Steve on Screenwriting: Marketing Your Material
After you’ve written several screenplays, you must have a marketing strategy. I’m assuming the scripts have been formatted correctly and are as tight as they can be regarding plot, characterization, realistic dialogue, etc.
In order to see your screenplay, you need to target the production companies that have produced the same kind of movies that you’ve written. You’ll be able to tell by looking at each companies credits and choose the ones that have produced the same genres as your material.
The trick is to research and find the right production companies.
The Hollywood Creative Directory used to be the bible of the industry as far as having the best contact list for production companies. Unfortunately, their hardcover and online editions have gone out of business, although I’ve heard that the Writer’s Store still carries them. If you can’t get a new edition, it still may be possible to get a copy of a hardcover edition that is a few years old. If that’s your only choice, I would still purchase it since most of the information will still be valid.
If you can’t get any copy of the Hollywood Creative Directory, I recommend IMDB Pro. It requires a monthly fee to access the same kinds of information online. In addition to the basic contact information such as address, phone numbers and previous company credits, you’ll want a listing of executives and their positions in the company.
Mail your query letter to story editors, creative executives, and development executives. Good luck!
There’s still time to enter the Write On Online 4th Annual Query Contest. The deadline has been extended til November 7. Write On!
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Read Steve on Screenwriting by Steve Kaire, High Concept Screenwriting, on Write On! Online. Check Steve’s website for is query letter service.
