Okay, so normally to get the meeting you send a treatment or a synopsis to the producer. My meeting was arranged through a friend. He already told her the topic and she said she was ready to meet us. This is a Hollywood/Bollywood producer.
So my question is, now that the meeting is arranged, what do I send in the way of information beforehand?
The synopsis is 14 pages long. She already knows the idea. So what do I send to prepare her for the meeting?
A half page summary? Or should I ask her what I should send?
Not sure of the protocol here.
Please advise.
Thanks!
Congratulations. Now breathe deep and relax. What you want is to condense your story down to two sentences. Seriously. You want to practice those sentences until you can say them slowly and with passion. I know, it sounds like the same BS you read on all the writing sites.
What often happens is the writer comes to the producer and goes into so much detail about the story and characters that the producer is overwhelmed. They want to hear the hook. You want to use the same structured approach you used in writing and apply it to pitching. Start off with a teaser to see if the producer is interested. If so, give the Cliff notes version. You can go in with a story summary no more than the front of one page. Practice describing your protagonist, antagonist and supporting characters in three or four words.
Producers are not stupid. Most producers are busy. They are coordinating with directors, investors, marketing, etc. Some will want to read your script, others will have someone else read it and give them feedback. There are many reasons that a producer may say no. Be polite and thank them. Situations change and you may have an opportunity again later. Stay positive and leave positive. I've seen writers burn bridges by interpreting comments as insults. Remember, you've lived this story for several months. Don't assume someone will understand your characters or plot in twenty minutes. Of course they'll have questions and misunderstand. Let them ask questions. Be polite, creative and brief. A sense of humor helps.
It doesn't hurt to have a second script in mind. Sometimes a producer will ask if you have any other scripts. Do your research. Check IMDb to see what other projects she or her company have helped to produce. What kind of stories do they like? Do you have a second script similar to those? Have a pitch developed for it also. I am not saying you should try to pitch the second one, but be prepared if asked.
Leave your one page summary with your business card. It may not pan out or it might. I had a friend who didn't sell his script. However, he was called later and asked if he'd like to help work on a project they were developing. You need to be open to networking and opportunities to get your foot in the door.
Having sat in meetings, I can say the ones that are most awkward are when the writer rambles or gets defensive. If a producer makes a suggestion, roll with it. Sometimes they have a specific actor they want to bring in to attract money. If you are too wedded to your script, you are cutting yourself off from seeing it made into a picture and being paid. Decide right now if you are willing turn over your "baby" to someone else. If not, you need to make the film yourself. I can guarantee that your script will go through many hands and will most likely see many changes from how it is written.
Your goal is to make the producer interested in reading the script. In commercials, advertisers do that by making the product sexy without giving lots of detail to shatter the illusion. They are looking for a hook to sell to investors, directors and potential big name actors. Keep it simple and sexy.
Boil down all the details and come into the meeting relaxed, rehearsed and passionate. Have a back-up in the wings is also smart. Leave positive with a brief one page handout with your contact info. Do that and you've done your job. Like acting, you do your best. There's lots of competition, so you can't take it personally. But if you impress them, they may find reasons to use you later. Best wishes on your meeting!
