Development and Submission Of Scripts To Studios, Streaming, Cable, and Broadcast Companies
If asked to send over information about your script by a studios, streaming, or broadcast company, what will you send them?
Q: Do I still need an agent or Executive Producer to submit my script? How do I get access to a Development Executive at a studio or streaming company?
Q: What the first 10 pages of your polished script needs to reveal to grab and hold the attention of the executive you're submitting to.
Q: What is the first document a Development Executive at a film, streaming, cable, or broadcast company will want to review?
Q: What information needs to be included in your Presentations Package?
Q: How does the development of your script and presentation package (pitch deck) compare to what studios, streaming, and broadcast companies want you to send them?
Q: Do I still need an agent or Executive Producer to submit my script?
A: Absolutely. Keep in mind, no longer do you need to "know someone" to submit your script for you. Fact ... the business execs within studios and streaming companies that approve and produce your script, do not care who you know.
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Simply follow their rules and you can submit your script. The industry's rules for developing and submitting scripts, applies to everyone.
Note: In past years finding someone to help you was like a scene from Mission Impossible. *** No longer is that the case. There are executives all over the place that can assist you. It can be done and is done every day. You just need to decide who you want to assist you.
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Make sure you do your research. IMDB.com will help to confirm credits of potential individuals you want to assist you.
Your script is not the only or even the first document
Development Executives will read
The first document they will review is your
Q: What is a Development Presentation (DP)?
A: A DP is a concise overview of how your project meets the creative, entertainment, and production needs of the company you’re submitting to.
Q: What is the difference between a Development Presentation and a Pitch Deck?
A: Development Presentation focuses on how a script meets the creative, entertainment and marketing needs of the company you’re submitting to.
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A Pitch Deck tends to focus on the storyline and entertainment value of a script.
* Note: A DP may be called a different name by different executives, but the information that needs to be included in whatever you call it, is consistent throughout the industry when submitting your script.
What Needs To Be Included In Your Development Presentation
To Start ... your Executive Producer should have the experience, ability and access to develop and present projects that meet the requirements and standards set by each individual film, streaming, or broadcast company it is submitting to .
Script Polish / Development Of Your Presentation / Submitting Script To Studio and Streaming Companies
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Script Polish - The Development Executive that you're submitting to at film and streaming companies, will focus on how the first 10 pages of your script is able to capture and hold the attention of the audience its written for.
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Budget: Top sheet budget - created by line producer familiar with cost that are specific to production and budget needs of who it will be submitted to.
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Executive One Sheet - Includes a summary that highlights information regarding the entertainment and business components of your project.
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Submitting your script to streaming, film, cable, and broadcast companies. Your executive team will follow this process companies have for accepting and reviewing scripts that meets their development, creative, and production needs.
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Click here to review the standard process by companies once a script is submitted.
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Concept Video: Highly recommended if you do not have signed talent attached to your project. Speak with our EP about adding this visual to your Presentation.
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Script Analysis Report: is an inexpensive script analysis report ($49)
When polishing your script for submitting to an Industry Executive, the
first 10 pages of your script will determine if the review continues.
Click here if assistance is needed in developing and submitting your script.
Why are the first 10 pages of a script so important?
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The viewing audience has a very short attention span due to an abundance of great content available on multiple devices and platforms. Also, research has shown there is an extremely short amount of time a film or series has to grab, hold, and capture the imagination of an audience. That’s why most films and series tend to excite and grab the attention of the audience within the first 2 pages (first 2-3 mins.)
For example, law & order starts off every episode with something that happens in the first minute!
That's the hook, then the question (who did it) and it's written for a level 3 quadrant.
The writing and creative structure of a script should reveal the following within the first 10 pages.
*High Concept: What is the hook that makes the audience want to keep watching? (a.) example: think Law & Order or any genre that has some type of action happen in the first page.
* What is the CQ (Central Question of the story.) The script begins with an action, that creates the central question "who, what, or why." (a.) example: scene opens with an Amour Car being robbed, but only a box was taken (why.)
* What Quadrant Level is the script? Quadrant is defined as what demographic does it appeal to? - A movie that appeals to all four major demographics both male and female, and both over and under the age of 25 (is a level 4.)