Thursday, June 28, 2007

Agent Pack

I'm putting the finishing touches to my agents pack, as outlined by Adrian Mead.

However, I can't decide if the 30 min script is the one I want to send. It has been through the Power Of Three and is as polished as can be, but I'm not sure that it's good enough to be added to the pack. It's an old script I wrote at university eight years ago and is, what I would call, 'a little studenty'. I have another 30 min script which I think is better. Problem is it's only a first draft. I'm getting the wife to read both and I'm going to go with her decision.

Then there's my one pagers. Are they good enough? I think they are. Could they be better? Possibly.

Is it possible for a writer to over analyse their work?

It's the same when I send a script out and get a rejection, I immediately start work on another draft. The script maybe extremely polished, but as it's been rejected I feel the need to rewrite it. After all it doesn't mean that just because it was rejected it's no good, it just means that particular production company didn't like it. Another might like the same version.

How much polishing is too much?

I have a script I've been writing on and off now for six years and the current draft is worse than the first. I'm having to take it back a couple of drafts just to sort out the issues.

How do you decide when a script is ready?

6 comments:

Lucy V said...

Coverage, coverage, coverage...

Then--

Leap of Faith.

Chances are it'll never be as ready as it can be; chances are someone may love it when you think it sucks.

This script malarkey makes no sense. So, to round up: don't send it out if you don't think it's the best it can possibly be. You'll only regret it.

No email from the Writers' Academy then, Dom? All quiet on the western front here... I think we is screwed, mate.

Phill Barron said...

Dom, if you think it's not good enough it probably isn't.

Go with your gut feeling, you'll only kick yourself if you send out a script you're not sure about and they say no.

Piers said...

If you don't know if it's ready: It's not ready.

Some scripts will never be good enough to send out, and you just have to say: fine, learning experience, that one's only ever coming out with trusted friends for comedy value.

Why burn a contact if your work isn't right yet? There's no rush. The agents will still be there next year.

Dominic Carver said...

Lucy: Yeah, no email. I think I might have won...nah, I don't think I'll start that again.

Phillip: Indeed, but then I'm never happy with anything I write. I'm too much of a perfectionist.

Phill Barron said...

Yeah, know the feeling. When someone says they like something I've written, my immediate reply is: Really? Why?

Lucy V said...

It's official: I am a Writing Academy rejectee.

Heard yet Dom?