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November Newsletter

1) THIS SATURDAY: Nov. 5th Secret Door Pitchfest

2) 2012 Competitions OPEN FOR ENTRIES

3) Script Sales - October 

4) Your Logline Probably, Definitely Needs Work

5) Script Pipeline Supports: InkTip
 

THIS SATURDAY: Secret Door Pitchfest

Secret Door Pitchfest
presented by Script Pipeline

November 5th - Spots Still Available

$100 OFF with promo code, "SDPF115"
(expires 11/4)

REGISTER HERE

*At this final Pitchfest of the year, we've trimmed down the number of available spots for writers to ensure a productive, close-knit atmosphere where networking is maximized, not only with industry, but Script Pipeline development execs.

Everyone attending will receive the following:

--Pitches to 10-20 companies

--Pitch consultation with a Script Pipeline Senior Analyst ($100 value)

--1-year Script Pipeline Writers Database membership ($100 value)

--A total of three (3) FREE entries to the 2012 Script Pipeline Screenwriting, TV Writing, or Great Movie Idea Competition ($120 value)

REGISTER HERE

OPEN FOR ENTRIES: 2012 Script Pipeline Competitions

$100k Cash/Prizes
Exclusive Industry Access to Top Companies

2012 Screenwriting Competition

With more major writer success stories in the past two years than any other competition, the 10th Annual Script Pipeline Screenwriting Contest sets its sights on discovering up-and-coming creative talent and connecting them with top production companies, agencies, and managers.

Most recently, former contest winner Evan Daugherty sold his spec Snow White and the Huntsman to Universal for $3 million, and 2010 winner Tripper Clancy was hired by Fox as a comedy writer after securing representation with Script Pipeline industry partner FilmEngine .

Last season, over 3,500 screenplays were received for the Screenwriting and TV Writing competitions combined, making it one of the most-entered contests worldwide. Beyond prizes, winners are given industry circulation to approximately 200 qualified industry contacts.

LEARN MORE AND REGISTER

2012 TV Writing Competition

Now in its 5th year, the Script Pipeline TV Writing Competition is searching for the best in TV material. Accepted entries include reality or idea proposals, spec scripts for existing shows, and original pilots.

As with the Screenwriting Competition, winners are given exclusive access to our circle of industry execs searching for proficient TV writers and, in the case of reality concepts, fresh ideas.

LEARN MORE AND REGISTER

2012 Great Movie Idea Contest

Script Pipeline’s Great Movie Idea Contest gives you the chance to pitch ANY concept you think is film-worthy. All genres and subject matter welcome. Repeat: ALL subject matter. So finally time to dust off that random story your grandfather told you 20 years ago. It might be the next big movie.   And absolutely no writing experience necessary. Just get creative—really, way-beyond-outside-of-the-box creative. 

FilmEngine, Lakeshore Entertainment, and Darko Entertainment will meet the winner to discuss their pitch for possible development.

LEARN MORE AND REGISTER

Recent Script Sales - October

A few Facebook-inspired movies, sans Jesse Eisenberg and intense web programmer drama, are in development.  Less techie, more whimsy, Johnny Depp could take on another biopic role as Dr. Seuss.  What seems a natural fit, the infamous Boston mobster Whitey Bulger is getting film immortality with the Afflecks attached to star, produce, write, direct, and possibly head craft services.  More importantly, though, Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels may reprise their roles in Dumb and Dumber 2.  Better late than never.  And better early than never: Code Name Geronimo will detail the hunt for Osama Bin Laden.  John Stockwell to direct.

Other script sales include:

- The sci-fi dramedy The Future of Us, where two teen girls in 1996 stumble upon their as-of-yet-uncreated Facebook profiles and decide whether or not to change their future.  Meanwhile, current Facebook users can't escape the past. . . (yeah, we get it--you had a lot of friends in high school).

- A Facebook relationship turns deadly in the thriller XOXO.   

- As if the awesome series wasn't enough, Bryan Singer will helm Battlestar Gallactica the movie.

- Shia LaBeouf (Eagle Eye, Transformers) attached to star in the fantasy/drama A Giant.

View previous script sales

Your Logline Probably, Definitely Needs Work

The second in a series of original articles by Script Pipeline staff. . . .

Whoever claims to be the perfect logline writer is, quite honestly and without embellishment, either a bold-faced liar or. . . well, ignorant.  Sorry.  Perfect logline writers don't exist.  Great ones do.  But "perfect?"  Not a chance.

Reason being, there's no such thing as a perfect logline.  What's enticing and enigmatic to one person, is confusing and unappealing to another.  Kind of the reason there's no perfect movie (okay, except for The Godfather and American Beauty).

Main thing to keep in mind with any logline is to use brief, descriptive phrases to sum up the story and hit on its originality.  A good example would be two variations on a logline for Field of Dreams: 

"A farmer builds a baseball field and brings back the ghosts of dead baseball players." 

Kind of dull, even though, yeah, that's what the movie's about. 

Compare with: 

"After hearing ghostlike voices, a struggling farmer plows through his crops to build a baseball field, only to discover it has become a haven for bygone ballplayers and the only key toward reconciliation with his deceased father." 

Which movie would you rather see?

The second one establishes the stakes (he's struggling, and he's plowed through his crops like a dolt), what happens (he builds a baseball field for seemingly no reason), the unexpected purpose (to let dead ballplayers play again, but "discover" means he didn't know this would happen), and the goal (to reconcile with his dead father). 

The good thing is, in my humble perspective, there is no single way to write an engaging logline.  But the one constant is the hook.  It has to, or at least ought to, have a hook.  "A man seeks revenge on his sister" isn't much of a story.  "A man seeks revenge on his sister after she steals his wife and shatters his career" is a bit more descriptive. 

If you don't think you have any original elements to your script, you're probably wrong.  Even traditional stories have hooks.  But if you really don't, then maybe it shouldn't be written.

Script Pipeline sees a ton of loglines, not just from our contests, but because Writers Database members get free logline reviews--and they're not shy about sending in sometimes 5-10 each.  Fine by us.  Some people like reading scripts, I like reading loglines.  Better than Christmas.  Well, better than Halloween at least. 

Hence, why I know no one's come close to mastering the fine art of one-sentence summation.

Matt Misetich
General Manager / Dir. of Development, Script Pipeline

By the way, disagree on my perfect movie choices?  Tweet about it and tag us: @scriptpipeline.  I'll defend those choices til' Rocky XVI comes out. . . . 

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