Producing : Big Question by Heidi Schussman

Use IMDBpro.com to narrow down a list of producers/networks that green-light projects like yours, plus the attorneys/managers who rep them. And, if you have no agent, think of an intelligent, resourceful way to get in front of them.

Heidi - you're up against the hard part with your proposed project right now. First off, understand that few, if any, Producers just happen to have a shoebox full of cash just hangin' around waitin' for you. First you need to identify a strong Producer in your target market - he/she likely won't have the funds you need but if he strongly believes in the profitability of the project - he will form a consortium of investors to raise the cash needed and he will likely bring in a Director and Talent to make the investment more appealing to his investors. All the best with it.

Listen to Doug Nelson - it's straight-up true advice.

I will expand with a couple of details:

Do what Erik A. Jacobson says, and once you've got a list of said producers, start querying them. Should have at least 20 on your list, and chances are you'll get 1 to respond positively.

Have a killer, complete synopsis ready, because that 1 producer WILL NOT want to read the script. They'll want a 1-2 page synop to evaluate the story AND your writing skill.

Then, given a positive, they may want to read the script.

That's my two cents' worth. :)

Define "Big Producer"?

Is this your only screenplay/only idea? Perhaps do a cheaper movie project like under $1-$3M and show Employers what you can do for cheap and then target corporate studios with your "big budget idea."

Another option, of course, would be to take a key 3 to 5 minute section of your story and have it animated as a "proof of concept" video, pitching it along with your synopsis and other materials. Probably no more expensive than a short film. USC, for example, has a great animation department. Why not call and ask if any of their advanced or grad students would be interested in helping? Or put a note on their bulletin board?

Erik, Thanks for the double input. I can't afford the 240 bucks a year for IMDbpro, so I'm out on that one. I like the idea of contacting USC and asking if they have any students or grads who'd like to make a POC. I appreciate your advice Erik.

Doug, How do I identify a "strong producer?" For example, I think of you as a strong producer because of your years of experience, but that's not what you mean right? Do I just look up all the movies I think align themselves with one of my scripts and research their producers?

Hi Dan, Thanks for chiming in! Big producer to me means someone who can take on the expense of a high concept detective drama, or a Christmas classic animation... both of which are available here at Stage 32 and at Script Revolution. I've had excellent feedback for each screenplay. Been told numerous times that these need to be made, etc... Now I need to figure out how to get a producer's attention.

So, I have two completed full feature screenplays and two in the making. One of these screenplays in the making has a fairly limited cast and locations. Should I try to have that one made first?

John, thanks for your "two cents worth." Get 20 producers who will let me send them an unsolicited query, then send the synop to them and keep at it. Do you think I should get script coverage? What's your opinion on that? Do you think producers are swayed by coverage?

I know you are busy, but if you have a moment could you look at my two screenplays here at S32 and tell me if you think they are strong? Actually could anyone reading this check them out and give me feedback?

https://www.stage32.com/profile/625612/scripts_screenplays

Heidi no I'm not in the 'strong producer' category. Generally I keep about $100K hangin' around in the play money fund (I just spent about $20K on a studs up bath remodel - so it's a little thin right now). Your animation classic is gonna cost some real money and time to create. Look to Disney, ABC, CBS, PBS, Fox... those kinds of studios. I don't know about your detective drama but it occurs to me that a potential Producer is much more willing to stuff a short in the machine and watch a 10 minute pilot than listen to a pitch. Ever thought about making a short?

Heidi Schussman, coverage rates right up there with contests for uselessness, IMO. Indie producers evaluate scripts on their own. A big studio may have someone cover a script (if it even gets that far), but that will be done in-house; and honestly, you may not even know if it's done.

I can't promise having the time to look at your scripts, but I'll try - it'll be 3-4 weeks at least. Looking at your loglines: Legend sounds decent, but nothing sets it apart. Piratessa doesn't really grab at all.

And loglines are your first impression when contacting producers - they MUST kick-ass!

And there's no "let me send them an unsolicited query" - the query letter is how you get around the "no unsolicited submissions" conundrum. If they like the query and want more, you're now in the solicited submission category. And don't send them a synop until they ask - they might simply ask for the script. You need to have both ready.

Doug, remodels aren't cheap that's for sure. I need new carpet, but I keep putting it off. :)

Do you still do shorts, Doug? Do you know how much that would cost me?

John, thanks for the input again. I certainly don't expect you to read my screenplays as a favor to me (I mean if you want to read them, please do). What I was after is your opinion of the synopsis. I think Toymaker's synop is pretty good, but not sure about Piratessa's.

Toymaker, an animation is; https://www.stage32.com/profile/625612/Screenplay/The-Toy-Maker

Piratessa, a detective drama is: https://www.stage32.com/profile/625612/Screenplay/Piratessa

Thanks for your take on my loglines. I'm baffled as to why loglines are so difficult for me to write! I can write a 100k word novel, no problem... but make me write a one or two sentence logline and I'm stuck. I swam laps this morning for an hour and a half, and all I thought about was how to make Piratessa's logline better. I think it's supposed to have the antagonist and protagonist and the goal, right?

Today's version: Detective Cummings will do whatever it takes to catch this sexy, sleek little thief.

Contact me. 3rd Edition of Funding for Internship and Scholarship Programs is available. I can show you how to use it to cover most stuff.

Heidi, I don't have a crew right now so shooting anything is out at this point and my talent pool here is very shallow. In the past, I've used rank amature volunteer cast & crew on weekends and it still cost me $250 per day just to feed 'em. That's as cheap as you can go and the finished product shows it. That's not what you need as a viable marketing reel. You'll need a basic Director (one that at least knows the difference between an 'A' and an 'I' pattern blocking), a knowledgeable Cinematographer, strong Actors, and a talented Editor. Search high & low. There are a few in Sacto that do wedding videos, Cameramen in the local news studios, local folk making adds. Many of them wouldn't turn down a little side gig for a some pocket change. It might cost you maybe $2K a day (depending on a lot of things). For that, you can likely get an acceptable product - but it still ain't gonna be great. When I was doing informational DVDs for commercial users my rate was $2.500 per minute of finished run time. So a professional 10 min film would cost you about $25K. That would likely set your ceiling and your absolute minimum would be about $1K. So there's your range.

Doug, you are priceless! Thanks for taking the time to give a concrete answer. Have you ever heard of Film 14? I may use them to get a product under 10k.

I know nothing of them. Sorry.

Doug, Film14 does mostly book trailers. They're simple. Prices range from 2k up to 12k+

Excellent advice, Doug Nelson! I feel like some part of this comes from your approach. If you're approaching producers (even after research) like they are there to fund your film, then it's hard for them to want to get on board because it feels like they are risking everything (and with money, they are already risking enough). IF, however, you approach them as if you have what they need and it's up to them to jump on it before they miss an opportunity, then you approach them GIVING them something, instead of ASKING something from them.

Ultimately, your job is to make it easy for people to say, "YES". This can be a whittle-away-over-time game. How long did Peter Jackson have the rights to Lord of the Rings before he found a studio that greenlit it? Keep going! It's a marathon.

All you have to do is build the kind of career and reputation that demands their respect. If you're looking for the "magic bullet" in terms of getting reads, then all you really need is to become one of Hollywood's most celebrated screenwriters. Once you've done that, getting reads from the people you want is pretty easy. Without too much effort, you can get them to see the value in giving you their time at that point.

I'm not saying this is easy... but if you're looking for the "one-step solution," that's it.

Well, you're going to pay for it one way for another. That's pretty much just how it works. I looked at what you have on your page and several of the streamers have all-calls out for children's material and family stuff, in addition to four-quadrant stuff. We are producers in the sense that we take materials from one side and try to find money from a different location and put the project together. There are two ways to do that but both cost money. 1) A Deck or Look Book or 2) a reel. Both work. It really depends on who the target is and if it's another producer or someone who can write checks (also a producer). A deck is usually the simpler more cost effective way to go about getting a meeting but you typically want to have some form of talent attached (could be voice actors or animators or key crew) and putting the deck together and getting the attachments together costs money. Whether it's the legal fees related to the contracts you need or the artist doing the concept pieces or the actual person putting together the pitch deck unless you happen to do a lot of that stuff yourself. 2) A reel is sometimes more expensive (usually) but it really depends on what you want to do with it. There is not a single path to getting a script read but you are going to have to put on some hats. We found ourselves working in audio and in reality tv. I have some many hats I could fill a rack. I want to be "just a storyteller" but in reality the story tellers of the industry that are "just story tellers" got to be in that position because they did 8,000 other things first. Putting together reels and pitch decks is going to be at least one of those hats you are going to want to put on.

Forgive me if this is repeatative- Build your street cred by entering film / screenplay festivals- Austin Film Fest, Sundance, Slamdance, Final Draft Big Break, Stage 32 New Blood- etc. Everyone and their dog has a film festival now- so be selective about which you enter otherwise it can (will) get costly. Austin Revolution Film Fest has a great familial community of filmmakers to get in with and get to know. Get on the Blacklist and see if their reviewers can rate you 8 or higher- from what I hear, that will get you attention. Get your pitch deck ready- See if you can find a line producer to break down the script and give you a realistic budget- that question will get asked and it is better if you can present a real answer vs one pulled out of thin air- and if you can present them with a top sheet- BLAH-BLAM! Your credibility will go up. Include the top sheet budget in your pitch deck. Network to meet people and see what inroads present themselves to you to get representation which can lead to meetings- sometimes the cart can come before the horse too and you can get that meeting with a producer who can make things happen- but generally most require submission from a lawyer or an agent. But not all, and not if you can make a connection. Hope this helps-

Tennyson, I had no idea it was so easy! All I have to do is "become one of Hollywood's most celebrated screenwriters." LOL ... I'm working on it Tennyson :)

Yeah Heidi - that'll work too.

John and Jamie, Thanks for your thoughtful answer. I do have an attempt at a storyboard over on my website: http://hschussman.blogspot.com/2020/06/. Is this what you mean?

I hear you about wearing many hats. I'm an author of a crime series. After trying a traditional publisher, and realizing I could do it on myself and maintain control of my marketing, I have struck out on my own. I organize everything myself from writing the book to cover art, formatting, release events and publication--including paperback on demand. I've learned to do a lot. I just finished the final edit on book four and will be spending the next three weeks tying it up into a nice neat little package for publication.

IF, and that's a big if, a producer decides to jump on this they will find in me a creative whose goal is successful teamwork. I write to entertain and in this industry that's a team effort. I will write and rewrite.

Hi Heidi, Have you become involved with CFAA (Capital Film Arts Association)? They offer a variety of monthly programs, online now. I have really enjoyed their presentations, entertaining, educational, and professional. Membership is cheap!

Jeff, I've been in the script competitions and had good feedback when I've paid for feedback. As a matter of fact, Piratessa just advanced to quarter-finalist for TSL, which had 13k entrants. I'm not going to give up. I've had too many people from here tell me my work is worthy of production. Here's my problem... neither film will be cheap. Both are high concept films, though completely different.

Piratessa is a black widow story with a stodgy detective sent to Costa Rica to investigate a series of missing persons--and their yachts. He must set himself as bait to catch her.

The Legend of The Toymaker is a beautiful adaptation of a children's book about the origins of Santa Claus written by Baum (the author of The Wizard of Oz) in 1902. It is absolutely enchanting and magical in its approach to this legend. This one would probably do very well as animation... Unless someone with bottomless pockets wanted to make it as a CGI.

*What is a line producer and how do I get one to help me realize a budget? What is the Blacklist and what's an 8? See how humble I am? :)

Chris, I went to the CFAA site and it looks great, plus it's only ten minutes from my house! I may see about attending a zoom meeting, but those meetings in person look like a blast... Looking forward to being 'in person' again.

Karen, I'm in for the marathon. :)

Heidi Schussman Yup! Precisely. If you're looking to distill this issue down to one, repeatable step... that's the step. It's a doozy.

Don't let yourself get frustrated with the gatekeeping and the constant passing of accountability. Find people whose careers you can support sustainably and in good conscience, and make your film community stronger. In time, that community will come to include investors or producers... and those people will judge your work by whatever criteria they hold dear. That's the process, and speeding it up is very luck-dependent.

I heard actor/writer/producer Seth Rogen say his passion movie, “Sausage Party,” took over 10 years to make. Same amount of time for “Stuber”, written by stage 32 Mentor/writer Tripper Clancy. Both original IPs.

I’ve never made a studio movie but generally it takes about 5 years. Now with a global pandemic, add another 2 years. 7-years of your life for one studio distributed theatrical movie. Might as well stay busy and create another movie idea for cheaper, establish a track record, make $$$ while you wait :). Good Luck!!

Try more along the lines of http://www.zen134237.zen.co.uk/Stranger_Things/Stranger_Things_-_Bible.pdf or https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3579007/video-quiet-place-writers-sh... as the pitch deck. It tells the story and the story of the world in a short version that captures the reasons to make your story without telling the whole thing like a storyboard would. Less than 20 pages with a Logline, synopsis, character summary, etc. you’re basically making a quick visual bible of the project.

Thanks Tennyson, I'll take your words of wisdom to heart. In my humble opinion, the most important qualities a writer can have is flexibility and being able to play well with others. lol

Very solid advice Dan! Keep writing, keep creating those stories, and never ever give up.

John and Jamie, great links! they both said so much without needing pages of words.

I would just like to state for the record that I'm the luckiest girl in the world.... Look at all these truly thoughtful answers to my questions. I'm humbled and grateful. THANKS :)

Heidi, any forward movement yet? Do you have a polished script yet? If so, send it to me and if I think it fits what they look for, I'll forward it on to a Hollywood Agent and maybe on to a Showrunner.

Doug, Thank you. I will private message you.