Sell your screenplay on Filmarket Hub — Part Three
The Talent
Back in our first article, we already mentioned the importance of selling your own talent. Today we’re going to focus on how to make the most of the rest of your cast and crew, which you can attach to your script to make it more attractive.
Once you start looking for a producer, you’ll most likely have other people who believe in your script and want to work on it: a director, director of photography, or even a soundtrack composer might be interested in your project. It’s always positive to include that kind of information in your sales dossier, especially when they are experienced or well-known in the industry.
The casting wish list: positioning your film
While directors and composers can be important, a film’s biggest selling point is usually its cast. Producers will be a lot more interested in a script that comes with letters of interest from actors and actresses. It gives a clear message: if the project becomes a reality, there is some attached talent that already believes in it and is willing to star in it. Although a letter of interest is not a definitive contract, it does support you by showing that renowned figures are backing your project.
But how can you get big actors and actresses to sign such a deal? Well, your first step should be making a casting wish list: ideally, which actors would you like to see playing your characters? Not only will this serve as a reference when it comes to defining your protagonists, but it will also help in getting an idea of your film’s budget estimate, as we explained in our last post. After all, big stars are always more expensive.
Next, you have to start sending the projects to the managers of the actors and actresses in your wish list, to see if you can get a letter of interest from them. Just like trying to grab a producer’s attention, you’ll have to make your script stand out among the rest. Visual presentation is key!
Contacting important actors might look like a frightening, impossible task, but in reality their agencies are much more accessible than it seems: the Spanish Association of Actors’ Representatives has a database where you can find the manager and contact info for over one thousand actors, while other agencies have their own website: Would you like to have Ricardo Darín and Antonio Banderas in your film? Or perhaps Lluís Homar and Javier Cámara? Barbara Lennie? Maxi Iglesias?
All you need is a good script!
