Are there any scriptwriters out there?

[Jillian]

I am a script writer, and I've never been published. Any good ideas on how to begin this crazy journey?

[DrRita]

What kind of scripts???

[Rocky Top]

Written a number of scripts for television stations (UPN-Orlando) and video companies. Some on-location shows, studio shows, corporate training videos and the like. All of these were produced and aired.

Have scripted out speeches and seminars.

And have written two screenplays. Not produced.

So, narrow it down for right now. Do you want to write scripts for video/commercial companies, TV, speakers, or for the big screen?

[DrRita]

Hey Rockytop,
I'm impressed! Good going there. I am just an upstart but am working on a couple of screenplays. Good to have another screenwriter aboard.

[Rocky Top]

...that you like David Trottier...Dr. Format.

I use his screenwriting software as well as Scriptware.

But I do love to write/tell stories.

Would like a "PRODUCED" screenplay to the credit sheet one day!

Working on a book at the moment.

So what are you working on now?

[DrRita]

Working on converting a play I wrote several years ago as a "practice" to learn the format. I'm not sure how good it is, but I'm learning a lot. I'm also working on a novel.
I like telling stories too.

[Jillian]

Hi Dr. Rita -

I write short skits and plays. Mainly for children and youth. Never published - just aspiring at this point....great expectations for what GOD will do. How did you go about finding a place to publish?

[Jillian]

Hi Rocky - looking more in the area of theater. I am a Pastor at my church, and we are very arts oriented. I write dramas for sermon illustrations, we teach through drama (full production) for VBS, and we have a small dinner theater. I would like to write a book of Scripts for youth groups, VBS or sermon illustrations. How to start a drama team in your church with scripts included kind of thing. I write scripts every week for service, 3 major productions, 2 minor (one acts) a year. Any suggestions would be appreciated, because I've never published, just aspiring.

[DrRita]

Hey Jillian,

I was in a drama group when I lived in Oregon several years ago, also involved in drama in other churches. I think it's fantastic that you have such an outlet for your work. I still love theatre. It's actually more exciting to me than film because it's live and just more fun.

There is, of course, The Christian Writer's Market which has markets for drama (skits and plays). You can also check out http://contemporarydrama.com/ and http://www.nph.com/nphweb/html/lmol/index.jsp which are two big publishers.

The main thing is to know what they want and the general type of drama they buy. Then write a query letter about your idea, skits, play etc you'd like them to look at and see if they will give you the okay to send it for consideration. Anyway, it's a process.

This site http://www.kcmi.cc/archives.php?category=firstacts belongs to one of our members and he has a ministry offering free downloadable skits for anyone to use. I have a couple of mine on there.

It's not a huge market but much, much bigger than when I started writing skits and plays over 20 years ago. Now there is a lot to choose from, but alas, when I started the scripts available were horrible and few. Soooo that's why I started writing.

Oh yeah, if you Google "Christian Drama" you'll find tons of websites, some good some not.

Blessings.

[screenwriter]

Written a number of scripts for television stations (UPN-Orlando) and video companies. Some on-location shows, studio shows, corporate training videos and the like. All of these were produced and aired.

Have scripted out speeches and seminars.

And have written two screenplays. Not produced.

So, narrow it down for right now. Do you want to write scripts for video/commercial companies, TV, speakers, or for the big screen?

Hi Rocky Top,

It's good to meet another screenwriter. I've written three screenplays which I hope to sell. I'm still revising them. What are your screenplays like? Comedy, drama? Mine are both. Have you tried to sell yours?

[Rocky Top]

Like you, I've done a comedy and a drama. The comedy is called Quackers, and it's about three off-the-wall Floridians selling illegal exotic ducks to the Cubans.

The drams is called Stone Angels, and it's inspired by the life of William Edmonson. Black artist from Nashville that lived in the 1930's. I saw his artwork one day, did some research, found out that God spoke to him in such a way that William changed his life/career. He was the first African America to have his work show at the New York Museum of Art....But there's not much else about him, so I created a story surrounding those two key points.

I haven't tried to sell them. I think Stone Angels is ready for a couple of contests and I'll be entering those in '06.

I may do a slight rewrite (again) and put more Christian themes sprinkled in a various points...

So have you done anything with yours? Selling? Contests?

[screenwriter]

Like you, I've done a comedy and a drama. The comedy is called Quackers, and it's about three off-the-wall Floridians selling illegal exotic ducks to the Cubans.

The drams is called Stone Angels, and it's inspired by the life of William Edmonson. Black artist from Nashville that lived in the 1930's. I saw his artwork one day, did some research, found out that God spoke to him in such a way that William changed his life/career. He was the first African America to have his work show at the New York Museum of Art....But there's not much else about him, so I created a story surrounding those two key points.

I haven't tried to sell them. I think Stone Angels is ready for a couple of contests and I'll be entering those in '06.

I may do a slight rewrite (again) and put more Christian themes sprinkled in a various points...

So have you done anything with yours? Selling? Contests?

Hi Rocky Top,

Your screenplays sound intriguing. Stone Angels sounds like it might be a winner. I hope it gets made into a movie because I would love to see it.

I just started writing this year through a college writing program. My screenplays still need revising. I definitely hope to sell them. I can’t seem to find Christian agents. Are there any out there? How does a writer get a Christian screenplay sold? In the meantime I plan to send one of my screenplays to a contest in a few weeks. It’s a Christian teen story. The main character is female.

[Rocky Top]

Hey Screenwriter!

Up here for a couple of days. I'll be able to get some serious writing done while I'm up here...and let's pray I can get out and home by Wed.

As far as getting a Christian agent, I might be able to help with a book/resource I have at home. I'll look when I get back.

Some of the people I've talked to that have sold their screenplays started with the contest process. And most did not "win", but placed very high.

Finding Forrester is a good example of that. The guy that wrote it was a DJ at the time, living in, I think Portland, OR. He said he sent it around to various contests, did well in some, not so well in others, but came in as first runner up in one prestigious contest. He wrote agents of all types telling them how his script was doing. Next thing he knew, he had it sold. Then even better, it was made into a successful movie.

But writing strong material is a must.

Hope this helps a little, I look for the Christian agent list when I get back home.

RT

[screenwriter]

Hey Screenwriter!

Up here for a couple of days. I'll be able to get some serious writing done while I'm up here...and let's pray I can get out and home by Wed.

As far as getting a Christian agent, I might be able to help with a book/resource I have at home. I'll look when I get back.

Some of the people I've talked to that have sold their screenplays started with the contest process. And most did not "win", but placed very high.

Finding Forrester is a good example of that. The guy that wrote it was a DJ at the time, living in, I think Portland, OR. He said he sent it around to various contests, did well in some, not so well in others, but came in as first runner up in one prestigious contest. He wrote agents of all types telling them how his script was doing. Next thing he knew, he had it sold. Then even better, it was made into a successful movie.

But writing strong material is a must.

Hope this helps a little, I look for the Christian agent list when I get back home.

RT

Thank you, Rocky Top!
I look forward to the info. By the way, how do you find all of those Christian contests?
Try to keep warm. It must be freezing over there in Alaska.

[Rocky Top]

http://www.americanaccolades.com/
The last time I checked, they had a sub-category for Christian theme.

http://www.christianfilmmaking.com/
Might have some related stuff for ya.

http://www.inscribe.org/07-Links-contests.htm
scroll down a bit for screenplays..

Also, try the other national contest. We need good Christian writers in the mainstream arena. Something to think about.

And yes, it's cold here. And icy. Lots of snow and ice on the ground.

[screenwriter]

Hi Rocky Top,
Thank you for the websites! They're fantastic. I've bookmarked them and I'm going to take a closer look.

[Rocky Top]

Screenwriting agent listed in Christians resource

Genesis Literary Group
28126 Peacock Ridge, Ste. 104
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
Agent: Ken Unger
kenrunger@aol.com
prefer queries by email.


Good News Literary Service
PO Box 587
Visalia, CA 93279
Cynthia Wachner

Now these may not be current. I found them in the Christian Book Writers' Marketing Guide...by Woody Young.

[screenwriter]

Thank you, Rocky Top!
That's exactly what I was looking for. I'm going to contact both agencies. I would feel so much better having a Christian agent if possible. Some of the companies that I've contacted make me feel a little uncomfortable because they say they're looking for new film ideas and they ask writers to describe what their screenplays are about. But they require the writer to sign a form that says that the writer won't sue them if the company comes out with a film that is similar. I feel like they take ideas and hire their own writers to write them. Maybe I'm just paranoid.

Anyway, I'm almost finished revising my screenplay. I plan to enter it in scriptapalooza screenplay competition next month.

[wgjones3]

http://www.christianfilmmaking.com/
Might have some related stuff for ya.

I've been looking for that site for months now. Thanks.

[tsinfield]

hi,
I am an aspiring scriptwriter, I am currently working on a couple of ideas.
It is awesome to see so many others. I believe that there should be an actual section in the forum just for discussing scriptwriting. (Correct me if there already is one)

Tom

[Rocky Top]

What kind of ideas are you tossing around?

[tsinfield]

The ideas i am working on:
There is something about Christian films i have seen, I am not a fan of how everything is perfect, how their lives are pefect etc. I talk to non-christian friends of mine, and they say that they can't watch them, becuase they are to preachy.

Don't get me wrong every type of movie has its place, but the style I steer towards is topics that most Christian movies wouldn't go near, like suicide, and depression.

I am currently working on a idea, that is based off a book that I am currently writing. You can find a short blurb about it on my website here (http://www.thomassinfield.com/thestranger.html).

[screenwriter]

The ideas i am working on:
There is something about Christian films i have seen, I am not a fan of how everything is perfect, how their lives are pefect etc. I talk to non-christian friends of mine, and they say that they can't watch them, becuase they are to preachy.

Don't get me wrong every type of movie has its place, but the style I steer towards is topics that most Christian movies wouldn't go near, like suicide, and depression.

I am currently working on a idea, that is based off a book that I am currently writing. You can find a short blurb about it on my website here (http://www.thomassinfield.com/thestranger.html).

Hi tsinfield,

I looked at your website and read your story idea and it was so eerie because I wrote a screenplay very similar to yours. Except mine is a teenage girl whose life is falling apart. She goes to a cliff overlooking the ocean and a man approaches and asks what she's doing. It's weird that we had the same basic idea.

I totally agree that Christian films need real life situations. Keep it up!

[tsinfield]

that is awesome...
it is weird how things work like that.
Good luck with all your sript writing...