What does it take to get a known celeb, director, producer, etc... to talk to them about my movie? Querie letters are being rejected and returned, and I can't get around the middle person. What does it take to get the right person on the phone or the intended person to respond?
Talking with big players
- Thread starter lydeanphoenix
- Start date
It takes a firm offer.
Remember that the professionals you want to contact do this for
a living. They are getting firm offers all the time so taking a phone
call or letter for a project that isn't a "go" is not in their best interest.
What do you want to talk to them about?
Remember that the professionals you want to contact do this for
a living. They are getting firm offers all the time so taking a phone
call or letter for a project that isn't a "go" is not in their best interest.
What do you want to talk to them about?
These 'big names' you are messaging to must get the exact same letter a few hundred times a day from people in your position. I don't think its a good idea to base your future career on getting big name celebrities involved in your projects. Unless you are successful already I seriously doubt any of them will give you their time.
I'd like to talk to them about getting their support for the project, whether it's committing some of their time with desirable pay of course, or even providing a letter commenting on the project's potential success would be invaluable to getting more support from others in the business and from financial contributors.
It seems I can't get the attention of financial contributors without some names attached and vise versa. Are there ways around this? Surely, there's a point where I could start, but with who, where and how?
Many projects get financed without names attached so there
are ways.
Getting a professional celeb, director, producer, etc. to provide
a letter commenting on the projects potential success is impossible.
For someone to put their reputation on the line like that is an
unrealistic expectation. If their prediction doesn't work out, the
investors - who invested based on their letter - could sue and
certainly the pro's reputation would take a hit.
Not worth it for someone they don't know. And frankly, I don't
think any accredited investors would pony up the money based
on a letter commenting on the projects potential success. No one
can predict any projects potential success.
If you have a part for an actor (with desirable pay of course) then
that's a firm offer. And that's what you need. If you will be using
the actors to get financing, they become a primary partner in the
production. Without them, you can't get the money. So you aren't
actually making an offer, you are asking for their help.
Many are willing to help out a low budget moviemaker, but this is
much more than a hobby to them. Attaching their name to a project
in order to get financing puts them in a position for more important
then the producer. If their name doesn't draw money their quote
and their reputation in the business can take a hit.
It helps to understand what's happening with the actors you want
to attach to your project.
First on the list are offers at or above their "quote". A guaranteed
paycheck.
Second on the list are scripts from studios and producers for less
than their quote - but these are also firm offers (money is attached,
they get paid when they say "yes"). These are projects like CRASH
- where the script may be more important than the money - but
there is still money (and often a high profile writer, producer or other
actor) attached.
Third in line are pet projects. The star has a pet project they will
take to the studio or producers with no money attached, but it's
a story they really love.
Fourth in line are scripts from friends or friends of friends. No money
attached, but at least brought to them by someone know to them
personally.
Eventually we go all the way down to some total stranger with a script
and no money. Imagine the odds of doing that script instead of any
of the others?
Knowing that you are number five on a very long list of scripts being
offered should help you decide how to approach agents. Maybe you
could offer a producer credit to the actor, or a good friend of the actor.
You might have to do things the old fashioned way. Get the script to
a producer who can make a firm offer to a star.
are ways.
Getting a professional celeb, director, producer, etc. to provide
a letter commenting on the projects potential success is impossible.
For someone to put their reputation on the line like that is an
unrealistic expectation. If their prediction doesn't work out, the
investors - who invested based on their letter - could sue and
certainly the pro's reputation would take a hit.
Not worth it for someone they don't know. And frankly, I don't
think any accredited investors would pony up the money based
on a letter commenting on the projects potential success. No one
can predict any projects potential success.
If you have a part for an actor (with desirable pay of course) then
that's a firm offer. And that's what you need. If you will be using
the actors to get financing, they become a primary partner in the
production. Without them, you can't get the money. So you aren't
actually making an offer, you are asking for their help.
Many are willing to help out a low budget moviemaker, but this is
much more than a hobby to them. Attaching their name to a project
in order to get financing puts them in a position for more important
then the producer. If their name doesn't draw money their quote
and their reputation in the business can take a hit.
It helps to understand what's happening with the actors you want
to attach to your project.
First on the list are offers at or above their "quote". A guaranteed
paycheck.
Second on the list are scripts from studios and producers for less
than their quote - but these are also firm offers (money is attached,
they get paid when they say "yes"). These are projects like CRASH
- where the script may be more important than the money - but
there is still money (and often a high profile writer, producer or other
actor) attached.
Third in line are pet projects. The star has a pet project they will
take to the studio or producers with no money attached, but it's
a story they really love.
Fourth in line are scripts from friends or friends of friends. No money
attached, but at least brought to them by someone know to them
personally.
Eventually we go all the way down to some total stranger with a script
and no money. Imagine the odds of doing that script instead of any
of the others?
Knowing that you are number five on a very long list of scripts being
offered should help you decide how to approach agents. Maybe you
could offer a producer credit to the actor, or a good friend of the actor.
You might have to do things the old fashioned way. Get the script to
a producer who can make a firm offer to a star.