Breakfast with Sharks Read online

  A Clockwork Orange (1971)

  Taxi Driver (1976)

  Jaws (1975)

  Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

  Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

  The Philadelphia Story (1940)

  From Here to Eternity (1953)

  Amadeus (1984)

  All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

  The Sound of Music (1965)

  M*A*S*H (1970)

  The Third Man (1949)

  Fantasia (1940)

  Rebel Without a Cause (1955)

  Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

  Vertigo (1958)

  Tootsie (1982)

  Stagecoach (1939)

  Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

  The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

  Network (1976)

  The Manchurian Candidate (1962)

  An American in Paris (1951)

  Shane (1953)

  The French Connection (1971)

  Forrest Gump (1994)

  Ben-Hur (1959)

  Wuthering Heights (1939)

  The Gold Rush (1925)

  Dances With Wolves (1990)

  City Lights (1931)

  American Graffiti (1973)

  Rocky (1976)

  The Deer Hunter (1978)

  The Wild Bunch (1969)

  Modern Times (1936)

  Giant (1956)

  Platoon (1986)

  Fargo (1996)

  Duck Soup (1933)

  Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)

  Frankenstein (1931)

  Easy Rider (1969)

  Patton (1970)

  The Jazz Singer (1927)

  My Fair Lady (1964)

  A Place in the Sun (1951)

  The Apartment (1960)

  Goodfellas (1990)

  Pulp Fiction (1994)

  The Searchers (1956)

  Bringing Up Baby (1938)

  Unforgiven (1992)

  Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967)

  Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)

  24

  SECTION 627: HANDY GLOSSARY OF INDUSTRY BUZZWORDS

  The following is a list of terms related to the entertainment industry:

  ADAPTATION. Translation of a finished written work into film.

  AGAINST. Refers to payment for a script or property. A specified amount of money is initially paid up front as a down payment toward a final and total sum of money. The difference between the two dollar amounts is paid at a later date, which is determined in the contract in advance. That date could be once the script is finished being written, after a rewrite or a polish is done, or even at the beginning or ending of the filming of the screenplay (production of the film).

  ATTACHED. An actor, director, or producer who agrees to appear in a film or be involved with the production of the film. Whether oral or in writing, the agreement is considered contractually binding.

  ATTACHED ELEMENTS. A director with credits (finished work) or a name actor (movie star) who has verbally or contractually committed to be part of a project.

  BEAT SHEET. A breakdown of the key moments or scenes in a film. Lists the highlights and key scenes of the entire script or story.

  BUMP. Refers to a meeting that is rescheduled at the last minute for a later date. Execs and producers give priority to projects already in principal photography, so bumping pitch meetings, etc., is a commonplace occurrence.

  CAMERA READY. A screenplay that is considered ready to be made into a movie.

  CHARACTER ARC. The emotional and spiritual transformation that the main characters undergo during the course of a story.

  COLORS. Dialogue delivered in different ways and manners, alternating tone, speed of delivery, and varying facial expressions.

  CONSIDER. A somewhat favorable response from a studio reader, which is usually noted on the coverage they do on a script or treatment. The “consider” can mean a certain ambivalence on the part of the reader. Not a pass, but not a strong recommendation that it be read, either.

  COVERAGE. A reader’s report on a script, which generally comprises three parts. The first page is generally the most basic of information on the material: Title, author, genre, date, draft, time period, to whom submitted, whom submitted by, etc. The report also consists of a synopsis of the script, which is usually a one-page to two-page description of the story (or events that take place in the script). The last part of the report involves comments by the reader on what elements, if any, they liked and/or disliked about the script’s story, characters, writing, originality, etc.

  CREATIVE EXEC. A studio executive evaluates literary material to determine whether a studio or company, etc., is interested in optioning or purchasing it. This person is above a reader in the chain of command. CEs also help to oversee the further development of a project once it is optioned or purchased, providing the writer with feedback, suggestions, and changes for rewrites.

  CRUNCH TIME. Term used when time is short because a script is needed for production.

  D-GIRL. An outdated and somewhat sexist term that refers to the women who at one time read scripts and evaluated them for producers, directors, etc. Today men and women serve in this role of looking at scripts for purchasing consideration as well as developing (hence “D”) the material further by working with the writer and giving notes and suggestions on how to “improve” it.

  DEAL MEMO. A contractual agreement that lays out specific terms for an assignment: Writer a will write x project or x scenes by x date for x amount of dollars (partial payment up front upon commencement and remaining amount upon completion and delivery is typical). Purchaser retains rights to x in exchange for x credit (if applicable).

  DIALOGUE PASS. A writer focuses only on rewriting or “polishing” the dialogue in a draft of a script.

  DEVELOPMENT. The process during which a story or idea is written and formed into a script, or a completed script is rewritten further to create a script ready to be produced.

  DEVELOPMENT HELL. A situation in which the process of writing or rewriting a script continues over a long period of time. This usually involves numerous notes and rewrites along with frequently contradicting directions given by the various participants.

  FEATURE. A full-length movie, usually ranging in length from 90 to 120 minutes.

  FIRST-LOOK DEAL. An arrangement made by a writer with a production company or a studio, in which the writer must allow the company or studio the first right of refusal on purchasing and/or producing a project. If the studio passes, the project can then be “shopped” around to other interested parties.

  FIVE TRUSTE DREADERS. Peers, former instructors, or industry people you have befriended, who are willing to read your new project and whose opinion you value and trust.

  GATEKEEPER. A person with the power to green-light or say yes to a project.

  GODFATHER. Someone established in the industry who is willing to make a phone call on your behalf to various gatekeepers. This process is called godfathering.

  GUILD. Either the Writers Guild of America (WGA) or the Directors Guild of America (DGA). Both Guilds have set criteria regarding compensation, credit, and duties.

  GREEN DRAFT. A raw and unpolished draft of a screenplay.

  GREEN LIGHT. Studio or production company approval for a movie to go into production.

  HACK. A pejorative term for a writer who delivers strictly formulaic work.

  HEAT. When a project/script generates a great deal of interest—heat— from the filmmaking community, this generally leads to a high sale price for the material as companies and studios attempt to outbid one another for the rights. An individual can also be in high demand based on the selling success of their projects or a recently produced project.

  HIGH CONCEPT. An idea that sounds very commercially marketable and in many cases unique and original. Usually associated with big block-buster films, but can reference any idea or script that would appear to have great potential. See low concept.

  HOLLYW
OOD AGENTS AND MANAGER SDIRECTORY (HAMD). A directory that has contact information for thousands of actors, directors, literary agents, and managers in the film and television industry.

  HOLLYWOOD CREATIVE DIRECTORY (HCD). A directory that has crucial contact information for thousands of producers and executives in the film and television industry.

  INDIE. Short for “independent.” Can refer to a film or production company that works outside of the Hollywood/studio system.

  LOGLINE. A one- or two-sentence description of the story in a script or book, or of an idea.

  LOW CONCEPT. A project that has limited audience appeal and is, therefore, a tough sell in Hollywood. See high concept.

  MINIMUM BASIC AGREEMENT (MBA). A Writers Guild document that stipulates a foundation of creative protections and financial incentives for intellectual property.

  MOW. Movie of the Week. Refers to a feature-length film that is made just for showing on a television network.

  NOTES. Feedback and comments on a creative property. Can consist of changes, suggestions about tone, mood, etc.

  OPTION. A situation in which a studio, production company, and/or producer pays a fee for the exclusive rights to a literary property for a set amount of time. At the end of the specified time period, the material can, in most cases, be optioned again, but if not the rights revert back to the original owner (or writer).

  OUTLINE. A scene-by-scene breakdown of the story of a script, which shows each point and beat.

  PACKAGE. A collection of talent and material that is put together by an agent or agency in which a script is tied together with certain actors, actresses, and/or directors and producers. This usually increases the chance of selling the property to a studio.

  PAGE ONE (REWRITE). A complete rewrite of a script in which a major portion is altered, including the plot, scene order, character types, theme, etc. This can be done by the original writer or by another screenwriter brought in for the purpose.

  PASS. A rejection from a studio, company, agent, etc. (When a writer rewrites certain elements of the script, including dialogue, character, action, etc., this is also referred to as a pass.)

  PASSION PROJECTS. A story idea that may not be especially marketable but has great personal meaning for the creator.

  PITCH. To verbally describe the story of a script or idea.

  POLISH. The final touches made by a writer to a script to make a screenplay ready for production.

  PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY. The first day of shooting a movie.

  PROJECT SLATES. All of the scripts currently in development for which an executive is responsible.

  PROPERTY. A script, book, or other literary material.

  PURCHASE CONTRACT. The purchase by a studio or production company of all rights to a spec screenplay for a negotiated price, along with additional monies if the project is actually produced.

  QUERY LETTER. A written request to ask whether a producer, agent, manager, studio, etc. would be interested in looking at a script, treatment, or story idea.

  READER. A person hired by a production company, producer, director, studio, or agent to read a script, then write coverage on it. Readers generally work freelance.

  RECOMMEND. A very favorable response from a reader, which is noted on the coverage of a script or treatment. Though not a guarantee that the material will be bought, in most cases it means the script will either be verbally discussed in a meeting or passed on to the next level for consideration by a development executive, or by an agent or producer.

  RESPONSE AND REACTION. Feedback on a script from peers and others in the industry.

  SALE. The outright purchase by a producer or studio of rights to a script written on spec.

  SIGNATORY. A studio or company that is officially a member of the Screen Actors Guild or the Writers Guild of America.

  SOLICITED. A script or project requested for review by a studio, company, or agent from a writer, agent, manager, and/or producer.

  SPEC. A script written on the speculation that it might sell.

  SYNOPSIS. A brief, usually one-half- to two-page description of a story or plot. Written in prose form, generally with little or no dialogue.

  TAKE A MEETING. The term used for one individual meeting with another. In can also refer to an individual being the center of a discussion and thus leading the direction and pace of it.

  TRACK. To follow the development of a project, either one’s own or another’s.

  TRADES. Also called “trade papers,” these are daily periodicals that report on the latest news and events in the film business, the two most popular being The Hollywood Reporter and Variety.

  TREATMENT. Similar to a synopsis but much more detailed, this is a blow-by-blow telling of a story. A treatment generally includes every scene and plot involved. Treatments are written in a prose form, similar to a novel, and are used by writers to flesh out their ideas for a script. Note that treatments may be as short as a few pages or as extensive as thirty pages or more, depending on the purpose.

  TURNAROUND. After a certain period of time, called the “turnaround,” if a project/script is not produced, a studio or company will essentially offer the script to any buyers interested in acquiring the rights to it. This usually involves the other company or individual paying for all “expenses” incurred while the project was being developed. These are fees and expenses that were on top of the purchase price for the material. Due to the high cost of development, this can cause the project to then be very expensive and thus less attractive.

  UNSOLICITED. A script or project, sent to a company, studio, and/or individual, that was not requested before it was sent—either in writing or by phone.

  VOICE. A term connoting everything from a writer’s uniquely personal style or perspective to a Zeitgeist grasp of specific themes or subject matter that is commercially viable. In practical terms, a voice means having something to say in an interesting way.

  WEEKEND READ. The time period from Friday through Sunday that executives use to catch up on their reading of incoming scripts.

  WORK FOR HIRE. An employment contract to write a script, which, under U.S. copyright law, vests the initial copyright with the employer.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  MICHAEL LENT is co-producer of the feature film Hard Scrambled. As an award-winning screenwriter, he has sold, optioned or been assigned to ten feature film projects including The Hellseeker for Miramax Studios. Since 1998, he has been a featured columnist for Creative Screenwriting magazine. His work also appears in the French film periodical Tournages, as well as Screen style. Michael has written for MTV, as well as Billboard magazine. He is a four-time writing competition judge, including the Screenwriters’ Expo Script Competition which awards more than $30,000 in cash and prizes each year. He holds an M.F.A. from the University of Miami and has taught screenwriting in the UCLA Extension/Artsreach Program and at Santa Barbara City College.

  Michael lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Sonia, and son, Willem. The family has two dogs, Pooka and Kiwi, both rescues from the Humane Society.

  Copyright © 2004 by Michael Lent

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  Published by Three Rivers Press, New York, New York.

  Member of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.

  www.crownpublishing.com

  THREE RIVERS PRESS and the Tugboat design are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Lent, Michael, 1963–

  Breakfast with sharks: a screenwriter’s guide to getting the meeting, nailing the

  pitch, signing the deal, and navigating the murky waters of Hollywood /

  Michael Lent.— 1st ed.

  1. Motion picture authorship—Voc
ational guidance. I. Title.

  PN1996.L427 2004

  791.43’7’02373—dc22

  2003025953

  www.randomhouse.com

  eISBN: 978-0-307-41996-5

  v3.0