Hi, Everyone! My name's William, I'm a 21 year-old from Argentina. I've been writing scripts since I was 19, two years now. I have a pretty decent amount of scripts (more than 5 shorts, and 3 full-length now), and lately I've been thinking on going out there and try to pitch and find producers to my works. That being said, I don't have much "contacts" into this business, and I really don't know where to start; should I submit some scripts to a screenwriting contest? Should I find an agent first? Or maybe try to reach producers available for pitching sessions? I'd really use some advice and guidance here.
Another very important question I have: Must I register the scripts to acquire the copyright before sending it to anyone else? To be honest, I'm very jealous about the Rights in the matter of artists' works.
Thank you all!
Sincerely, William D. Tolkien.
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This is a very standard situation.
Yes, you need to register a copyright claim and you should do that with the US Library of Congress before anywhere else.
Entering competitions is like having a business plan to hit the blackjack tables at Vegas. Reps generally don't sign writers without a working history.
You have to put in the leg work and start from the bottom, usually by querying filmmakers who align with the type of material you write.
You are more than welcome to add your material to Script Revolution but that's only a passive solution.
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Adding to what CJ says, be wary of some competitions as they are only making the organisers rich. I've seen some that are nothing but scams. There are some very good - and free to enter - competitions out there, like the Zoetrope annual screenwriting competition for example.
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Zoetrope is not free. "An entry fee of US$40 (prior to the early-bird deadline) or US$50 (between the early-bird and final deadlines) must be paid online by credit card or PayPal at the time of script submission."
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William, there are a variety of routes you can take. I'd recommend finding coverage first, which you can commission directly from Stage 32 and a variety of other resources. I entered a competition immediately with my last screenplay just to give my procrastinating self a deadline, and to see how I "stacked up" against others out there. You can sign up for an account on coverfly.com to see a list, by genre, of upcoming competitions with dates, and you can pay a little more to add coverage - but don't assume it's coming from the judges because it isn't usually. Also you can get free coverage from other writers but please with any coverage from any resource - strongly consider the validity of their comments. Some skim your writing, and some just aren't qualified.
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Submit to IMdb verified festivals
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Hi, William D. Tolkien. What are your goals as a screenwriter (sell scripts that you pitch, produce your scripts alongside producers, acting in your scripts, etc.)? Knowing that will help you know which direction to go in (contests, having an agent, etc.).
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Get NOTES. Professional notes. before u submit it to any priducer, rep, or contest. Im happy to help over at No BullScript!