[CestMoi Posts: 27 Status: Offline]

Hilary,
Glad you're subbing it elsewhere! I know somebody will snatch it up! ;-)

[Nidhi Posts: 84 Status: Offline WWW]

Hilary, I noticed you have some posts on the topic way back in 2008. Just curious, did it take 5 years to learn and write out your script for amazon, or was it quicker? I am just starting my journey to learn and don't have too many hours to dedicate during the day. Thanks for your offer to lend the cut to book, but I am on android. I can try to order it. Hope you subbed elsewhere.

[H. Pinski Posts: 2,056 Status: Offline]

Hilary, I noticed you have some posts on the topic way back in 2008.

I do?  I don't see a 2008 thread...I'm probably missing something. Wouldn't be the first time,  .

No, not 5 years at all Nidhi! Let me see if I can remember. It really began when I started playing with the idea of a serialized, digital first novel for middle-grade. The agents I pitched liked the story concept but not the format. So I suppose I had already been practicing with episodic storytelling but I don't think I really began to research screenwriting seriously until November of last year...maybe October...and pitched my first pilot to Amazon Studios at the end of January.

My experience was that it took a bit to wrap my brain around how to build/pace the story and to get a feel for the formatting (i.e., slug line, action, do I insert camera angles?) but once I got the basics down, the rest felt fairly intuitive. It's a comfort thing. At first it feels like you've landed on an alien planet  but I think if you have an instinct for it, and my guess is if you're interested enough to learn screenwriting you're probably drawn to it for a reason, it becomes second nature pretty quick.

The best book I read by far, the one that REALLY made me "get" how storytelling works in television, was Writing the Pilot by William Rabkin. Also, read a ton of scripts. That helped me enormously.

I'm going to PM you my email address -- and I'm happy to do the same for anyone who has questions you don't want to ask in this thread. Subbing to Amazon Studios really was fun and learning screenwriting has made me a better writer. I am more than happy to help in any way I can!

I have subbed Borislav elsewhere and am about to pitch another pilot, so  !

[Nidhi Posts: 84 Status: Offline WWW]

Thanks a lot, Hilary. I will surely email you when I am done some learning and have questions! Totally inspired by you!

[KelliKM Posts: 18 Status: Offline God's gifts & his call are irrevocable! Rom11:29]

Hilary,
Your Borislav concept was awesome! I commend you for putting yourself out there with the public submission. Written works are like our precious loved ones, we want to keep them safe and protected. Keep the faith!! All your hard work WILL pay off!!


I'm inspired by you! 

[H. Pinski Posts: 2,056 Status: Offline]

 : Nidhi and Kelli! I'm about to send out a new round of subs and this was just the boost I needed! 

[CestMoi Posts: 27 Status: Offline]

Oh, boo! They passed on my preschool series.

[H. Pinski Posts: 2,056 Status: Offline]

Oh, no...I am sorry, CestMoi.  It's a tough business to break into, that's for sure. All we can do is try! 

[CestMoi Posts: 27 Status: Offline]

Thanks. Very true - I'm going to look for some other places to send it. ;-)

[H. Pinski Posts: 2,056 Status: Offline]

There aren't many open to submissions and people looking for kids/preschool is even harder, but I dug some up and will PM you with them. 

[KelliKM Posts: 18 Status: Offline God's gifts & his call are irrevocable! Rom11:29]

Hi Hilary!
When writing your mini bible did you follow an outline? In other words, are there specific things they require? I read several mini bibles and the content (ie logline, tone, concept, etc) and format seems to vary in each. I like how you wrote yours because it's simple, straightforward, and informative and am using it as a guide for writing mine.  :

Thanks also to the other members who asked about screenwriting tools. I've noticed there are a bunch of "free" programs out there and wondered the same thing about which is easiest/best to use. Submitting for a tv series is definitely a different world...and a whole new learning curve!  :

 
Kelli

[H. Pinski Posts: 2,056 Status: Offline]

GOOOO, Kelli!  Another BBoarder taking the dive! 

In my research, I wasn't able to find anything akin to a standard series bible format so I did what you've done, read a few and went with what felt right. What they're looking for more than anything is do you have an idea for a pilot or a series? I'm glad you're finding mine helpful. I was going to delete BORISLAV off the AS site, but decided to keep it up a little longer in case BBoarders from this thread go looking for it to get an idea of what all of this is about!

I use Adobe Story, https://story.adobe.com/en-us/index.html#o, and really like it. I use the Film format, not television. When subbing (to Amazon or even managers or producers) everyone at this stage is happy with a PDF (the biggest plus to using Adobe is that it converts, for obvious reasons, flawlessly) so you don't need the industry standard programs like Final Draft...yet. That comes when they sign you and you need to start doing re-writes. 

Keep posting your questions here or PM me and I will do my best to help in any way I can! 

[Nidhi Posts: 84 Status: Offline WWW]

A question to all the talented screen writers here...
For animated movies that have songs, what is the best way to go about these songs when writing a screenplay? Do we learn to write our own song, or do we just mention something like,
...and she sings, "Song Name"
and let the production house decide on a song writer to write the song?
Alternatively, do we just continue with the script (without mentioning the song, and hence cutting the page count), and let the readers decide if they want to put a song anywhere at all?

I'm loving where this entire thread is going... lots of great info.
Thanks all!

[H. Pinski Posts: 2,056 Status: Offline]

 Wait! I read something about this, Nidhi, when doing my research. Course now I can't remember where.  I'll browse my books unless someone else who knows more about all this answers first! 

GO SCREENWRITING BBOARDERS, GO!!! 

[Nidhi Posts: 84 Status: Offline WWW]

Thanks, Hilary! Let me know what you find. The only thing I read in the Cat book was that we can't mention existing songs because of copyright issues, but I havent read anything about if we feel a song should be inserted.

BTW, Hilary, thanks to you, I have read the Cat book, as well as the Cut To one. I've written my beat sheet, and am now 25 pages in. Exciting!!

[H. Pinski Posts: 2,056 Status: Offline]

I think it was in Cut To that I saw it and it was the copyright issue that stood out. I'll let you know when I find it.

GOOOOOOO, Nidhi!!!  I AM SO EXCITED!!! 

[Nidhi Posts: 84 Status: Offline WWW]

Thanks, Hilary! I do hope I get somewhere with this.

[KelliKM Posts: 18 Status: Offline God's gifts & his call are irrevocable! Rom11:29]

THANKS, HILARY!!    for paving the way with AS and introducing a new avenue to get our stories out there!
The information you shared and reassuring hand-holding  is so encouraging! Rewriting my ms in screenwriting format (for a preschool series) is a learning process but fun at the same time as I imagine the character coming to life on screen. I love the creative process!

Good luck to you, Nidhi...and any other bboarders taking the plunge!   :

[CestMoi Posts: 27 Status: Offline]

I wrote the songs for my preschool series because the words were important to the story. I figured they could always change them if they weren't happy with them. 

[Nidhi Posts: 84 Status: Offline WWW]

Ok, thanks for sharing, c'est moi. I checked on another messaging board, and they compared it to a musical, and said I'd be better off staying away from writing the song, since the song is intented to move the story forward and such lyrics should be written by proffessional song writers. So here I am trying to now fill 4.5 more pages with words.

[jenklein Posts: 95 Status: Offline WWW]

Just chiming in to say I'm sorry I don't know much on the song-writing front for features. I've only written animation for TV and we've generally had lyrics written for us. That being said , there are a couple episodes here and there where I wrote lyrics that ended up being used. On a feature I would think you could insert lyrics if they were good and seemed necessary for propelling the story forward... but there's an excellent chance I don't know what I'm talking about.

Good luck to you all!

[H. Pinski Posts: 2,056 Status: Offline]

But there's a way better chance that Jen knows what she's talking about than say, me. 

 , Jen!

[Nidhi Posts: 84 Status: Offline WWW]

Hilary and others, just wondering if any of you tried to get an agent? I've heard it's a million times harder compared to books. Specially for animation.

[H. Pinski Posts: 2,056 Status: Offline]

Million and one times harder, not to be discouraging! Very few, if any agents that handle screenplays are open to queries (industry referral is how it happens). The best route is to try for a manager first, but again, very few management companies are open to queries. You can pitch production companies too, that's another way to go.

Join IMBdPro for contact info of open agents/managers and check Done Deal Pro forums for info (although be forewarned, it ain't nothing like the BBoards!)

I didn't pitch animation so my list might be useless but PM me if you want it! It's harder, but it only takes one and you won't get anywhere if you don't try, right? 

[Nidhi Posts: 84 Status: Offline WWW]

Thanks Hilary. This is the depressing part for sure. I'll PM you for the list. BTW, did you copyright your sceries? What if you need to make edits?

[jenklein Posts: 95 Status: Offline WWW]

Extremely rare to find US representation if not living in Los Angeles or New York. Animation heavy agencies are Gotham, Metropolis, Natural Talent, Maggie Roiphe Agency. There are others but those come first to mind.

[H. Pinski Posts: 2,056 Status: Offline]

Nidhi, I registered the scripts through WGA, https://www.wgawregistry.org/webrss/

Small fee, but well worth it. Several management and production companies that requested reads required me to sign a release form and give my registration number.

[Nidhi Posts: 84 Status: Offline WWW]

Thanks, Jen and Hilary!

[CestMoi Posts: 27 Status: Offline]

Hi Nidhi,

I contacted two of the places Jen mentioned. No response - boo!

[Nidhi Posts: 84 Status: Offline WWW]

Ok, people! I finally have a first draft!

Ms. Pinski,  would you do the kind honors and help with a proofread when you have some time? No pressure, but  you started this, so you pay the price ;-)

Also, is there anyone else who can help me with a critique? I will be happy to critique your screenplay back. I can use all the set of eyes I can get for this, since it's my first time. My screenplay is about 90 pages and I have tried to the best of my ability to adhere to the cat book and the cut to book. Painful, but it's finally done!

Thanks :-)