Screenwriting Myths & Facts: Part 9

True or False

1. Producers have a call back list of 50 people per day

   False. Their call back list is over 200 people per day.

2. Pitch Festivals give you 15 minutes to pitch your projects

   False. You have a strict 5 minutes.

3. Production companies generally read your material in 2 to 3 weeks time

   False. It’s around 2 to 3 months.

4. Partner pitching is permissible with 1 partner pitching one part, the other pitching the other

   That’s true.

5. Good dialogue is using full, complete sentences

   False. Good dialogue uses phrases and short sentences.

6. The easiest way to structure a screenplay is viewing a similar movie and structuring your script the same way

   True.

7. You should expect brutal criticism of your screenplay from a studio reader

   True. Rumor has it that they’re frustrated writers themselves.

8. There’s no easy way to find out who’s buying what

   False. Many screenwriting magazines and websites list what’s being sold and to who.

9. The Great American Pitchfest and Screenwriting Expo are the 2 biggest Pitch Festivals in the country

   True.

10. Sometimes writing about what you know makes you too close to the material to be objective

    That’s true.

About Steve Kaire

Steve Kaire is a screenwriter and "Pitchman" who has sold 8 projects to the major studios without representation. The last project he sold, he’s Co-Producing for Walden Media. A screenwriter for over 30 years, he holds a Masters in Dramatic Writing and has taught writing classes at the American Film Institute. Steve was featured on the Tonight Show’s, "Pitching to America" and was voted a Star Speaker at Screenwriters Expo three years in a row. His unique CD & Ebook, "High Concept - How to Create, Pitch & Sell to Hollywood" is a best seller. His website is: HighConceptScreenwriting.com.