or maybe I've just lived it. Either way, you always want to create a win/win, without biting off your nose to spite your face. If given the choice, everyone would be paid for their art/talent. That said, if you are trying to build your credits, you have never had your writing produced, and you are suddenly given the opportunity, it may be worth it to you.

As I started with, you want to create a win/win. I'm assuming you're not being paid because it's a low budget, non-union production company. They want to produce your script because they believe in it. Therefore, talk to a literary agent, manager, or entertainment attorney, who can give you some advice on signing a contract to receive money should it sell. You may also be able to add a few more things to the contract in the event that the movie "takes off."

The reason I advise you to speak to a professional, is because, without contract experience, you could end up losing a lot of money. Number people can be very tricky, and it may not even be the production company you're dealing with now, but the one that they sell to.

Approach it like you would a pre-nup, with love, trust, and "a teensy need for insurance." You appreciate the opportunity, you believe in the producers, and therefore, you want to know that they are just as invested in your success in the end, since you're willing to sacrifice in the beginning. If a contract is going to be a deal breaker, you have to decide if getting your first screenplay produced is worth it. Either way, congratulations on getting this far.

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, the Greenlight Coach, visit www.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

entertainment industry coach question 280: What exactly is a spec script?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A spec script is a "speculative" screenplay, one that the Variety slanguage dictionary defines as being "shopped or sold on the open market, as opposed to one commissioned by a studio or production company."^[1]

Spec scripts are written for various reasons:^{[citation needed]}

• by writers who hope to have a script optioned and eventually purchased by producers or studios;
• by writer/directors who want to direct a film themselves;
• by amateur writers hoping to convince a literary agent to represent them or a producer to hire them.

I would like to add that spec scripts are also written for television to show that the writer can write for other people's characters. In television you usually need multiple sample scripts from various shows to prove that if you write one great spec, it wasn't a fluke.

If you want to write a spec, and have no idea how to start, I highly recommend the UCLA extension program. If you live in Los Angeles, nothing beats the class atmosphere where you get help form your teacher and create relationships with the students as well. However, if you're not, you can take online classes and have a spec done in one semester.

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visit www.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com