Tell them that you hope the day or week is going well. Open with a brief sentence introducing yourself and why you are contacting them. When some screenwriters grasp the fact that you don’t want to sound too wooden and boring, they sometimes feel that humor is the answer, thus they waste 2-3 sentences telling a funny anecdote. You basically want to approach them in a casual business sense, as one would in a day job correspondence within an office environment. “Hey” can be played with on a case-by-case basis. While many screenwriters make the mistake of being too formal, others take informal to an uncomfortable extreme. Those types of emails stand out like a sore thumb and they reek of desperation. You want to blend into their normal daily correspondence as much as possible. There’s nothing worse than a wooden message with overly articulated sentences and unnecessary vocabulary enhancement. Don't give them that opportunity or excuse.
The powers that be, and their underlings, are looking for a reason to say no due to the many submissions they get. If you go on and on about how you're living in the Midwest (or anywhere else) and long to work in the film industry one day as a screenwriter, you'll likely shoot yourself in the foot from the get-go. Lastly, if you don't live in the Los Angeles area, make no mention of that initially. Hollywood is a fast-paced environment and all-too-often the powers that be don’t have time for those trying to pull their heartstrings.īeyond that, if you have film or television industry credits or work history, by all means, make mention of them briefly, but anything beyond that just isn’t necessary. Most have struggled to break through the Hollywood walls. Most have wanted to work in movies since they were kids. It’s awkward to read and awkward to respond to.Įveryone in Hollywood loves movies. It’s Not About You, It’s About Your ScriptĪvoid going into depth about yourself. Doe.” While this can be handled on a case-by-case basis, depending upon the stature of the individual you’re addressing, experience has shown that using first names blends in better with their daily interactions 4. That said, when you do address a particular person, make sure you spell their name correctly. It’s impersonal and shows a lack of effort on your part. One of the most common mistakes screenwriters make is using the same query content and starting with To Whom It May Concern. Address Them to Individuals, Not “To Whom It May Concern” You’ll often learn a lot about who is buying and developing what. Read the trades ( The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Deadline) to familiarize yourself with the movers and shakers in the film and television industry. Sign up to IMDBPro, look up movies that fall under the same genre and scope, and approach those production companies and the representation that represents those writers. The worst thing that you can do is blanket send your query to all of the major production, management, and agency companies. We live in a digital world, and it’s time to accept that if you haven’t already.Īnd yes, you’d be surprised how many of the powers that be answer their own emails. Email is easy to discard, easy to file, easy to access, and easy to reply to.
In this day and age, for query letters, email is the primary form of communication, and the content should be within the body of an email, not as an attached document. Generally speaking, they will often be ignored and thrown away. No Snail Mailįirst and foremost, don’t send paper query letters through the mail. We'll then take all of those directives and showcase examples to prove how simple it can be to write effective query letters. These are proven methods from the perspective of a screenwriter seeing success as a result of the implementation and from the perspective of an assistant, intern, or powers that be receiving them. However, it’s not as complicated as screenwriters make it out to be.īelow are some pointers and directives for writing the perfect query letter. Many approach writing them with trepidation and insecurity, thinking that if they write too little, too much, or the wrong things, it could mean the very end of their screenwriting hopes and dreams before they even really have a chance to get started - that’s the mindset of a writer at least. A novice screenwriter’s first line of contact with the powers that be.
WIKI: FAQS & FORMATTING INFO AND RESOURCESġ - Do not personally attack fellow redditors respect privacy, be encouraging, use your manners.Ģ - Screenplays MUST be properly formatted/Do not post your film without the screenplay.ģ - Provide Descriptive/Informative Titles for Postsĥ - Complaints Re: Paid Feedback Must Include Script and EvaluationsĦ - Don't post spam, personal blogs, unapproved self-promotion.Ah, the query letter.