I have a handful of short stories (one in particular) I think would make worthwhile motion pictures. How do I get these into the hands of readers? Any advice on how to aim such work would be appreciated.
Screenwriting : Short Stories by Sean McElhiney
Short Stories
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Usually producers option a short story after reading it in a magazine. Short stories are a little odd, because most of what gets optioned or purchased from other mediums is really buying the audience. So when they buy the rights to the HARRY POTTER novels they are really buying those millions of readers of the books... hoping they will see the movie version of the book. With a short story, even in a top paying magazine like Playboy, they don't know whether people bought the magazine for the story or the pictures (for me it's the articles)... so it's more of a gamble. I've had producers talk to me about adapting short stories they've bought, but they were by well known (and dead) writers.
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Then I shall die. After having become well known. Or I'll write the spec and enter it in a contest.
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The latter option is a better choice! And will work more to your advantage :P
write the spec and enter comps.
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Sean, you need to become well known, then die... so start focus on the well known part. Or write the spec (etc). Save the death thing for way down the road (easier to do meetings with producers if you are alive).
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Sean, if they are less than 45 pages long, you can can upload them to InkTip for free. I had a short optioned and produced after a director found it on there. http://www.inktip.com/sa_short_script_listing.php?cat=sa&scat=services
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That's helpful. Thanks, CJ. I'm on the Ink Tip mailing list, but I've never seen this.
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Glad to be of help. All the best with your listings, Sean :)
Do you want them adapted into short scripts? Or do you want to get them into a colection because there isn't enough for a book of short stories?
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Find a local writers group where you can polish them up. Then troll a website like Stage32 to find the people who want new stuff. It's as much work and not as much fun as writing them in the first place.
I agree with David. It's best to polish them in a local writers group and then try and find producers. Maybe your local library would have a group. I know mine does.
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Writers groups is a good way to go. I use MeetUp.com to find groups in my area. If you're in a big enough city there will be several.
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Workshop them if you have not already done so. Try American Zoetrope or Trigger Street. That will help prove your copyright and improve the stories. Get them published online or in print magazines that suit your genre. That will make you stand out from the crowd. You are a writer so why not write the script?
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Peter - I'm sure Ink Tip is looking for scripts, not prose. Alle - I'll add you and we can exchange contact info so I can email you the stories I have in mind.
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sean, i just added you. I do have a lot of stories gathering dust. I need to get them out there