Stage 32 Success Stories

Great news about the pitch, Justin Groats, and invaluable information regarding the budget.

Great news!

Congratulations!!

WAY TO GOOOOO Justin Groats

Great news! :)

Congratulations, American DirProdWrit!

Wow! Congratulations :)

Thanks, Maurice. I hope everyone has a chance to read my latest blog.

You're welcome, Lee Shargel.

Congratulations

What a great step forward! Congratulations!

Once again, thanks everybody!!! It wasn't easy....But it was worth all the effort!!!

I'm still in a bit of shock! But not in a bad way!!!

you did something right to have this happen to you, go for it!!!

Yes Mark - rejection is a gut punch when received. But a good project will eventually find the "right fit". Good luck.

Rejection can be detrimental to you if you stay focused on it. Just try your best at making your pitch concise, straight-forward and dynamic, without giving too much away.

There's something to be learned from every "No". And once you reframe rejection as a learning experience, it's much easier to handle.

Ditto "RB"....

Sometimes a "no" is a test ot see how committed you are to your vision. And you're right...it is a crap shoot. It's subjective. So keep going. Let this be a lesson...don't give up on yourself before you find your yest. It could be just an arm's reach away. Congratulations!

Congrats

Couldn't be more thrilled for you, Kelly Anelons! Hope you've been well!

Congrats Sandy Fox-sohner

Tiffany is one of my favorite people in the biz (just had dinner with her in Cannes) and, as Pat Alexander mentioned, having her request is no small feat.

Ah! And I just saw you signed an agreement with her. Even better, Sandy Fox-sohner!

Thank you. I do enjoy working with Tiffany. She is very personable and is well known in the industry.

She, and the entire Ramo team, are as good as it gets, Sandy Fox-sohner. And they're all fabulous, caring human beings to boot.

congratulations Staton! that is so exciting!! i also have a feature adaptation of my published YA novel (also based on a true story) that i'm trying to find a home for :) so it's really encouraging to see others find success on this path, especially with those cool similarities - it makes me see that it's possible. i'd love any tips you have <3

Hi, Christine Miller. Thanks for your kind note! To get your novel (and perhaps the screenplay based on it) optioned for film or TV, your best bet would be to query (preferably with a personal referral) literary agents at the big film agencies-- or reputable boutique agencies-- who specialize in selling film and TV rights to books. The chances of getting a book optioned for film or TV depends on a number of factors-- and it certainly helps if it's a best-seller published from a major publisher, and/or the true story involves a celebrity or recent famous true events. A top agency with a motion picture literary department (or a lit agency that has a top co-agent in L.A. who sells film/TV rights to books) has a lot of power due to their reputation and who else they represent. If a lit agent represents you and finds you a producer who wants to make a deal to option your novel, if it's an A-list producer they may want to hire an A-list screenwriter to adapt it. But presumably if they've optioned your novel they will at least be willing to read and consider your script. Back when I worked for the film studios and an agency in New York as a freelance reader, most novels scheduled to be published by major publishers had already been shopped around for film or TV rights by their agents when they were still in manuscript or galleys -- whether the author of the book knew it or not:-) That may still be true. If that didn't happen to your book, then getting a literary agent-- based in L.A. or New York-- who is known for successfully marketing film/TV rights to books (or has co-agents who do this), would be a great move. Depending on how well your book is selling and how ideal it would be for film or TV, it is easier to market film or TV rights to a successful book than it is to get a screenplay optioned or sold. IP is in demand-- but the success of the book is a big factor. In lieu of having an agent, there are also a few "cinematic books" contests, and screenwriting contests, that accept adaptations of IP (read the contest rules to make sure), as long as it's an adaptation of your own book and you own all the film/TV/theater rights to it (check your book contract). Stage 32 can probably steer you in the right direction. Hope this helps and best wishes to you.

Staton Rabin thank you so much for the thoughtful response - that's very kind of you. this is all very helpful! my book sold well but it was a small, indie publisher. i'm wondering if i might do better just pitching my script as just a script with the adaptation angle being more of a footnote. since it sounds like if one wants to pitch with the focus on adaptation it matters a lot more about the book publicity/sales. but as you said, it's actually easier to market the rights to a good book than sell an original screenplay :-\ hmm, so this gives me a lot to think about. yes, i do own full rights to film/TV/theater per my book contract, which is good. thank you for the helpful info and wishing you best of luck with your awesome project!

You're very welcome, Christine Miller, and it's great that you kept the film/TV/theater rights to your published book. In this case, perhaps pitch whichever you think is the stronger example of your writing: the book or the screenplay. And if it's the book, pitch to literary agents in L.A. or NYC who handle film rights to IP (or lit agents who have a co-agent in L.A. who does), since not all managers and lit agents market film rights to books. If you choose the screenplay instead, the fact that it's based on IP is an asset, and you'll be pitching to managers and/or film producers-- preferably with a referral. Also a factor: where your contacts are best, and whether you consider yourself primarily a novelist or a screenwriter. I find that-- at least in my personal experience-- the industry will tend to pigeonhole you as either a novelist or a screenwriter rather than both (unless you're someone like Nicholas Meyer). Also, not every great book would make a great movie-- so your judging your book's film potential objectively (or asking someone who will do that for you)-- as I assume you have-- is also important.

great advice Staton Rabin - thank you so, so much for the thoughtful reply. gives me a lot to think about!! i think i will pitch the screenplay, but will think more on this based on the great info you've given me. i don't have a referral or really any inside contacts, so it's been hard trying to make noise, but i'll continue doing my best. thank you again!

How excellent is that. Nice one, Sandi! Love seeing this because we all know the sheer work it took to get there. Seeing it pay off for any writer or creative just makes your day. Bloody-well bravo!

Thank you, Alexia Melocchi -I didn't want to mention who was the amazing manager who took in the lost soul and send another thousand emails to your "in" box! But if you ever see Alexia Melocchi taking pitches or doing Executive script consulting - jump at the chance, or read her book on Amazon or watch her YouTube, the Heart of Show Business. I did all this before I sent a pitch to her and found that she "the one!"

Highly recommend Alexia Melocchi's Heart of Show Business pod as well.

Thanks for the info!

You're welcome, Marc Galmoud.

Congratulations, Nicholas!

I literally didn't even know that plays (and therefore playwrights) were even still a thing!

Great news, Nicholas.

Good for you, what is Rage Live about?

Congratulations @NicholasLangan