A Producer’s Advice To Screenwriters Who Are Pitching Their Scripts by Jay Silverman

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In this Film Courage video interview, director/producer/photographer Jay Silverman (OFF THE MENU, GIRL ON THE EDGE) talks about screenwriters who are pitching their scripts. He shares how a writer's attitude and flexibility considerably influences which director/producer may want to work with them and other tips for a good screenwriter/filmmaker collaboration.

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[theonebegotten]

The advice is found inbetween the lines.

So this guy here, a producer, got pitched a great story up until the screenwriter said "...but I direct." Our producer admits directing/writing is a nonstarter for him yet he almost got hooked anyway and then turns and says "Dont do what he did to me because I would have never listened!" It almost worked and more importantly the guy got you to hear out his whole pitch.

Second point, so what about the actual shooting of the script. Who cares? The script is already sold by this point. Screenwriter job accomplished. Our producer is missing the plot. He produces and writes yet so much irony.

Leads me to my third point, and what you get from alot of these uploads: When asked a question about the letter B, person responds with anecdotes about the number 5.

[TheDadVlog]

I pitched a script. I spoke as if I was talking about a close friend of mine who has a crazy life.

[marieb]

Never pitched, but the biggest mistake I see is telling the events of the story from beginning to end. No one cares. You get them to care by talking about the character. So talk about the character, and how the story affects them. Also, a pitch should be 1-2 minutes tops. You should have a script already written, in case they want to read it. Don't ask anyone to read your script. If you pitch it well, and they're interested, they'll ask you. That's all there is to it.

[Htrails]

I love Film Courage, made perfect sense. Thanks for the post.

[pinkhat]

Love Film courage, wow! great advice!

[Met]

I've been asking myself on wheather do you have to approach a production while you already completed a script or not?If not then how could you have delt with a copyright of incomplete script?do you have to register and copyright your idea and script even if you're not sure if wheather would it sell or be accepted by a particular production?

[jeremiahnoar]

Would it be better for Jan to ask to be involved in hiring the director?

[michaeljude]

Any advice on how public to make a script without losing certain rights to it?

[YiskahYasharala]

I have written script I'd like to be utilized

[newideasvijay]

Hi sir this is prasad I'm from India nice to see you sir.
I have a best movie story in Hollywood. Plz reply me sir

[voiceseeking]

How i get Producer for my first film???

[dr.leonardo]

Again this producer admits that the screenplay was brought to him by someone. Without that someone to literally introduced the script to someone who can make the movie it will never be read confirming that screenwriters might as well pitch their screenplay to a brick wall without insider representation.

[shubhamganvir]

i disliked. where do the person explains the skills?