How to Answer, “What are You Working On?”
Answering this question as a screenwriter can be a total pain. Having been on both sides of the conversation, I get it. And it’s the worst when you’re unprepared. Writers aren’t always the best extemporaneous speakers!!!
So instead of struggling to figure it out on the spot, I strongly encourage you to take a moment to figure out what you’re going to say in advance. The fact is, a lot of holiday parties are coming up and the odds someone will ask about your writing are high.
Let’s get into it, but first…
What Not To Say:
Don’t try to muddle your way through and give some longwinded esoteric answer.
If you say your screenplay is about, “man’s search for meaning,” executives will almost certainly roll their eyes internally, play along for a little bit to make nice, then generally ignore you for the rest of the night.
The fact of the matter is, the deep-seated, “well what it’s really about,” information isn’t useful when it comes to selling or producing your work. Professional and experienced writers know this, non-professionals don’t.
What You Should Say:
Professionals (and if we’re honest, most of your friends) are looking for a loose logline. Something short & sweet that gives:
The Genre(s)
It’s okay to have 1-2, but if it’s any more than that or if you say it’s, “genre-defying” odds are you’ll come off like you don’t know what you’re doing.
A 1 - 3 sentence overview of the whole story including the 2nd act
Most people stop at the 1st act, which is basically a hook and the set up for the problem. Execs also want to know how your characters try to solve the problem. Don’t try to obscure things too much in hopes of getting them to read it, because honestly, they don’t want to. Even if it is good. Don’t believe me? Read this. As we’ve established, these people’s most precious resource is time. Help them help you.
A Couple Comps
Comparables or “comps” are examples of other movies/shows that are similar to what you’re working on. They offer a shorthand for vibe, budget, and success level. Generally use movie comps if you’re writing a movie and TV comps if you’re writing a pilot.
If you insist that there are no other works that compare to yours, you’re either wrong or there’s a reason we haven’t seen this type of work produced.
FYI, “never been seen before,” is usually shorthand for inflated ego, inexperienced and below-average work.
If you’re chatting with your grandmother who hangs on to your every word, feel free to go on and on for as long as she stays awake. Otherwise, take some time to think this through, then memorize it. Treat it like a monologue. Practice.
If You’re Not Prepared
If you’re not prepared to talk about your work yet, that’s okay!!! It is perfectly acceptable to just provide the genre, a few comps and skip out on your little summary.
If even the genre and comps are a bit too much, you can always say, “I’m still working out all the details,” or “I’m not quite ready to talk about it.” Then try to make a human connection and grab contact information before you part ways. That way you can send over a logline when you’re ready.
So there you go, my beautiful screenwriters. Sally forth into the fields of success! Never worry about how to talk about your work again :)
If you want someone to actually read your screenplay and help you sort this out, sign up for a free consultation and I’ll be happy to chat!
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