Recommended Screenwriters
Tip 15: To Brand or Not to Brand? That is the Career Question.
- February 18, 2011
- Posted by: jennamilly
- Category: Interviews
Without a doubt, branding is a controversial topic for writers. On one hand, you want to be free to write whatever you choose. On the other hand, you want to be known for your unique voice.
There is nothing wrong with either perspective. But since this philosophy is about breaking into the movie business, I feel obligated to include branding as part of it.
If you hate branding, my apologies. Please don't read any further. But if you really want to create a career, this is going to be a breakthrough day for you.
Branding for Top Writers
Let's start at the top, because that is where we want to end up.
Christopher Nolan is a brand — complex, dark, psychological thriller. Diablo Cody is a brand — fringe sassy. J.J. Abrams is a brand — multi-layered puzzles. Think of other writers you know — Aaron Sorkin, Quentin Tarantino, Nora Ephron, John Grisham, and J.K. Rowling. Don't they all have a brand that you can instantly identify?
Find Out What Makes You Incredible
There are two very exciting things about branding for the writer. The first is discovering what makes you stand out from the 100,000 amateurs trying to get Hollywood's attention.
It is good to know all the basic screenwriting skills, but to be truly incredible as a writer, you'll need to find your speciality — that one thing that separates you from everyone else. Some people call this "finding your voice." Whatever you call it, getting in touch with your own magnificence (Tip 4) can really help your career.
Let me ask you an important question: What are you best at as a screenwriter? This is about you discovering your own diamonds (Tip 3). Once you know what you're best at, focus on that one thing, and continue to improve it until you truly stand out.
Let's say you're best at comedy. Most people would stop there. But instead of that, what if you use Kaizen (Tip 8) to improve that area every day? What if you kept improving until you were 100% or 200% better than you are today?
Wouldn't you become pretty amazing at your comedy? And if you kept elevating your talent in this area, at some point, wouldn't you become one of the best in the world at it, right?
Branding = Specializing to Gain Expertise
I'm not asking you to ignore other areas of screenwriting. Those are important, also. But the key is to specialize in order to gain expertise. The easiest way to specialize is to start with the area where you are already most talented. Then improve that area.
The process is easy to articulate, but requires some real thought about your writing.
- Find your true advantage — the one thing you're currently best at.
- Focus your attention in that area and learn all you can.
- Become one of the best in the world at that specific thing.
- Promote yourself through that advantage.
Step 4 is about how you introduce yourself and how your agent sells you. The moment an agent or producer asks you about your writing, you simply answer with your advantage. By then, you've honed that advantage and have it down to one or two powerful sentences.
Lead with your brand and move right into a pitch for your current script.
Branding is About Creating Opportunities
The second exciting thing about branding is the opportunities it creates for the writer.
When you break into the movie business, you'll find a whole other level of how things are done.
Agents want to know how to sell your specific talents to studios. Managers want to know what area to develop your career in. Producers have to pitch you to funding sources. Studios want to know your speciality.
And suddenly, you realize that they need to know your brand to hire you. These are opportunities that don't come to the "generalist." No one is looking for a "Jack of all trades, master of none," because that is a very hard thing to sell.
The moment you become one of the best in the World at any skill, the demand for your work increases ten to a hundred fold (Tip 13) as important doors open to you. Industry professionals will seek you out to collaborate (Tip 14). Projects will be based around you. And your credits move up to the front of the movie.
Luckily, you drive this story (Tip 1), so you've taken the time to create your own brand…and Hollywood will love you for it.
ACTION: Find out what you are best at. Open one of your scripts that you truly love. As you read, make a list of your own "Top 10" things you do best, and see what the list implies. Hand your writing to three other writers and ask them to tell you what they feel you are best at. If you love it, specialize in it. QUESTION: What part of screenwriting could you become so good at that no other screenwriter could touch you? |
Feel free to join us on Friday, February 18th, at 6 PM Pacific Standard time on Twitter to discuss this week's tips. I'll be chatting from http://Twitter.com/ScreenwritingU You can track the discussion by using #ScriptTip or watch it at http://TweetChat.com/room/ScriptTip
NOTE: Please post any comments, insights, or breakthroughs on Twitter using
#ScriptTip or post on Facebook (on the ScreenwritingU page or your own).
Sponsored by:
Want to learn to rewrite your script from someone who has had over 70 students optioned in the last year?
Using a professional rewrite process can:
- Triple the quality of your screenplay.
- Cause you to win contests.
- Attract producers to your writing.
Join our Free Teleconference
PRICE: Nothing…*except the long distance fees you pay to your own phone company. (Usually around $5 – $8)
TIME: Saturday, February 19, 2010 at 2pm Pacific