Shady Dealings

Yesterday I was reading the latest Ink Tip newsletter when I came across a company seeking a zombie script. They had all these criteria for what they wanted, and ended with the information that it would be written "on spec" and "only non-WGA writers need apply" and the budget had yet to be determined. That means they have no money, no way of obtaining money, and if by some miracle they do ever have enough money to pay you, it will add up to tuppence.

It occurred to me as I read this that a lot of new writers may not see the warning signs on that job. I don't know how many of my readers are new writers, but it can't hurt to go over some of the more popular scams out there meant to take advantage of the enthusiasm and eagerness of a beginner.

So here are a few of the more popular scams you will run across:

1) Agents who charge fees. Any agent who wants to represent you gets paid only when you get paid. If they are asking for ANY money up front, it's a scam. Walk away. It sucks because for a few minutes of your life you thought you'd found an agent and now your hopes are dashed. Nonetheless, walk away and find a real agent. The WGA has a list, Done Deal has a list that's constantly updated, and you can always consult the Hollywood Creative or Representation Directories for lists of legitimate agents. This scam is VERY common, so watch out.

2) Agents who require coverage. A variation on the first scheme, some agents will require you to have your script read by a company they recommend before they will consider representing you. Those readers they recommend so enthusiastically are their own people. They will take your fee for the coverage, give you bullshit feedback, and if you hear from them again at all it will be a series of stalling techniques. A legitimate agent will read your script himself or send your script to their own readers for coverage and won't expect you to pay for it.

3) "We'll pay you in profits" or any other form of this statement. Now sometimes you'll have a director in film school or just starting out who needs a script and they can't pay you for your script. That's okay. You get a copy of the movie and a credit and they get experience and a credit of their own. But sometimes you'll see an ad on Craigslist asking for a writer who will write a feature and be paid only if the film makes money. It's bullshit. Most films don't make money. That doesn't necessarily mean it's a lie; you just have to ask a lot of questions and research the company. If they sound even slightly shady, run.

4) An American agency with an address outside LA or NY. They're not a scam, necessarily, but their chances of being able to further your career are pretty slim. Deals are done here, and if you don't live here you need to make damn sure your agent does.

Help me out, guys. What else is scammy or misleading to new screenwriters?

Buyer be ware

I don't know how many of my readers are new writers. I don't entirely know how many readers I have, but I was informed this weekend that many of them reside in Oregon.

HEY, OREGON!

Anyway, I woke up this morning thinking about scams. I know two people who are trying to perpetrate a scam on new screenwriters, although they really don't realize that what they're offering is a scam, and it bugs me. These aren't close friends so I'm mostly keeping my mouth shut, although I have expressed my concerns just once before I let it go. What followed was a load of indignant huffing, so I've just sat back and watched, shaking my head.

But I can post about it.

I know one guy who wants to start a screenwriting contest because "They make a ton of money." That's the reason. Now this guy has never even worked as a reader, never even worked for a studio. His experience is the same as anybody in town - PA on a couple of TV shows, wrote a few unproduced screenplays, knows a few people in the industry, got a film school degree.

See, he figures if he charges people $30, then only reads the first 15 pages for the first round of judging and does it all with himself and his friends, he can make a fortune. He can offer a prize of a few $100 and sending your script to producers, who are most likely guys who made some crappy independent horror films that made no money and went straight to video.

Always read the details of the contest carefully. And don't assume that because Creative Screenwriting mentioned it that it's legit. Go to the website, read the fine print, read up on the experience of previous winners.

I also know a woman who's planning to start a film class. She'll do a lot of her work online, with a monthly meeting in person for those who live in town. People will send her pages, she will give them notes and guidance, and they will build their screenplays over time. She will basically makes herself a professor of film. What's her experience? She made a documentary a few years ago that she screened and made no money from, and she made a bunch of short films and completed her thesis project in film school.

You should see how she lists the credentials in her bio. It's all about how many films she's made in her career and how her documentary was an overwhelming success in independent theaters.

She's also planning to charge $1,000 for a 3 week course, and she's implying that her course in on par with a UCLA film school degree.

Why is she doing this? Officially, she wants to share her knowledge of film with students who can't afford film school and need guidance. Unofficially, money. She has to spend no money to make a ton.

Just because someone is on IMDB does not mean they have the foggiest idea of how to teach. It doesn't even mean they have the foggiest idea how to make a movie, just that they've played in a festival or been mentioned in a trade publication.

Research, research, research. Does this person have testimonials about their success from more than one person? Have their films actually made any money? Did they write a book or do they have a website - some source where you can learn about their general attitude and philosophy of film? Ask questions. But if somebody says they can guarantee your film will be this and that after you go through their program, they're most likely full of shit.

Don't fork over your money unless you know it's worth your time.

Contest scams

In case you haven't already heard, the Fade In screenwriting contest is officially a scam.

I met a guy once who wanted to start a screenwriting contest where he made a lot of money from suckers who sent in their scripts for a promise of $100 and a email blast to agencies. He knew this was a scam and he kept talking about how much money he'd make. It was disgusting.

The Nicholl is legitimate. Disney is legitimate. Austin is legitimate. A few others deliver what they promise - The Silver Screenwriting Contest, Scriptapalooza. I don't think I'd enter anything else. Has anybody had success with any other contests?