Advice From Austin: The 27 Best Things Screenwriters Said at the Austin Film Festival Writers Conference

Reps and Marketing Yourself

13. “What are producers looking for right now? In the wake of Stranger Things, anything that feels like an ’80’s Amblin movie. Grounded science fiction is also hot.”—Dan Petrie, Jr.

14. “Everyone is looking for comfort.  Everyone is terrified. Writers undersell their own value. Their position is begging. Nothing is less comforting than a beggar. Give the impression that if they choose you everything will be OK.”—Craig Mazin

15. “It’s OK to write directly to a producer. Keep it short. Play to their ego. Tell them why you love their work. Follow up in three to four weeks. After that, it’s a pass.”—Marcus Cox (Tangerine)

16. “Having other writers vouch for you is far more effective than query letters.”—Ryan Cunningham (manager, Madhouse)

17. “Send queries around 1-2 p.m. L.A. time or overnight. Don’t send them Friday afternoons. Check up after a month. Then let it go.”—Ryan Cunningham

18. “I wanted to be a writer since I was three. I went to college for screenwriting. I spent 10 years not getting anywhere. Then I made a 90-second trailer taken from 37 clips from other films. I had two sales very quickly. I sent a new movie idea to an agent every Tuesday and Friday for eight months. The agent started stepping out of meetings with actors to talk to me.”—Jono Matt (MovieMaker Screenwriter to Watch)

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7