For writers, it's networking, networking, networking
March 15th, 2007
The best-paid writing in the world is writing ransom notes, Gene Hackman said. That's a line of Elmore Leonard's that Hackman delivered in the film of Leonard's book Get Shorty.
People who write the splash headlines in New York and London tabloid newspapers can't be far behind in the money-per-word stakes.
But screenwriters are right up there too, according to Darren Foster, a screenwriter and script consultant who taught two screenwriting workshops on Saturday at the Durango Arts Center as part of the Durango Independent Film Festival.
Foster raised hopes of the nine students in the seminar called "Hollywood Virgin: What Does It Take to Get Your First Screenplay Read in Hollywood" when he said that the union minimum price for a screenplay is $54,000. Then he crushed aspirations when he said that 99 percent of screenwriting jobs come from referrals.
When asked where an aspiring Durango screenwriter might find a referee, Foster counseled against raising stakes and moving to Hollywood before landing a job there because every waiter in town has made that mistake.
Instead, he said to get out of the house and get networking.
"Tell everyone you're a screenwriter," Foster advised. He added that you never know when someone will know someone. Once his neighbor in Estes Park directed him toward some work after a chat over the back fence. He sounded a little like the pyramid sellers who promise that you'll get rich selling water filters to all your friends.
Then Foster told the sad story of an aspiring screenwriter who called the Dreamworks studio to ask for contact information. After he'd written down the information, the screenwriter asked who was speaking.
"Stephen Speilberg," came the answer. Then the great man asked the novice to describe his screenplay. The scribbler was so startled he couldn't say a thing. Speilberg kindly added that he hoped to hear more about the script.
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People who write the splash headlines in New York and London tabloid newspapers can't be far behind in the money-per-word stakes.
But screenwriters are right up there too, according to Darren Foster, a screenwriter and script consultant who taught two screenwriting workshops on Saturday at the Durango Arts Center as part of the Durango Independent Film Festival.
Foster raised hopes of the nine students in the seminar called "Hollywood Virgin: What Does It Take to Get Your First Screenplay Read in Hollywood" when he said that the union minimum price for a screenplay is $54,000. Then he crushed aspirations when he said that 99 percent of screenwriting jobs come from referrals.
When asked where an aspiring Durango screenwriter might find a referee, Foster counseled against raising stakes and moving to Hollywood before landing a job there because every waiter in town has made that mistake.
Instead, he said to get out of the house and get networking.
"Tell everyone you're a screenwriter," Foster advised. He added that you never know when someone will know someone. Once his neighbor in Estes Park directed him toward some work after a chat over the back fence. He sounded a little like the pyramid sellers who promise that you'll get rich selling water filters to all your friends.
Then Foster told the sad story of an aspiring screenwriter who called the Dreamworks studio to ask for contact information. After he'd written down the information, the screenwriter asked who was speaking.
"Stephen Speilberg," came the answer. Then the great man asked the novice to describe his screenplay. The scribbler was so startled he couldn't say a thing. Speilberg kindly added that he hoped to hear more about the script.
READ MORE
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