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Today is the day that people hear about whether their script got through to the next round of the Red Planet Prize. Congrats to those who did, commiserations and an “I feel you pain” to those who didn’t. Mine struck out. Dammit.
So, what next? You’ve got a shiny new script in your portfolio are you just going to let it stay there?
1) Shooting People Script Pitch- Every Wednesday members of Shooting People receive a list of Scripts that writers are pitching. You could always put your synopsis and script pitch on here and see if someone wants to speak to you about it.
2) BBC Talent Development Scheme – If your script was a comedy/drama you might be worth polishing and honing it to get it into the upcoming comedy/drama Talent Development Scheme. Details have not been announced but BBC writers room Creative director talked about it HERE.
3) Send Full Mass to those who accept it – including BBC Writers Room and Red Productions in Manchester (Not to be confused with Red Planet who ran the competition). If you believe in it why not send it out.
4) Enter it in the Page awards – There is an entry fee to this one but it is one of the premium screenwriting contests and it accepts TV scripts which is quite rare.
5) Sit on it – Hey maybe your script wasn’t ready to go out there. You could sit on it, polish it, love it and make it even better.
6) Send Query letters out to production companies – Research possible productions similar to the one you were pitching, find the development person and send them an email with the logline and synopsis. One thing could lead to another.
7) Pitch it on Talent Circle – From those lovely people that brought you the London Screenwriters Festival, it’s Talent Circle. Here you can put your logline and synopsis up in the notice board section under Script Pitches and bring it to the attention of the producers and directors that use the service.
Or do all of the above. It’s not the end of the world, but you are allowed to feel like it is until the end of the day . Then you pull yourself up, have a word and get on with your next project. Remember – this is only one no. You have plenty more noes to go before you get to a yes on this project. So go and find it.
What else would you recommend people do with their rejected Red Planet scripts?
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Nice upbeat article Gail. Exactly what’s needed today! Thanks.
You are welcome David. It’s as much to keep me upbeat as anything. : )
Thanks! Just the kick up the arse I needed.
Cheers Elinor. Just keep plodding through the treacle!
Still waiting to hear whether my script got through. Don’t know if that’s a good sign or a bad one.
But if it doesn’t get through, I’m going to rewrite it. And then I’m going to ask other writers I trust to give me notes on it, arrange a rehearsed reading for it, and then rewrite it again.
I strongly advise anyone who believes their script is as good as it can be to arrange a table reading of it.
You’ll need some willing actors, a room and an audience of people you trust to give you notes.
Hearing your script performed makes you look at it in a completely different way, and makes it much more difficult for you to gloss over its flaws. And getting immediate feedback, while it can feel brutal, is invaluable. Especially when you hear from the actors.
Really good point Richard. Strong though the temptation is to jump back on the horse, it is well worth considering why it got rejected in the first place and rewrite accordingly.
Two brilliant blog posts today and just what I needed to keep up my spirits. I’m down but I’m not out!
Cheers Suzi
As a fab scriptwriter said to me recently. Enjoy the rejection, just think in years to come you can make them feel like Decca records felt when they realised they’d said no to the Beatles!
Yeah!
That’s brilliant! This is the first time I have submitted to a competition, so I guess, my first rejection. In a weird way I feel I have arrived!
I’m more fired up now than ever. Your blog certainly helps and it’s really inspirational, so thanks for that.
Suzi
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