| Out o come {out-kuhm} | | | | Keep in mind that you may never hear from the |
| - noun | | | | recipient of your material ever again. The reasons |
| 1. a final product or end result | | | | vary so greatly that you will never know why. |
| The definition referenced above is confirmation | | | | Next time you feel this way remember the |
| that you have total control over one outcome... | | | | following: You are in control of only one outcome |
| Completing your screenplay! | | | | --- completing a final written product. The rest is |
| Will it be represented? Will it be sold? Will it be | | | | not in your hands. It's just not. We trick ourselves |
| made? Who knows, I don't. But, what I do know | | | | into believing that if we worry enough and get |
| for certain is this... if you decide to write a | | | | angry enough we will somehow impact the |
| screenplay YOU can determine the story, the | | | | outcome. It won't. |
| characters, the world, and when it will be a final | | | | Introduce your material and follow-up about a |
| written product. | | | | month later if you don't hear a response. |
| As a strong reminder all other outcomes are not | | | | Follow-up a month after that and so on... |
| in your control. If you can embrace this as truth | | | | When do you stop following up? Depends on you... |
| you will save yourself from years of heartache. | | | | Keep in mind that you are not the only |
| Just remember all other outcomes are out of | | | | screenwriter that submitted material. Additionally, |
| your control. | | | | the professionals I personally know have so much |
| For many aspiring writers the search for a | | | | material presented to them from varying sources |
| representative to sign them and market their | | | | that much gets lost in the shuffle. |
| material or to align themselves with an established | | | | Submit and move on to the next. In fact, your |
| producer who will bring their words to life can be | | | | mantra should always be NEXT, moving on! |
| a daunting and frustrating task. It can make you | | | | Submit, follow up, submit, and follow up. NOTE: If |
| SCREAM! | | | | you submit via email it may be useful to attach |
| Submitting your material blindly and never hearing | | | | your screenplay again to make it easily accessible |
| back a response is tough, but to submit material | | | | to the third party. |
| that has been requested and then NEVER hear | | | | Sometimes my office receives angry calls or |
| back, ugh. Shoot me now. | | | | emails because a writer is frustrated that we |
| That voice in your head turns on you. Doubt | | | | have not responded to their material. That |
| creeps in. Am I good? Am I wasting my time? | | | | immediately gets our response. My assistant |
| Should I get a real job? Self-preservation of the | | | | scans our submissions and tosses their screenplay |
| ego kicks into overdrive. Then the big one: What | | | | away. |
| have I done with my life? | | | | Be original in your follow-ups. Maybe it's not an |
| Be assured you are not alone. You may feel | | | | email, but it's a thank you card for the |
| alone, but you are most definitely not. First | | | | opportunity to submit. Maybe it's an article you |
| everyone in the business has their own challenge | | | | read about them, their movie or their client that |
| and while it may feel different from yours, it isn't. | | | | you include in a note. Maybe you attend a |
| The agent that didn't make partner, the producer | | | | conference where they are speaking. You get it... |
| who's last movie tanked, the actor who no longer | | | | the possibilities are endless. |
| opens a film, the writer who wants to direct, the | | | | Be gracious, patient and most of all original when |
| TV writer who wants to be in film, the list is | | | | you follow up... you are a writer after all. |
| endless. This is the business of | | | | Submit, follow up, submit and follow up. Next, |
| Next. | | | | moving on! |