How To's | Screenplay Doctor | Screenwriting

Ask the Screenplay Doctor: Top Questions NOT to Ask a Film Industry Professional

1 Mar , 2013  

Written by Susan Kouguell | Posted by:

Whether you’re at a face-to-face meeting or emailing a query letter, the way in which you present yourself and your project are vital in making a lasting – and, let me emphasize, good -- impression. Email screenwriter@newenglandfilm.com to have your screenwriting question answered in an upcoming issue.

As I have written in my previous columns for this publication, getting your screenplay noticed and your foot in the door is tough. Challenging. Competitive. There are hundreds upon hundreds (and even thousands more) chomping at the bit, just like you, wanting to crash through the film industry gatekeepers. What does this mean for you? Be prepared and be polite.

One memorable anecdote that I’ve shared in my book The Savvy Screenwriter occurred when I was consulting for Warner Bros., seeking acquisitions and directing talent at the Independent Feature Film Market. The setting: the Angelica Film Center in New York City’s Women’s Restroom. A woman asked me if she could pitch her project to me. Right there and then. As much as I empathized with this person’s desperation to get her project noticed by a film studio, you can guess my answer. Not now! But she kept pitching her project — even when I closed the stall door. It certainly left a lasting impression on me; but not the one she was looking for.

There are appropriate places to ask a question, and the setting in which you pose a question must be equally appropriate.

As a side note to readers, when you email me a question for this column, please make sure that the question makes sense. This includes content. For example: don’t ask me to represent your work; I’m not an agent — and make sure that your questions are thoughtfully posed and don’t contain typos and grammatical errors so I can understand exactly what it is you are asking.

Top Questions Not to Ask and Things Not Say

  1. Before approaching a company (in person, on the phone, and/or via email), do your research. It is your job to know exactly what the company does. A question such as: What does your company do? – illustrates that you have not done your research. Pose questions that are appropriate for the person or company. Be prepared with an honest response; do not pretend to know more than you actually know or misrepresent yourself and your work.
  2. When you are asking your question, do not ramble on and on; get to the point and don’t waste the executive’s time. Having been on the receiving end of questions when I worked at both Hollywood and independent film studios, I understand that the person posing a question can get very nervous. If that’s the case, be prepared and write a cheat sheet of notes, practice with friends, and so on, so you are focused and your question is succinct. It also might be the case that the question poser doesn’t really know what to ask, which in many instances is the case.
  3. Do not ask an industry professional for free services (such as legal or screenplay feedback) unless the company offers this. I hear this grievance constantly from my colleagues and I admit I share the same complaint. There are many aspiring screenwriters and filmmakers who ask us to “just read their script and give feedback” or “can you just review my contract or draw up a contract for me?” While it shows gumption to be so bold, there is a way in which to ask. The big turnoff for us is the expectation that a perfect stranger (with an attitude) should ask, often demand, a consultation for free.
  4. Do not contact a film executive (whom you do not know) just to request a personal introduction and referral to another film industry person. For example: Do not query Jane Doe at Paramount Pictures (whom you’ve never met) and then luck out and get her on the phone, only to ask her, “Can you get my script to Meryl Streep?” 1) Jane Doe hasn’t read your script and never met you so why would she get your script to her?; and 2) You wouldn’t call a film executive at a studio to submit a script to talent; this goes through an agent, manager or entertainment attorney.
  5. When you receive an answer to your question, remember your manners. Whether you get a response in person, a verbal “thank you” is appreciated — and if it’s in writing, a “thank you” note/email without typos or grammatical errors — is also very much appreciated. Your screenplay is indeed your calling card to the film industry but how you present yourself must also be a positive reflection of your hard work.

Award-winning screenwriter and filmmaker Susan Kouguell teaches screenwriting and film at Tufts University, and is chairperson of Su-City Pictures East, LLC, a motion picture consulting company founded in 1990 where she works with over 1,000 writers, filmmakers, and film executives worldwide ( www.su-city-pictures.com; su-city-pictures.blogspot.com). Susan wrote The Savvy Screenwriter: How to Sell Your Screenplay (and Yourself) Without Selling Out! (St. Martin’s Griffin) and SAVVY CHARACTERS SELL SCREENPLAYS! A comprehensive guide to crafting winning characters with film analyses and screenwriting exercises, which is available at $1.00 off by clicking on www.createspace.com/3558862 and using DISCOUNT CODE: G22GAZPD. To order the Kindle version go to: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009SB8Z7M (discount code does not apply). To read an excerpt go to: https://www.createspace.com/Preview/1089452. Follow Susan at Su-City Pictures, LLC Facebook fan page and SKouguell Twitter page to receive more Savvy Tips.


Award-winning screenwriter and filmmaker Susan Kouguell teaches screenwriting and film at Tufts University, and is chairperson of Su-City Pictures East, LLC, a motion picture consulting company founded in 1990 where she works with over 1,000 writers, filmmakers, and film executives worldwide ( www.su-city-pictures.com; su-city-pictures.blogspot.com). Susan wrote The Savvy Screenwriter: How to Sell Your Screenplay (and Yourself) Without Selling Out! (St. Martin’s Griffin) and SAVVY CHARACTERS SELL SCREENPLAYS! A comprehensive guide to crafting winning characters with film analyses and screenwriting exercises, which is available at $1.00 off by clicking on www.createspace.com/3558862 and using DISCOUNT CODE: G22GAZPD. To order the Kindle version go to: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009SB8Z7M (discount code does not apply). To read an excerpt go to: https://www.createspace.com/Preview/1089452. Follow Susan at Su-City Pictures, LLC Facebook fan page and SKouguell Twitter page to receive more Savvy Tips.

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