STOP TRYING TO SELL YOUR SCRIPT, AND START LEARNING HOW TO MAKE THE FILM YOURSELF by Jimmy George

Jimmy George is a Screenwriter, Script Consultant & Horror Film Producer with films likeWNUF HALLOWEEN SPECIAL (2013) & CALL GIRL OF CTHULHU (2014) under his belt. I caught this long but seriously interesting thread on Twitter and asked if i could get it up on my blog as I thought it needed to be SEEN! Thank you Jimmy for letting me do this.

STOP TRYING TO SELL YOUR SCRIPT, AND START LEARNING HOW TO MAKE THE FILM YOURSELF: A THREAD I’m in a bunch of #screenwriting Facebook groups and the #1 thing writers ask for advice about is HOW TO SELL THEIR SCRIPT. IMO, they’re asking the wrong questions.

“How many scripts have you optioned or sold? Any advice on how to sell your script?” Assuming you’re going to achieve financial success as a writer, ESPECIALLY when you’re just starting out is a recipe for heartbreak.

Inflated expectations and entitlement of an EPIC PAY DAY as a #screenwriter are going to set you up for massive discouragement. When the reality hits of how rare an actual script sale is, if all you’re hoping to achieve through writing is a BIG CHECK you’ll probably give up.

Driven to see your script come to life? THEN FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THE DAMN THING YOURSELF. Learn through trial and error and endless failure at every level of the production process how to take your script from page to screen. TRY AGAIN. FAIL AGAIN. KEEP FAILING BETTER.

I’ve optioned some scripts. NO SALES. 2 close calls. BUT with the help of my fake blood brother, Chris LaMartina and a village of talented team members, we’ve produced 7 Feature Films from our own scripts. How did we do this? We worked our asses off for years on end.

Chris LaMartina and I spent over a decade of trial and error filmmaking riddled with endless moments of failure at every level of the production process which eventually lead to successes.

I DIDN’T GO TO FILM SCHOOL. YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO EITHER.

Again, STOP worrying how you’re going to sell your script, and START asking the RIGHT questions: QUESTION #1 – IS THE SCRIPT BULLETPROOF? If NOT then get some fucking professional notes, and work through as many drafts as it takes. There is no excuse for filming a shitty script.

YOU HAVE ZERO CHANCE FOR APOLOGIES TO THE AUDIENCE ONCE IT’S ON THE SCREEN. So why film the script if it could still be improved? Don’t even think about pre-production until the script is ready. ONCE IT IS and ONLY ONCE IT IS READY then ask:

QUESTION #2 – HOW DO I BUILD A TEAM THAT WILL HELP ME BRING THIS SCRIPT TO LIFE? If you live outside the hubs of ATL, NY, & LA you need to entrench yourself in the local filmmaking community. Attend local events that involve creatives, especially film and video production.

Attend 48 Hour film fests. 29 Day film fests. Local festivals. Local screenings. Student film screenings. THESE EVENTS ARE OUT THERE AND YOU NEED TO FUCKING FIND THEM AND ATTEND. It’s an absolute must. DO IT.

And if there’s nothing local going on. If there is no local film scene, then you need to find the next closest filmmaking community and entrench yourself in that one. Fuck the commute. Just make it work. It is your responsibility to find your filmmaking tribe.

There’s a reason WORK is part of NETWORK because it takes effort to build RELATIONSHIPS. These relationships will help you form a team of hungry crew members who share your DIY spirit and passion for storytelling.

Then with the help of those team members, you gotta learn on the fly how to bring the fucking scripts to life. YOU CAN AND MUST DO THIS.

Help these DIY kindred spirits with their film projects too. Make some shorts with them based on your scripts AND help them make their shorts too. You’ll figure out fast if you want to keep making movies together. If not, RINSE, REPEAT. TRY AGAIN. FAIL AGAIN. FAIL BETTER.

Once you’ve figured out the well suited team members, strategize how you and the crew can bring your feature script and their feature scripts to life on your own collective terms. WORK TOGETHER TO HELP EACH OTHER’S VISIONS BECOME A REALITY. TEAMWORK MAKES THE FUCKING DREAM WORK

Make crock pot meals and salads for catering. Buy props and materials at the dollar store and Walmart. DOLLAR STORES AND GOODWILLS ARE A FILMMAKER’S BEST FRIEND.

Take your cast to thrift stores and get your costumes for cheap. Every last Saturday of the month is 50% OFF! Trade video work in exchange for locations. BEG, BORROW, SCRAPE and ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS SHOW GRATITUDE FOR ANYTHING YOU’RE GIVEN.

BE GRATEFUL! Any success you have as a no-budget filmmaker will be 100% due to the KINDNESS AND SACRIFICES OF OTHERS who are most likely working for free. Often that kindness that will even come from strangers. SO TELL THEM YOU APPRECIATE THEM, DAMMIT!

Your #1 job as a no-budget film producer during production ABOVE ALL ELSE is to ensure every person involved in your project FEELS VALUED AND APPRECIATED at all times.

Every THANK YOU expressed to your cast and crew must be infused with genuine gratitude and deep appreciation. As it should be. Because if you manage to build a filmmaking team who’s game to sacrifice their time to help you bring your vision to life YOU ARE FORTUNATE AND CHARMED

In my experience, there is no epic pay day coming for your screenplay. MAKING THE SCRIPT INTO A FILM YOURSELF is the best option to see your script reach the screen. BUILDING A TEAM AND WORKING YOUR ASS OFF WITH THAT TEAM TO MAKE IT YOURSELF NO MATTER WHAT is 100% attainable.

Whether that’s self-producing and finding someone else with DIY spirit to direct or self-producing AND directing yourself. WEAR ALL THE HATS IN THE FILMMAKING TRENCHES.

The process of learning how to do all of this will give you a better understanding of how to craft a cinematic story on the page, and make you a better writer screenwriter along the way.

The best way to become a better screenwriter is to bring your scripts to life so you can watch what fails with an audience. TRY AGAIN. FAIL AGAIN. KEEP FAILING BETTER. “There’s no excuse not to make films on weekends with friends.” -@MarkDuplass

YES, BILLS MUST BE PAID. So KEEP YOUR DAY JOB and while you’re working that shit job take solace in the fact that when you’re not working there, you’ll be working with like-minded passionate DIY warriors on your off days to BRING YOUR STORIES TO LIFE.

QUESTION #3 is HOW DO I FUND MY FEATURE? It’s another beast that I’ll tweet rant about some other time. I consulted on 250+ crowdfunding campaigns helping creators earn over $1.5 Million, all while working at the mall. A lot to say about this subject.

But dammit if you get as far as Working to Answer Question #3: HOW DO I FUND MY FEATURE? you’re on the right track and you should be proud.

So in closing, STOP TRYING TO SELL YOUR SCRIPT AND START LEARNING HOW TO MAKE THE FILM YOURSELF. It will be the hardest mission you’ve ever undertaken but it will be worth it. If you’re driven to see your scripts go from page to screen, YOU CAN AND MUST DO THIS.

“There is no such thing as a final draft. There is a finished film or an unfinished screenplay.” – @chrismcquarrie

On the 1st day of production of our 1st no-budget feature film, as the screenwriter I didn’t know a damn thing about making movies. The PRODUCER quit on DAY ONE. He handed over his materials to me and I was forced to do learn how to do his job. This obstacle changed my life.

Follow Jimmy George on Twitter at @JimmyRGeorge and @scriptbutcher