Recommended Screenwriters
Tip 16. Always Bring Value to the Table. It Makes You Irreplaceable.
- February 21, 2011
- Posted by: jennamilly
- Category: Interviews
People in this business are inundated with requests, pitches, and demands on their time. Like anyone who is short on time, they prioritize. Items that are truly urgent or important come first. As they find time, they work on other things that are valuable to them. Anything that is not valuable gets cancelled or put off. It is just the reality of time management.
Knowing that, how can you move up on their priority list?
Bring value to the table.
You Want to Be Seen as a Peer
You want producers and agents to listen to your pitch. They want writers to pitch projects that fit their market and hand in an amazing script. If all goes well, it is a great exchange of value by peers.
But this isn't just about pitching.
This is an industry where people want to work with friends — friends who help make each other successful. If you want to be seen as a peer, you'll join in this mutually beneficial dance.
Bringing value to the table not only makes you a peer, it can make you irreplaceable.
How to Bring Value to the Table
There are lots of ways to bring value to any relationship. But it usually starts with a question like, "How can I make this valuable for the other person?"
For Other Screenwriters: If you're asking for feedback from another screenwriter, there should be an exchange. If you want to collaborate, look at what you're both best at and combine your strengths. But there are other ways to provide value — be encouraging, brainstorm solutions for their scripts, and when appropriate, recommend their scripts to your contacts.
For a Managers or Agents: Come in with marketable scripts that are well written. Bring concepts that can easily be sold as a pitch. But coming to them with a request for feedback or coaching is not valuable to them.
For Producers: Scripts that fit their market are valuable. High concepts are valuable. Great roles in your script are valuable. Target their market and present something that meets their needs.
For Actors: Make sure you have an amazing role that they'll want to play. That is valuable to them. If it is not an amazing role, you're wasting their time.
Going into a Meeting: Do your research and find out what their needs are. Or search for it in the conversation. Find out what the purpose of the conversation is, and engage in that purpose. Simply put, make sure any interaction is valuable for both parties — them and you.
What's In It For You?
If you've found the doors that are open to you (Tip 13), both sides will explore the possibility of working together in your initial meetings.
You already know what you want from them — to read the script, option it, represent you, etc. — so use your time focusing on what they need…and then make the exchange.
By considering their needs, you'll have more confidence (Tip 4), make better deals (Tip 5), open more doors (Tip 13), and build a strong reputation. You'll soon find people returning the kindness in many ways.
And if the other person isn't willing to exchange, then move on.
ACTION: Select someone and go through the process of exchanging value. QUESTION: What value can you bring to the other party, and how can an exchange be made |
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