Mind Your Business. Michele Wallerstein

they won't give you the writing assignment.

       4. TALKING

      Not as easy as it seems. Aside from pitching your project, you must do some P.R. on yourself. That means sharing. Not a dirty word, guys. If you don't talk a little about yourself, they will never remember you. Keep this part of the meeting short, but it is important. I can't stress this enough. You want to be remembered. These people hear movie stories every day, over and over again. It's nice for them to hear a little about a real person that they meet. There may be more than one person in your meeting. Quite often producers or agents will have development executives or assistants in the room with you. Try to keep as much of your conversation toward the main power in the room. Don't be pulled into talking too much to anyone else. Without being rude, return your attention to the person behind the desk.

       5. LISTENING

      I've represented more than one compulsive talker in my life and they rarely got the job. If you talk too much, you'll be out on your ass and never seen again. Listen to what is being said by others. Ask questions, and show interest in the answers.

       6. ENTHUSIASM

      Above all, be enthusiastic. No drooping face, foot shuffling, or moody attitudes. If you are terribly shy, get over it; you're an adult, so act like it. Firm handshake, eye-to-eye contact and a big smile are all required. Show that you're happy to be there and they will react in kind.

      You have to let people believe that you believe in yourself and in your work. You must project self-confidence in your screenplays. I never want to read a script by someone who tells me that it is okay. I want someone to tell me that the script I am about to receive is great.

       7. HAVE THE GOODS

      If you are pitching a project, you better have the finished script or at least a well-thought-out and fairly extensive treatment to leave behind. It's even better if you have a copy of the script with you. Don't waste people's time pitching an idea if you are a new writer and don't have the pages to back it up. It's okay for the pros, but not for you. If you have pitched your finished screenplay and it is not something that the company is interested in reading, they might ask if you have any other ideas. If that happens you may pitch a few, maybe three, projects that are in various stages of development. Make it clear that these are not-yet-completed projects.

       8. THE WRITTEN WORD

      Show the same respect for your written work that you show for your wardrobe. Keep it clean. No typos. No grammatical errors. Take the time and make the effort to see that your script is perfect. As a matter of fact this applies to all of your writing, even if it's an email, letter, or invitation. Maybe you need to have it read by someone else, preferably someone very smart. Make sure the screenplay you submit has a cover page with the script title, your name, and your contact number and/ or email address on it. The pages of the screenplay must be numbered, and use the thick brads with washers. A script cover is not necessary.

       9. FOLLOW UP

      Send a thank you note via mail or email for any kindness that was shown to you. Don't call unless that was agreed upon for a reason. Keep the note simple and direct. Thank people for speaking at an event, for hearing your pitch, for meeting with you, for giving you advice, for coming to your workshop, etc. This will remind those important connections that they were appreciated and it will keep you in their minds with a positive reaction so that when you contact them again, they will remember you kindly.

       10. RESPECT

      Don't take crap from anyone… except the head of a major studio. If your meeting keeps you waiting for over thirty minutes, politely tell the assistant that you have another appointment, that you will be happy to call to reschedule, and then leave. Be aware that these people will probably keep you waiting an indeterminate amount of time. Being rude is another way they like to show their power. There are a lot of stupid power plays in any field of business. The entertainment field is no different. If you wait for an hour or more, they will always treat you badly because they will know that they can. If you leave, they will remember and respect you.

      In the 1980s I worked for a company known as Bloom, Levy, Schorr & Associates, a wonderful literary agency in Beverly Hills. I had set up a meeting with Zev Braun, an important producer of motion pictures and television, at his Beverly Hills office. At that time I was a middle-of-the-road type of agent who was still establishing myself in the Hollywood community. I left my office, which was not far from his, but did not give myself sufficient time to deal with the headache of finding a place to park in the heart of Beverly Hills. The street congestion was terrible and I arrived at the Zev Braun offices about seven minutes late for the appointment. The assistant buzzed Zev and let him know that I was there. I sat and waited, and waited, and waited. Zev's office was close by and I could hear him talking on the phone. His conversation was about his attempt at quitting smoking. After forty minutes of sitting there, I arose, told the assistant that I had to leave, and left. About ten minutes after I returned to my office (in a very bad mood) a call came in for me from Zev. He apologized for keeping me waiting, but he then commented that I was also responsible because I was also late. We forgave each other and laughed. Zev and I have maintained a fine working relationship ever since that fateful day.

      If they continue to take long phone calls during your meeting, stand up and say that this must not be a good time and that you will call for another appointment. Then leave. If you don't show respect for yourself, they won't either. If you do show self-respect, they certainly will remember you.

      

EXERCISES

      1. Go over all of your screenplays and treatments very carefully to check for errors.

      2. Go through your closet to make sure you always have an appropriate outfit for a meeting that is ready at a moment's notice.

      3. Prior to any event or meeting, map out your route.

      4. Send a thank-you note after every meeting.

      5. Write a three-page treatment based on each of your projects.

TO REWRITE OR NOT TO REWRITE 7

      Choosing a career as a writer is easy. Writing is hard. Rewriting is even harder.

      As a screenplay and novel consultant I read the client's work, make correction notes on the manuscript, and do a write-up on the project's problems.

      After that I have a phone conference with the writer and go over all of the notes verbally, answer any questions the writer may have, and give advice and direction regarding the business of writing and the entertainment industry.

      When I was an agent I did the same thing with my writers’ new screenplays. There were always notes from me about how they could and should improve their work.

      Invariably the clients ask the question, “Should I rewrite this script or move on to something else?”

      Writing is a very personal occupation. It's about the creative genie inside of you. It's about your ego and desires. Where are the hard and fast rules that apply to everything else? They simply don't often apply to creative writing because, for the most part, you are your own boss and that gives you the freedom of choice.

      To rewrite or not to rewrite, that is the question you ask of me. I don't have a stake in this process nor does anyone in your writers’ group or anyone else that you might go to for input. This baby is yours and you are asking a question for which you already know the answer.

      Of course you should rewrite the script. But, having seen and listened to people's notes, you wonder if it will take too long. You wonder if you are up to the task. You wonder if this script is the right one on which to devote so much time and energy. You wonder and you wonder. Then, hopefully, you realize that rewrting is a lot of work and you are just putting