Script Submissions

Film Industry Bloggers is actually a collection of blogs that offer an insiders look at the motion picture industry through the unique eyes of working professionals.

Here, for example is an entry by Rachel Miller who manages the careers of writers and directors of feature films and television. Her clients include writers and directors on THE DAILY SHOW, THE SIMPSONS, and FRANK TV, along with comic book company Bloodfire Studios. Check out her superb list of resources here.



At Film Industry Bloggers she lists her Top 5 Peeves about Query Letters and Submissions for Management Representation - peeves that are equally applicable whether you are applying to the NFVF or the SABC or any other potential funder......

1. If you list 12 scripts in a query letter. If I see 12 scripts listed on a query letter I am going to wonder why hasn’t anything happened with any of them? Put one or at most two in the letter.

2. Saying this script will sell for millions of dollars! Every script I have seen with a letter saying “it will sell for millions of dollars” has been a pass. First, no one knows what scripts will sell and what won’t. If you must say something, just say you believe it is a very commercial idea.

3. X meets Y. Don’t pick two movies that have nothing in common and put them together by saying your script is like X meets Y. I have seen all kinds of ridiculous statements, such as Wall-E meets Schindler’s List. This means nothing.

4. Calling me up and saying I must read this asap. If you give it to me on a Monday and think I am going to read it by Friday, then you are mistaken. You are also mistaken if you give it to me on a Friday and call me on Monday to see if I have read it. Give everyone two weeks to read your script; we are all busy and we have a lot of work to do and are trying to get through everything.

5. Spelling and grammar mistakes. There should be none, ever — either in your letter or in your script. If I am taking the time to read your script, you should have taken the time to go through your work and make sure there are no spelling and grammar mistakes.

Bonus tip. If you call me and say you would love to submit to me and I tell you to check out our submission policy on our web page and you tell me you don’t have a computer — that is a very bad sign.

So before you send your script to me make sure you have done everything in your power to make it the most professional and well-written script you can.