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Finding A Rep and Other Things
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by the Hollywood Guru
Sure scripts get optioned without the writer having an agent but this is rare. Here's what you need to do. Get someone already in the business on your side to help you. It's a referral based business. Don't know anyone? Get out there and make friends. Go to conferences and talk to the guests who are already playing the game.
Get your pitch down to 30 seconds tell everyone about it. Show some passion when you're pitching. If you're not excited, how will the person you pitch to be excited?
Write to a writer c/o The Writer's Guild of America. They will forward your letter of you're nice to them. Tell Mr. or Ms. Writer how much you liked their movie "I Married Big Foot." Because of this movie, your life will never be the same. Okay so you don't have be this silly but you get the point. Make friends with people already in the biz however you have to do it. The lower level the writer or whomever you write to (like a production assistant on a movie) the better chance of getting them to respond. Writing to Tom Cruise or Steven Spielberg is a big fat WASTE OF TIME!! They don't care if you have War of the Worlds Part 2 & 3. They have their A-list writers for that.
Low to mid-level directors might respond if you send them a nice letter c/o their production company or to the DGA (Directors Guild of America) which will forward your mail. Buy the DGA membership book at DGA.com. It's full of great contact info but remember, stay away from guys like Spielberg. WASTE OF TIME. Write to the director of something like "I Married Big Foot." Not a real movie but you get the idea, right? He'll love getting your letter because not too many people write him anymore and you know what, he might have some Hollywood contacts, at least more than you do. Maybe Spielberg loves the guy's B movies he made in the 50's and that's how you'll get to the king, through this hack director! Stranger things have happened. Try everything you can as long as it's legal and somewhat ethical. The days of showing up at a star's home and tossing a script over their front gate are long gone. Today you'd be labeled a terrorist and thrown into the Abu Ghraib prisoner of war camp faster than you can say the words "blockbuster movie."
Low-level writers might respond to a letter as well. Pick a lower budgeted film you like and write to the screenwriter c/o the production company or distribution company. You'll get this info off the video box. If the companies are not helpful, see if the writer is a member of the Writers Guild of America. Go to WGA.ORG and do a search. If they are, write to them care of the guild. The WGA will forward mail. If this doesn't work, try sending the letter to the writer care of his agent. Slim chance of this working. You know how agents are. Write "personal" on the envelope and maybe you'll sneak it by the assistant. If that's too unethical for you, leave off the "personal."
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