There are many ways for fledgling screenwriters to launch their careers. Yes, securing an agent can be helpful, but pitching directly to production companies and/or placing highly in respected screenwriting competitions can also open doors to professional writing opportunities.
But what otherwise might be an indie award-winner or studio blockbuster won’t have a chance to see the light of day if the script stumbles in the execution. With literally tens of thousands of original screenplays being written annually, a spec script needs to be outstanding if it’s going to catch a producer’s attention.
If you’ve submitted your spec script(s) to Hollywood agents and producers but have yet to get a bite, it’s probably because of one (or more) of seven reasons. Fortunately, there are ways to overcome virtually all of them – if you’re willing to put in the effort. These reasons are:
1. Your script lacks a strong, commercial premise. A premise is your script’s core idea, often focused on the problem your hero has to solve. When considering a feature-length script, most mainstream producers and studios respond positively to premises with three key elements: (1) A hero with an important and, most importantly, external problem to solve [e.g., Find the treasure, acquit the accused, get the girl/guy, win the Big Game, etc.] Audiences need a goal against which to measure success or failure. (2) A “Wow Factor,” that is, a central element that is unusual, surprising, exciting, etc. In other words, a marketing hook. This can be as simple as taking an old story but putting it in a new setting or looking at it from a new angle [e.g., Alien = A haunted house story in space, Get Out = A body-switch story about liberal racism] (3) Irony. Ideally, the story should involve a hero who must do something that is antithetical to what he/she would normally do…or be expected to do. This is why we have so many David & Goliath stories, mis-matched couple rom-coms, and fish-out-of-water tales. Your hero should be ill-equipped to solve the problem at hand. That’s what makes a story interesting.
Television can be a somewhat different animal, depending on the format. While modern serialized streaming series tend to be little more than feature films extended to eight to 10 episodes, classic made-for-broadcast pilots tend to sell when characters and situations have inherent drama and/or comic potential – potential that can be milked indefinitely (e.g., Grey’s Anatomy, The Simpsons). But to sell, the “Wow Factor” is still essential, because having a “shocker” element embedded in a premise is the only way for a script to stand out from those produced by more seasoned – and trusted – writers.
Solution: If writing a feature film or limited serialized streaming show, make sure your premise contains all three vital elements. And make sure all introduced by the end of Act I. If writing a pilot for an episodic TV show, make sure the characters and situations are strong enough to generate countless plot variations. And focus on the “Wow Factor” that makes your series unique.
2. Your script does not demonstrate a knowledge of – or appreciation for – standard Hollywood formatting conventions. There are no rules when it comes to formatting a screenplay — but there are conventions. And if your screenplay fails to conform to these conventions without good reason, then agents are likely to assume you’re a rank amateur not worthy of their time. These conventions cover not only how description, dialogue, and scene settings are set on the page, but also page count. Feature screenplays should run 90 to 120 pages, teleplays 30 to 60 pages, depending on the format. Turn in a 214-page-long screenplay – or even a 130-page-long one – and agents are likely to assume you’re not serious about this industry as a business.
Solution: Invest in professional screenwriting software (e.g. Final Draft, Writer Duet, Celtx) that does the formatting for you. Make sure your page length falls within industry standards. And, for the love of all that is holy, proof your screenplay for typos, spelling errors, poor punctuation, and bad grammar. These will have a buyer or rep put your script down faster than you can say “No!”
3. Your screenplay is overwritten. Agents and industry readers hate to read. Reading is exhausting. It’s enervating. And it’s an expensive time-suck. A script that features long, dense descriptive paragraphs and directs the delivery of every line of dialogue is a sure-fire snoozer – likely one destined for the “Pass” file.
Solution: Edit like a maniac. Cut. Cut. Cut. Reduce description to the absolute bare minimum. And don’t direct on the page. Shakespeare’s plays contain virtually no description or stage direction. And they’ve been produced for 400 years.
4. Your story is poorly paced. The bulk of today’s movie audience is 14 to 30 years old. A generation raised on the instant gratification of TikTok and YouTube videos has little patience for slowly paced cinematic storytelling. Scripts that take 30 pages just to get started or contain only one or two major plot turns will not satisfy the current appetite for sustained dopamine hits.
Solution: Make sure that your scenes are not only short and crisp, but that conflict and tension are always maintained. The narrative should drive the reader from page to page through escalating obstacles, mysteries, jeopardy, and sudden plot reversals.
5. Your story lacks authenticity. The best movies and TV shows are often deep dives into little seen or understood worlds. Whether you’re writing about doctors, lawyers, private detectives, gangsters, drug dealers, soldiers, astronauts, or teenage garage bands, if the technical details and character behavior doesn’t seem authentic, you’re likely to shatter the “willing suspension of disbelief” required for successful storytelling. Likewise, events that appear to occur at random or simply out of narrative convenience are likely to undercut any emotional investment your reader has made in your story.
Solution: Research. Research. Research. Read appropriate literature. Talk to experts. Today, AI like ChatGPT can be invaluable in this effort. Get into deep conversations with it about your subject matter. Ask it for ideas on how to make your story and characters more credible. AI is no substitute for creativity, but it be an excellent research assistant and sounding board.
6. You’re too focused on selling, not writing. This may sound antithetical to everything we’ve discussed so far, but while demonstrating skill is essential to getting your foot in the door, all the technical acumen in the world is not going to get you a call from business affairs if you don’t have an engaging tale to tell. And the only way to know if you do is to take your time.
Solution: Never be satisfied. When you write something, put it away for a few weeks or even a few months and then come back and look at it through fresh eyes. Ask for feedback from friends and mentors you can trust to give you an honest, if need be, brutal assessment. (Professional screenwriters adhere to the rule: “Never, ever show your work to anyone in the industry until you’ve shared it with at least three trusted Hollywood pros and one well-paid proofreader”). Write. Rewrite. And then rewrite again. Yes, at some point you will have to let go and send it to the market. Which is why they say that screenplays are never finished…just abandoned.
7. You have no “voice.” In interviews, most agents and producers will tell you they are always looking for writers with a distinctive “voice.” Although difficult to define, a “voice” is a writing style, a point-of-view, or a sensibility that makes a script stand out from the crowd. Like obscenity, a “voice” is difficult to define, but you know it when you hear it. (Or read it.) Quentin Tarantino has a “voice.” Aaron Sorkin has a “voice.” David Mamet has a “voice.” Taylor Sheridan has a “voice.” Their screenwork is distinctive. Other writers try to emulate them. It’s why their work continues to be produced. And why they get paid the big bucks.
Solution: Write from a place of passion. Write what you believe. Write in a way that only you can write. Write with detail! (e.g., it’s not a car, it’s a Porsche 911.) Whatever the genre or narrative, filter everything through your personal sensibilities. Write the movie you want to see. And if your instincts are good, your craft is solid, and your product is professional, you stand a better than even chance of finding the support you need to make this your career.