Screenwriting

From structure to content to representation to industry trends, this is the place to discuss, share content and offer tips and advice on the craft and business of screenwriting

Salahudeen Cook
Recent loglines

Hello all, these recent loglines would love to have feedback and general thoughts on the ideas. Here's a rough version of them.

A high school senior loses the state wrestling finals, but learns quickly life outside of wrestling with family business with his grandfather a fisherman. (Coming of age/Dr...

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Ashley Renée Smith

Hey Salahudeen, this is Ashley from the Stage 32 team. I just wanted to let you know I moved your post from Filmmaking / Directing to Screenwriting, as it fits much better there. Let me know if you have any questions, and all the best to you!

Liked by Dwayne Williams and 4 others

Nicolas Lavoie
Cold e-mail success stories

I would like to hear cold e-mail success stories. Who send a query letter of their screenplay and got asked to send their script. Who got representation or produced through such mean?

I’m good at writing screenplay but I’m really not the best at query letters. I don’t know if it’s because it’s a low...

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Erin McInnis

I got two meetings with production companies, a shopping agreement and (as of yesterday) a manager through cold queries. I think it comes down to having a really clear and compelling logline, a straig...

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Maurice Vaughan

Congratulations, @Erin!

Darrell A Pennington

I have queried lit agents, managers, directors, actors, attorney's etc....

Judith Marie-Ange Edmorin

Hi Nicholas :) Zero Gravity Management's cold query process is very straightforward. I hope it helps :) https://www.zerogravitymanagement.com/contact-us/ For representation, Audrey Knox has an amazing...

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Nicolas Lavoie

Maurice Vaughan How long is too long? How do you make an impression just with the logline? I’m curious.

Liked by Susan Thornton and 18 others

Ashley Renée Smith
What Would You Ask a WGA Screenwriter, Award-Winning Producer, Actor, and Author Who Talks to Industry Pros Every Single Day?

Hi Screenwriting Lounge Fam!

Let me paint you a picture for a second.

Imagine you had the chance to sit down, one-on-one, with a WGA screenwriter who has spent decades in this business. Someone who is also an award-winning producer. An actor. A bestselling author. Someone who spends time weekly on Zoo...

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Robert Zwerneman

Nadir Bouriah "democratize film production". What? No idea what this even means.

(A) Reps are the filter those producers want between them and the hordes of skilled and unskilled writers. It's why prod...

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Emilio Briceño

Hi Ashley & RB,

As an author who has developed a dark fantasy/suspense trilogy and adapted Part 1 into a feature script, my question is:

When pitching a high-concept project that already has a published...

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James Fleming

Where to send a query letter?

Jackie Letkowski

One question I would love to ask is: Does a screenwriter or actor ACTUALLY need an agent or manager? I've heard some say that there are ways to bypass the gatekeepers without the need for an agent or manager. Is this a much harder feat? Or is this easier than people think?

Mari Bengston

I would ask if I could shadow them for a day, a week or a month, just to see what their day by day activities actually are.

Liked by Ashley Renée Smith and 4 others

Henry Hereford
How Your Script Actually Stands Out to a Producer

It is all about the pitch: what makes a producer lean forward instead of switching off, how to use your six minutes to earn a "yes, send me the script" instead of trying to tell your whole story, and the common mistakes that make pitches blend together.

I'm really excited to be teaching this class to...

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Delenn Kerkhof

Pitching is sometimes the most intimidating part of the process and learning to do a solid one is essential. Can't wait for the class!

Liked by Maurice Vaughan and 2 others

Looking to learn as much as I can.

I'm really passionate about learning as much as I can on the process of filmmaking as a whole I joined, to get direct feedback on scripts and to establish a community. I'm a writer director, looking to create shorts then eventually feature films. I know this can be a daunting process for anyone. I'm...

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Krenda Alice

Salahudeen Cook these are strong, thematically connected ideas, masculinity and fatherhood explored through wrestling, family secrets, and even a living planet reacting to pregnancy. New Eden especial...

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Salahudeen Cook

Write probably new eden. Shot most doable is probably Nagual given I live in the south west and locations and etc.

Maurice Vaughan

Great to meet you, @Salahudeen. Your ideas sound interesting. I like your wrestling/family business idea the most.

Krenda Alice

Salahudeen Cook That makes sense, New Eden sounds like the one with the most room to explore and develop as a story, while Nagual being shootable with the right locations already in your backyard is a...

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Delenn Kerkhof

I'm with Krenda on New Eden! That would be a fascinating world to explore. Would love to hear more about Nagual since it's more accessable for you to shoot. What are the stakes of these secrets? What's the primary conflict the lead is facing?

Liked by Leonardo Ramirez and one other

Gilad Riv
Waiting for feedback

I sent a fantasy/adventure script to a creative director at a fairly reputable company 3 weeks ago and I haven't heard back from him yet. That means I had too high expectations of them?

Leonardo Ramirez

Did you go through Stage 32 or send it directly Gilad Riv? Either way, there are so many variables that could be in play - his schedule, family, anything. After three weeks, I think it's OK to reach o...

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Maurice Vaughan

Glad you asked Gilad that, @Leonardo. I didn't think about that. My first comment is about feedback through emails and from people on different platforms. I've done written Pitch Sessions on Stage 32 and usually got feedback in 1-2 weeks.

Leonardo Ramirez

Same here Maurice Vaughan. I've always gotten feedback here in a timely manner or when promised.

Gerald Barrett

Same. I received a script request and a formal introduction was made to the producer by a Stage32 employee. I responded to it but contact with the producer was never accepted or acknowledged.

Delenn Kerkhof

You're absolutely not alone. Likely they are just overwhelmed with reads. Totally valid to send a gentle follow up checking in if they've had a chance to read you. Their silence does not necessarily correlate to their interest level in you.

Liked by Sandra Michelle and one other

Sherry McGuinn
You Wrote the Script. Now What?

Screenwriters are often told to “learn the business side,” but that can mean eight different jobs at once: getting the script ready, building pitch materials, finding appropriate contacts, planning outreach, following professional etiquette, positioning your career, and understanding representation....

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The Screenwriting Operating System
The Screenwriting Operating System
An all-in-one screenwriting career system for script readiness, pitching, outreach, industry navigation, representation, and long-term career strategy.Part course. Part roadmap.
Sandra Michelle

Hey, I'd Love to connect with you and know what you're current facing on your script. send me your script and i will give you honest feedback and let you know maybe the consistency words

Liked by Maurice Vaughan

Nicolas Drohojowski
Stage 32 Happy Writers

Has anyone else stopped receiving emails from Happy Writers? Trying to figure out if it's a me problem. Currently I have to go into my order history and check on the status (which is a little annoying). Thanks!

Leonardo Ramirez

Hi Nicolas Drohojowski - if you're having an issue with an order, I would suggest writing to writerhelp@stage32.com and referencing the order you're waiting on....

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Eric Christopherson

Ditto.

Michael David

Check your Spam box, that's where most of my Happy Writer's emailed show up

Banafsheh Esmailzadeh

Same, I missed maybe three of them just this past month.

Liked by Hannah Collins and 3 others

James Lagrimas
Stage 32 6-Part Series: Script Development Lab - Create Your Outline. With Christopher Lockhart

Here's a hard truth: most scripts don't fall apart on page 40 — they were never going to work, and the cracks were there from page one. If you've ever sunk months into a draft only to feel it stall out, the real problem was probably the idea itself, not the pages.

That's what Stage 32's new 6-Part Sc...

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Sydney S

This is such a great way to frame it, Chris! I love the idea of starting with the concept and making sure it has a real fighting chance before writers spend months developing the script.

I think the ha...

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Sydney S

Make sure to send your questionnaire into Chris before the first day!

Sydney S

See you soon!

Sarah Mathews

Looking forward to this lab!

Sydney S

Looking forward as well Sarah!

Liked by Maurice Vaughan

Dwayne Williams
Mockumentaries — Script Format & Genre Preferences

Hello creators,

I'm looking to explore mockumentaries and would love your feedback. I have a couple of questions:

Is there a different way mockumentaries are written compared to standard scripts? If so, what are the key differences?

What genres do you find work best for the mockumentary format, and why?

Maurice Vaughan

Hey, @Dwayne. I haven't written a mockumentary, but reading some scripts might help. I think I've only seen Comedy mockumentaries.

Liked by Jim Boston and 10 others

Dwayne Williams
Low-budget screenwriting question

Hello screenwriters, I'm stepping into low-budget filmmaking, and I want to learn from your experience. What genres (or genre combinations) do you find most complex to pull off on a tight budget, and what makes them so challenging? I'm looking to avoid the pitfalls before I start, so your honest takes would be invaluable.

Dwayne Williams

I agree with you on the imagination part Banafsheh Esmailzadeh :D. Yeah, I try to channel that imagination, and I've been able to do some borderline mid-budget projects so far. I love the challenge, t...

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Dwayne Williams

Thank you, Samantha Rivera amazing to learn from you! I'll definitely keep that in mind. I've been working on a crime film, so this perspective is especially valuable....

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Dwayne Williams

Thanks, Maurice Vaughan! This will help me a lot as well! Appreciate the breakdown.

Dwayne Williams

I agree Asya Mutlu , sci-fi is definitely challenging on a tight budget! I'm actually trying to work on a sci-fi/crime hybrid for a low budget, and I'm focusing on a device instead of trying to build...

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Maurice Vaughan

You're welcome, @Dwayne. Focusing on a device instead of trying to build out a large world is a great idea! Keep us posted on your journey.

Liked by Dwayne Williams and 7 others

Samantha Rivera
OWA Finalists Announcement

Hey Writers' Room friends, we've got another set of OWA selections to announce from the last week!

(0647) Literary Manager Seeking Prospective Clients with Supernatural YA Pilots

Andy Yang (LOTUS CITY)

Adriana Cannata (BATORA)

Jamila Montaque (HAINTS)

Vincent Mancuso (BRAIN WORMS)

Robert Herold (WITCH EVE...

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Adriana Cannata

So honoured to have made it to the list! And good luck to all the selected writers

Maurice Vaughan

Congratulations, Finalists!

Jim Boston

Way to go, OWA finalists! Congratulations...and here's to even more success!

Leonardo Ramirez

Very cool Samantha Rivera! Congratulations to all finalists!

Dwayne Williams

Congratulations, Everyone!

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