3-2-1 Screenwriting Thursday: Action vs. Dialogue, Samples, IP

Happy Thursday!

I'm running an AMA this week!

Do you have a question you'd like answered? Just reply to this email!

I'll answer you as soon as I can and you may find your answer in one of these newsletters coming up soon :)

On with the show -

3 IDEAS FROM ME

I. Action vs. Dialogue

Someone reached out and asked about how much action should be in a script vs dialogue. My instinct is keep action as minimal as possible and let dialogue carry as much as you can. While I still hold true to that sentiment, I wanted to run some numbers and the breakdowns are all over the place:

This was an absolutely fabulous question and it pushed me to investigate a previous assumption. I STILL recommend keeping action as tight as you possibly can, but if you wind up having more action than dialogue you're in good company.

II. How many samples should you have before approaching Representation?

This industry is absolutely insane and there are no rules. But if you still want one: One Feature, One Pilot, and One Spec is the rule of thumb.

I've seen people with 7+ samples get rejected so the number doesn't matter as much as you might think.

What matters most to a rep is: Can they make money with you???

• If you have an insanely strong sample and they think they can sell it, you might get in with just one. Features are one-offs: no one needs you to have written anything else in order to sell it. Pilots are a completely different story since you would likely need to be attached if it's picked up and your experience matters.
• If you have a ton of work but none of it is really marketable even if it's well written you're SOL. You might want to convert these for the stage if you can.
• If you have a ton of work that's highly marketable but it's not particularly well written... you're still probably going to do better than the previous guy as long as it's legible.

A lot of it can come down to timing, knowing people, and being the right person for a job. I've heard stories of people who have zero samples getting staffed because they fit a certain profile or have relevant life experience... or they know a guy and were just there at the right time. And I've seen people with big fat portfolios of decently written stuff rejected.

III. Can I write a movie with [X] IP?

Of course you can write a Batman/ James Bond/ Pick Whatever IP You Want movie! The real question is - can you sell it?

Now, I come at this a little differently from some old school folks. I'm seeing more and more fanfiction pieces being stripped of IP and published as their own standalone novels in the literary world. It's got a fine tradition to come from as well - did you know that Fifty Shades of Grey was originally Twilight fanfiction?

So if you really want to write a piece with established IP, I say go for it. You might not be able to sell it to the people who actually own the original IP but if you can strip out the identifying elements so it no longer infringes, why couldn't you sell it as your own original?

2 QUOTES FROM OTHERS

I.

Isaac Newton in a letter to Robert Hooke, 1675:

“If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.”

II.

Rev. John Naus:

"We rarely succeed at anything unless we have fun doing it."

1 QUESTION FOR YOU

How are you hiding from the world? Is it helping you or preventing you from moving closer to the life you really want?

Until next week, Kate Gaulke

p.s. Check your sources