Five Ways Aspiring Screenwriters Can Get an Agents Attention

Five Ways Aspiring Screenwriters Can Get an Agents Attention I’m constantly meeting aspiring screenwriters from around the world, whether on social media, in academic settings, or via professional networking events like Pitchfest, and one question I often hear is, â€Å"How can I get an agent (or manager) if I have no produced credits?† Yes, cause for vexation, especially in Hollywood where chicken-and-egg conundrums abound. Yes, agents and managers are integral to success in the literary screen trade because they provide access to opportunities not otherwise available to fledgling writers. And yes, they put up walls to prevent the inevitable deluge of middling material from every wannabe just because he learned Final Draft. Fortunately, though, they left a few small fissures in their walls where truly talented and resourceful writers might squeeze through, even if those writers have no credits. Perform Well in Competition Screenplay competitions are a viable path to reaching agents and managers – and this includes platforms like The Black List (https://blcklst.com/) – but you have to be selective in which ones you submit to and you have to do well in them. Only a small handful of competitions are going to provide access to literary reps with any real cache. (See more details about these competitions in my previous article, â€Å"The Pros and Cons of Screenplay Competitions†: https://fundsforwriters.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-screenplay-competitions/). Typically, semi-finalists in well-respected contests will get phone calls from reps interested in seeing their material while finalists and winners will get in-person meetings. Get a Client Reference Writers should also speak with friends and colleagues who have representation in an attempt to gain entry that way. And that friend doesn’t need to be a writer. She can be a director, actor, editor, cinematographer, whatever – so long as the agency she’s with also has a roster of writers. Your friend should be able to tell you about the agency’s culture and whether she’s had good experience there, so you can determine whether they’re a fit. Offer to treat your friend to a nice dinner or some concert tickets if she can get you a face-to-face. Attach a Name Tinseltown loves â€Å"names.† A project with a recognizable actor, director or producer attached will draw the attention of reps eager to sign the writer before the project sells. The agency that reps your attached figure is the most logical choice since they have a vested interest in seeing the project materialize. Resourceful writers who have no agent connections but know others working in the industry should brainstorm ways to reach desirable names. Once a name is attached, generate heat Leverage Other Successes Many writers get a literary agent after achieving some modicum of success in another area of the business like directing, acting, or editing. For instance, use your past achievements as a bargaining chip with a prospective agent who wishes to represent you as an editor Network, Network, Network At the end of the day, Hollywood is still a networking town. The whole reason the old adage â€Å"it’s not what you know, it’s who you know† got to be an old adage is because there’s so much truth to it. Attend parties, seminars and pitch sessions where agents and managers might be present. Strike up a conversation and generate a rapport. Notice I didn’t say pitch your script, at least not off the bat. Just get them to like you first, because it’s really you they’re representing, not your script. Once you hit it off, they may just request your script. You can see Mark presenting on this topic at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNADYEDlCEclist=PLez8jOvskc-N-qAIePOxtIjT_VzwuI5_Et=3sindex