Screenwriting Survival

I like to break down the winning template for screenplay success. This will save you a lot of time.  Instead of spending hours thinking about what will happen in your screenplay, simply use the following form (fill in the blanks as appropriate) A ________ living in ________ has a problem. S/he has many winning qualities but lacks the ability to ________. Along comes _________ who/which (circle one) challenges her to change. The _______ decides to ________. Several obstacles however present themselves, most notably ______, ______ and ______. In order to get around the obstacles, our ________ tries to _______ but the _______ _______ before s/he can _______. At the same time _________________, but _________ has to __________ until _________, _________ or ________. However, __________ with the clock ticking, _________, _________, ________. Finally _________, and in a big ending _________ and ___________. _________, with _________, __________, _________ and __________

Each year over 10,000,000,000 new screenplays are registered with the Writers Guild of America. Only .000000001% of scripts sell. So you could labor for a YEAR trying to write a great script that NEVER sells, or you could use some simple marketing tools and techniques to SELL YOUR SCRIPT TODAY. Why not use  advertising to help sell your screenplay? For instance: Take out local TV ads for your screenplay, to advertise how great it is. Testimonials . Submit your literary property with testimonials from various individuals saying how how they loved it (wink wink). And what about making your script more appealing by setting it apart using some tricks from merchandising? Scented pages . I like to spray my scripts with expensive cologne AND perfume to give the message... sexy, suave, sleek. Gold ink . Print out your script on rice paper with gilded lettering in a fancy font like Zaph Chancery. It helps communicate the message, "This is quality. I'm being inv

Here is a pro tip. When you're pitching your Hollywood Movie Idea, don't waste time talking about who the story is about, what's the genre, or who is the target audience. You DON'T need all that. Instead, boil down your pitch into TWO WORDS. I know what you're thinking. Barton, can a two word pitch really sell? Can I truly strike Gower Avenue Gold walking into a meeting and saying just two words? I, Barton J. Bukowski, assure you a two word pitch WILL sell.* (*Provided the two words are the first name and the last name of a big movie star who has agreed to do your movie.) Say those two words, leave the meeting, and wait for bags of cash to start raining down. This technique also works with  three words, e.g. "Guillermo del Toro"