Despite the tenets of this book, make no mistake, there are no prescribed formulas for success.  Success depends on a lot of things -- how good your story is, how well you present it, how persistent you are, and let’s face the truth here, who you know and where you live.  Your chances of selling a script in Hollywood are probably on a par with your chances of hitting the lottery but, unlike the lottery, you can increase your chances of selling a script by -- you guessed it -- seeking professional help.

CHAPTER 1

   Remember those old war movies where generals and other assorted military types gathered in a large room and pushed little model ships and/or tanks around on a table that looked like a map?  Today, the maps are as big as a wall and the ships, tanks, and aircraft are computer-generated blips, but the idea is the same.  These are war rooms, where military strategists receive reports, plot the progress of a battle on those maps (until they go to satellite images to see the real thing), access the situation, and plan accordingly.

   In similar fashion, private sector companies who regularly bid for government contracts prepare a “war room” before writing their proposals.  In the war room they study the requirements outlined in the government’s RFP (Request For Proposal), devise a strategy for meeting those requirements, and determine what bid to offer.  Then they plan how to write the proposal and use the war room as the central location for monitoring the progress of the proposal effort.  They project volume and chapter headings on the wall and draw flow charts under each heading that represent the points they want to make in their proposal.  If the overall plan looks good, they start writing.  As the written proposal takes shape, they constantly monitor the content to make sure it conforms to the overall plan.  If, in the meantime, someone comes up with a better idea, it is in the war room where that idea is tossed around and, if approved, the charts and diagrams are changed as well.

   “So what does this little story have to do with rewriting a script?” you may ask.

Well, it leads up to . . .

STEP #1: Establish a War Room

   Though some of us don’t have the luxury of a separate room to use as an office never mind a war room, most of us do have an area set aside where we can work.  If that area has a bare wall or can accommodate an easel and flip chart, you can establish a war room of sorts. 

   But why a war room and why such a heavy metaphor?  Because it is war.  At any given time you will be battling against hundreds of thousands of other scripts and yours is just one more.  You’ll be fighting for a few seconds of an executive’s time, dueling with producers over script credit and charging the LA freeways to get to your next appointment on time.  Your enemies have a lot of tricks up their sleeves.  Be prepared.  Who are your enemies?

                ■             The SECURITY GUARD at the studio, who won’t let you on the lot.

                ■             Your AGENT who doesn’t return your calls and when you do speak with him he makes you want to strangle him every times he tells you, “You’ve got to a pay your dues!”

                ■             PRODUCERS that accept phone calls from their podiatrist during your three minute pitch.

                ■             The blond STAR whose bust is bigger than her IQ, and she can’t remember your best line.

                ■             The NETWORKS who say you can’t sell your teleplay because you aren’t on their list of approved writers (LAW).  How do you get on the list?  Sell them something.

                ■             The DIRECTOR who tells you he doesn’t like your idea then turns around and  gives it to another writer.

                 ■             The other WRITERS who rewrite your love story and turn it into a horror movie.

   Believe me it’s a war out there and if you’re going to survive you better sharpen your guerrilla tactics.

                 ■             Never tell anyone the story you are writing until after it’s registered or copyrighted.

                 ■             Never tell them how old you are. You’ll always be too young or too old no matter what your age.

                 ■             Never pitch a high concept with just a treatment–unless you are Steven Spielberg.

                 ■             Never ask for an autograph or “What was it working with Leonardo DiCaprio?”

                 ■             Even if you hate a producer’s film don’t admit it.  Find something good about it and compliment him on it.  Everyone in Hollywood is related or good friends with everyone else.

  There are lots more dos and don’ts but you’ve got a left brain--use it.

   Now you understand the war zone and a few of the tactics of the enemy.  Let’s move on to how you can rewrite your script so you can compete in the war without becoming a casualty.

 CHAPTER 2  STEP #2:   MAIL IT OFF

  I’ve critiqued hundreds of scripts and the number one mistake most writers make is: sending it out too soon.  They have the adrenaline going at the completion of this labor of love, and they want to get some positive strokes.  So they send it to someone–anyone for “feedback.”  (Most of the time, the result will be either neutral or positive–i.e., a polite rejection from a busy producer or a minuscule criticism from a friend.  Neither reaction will help you to improve nor sell your script.)

   In most cases, there isn’t a real rush to send your script off.  So, even if a producer tells you to “rewrite and send it back immediately,” DON’T.

  The first step, therefore, in predicting critiquing your script is to put your ORIGINAL in an envelope and mail it to your grandmother.   Include a note saying, "DO NOT READ!  INSIDE YOU'LL FIND A SELF-ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE.  PLEASE RETURN THIS TO ME IN ONE MONTH."  Or if you have great self-control put it under your bed for 6 months.  (If a producer is on your back to "hurry-up" wait at least six days.)  If it is a good story that touches people’s emotions it will still be good in a hundred years.  Emotions don't change but trends do.

 CHAPTER 3  STEP #3:   WAIT

  During the elapsed time you’re not to think or talk about the story at all.  Simply start working on your next script.  If it helps to pretend Universal Studios is considering it for development then do so.  It will be good practice for the waiting you'll have to do when they really are considering it.

 CHAPTER 4  STEP #4:   READ

    After the elapsed time and Granny has sent it back, it is almost time to read your script again.  Before you start:

                 1)            Make sure you have eaten.

                2)            Go to the bathroom.

                3)            Have a tall drink, red marking pen (erasable), eraser, notebook and Kleenex.  (In case you cry.)

                4)            Find a comfortable seat.

                5)            Turn the telephone off.

                6)            Make sure you have enough time to read the entire script in one sitting.  This is very important.  You need to feel the pacing and flow of the script.

   If you stop reading, for any reason, mark the place in the script.  This is also true of places where your mind wanders.  If you find yourself thinking about the chocolate cake in the kitchen, you know the scene you're reading is not holding the reader’s attention and needs to be rewritten or cut.  I often get the urge for something exciting to happen and I mark that too.  Later, that tells me I have either a structural problem or a boring sequence of scenes.

 CHAPTER 5  STEP #5:   MARK FLAWS

  When you read the script mark it with:

                1) Anything which is hard to read.

                2) Anything that doesn't make sense.

                3) Grammatical errors, typos and spelling.

   DO NOT REWRITE NOW!  You may make short notes about how the rewrite should proceed like: Move this scene earlier into Act 1. Or this scene goes nowhere it could be cut.... But if you start to rewrite now you'll miss your chance to see your script and it's pacing with your new eye.

   It has been my experience, that when I read a script after I've let it sit for a while most structural, formatting, and developmental errors jump out at me in this reading.

CHAPTER 6  STEP #6:   SETS

Now you've read the script and the glaring problems are obvious; let's move on to the more detailed critique. You will be critiquing the script in areas of:

 ■ dramatic structure
 ■ originality/gimmick
 ■ plot development
 ■ characterization
 ■ dialogue
 ■ use of visuals
 ■ use of settings

Go through the entire script and write down all the sets.  "SETS" are any locale either interior or exterior. (Including vehicles.)

 ■ How many sets do you have?

 ■ Are they used more than once?

   Ideally all sets should be used more than once.  The more they are used the better.  A large number of sets require moving the entire production from place to place which is expensive.  Be frugal with your sets.  The lower the budget the more likely your script will sell.  You should have 10-15 sets or less for a high-budget feature.  For a low-budget feature 1-6 is preferable.  For a sit-com no more than three sets.  If you have more than 20 you have too many!  Go back through the script and see if you can cut out useless sets and reuse others.
   When choosing which sets to cut remember the budget.  Keep in mind formal parties, exterior night settings, automobiles, parades, crowd scenes, war scenes, animals and children are expensive to shoot. Ask yourself:

 ■ Can I do this scene somewhere else?
 ■ Can I convey the same information or mood in another way?
■ Have I used the sets appropriately and in skillful ways?  In other words do my sets add to the conflict, character development, or plot?
 ■ Is the set unique or just functional?

If you have 15 or less sets go to step six.  If not go back and cut again.