I have a screenplay, what do I do next?

hcass

I am finishing my degree in Creative Writing in the next few weeks. I wrote a screenplay for a short film as part of my degree - it was the first time I ever wrote a script. The reaction and feedback I got back from my tutor was amazing. He basically told me I have to get this film produced but I am moving back to Ireland next week and don't know how I should go about showing it to producers or whatever it is I should do? Can anyone help me?

Miguel_Sanchez

There's a variety of different short film funding schemes around although competition is pretty fierce as they get hundreds of applications each round:

Variety of schemes here with different requirements and budgets. Most of them require you to have a production team attached before submitting:
http://www.irishfilmboard.ie/funding_programmes/short_film_schemes/

The Filmbase/RTE awards are given out twice a year. You don't need any producer or director attached to submit.
http://www.filmbase.ie/awards/rteshort2012.php

Irish language award from Filmbase:
http://www.filmbase.ie/awards/lasair5.php

Galway Film Centre give out an annual award to two films:
http://www.galwayfilmcentre.ie/2011/05/rtegfc-award-2011-shortlist/

Film Offaly have a deadline coming up shortly. Only stipulation is you have to film in Offaly:
http://www.filmoffaly.ie/Welcome.html


Other than that your best bet is to take a look at production companies that are making quality shorts at the moment and contact them to see if they'd be interested in reading the script.

Fatboydim

Post on http://www.filmmakersnetwork.ie/

and you may well get a director interested.

Word of warning though... you say you did a creative writing course... unless your tutor is adept at screenwriting... and most of them aren't ... they may be over estimating how great your script is. Short films in particular are tricky to get right and the market for them is very particular. So keep feet on the ground - take your time to get the right director or production company behind it and best of luck.

hcass

Fatboydim wrote: »

Post on http://www.filmmakersnetwork.ie/

and you may well get a director interested.

Word of warning though... you say you did a creative writing course... unless your tutor is adept at screenwriting... and most of them aren't ... they may be over estimating how great your script is. Short films in particular are tricky to get right and the market for them is very particular. So keep feet on the ground - take your time to get the right director or production company behind it and best of luck.

Well the course is Creative Writing and Media Writing BA and the modules are intro to scriptwriting and advanced scriptwriting. But, don't worry my feet are firmly on the ground. I'm way too full of self loathing to think I'll ever be great at anything, thank god for being Irish. We really know how to keep people from dreaming

AskJives

hcass wrote: »

I am finishing my degree in Creative Writing in the next few weeks. I wrote a screenplay for a short film as part of my degree - it was the first time I ever wrote a script. The reaction and feedback I got back from my tutor was amazing. He basically told me I have to get this film produced but I am moving back to Ireland next week and don't know how I should go about showing it to producers or whatever it is I should do? Can anyone help me?

Tell me, whats the script about?

Fatboydim

hcass wrote: »

Well the course is Creative Writing and Media Writing BA and the modules are intro to scriptwriting and advanced scriptwriting. But, don't worry my feet are firmly on the ground. I'm way too full of self loathing to think I'll ever be great at anything, thank god for being Irish. We really know how to keep people from dreaming

Well I would say give up now - but it might encourage you.

NealB

Submit it to all the short programmes Jeff listed. You can't ever figure out what the readers for the short programmes will like, that's just the way it is, maybe they'll go for it, well done if they do. Two Oscar nominated Irish shorts (yes the real Oscars) were turned down, one of them was re-submitted three times (taking it 2 years to get made), the other was made by the director, so I'm not being negative, just don't let failure get you down, it's simply part of the business. Develop a thick skin, write more and keep writing, we need great writers. Check out www.charliecasanovathemovie.com

AnonoBoy

NealB wrote: »

Submit it to all the short programmes Jeff listed. You can't ever figure out what the readers for the short programmes will like, that's just the way it is, maybe they'll go for it, well done if they do. Two Oscar nominated Irish shorts (yes the real Oscars) were turned down, one of them was re-submitted three times (taking it 2 years to get made), the other was made by the director, so I'm not being negative, just don't let failure get you down, it's simply part of the business. Develop a thick skin, write more and keep writing, we need great writers. Check out www.charliecasanovathemovie.com

We want to encourage the OP - not turn them off films forever!

NealB

True dat, I haven't seen the film yet, but you have to admire his determination and drive to get it made. Getting the tatoo is not obligatory.

emmetcummins

I watched an interview with some producer, can't remember who he was but he was pretty high up in New Line, and he said that as a rule of thumb, production companies don't take unsolicited script for legal reasons. They say if you come to them with an idea, they might already be making something similar and you might attempt to sue for plagiarism .

Telchak

emmetcummins wrote: »

I watched an interview with some producer, can't remember who he was but he was pretty high up in New Line.

David Tuckerman

emmetcummins

Thanks for that, I completely forgot his name

alex whitmer

Short film is a dynamic animal unto itself.

Step one is to decide whether you want to be paid for the wrk, or just get the credits. Or both And if you do want the credits, are you serious about becoming a writer for film, or do you have an interest in many different film diciplines, as many in film do - as in they write, film and edit their own work. They light it, do the sound, cast, etc.

Next is matching the script with a producer/director whom you feel understands the material, or has the best possible interpretation of it, and has the skills and contacts to produce a film that has good production values, and is entertaining.

Often these things get underway, and are about halfway through pre-prod before they are shelved and forgotten. If the script is truly good, make sure you retain the rights to it so you can try again should things go belly up. I learned that one the sad, hard way, and many a script I love are forever dead on a shelf somewhere. I signed away the rights, the film was never completed, and that's the end of it. You can have a clause that states you get the work back if for any reason the film is not fully produced.

There are numberous forums and venues to find a filmmaker who may be interested in the screenplay. It may well be it is theme-specific enough to peddle it to a theme competion/fest with filmmmakers looking for a specified genre or theme to film.

And no matter what else happens, always prepare yourself for disappointment.


alex