Getting a Script to Hollywood

I am just finishing a book which is actually a movie script for a sci-fi / action and adventure. Not related to lucid dreaming, I am afraid.

I doubt that I will make any money from it, I would just like to see it on the big screen one day! And get the message out - it was inspired by some records I came across in the FBI's RISC database.

So what is the best approach - do I mail it to a bunch of directors (where do I get their info)? Or a bunch of publishers? I doubt any publisher would be interested as it is a script.

Or perhaps try and self-publish with something like lulu.com or Amazon CreateSpace and try and make a few dollars on my site and just try and email some directors? And can I get it on the ebook readers (Amazon Kindle, etc) or is that something only publishers can easily do?

And if I make it available for free do I still have a right to anything if someone makes a movie?

Make a copy of it and send it to yourself in the mail before you do anything.
Then I don't know what.

Thanks. I was wondering if instead it might be better to just email a .doc copy to copyright.gov - looks like it could be for only $30?

Just send it to a bunch of directors. They'll file it along with all the other hundreds of thousands that are sent to them every year but hey, you might get a call back within the next couple decades so take a ticket number and sit down, your script has a long line ahead of it.

My advice? If you want to be like everyone else then you'll end up like everyone else. Be original in your approach. Get creative.

For example, find out about some directors you are wanting to send your script to. Such as what they like to do, eat, watch etc. and send your script along with whatever gift you have for them. Do your homework.

Pure genius. I know just what to do. :vampire:

Okay, time for some practical advice. Get an agent who works in that area. If you get a credible agent who knows what they are doing, they will be able to tell you if it is any good. You want one that works on commission, so if they don't sell it, they don't make any money. In other words, if they don't think they can sell it, they are not going to even bother. If it is good though, they will accept it and send it to the right people, and if you get an offer they will negotiate for you. Which is good because you don't know the business at all.

I don't know much about the film business, but my gut reaction is that any director who gets it, is going to throw it in the trash without a second look. Why would a director look at a script? It isn't their job to look at random scripts. I really don't think they would appreciate getting what they probably consider random trash. What you are probably thinking of is a producer who at least involved in the process of getting a script. Though still, a much better option is to find out the proper person to send things to. The publisher, or a film company.

Writing is a creative art, getting things read isn't. You send it to an agent, or the appropriate person at the film company who is in charge of accepting unsolicited scripts, and you rely on solid writing to sell your idea. Annoying people's who job isn't reading scripts is a waste of time.

Thanks, I guess I will have to go with the practical approach if Jeff's plan fails.

Connections, connections, connections. To get into the Hollywood game it's not what you know but who you know. You could always try flying out to Hollywood and attempt to intern on a movie set meet some people and possibly get your script in. Or you can take Jeff's approach, either way it's going to take a lot of hard work.

Thanks, I do know someone who "knows" the directors of the big SA movies - I will give that a shot too. I am almost there - I already have an ISBN number and am now working on the cover...