"Dear Sergio" - Catch 22

The more we research and explore the market for selling a comedy spec script, the more head-shaking the process becomes. Don't know what a spec script is? Allow wiki to educate you. There are two contradicting elements to selling a screenplay. The process should be very simple. Funny script should equal money in the bizzank. Unfortunately, the selling point is harder than Jim Levenstein during a Nadia encounter.

To get your script read by an agent or producer, you need a killer log line. This log line must demonstrate that you've written a script with a well-developed, intriguing plot that appeals to a wide audience. But, on the flip side, you want the reader to be able to digest your story in a quick, smooth read. For comedies, the reader does not want to waste time figuring out the back-story of your characters and intricate plot twists. They just want to laugh. On every page. The majority of the time, a comedy is sold on it's comedy, (ironic, yea?) not it's earth-shattering plot.

If you have a script that really cracks-up the reader, it's much easier to sell a comedy spec than other genres. Almost half of all the Hollywood spec script sales last year were comedies. But the problem is, you need to get someone to WANT to read that funny script first. Fifty percent of the time, writing a knee slapping comedy attracts someone's attention every time.

And that's our dilemma. We know we've got a script with lots of laughs, but our screenplay is a clean, straightforward, realistic story. Unfortunately, realistic is hard to sell, hence Pamela's quadruple D breasts. That seems to be the script a reader will enjoy reading, but unless they have a reason to read it first, they won't. Think about the general premise for some of the funnier movies you've seen. Borderline snores if you ask me.

Would you be compelled to read the script for a movie about two high-school kids' adventurous attempts to buy beer with a fake ID in order to impress a couple cute girls? Probably not. That's just a regular, old plain ham and cheese story. But if you read the script for Superbad, you'd chuckle up a stiff boner. What about a script that follows two guys showing up uninvited to weddings? This might prove to be a funny premise, might not. Unfortunately tho, you probably wouldn't be compelled to check it out. In the event that someone takes a chance and devotes those two hours to read it, they become pleasantly surprised to find a blockbuster gem.

So that's part of where this site comes in. A lot of times when a movie like that is sold, the writer has to build some type of relationship within the industry. The only other alternative is to kidnap a studio executive, force him to read your script, and hope he laughs enough to overlook your felony. A personal acquaintance might read a script you swear is funny, even if it might not compel them to read it at first glance. Maybe our log line won't pique the interest of a Hollywood reader or major production company. But maybe someone stumbles across this site and sees a refreshing comedic voice and decides they'd give our script a read.

That's not to say our plot is garbage. It's more than just a string of funny scenes. Or is it? Guess you'll have to give it a read.



We really need all the help and support we can get from any and all takers (and givers). The donations will help us afford to get our script critiqued by accomplished, produced screenwriters, eventually book flights to meet with agents and producers, purchase listings and services to get in contact with respected production companies and actors. Heck, maybe you just dig the double dose of phallic humor and want to thank us with a small donation. Ya know, if you're into that sort of thing (Pun intended). The financial support would greatly help two debt-stricken guys(the basis of our screenplay) avoid going into any further debt.