What Hollywood Wants

by Christina Hamlett

Movies. No matter their theme, budget or cast, they all start out in pretty much the same way. They start out with dreamers—just like you—sitting in darkened theaters around the world and imagining what it would be like to see their names scrolling up the credits after the words, “Screenplay Written By…”

In order to get from an idea in your head to an image on the silver screen, however, requires an understanding of what film industry execs are looking for. To shed light on that long-standing mystery, we went to Peggy Patrick, Vice President of Television at the Shapiro-Lichtman Agency in Los Angeles. Patrick, the first woman to serve in this capacity in the 31 year history of the agency, oversees and directs the activities of the Television Department which includes handling the careers of more than 200 working clients. She created and developed the Animation/Family and Children’s department and is recognized as one of the top agents in this arena, representing writers, directors and producers in all areas of features and television.

Let’s start with the $64,000 question: what is Hollywood looking for?

Everything – In fact there are so many different markets now in Hollywood that they really are looking for everything. There are companies looking for big blockbusters, companies looking for small “important” films. TV always wants big event projects based on books or big news stories. There has been an upswing in people wanting romantic comedies lately. Big family comedies are in demand. People are always looking for the next High Concept. I would say that scripts more than pitches are selling right now. I guess what Hollywood is looking for is a really great story that millions of people will pay $10 a pop to see.

The proliferation of film-oriented websites and online script submission opportunities have dramatically increased the newcomer’s accessibility to Hollywood. With writers now able to negotiate contracts directly with prospective producers, how has this impacted the role of today’s agents?

Not at all – we are so overwhelmed with writers wanting us to look at their scripts that I figure if someone can do it himself or herself – GREAT. I haven’t felt any slow down of writers trying to get me to represent them at this time. I also would caution writers who want to do it themselves – that just like in real estate – you better know what you are doing if you choose to negotiate your own deal. There are huge pitfalls – some that can be avoided and some that can’t. On many occasions I have had people come to me when they were already in the midst of some deal that they had partially negotiated for themselves – and without exception they had messed up at many levels – and usually to the point of the problem not being able to be fixed.

In your view, are agents more crucial in the capacity of getting established or in staying established?

Staying established. Unfortunately it is almost impossible to get an agent if you haven’t already gotten established.

In the publishing world, literary agents seek authors who can generate many commercial concepts as opposed to just one. Does the same hold true with film reps in their decision to take on new clients? In other words, is it the discovery of a single blockbuster script that excites you or the chance to foster a long-term relationship with a screenwriter who has multiple ideas up his or her sleeve?

I always want a long term relationship. It could take years to find or get that blockbuster off the ground – after that – you want to keep building – it should only get better. Unfortunately what a lot of writers do is stay with one agent until their “ship comes in” in the form of some big movie and then they bolt for a bigger agency – only to disappear into the masses again. That’s because the person that probably got them to that point really put the energy in and had the passion to get them there – and some other bigger agency – really is surprised when the next script isn’t perfect or selling etc and they drop the writer. Relationship is important. You want someone who believes in you when your small and they want you to remember them when you are big. Unfortunately that is not always the case.

What are some of the biggest mistakes you see in a novice screenwriter’s approach to securing professional representation?

Being too cute or wordy in the query letter, telling me that they have “dozens more scripts” to show me (yikes – I barely have time to read their letter), not understanding what is selling in the marketplace and trying to work within that world. Calling multiple times a day or even a week, and getting put out with my assistant if I haven’t returned calls, etc. I know this is hard for people who are outside this business to maybe understand but – we are SWAMPED with our own clients, with their material, with talking on the phone non stop all day with potential buyers etc. The very LAST thing I might do in a given day is spend a few minutes looking at potential clients. I only have a few seconds to look at a letter to get the gist of what it is they have. If it takes to long or is too complicated – I just go to the next letter. I personally never take phone calls from potential writers – I just don’t have time.

On the average, how many screenplay submissions does your agency receive per year? Of that number, how many of them actually get made into movies for film or television?

Conservatively probably 1-200 a week - I guess that’s around 10,000 a year – oh – I just made myself feel a little tireder. How many of those submissions get made into TV per year? Well if we are talking about how many submissions from outside writers that come into our office – how many of those might be made into something in a year – I would say that in the time I have been an agent – 13 years – I have only ever gotten one script from an outside, brand new writer that got made into a movie. As an agency we have had lots of scripts, etc. get made into movies every year but that is a different question. I would say that I might take on as a new client someone based on a query letter - per year – maybe 3 to 5 people a year.

Complete this sentence. The difference between a good script and a great script is . . . really good, believable, relateable characters.

With so much controversy surrounding ageism in the film industry and its favoritism toward the young, how can an over-30 writer break in and find success?

The feature market and even the hour drama market place is less fraught with ageism – and I think to a degree – people sometimes use that more as an excuse –for not succeeding. The comedy – sitcom market place seems to like younger writers but we have been able to put people in their 30’s and up on various series. It all depends on the writing. It has to be fresh and reflective of the kind of writing seen on a particular show. I also think someone over thirty might be able to lean on their relationships – people they know to try to help get in through the door. The longer you have been around town, the more relationships you have.

In concert with the above question, why is age a factor at all in a profession where the artistic creator is a virtually invisible member of the process?

It shouldn’t be – but I think what happens in the series world where people work as a group, and when the head writers are a particular age – they tend to look for people with similar age related experience - so sometimes its not how old someone is – it’s how old someone acts – and thinks and that can be reflected in their writing. Again in the feature and long form market – I really haven’t seen age being a factor at all. I have a client who is 80 years old and we just made a deal for a MOW for him. But this guy really knows his market, he has been around for a long time and he has refused to grow stale or rest on his laurels.

Adaptations of “proven” commodities such as published novels and produced stage plays would seem to represent a lower financial risk for a studio than optioning an original work by an “unproven” writer. That said, are adaptations a more viable route for gaining an entry into show biz than pitching something previously untested on a readership or audience?

I have certainly had better luck with writers that have the rights to a novel or true story – in terms of pitching. If the story is important or something that an audience would want to see – like Kobe Bryant’s inside story or whatever, then that could sell easily. Stage plays that have gotten well reviewed are a good entrée also for a writer trying to break in. Just make sure that you have the rights to sell it – and on paper and clearly. I would not advise a writer to adapt a novel or something they don’t have the rights to.

There’s certainly no shortage of films out there that are light on plot, big on CGI, and totally devoid of characters to cheer for. And yet, they continue to get optioned and produced. What do you think accounts for that?

It’s the event nature of the film like THE MUMMY – the concept sells itself. And there will be video games etc. all coming from it – its sort of really a grand marketing scheme. They are called “ride” films – because you can imagine the amusement park ride that would be created based on it. Very often the scripts for these movies start off pretty solid – but somewhere along the way – all the FX squeeze out the plot. I think these movies are also targeting the 15 year-old male audience – who really isn’t interested in thinking about anything too deeply.

Do today’s films demand more or less from actors compared to 30 years ago? How can aspiring screenwriters use that comparison to write the kind of roles that a Brad Pitt or a Reese Witherspoon would want to play?

I don’t know – if films are more or less demanding - - but aspiring screenwriters should have certain people in mind as they write characters. Even if Reese never gets the script – people in Hollywood will say it’s a script for a Reese Witherspoon/Kate Hudson type. In this town if you showed up with a script that was for a Kate Hepburn type – everyone would stare at you blankly – and wonder if you meant it was movie for their grandmother.

Just as e-books arose in response to the increasing exclusion of mid-list authors by New York publishers, more and more indie film companies seem to be emerging as a way to attract writers whose work doesn’t fit a mainstream definition. From your perspective, do you see this trend as one which will subliminally redefine how major studios make movies in order to court the indie audience market share? Rephrased, will the tail eventually wag the dog or will the dog continue to wag the tail?

I actually think that the tail does in a very slow way wag the dog already now. It is always the indie market that comes up with the freshest, coolest stuff – and the big studios sort of take the ball and run with it and over do it for a few months or years until the indie market comes up with the next fresh thing. Movies like SEX LIES AND VIDEOTAPE or FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL or THE FULL MONTY were all indie movies and had an impact on what the market place thought would work.

If you could have been the agent for any movie ever made, which one would it be and why?

That is a really hard question – there are so many great movies. I bet that finally getting FOREST GUMP made must have been highly satisfying. It took something like 10 years to finally get that to the screen. RAINMAN, I’ve heard was hard to get made – but was a great movie. I have a number of scripts that are my absolute favorites that I have been working on selling for years – just knowing in my heart they would be terrific movies. Unfortunately, as I look deeply inward – most of the things I’ve sold, I liked – but the projects usually sold for other reasons – they were really commercial, or the right place and time kind of thing.

Last but not least, what’s your advice for newcomers trying to break into the industry with their first script?

I would try to find a small producer that is interested – as opposed to going to the bigger studios or even agencies – there are lots of small hungry producers looking for good material who would be happy to read your script. Then LISTEN to what they say, in fact listen to what everyone says to you about your script. And try to get your ego out of the way long enough to see if there are ways to improve it. I feel if your script is not getting incredible feedback from people – like – this is really great – one of the most exciting, funny, sad, action packed etc script I have ever read – if your script is not getting that kind of feedback – then you need to go back to rewriting. Take writing classes from writers who have produced work - you really, really, really – need to get that script right before you show it around town. Because if it is not up to snuff – then your chances of them reading your next script have dropped dramatically. If it’s well written but not what they are looking for – at least the door is still open to come in with something else. Know your market – but also try to look a little ahead. What kind of movies do you want to see? Are your tastes commercial? You have to remember that it is so expensive to make a movie – there has to be some commercial value to it. Most projects that I reject – are just not commercial. I can’t imagine zillions of people wanting to tune in or pay 10 bucks to see it. But every now and then someone comes along who has thoughtfully examined the various marketplaces – looked in their own heart and found a story that fits – and then when they pitch it or write it – it makes sense and it sells! You may love sandals – and have boxes full of them – but you can’t sell them in Alaska in December. I imagine fur coats don’t sell to well in Hawaii in July. So be smart, know your craft – and – oh – keep trying. If one script doesn’t sell – then write another – and then another. And then another.

~~~~~~

Excerpted from Christina Hamlett’s upcoming release, “COULD IT BE A MOVIE?” (Publisher: Michael Wiese Productions, www.mwp.com.) Hamlett, a former actress and theater director, is an award winning author and Pasadena, California script coverage consultant whose publishing credits include 17 books, 110 plays and musicals, 3 optioned features, multiple shorts, and several hundred columns that appear regularly throughout the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.