Let’s see… where were we?
In our last article, we looked at various corners of the web where you could list and promote your scripts. These were mostly “passive” sites – i.e.: you post the script or logline, then wait for someone to show interest.
This time around we’ll reverse that trend… examining places that showcase Producers and Directors that are on the hunt for scripts. You’ll actively choose and chase down leads – taking the initiative. That requires more work, of course. But isn’t your script worth it?
A few rules and pointers before we begin:
- Always read any Ad thoroughly and make sure your work fits the requirements. There’s NO point sending a short comedy script if the ad’s for a horror feature.
- Provide a succinct Bio of your experience and achievements. Keep it brief, to the point, and review its relevance for each ad/opportunity you apply for.
- Unless otherwise requested, send loglines first. Make sure they really sizzle – and never send more than three for the same opportunity.
- If it’s a paid site, you need to make sure it’s going to provide you sufficient value for your money. Many have testimony pages from previous users and/or trial periods.
- Producers/Directors who are looking for scripts post their Ads all over the place. So you may find duplications – seeing the same ad on Mandy, then SSU or ISA.
I’ve tried many of these resources, and keep an eye on most regularly. But – in the spirit of full disclosure – I haven’t personally had success with them. OTHO: I’ve had many read requests, made a ton of good contacts, but not actually placed a script with them. Yet.
Mandy – www.mandy.com
A site full of TV and Film production jobs. You can filter and tailor your searches as needed. It has RSS feeds too (more on that later.) Applying is done through the site itself, so you’ll need to register. But it’s free.
Stage 32 – www.stage32.com/find-jobs
I’ve mentioned this excellent resource before; a great community covering every aspect of filmmaking. They have job postings, too. All sorts of film and TV opportunities so use the filter liberally. Application is via the site itself. It’ll be easier if you’ve got your loglines and scripts already posted on the site. And – like Mandy – it’s free.
International Screenwriters’ Association – http://www.networkisa.org/writing-gigs.php
Another site I’ve touched on before. Like Stage 32, it has a specific jobs section where opportunities are listed. But these are exclusively writing ones. You’ll notice some of the Ads are greyed out. Those are the new ones, which require a subscription. BUT here’s a handy tip. The Ads become available to all after a few days. So unless you’re the early bird type, there’s no need to subscribe. Subscription to ISA is $10 a month, and covers a number of other services: access to a writer’s database, class and contest discounts. And earlier access listed jobs.
Shooting People – https://shootingpeople.org/production/work
A site dedicated to connect independent film makers (in the UK) and facilitating the creation of new films. It’s subscription only and is approximately £8 a month. The Ads on here seem to be exclusive to SP (more on that later) and are applied for within the site. I’ve subscribed to these for the last several months. I just wish there were more ads specific to screenwriting.
Screenwriting Staffing (aka SSU) – http://www.screenwritingstaffing.com/home.html
This one’s a little different. It has two distinct services when it comes to screenwriting leads, as well as a whole host of info and services on their website.
- Unpaid Leads – sent as a weekly email and also available on the site at http://www.screenwritingstaffing.com/screenwriting-leads-.html . Needless to say, these are ads looking for scripts/writers with no payment involved. This service is completely free.
- Paid Leads – sent as an email approximately 5 times a week with 2-3 leads per email. With these, the Producer/Director has a budget to pay for the script. It’s all a part of their Premium service, which costs around $15 a month or $99 for an annual membership – though they often have seasonal discounts.
In addition to the Paid Leads emails, SSU Monthly Premium Membership allows writers to post loglines on the site. Their Annual Premium Membership gets you logline assistance, screenplay coverage, and PR/Marketing assistance.
Craigslist – http://www.craigslist.org/about/sites
The world’s largest free ads site. If you have something you want to buy, sell, rent, shill or give away, Craigslist’s the go-to place. A weird mess of everything – including ads for scripts and writers. CL isn’t the easiest place to navigate, so I’ve outlined the basics for you. Further down, I’ll explain how to make life a whole lot easier…
- Click on the link above. Scroll down to the list of Cities (CL sites are classified geographically).
- For the purpose of this example, scroll down to “California” and click on “Los Angeles”. (Places like New York and London are logical options, too.)
- Below, you’ll find a page full of different categories of ads. Click on Writing/Editing in the Jobs section or Writing in the Gigs
- That will give you a list of all the ads in that section. There are literally hundreds, only a few of which are screenwriting, so…
- Use the search box – found on the top left of the page – to narrow the list down. I personally use ‘script’, ‘screenplay’ and ‘screenwriter’ as my search terms.
Voila, there you go! Of course, you could use this method on every city that Craigslist exists for. But with hundreds of sites, it would take ages to do it regularly. Wouldn’t it be nifty if there were a way to automate it? (Of course it would… but more on that later!)
* A quick word of warning to STS gentle readers: there have been concerns raised over Craigslist and sending scripts out to strangers posting there. I suggest you limit your responses to well written and professional looking ads. Send loglines only first, and make sure you’re comfortable with the original poster before going further and emailing your work.
Reddit, Produce My Script – http://www.reddit.com/r/producemyscript
Mentioned in our last article, this sub reddit allows you to post your scripts. But it also has Producers/Directors posting requests too.
Inktip – http://www.inktip.com/sa_preferred_newsletter.php
Inktip’s another site that works both ways. Not only can you post your script, but they have a weekly newsletter with leads. The service costs $60 for 4 months (half if you have a Feature script posted on the site, too.) There’s also a free newsletter that includes a couple of leads – different from the ones on the paid mailing, so make sure you subscribe to the free version, even if you pay. Since this portion of Inktip is geared towards Features, I’ve not personally used the service yet.
Indietalk – http://www.indietalk.com/forumdisplay.php?f=46
A great forum with loads of resources. The Jobs section isn’t very active, but worth an occasional check anyway.
Screenwriting Goldmine – http://www.screenwritinggoldmine.com/forum/forums/scripts-wanted.29/
Another site with a great forum and tons of useful info. It’s got a jobs section that’s a bit quiet, but worth a look.
Ideas tap – http://www.ideastap.com/opportunities/jobs
I’ve only recently discovered this UK centric site. It allows you to search for jobs in the entertainment/creative industries, including writing. It’s free (always a good thing!) and looks like a decent all around resource.
Filmandtvpro – http://www.filmandtvpro.com/
Another resource for finding jobs in film and TV. The site has separate pages for UK, Canada, USA etc. Access to unpaid job ads is free, paid job ads are based on a monthly fee of $15/£15. I’ve not tried this one as yet, and can’t provide additional comment.
Production Base – http://www.productionbase.co.uk/film-tv-jobs
Similar to Filmandtvpro but UK exclusive. It’s a paid subscription with three levels of cost, starting at £8. I’ve not used this one either, so I’m not sure how effective it is.
Earlier in this article, I mentioned how it’d be great to automate some of the querying process. (Searching can sap a lot out of you, and take away from writing time!) Sure enough, there are some tricks that tech savvy writers can use. I’d love to be able to take credit for the tip below, but I discovered how to do it via Ashley Scott Meyers and his excellent site Selling Your Screenplay (.com.) Follow the link below. It’ll take you to a video of Ashley demonstrating how to use a feed reader and add RSS fees to automate your Craigslist searches.
The tool I use is Feedreader (www.feedreader.com). I’ve included Mandy searches on mine as well. (You can add anything you like that has an RSS feed.)
More on Ashley’s site and podcast in future articles.
Hope all of this has been of help. If I’ve missed any resources, please reach out and let me know. I’ll include it in future articles!
About Anthony: I’m an award winning screenwriter from the UK with over 15 scripts produced, optioned and/or purchased. Outside of my screenwriting career, I’m also a published short story writer and movie reviewer. Links to my films and details of my scripts can be found at www.anthonycawood.co.uk.
