Scott, You’ll be getting into this later in the week, I’m sure, but a quick question just the same… I have several Action/Thriller ideas, some set in the US, some set internationaly. In terms of a marketable high concept spec script, one that could potentially be bought, do you suggest only submitting the US-based loglines? In terms of budget, more likely chance of it getting made, etc… This is amazing, btw! What an incredible opportunity for everyone. You, SS, the Industry Insider Contest – many great new venues and bridges to Hollywood for aspiring writers these days. Very cool.

While waiting for the final post addressing loglines directly, I see a formula here: great logline = enticing marketing hook + (strong filmic story = clear premise + great concept).

Stone, the international market now comprises around 70% of B.O. revenues and Hwood is especially focused on BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China). All that is a secondary consideration. First is this: Is it a great story concept? That trumps everything else. If a studio perceives that the story could find an audience and make a profit, then that is not only a major plus, it's just about the bottom line.

Scott, I was curious if you had any estimation on the time commitment per week from the individuals you select for The Quest? If you'll be addressing this in a later post this week, great, if not any type of reply at any time would be great. Obviously, anyone fortunate enough to take part in this opportunity will do whatever they have to to make it work scheduling wise but I'm sure I'm not the only reader interested in a ballpark figure.

Sean, don't mean to be snotty, but if you're asking about the time commitment, you're not ready for this. Drop everything else and *make* the time. This is a singular opportunity.

Right. Because it's realistic for an individual with debt and bills to drop his or her job and basically become unemployed to take part in this. I highly doubt that that is Scott's plan for this. I simply ask to make sure it's something I working adult could do on their days off/evenings after work.

I hate you Producer Scott ... but goddammit I respect you.

Scott, is there a limit to the number of loglines that a single individual is allowed to submit?

Sean, I clearly didn't mean that either. But if I were to guess, I'd estimate 10, maybe 15 hrs/week or more to really take full advantage of this opportunity (more in the later stages), and finding that kind of time is not as easy as it sounds especially since there are scheduled conference calls, etc... What I did mean is that if you have an active social life, be prepared to scale that back drastically for the duration. Be prepared to work late nights to do this, plug up all those time sinks in your life and learn PDQ how to manage your time. There's an old joke about how the difference between interest and commitment is like a bacon & egg breakfast: the chicken is interested and the pig is committed. I leave it up to you to figure out where you stand.

Sean, that is hard to say. So much depends on how well/fast you read and write, how well you can focus on your work. For Core, it's a 5 page lecture every day of the week, forum Q&As, and a weekly writing exercise. Plus a teleconference and your weekly journal entry. So perhaps 10-15 hours per week. For Prep, it's a weekly lecture around 6 pages each, plus weekly writing assignments, some of which including the brainstorming and outlining will require a substantial commitment. Plus you will be responsible to read others assignments and provide feedback, plus teleconference and journal entry. I'd say minimum 15 hours per week. For Pages, it's a weekly lecture around 4 pages each, plus weekly writing assignments of around 10-15 pages. Plus reading & critiquing others pages, plus teleconference and journal entry. I'd say minimum 15 hours per week. It's a commitment, no doubt about it. But this is what is required to immerse oneself in the craft and one's story. It is an intensive workshop, but one of those experiences I believe you get out of it exponentially more through the immersive aspect. It's like 1 + 1 = 3. Or 4. You just start 'seeing' things in a new light, you understand dynamics and begin to grok them on an instinctive level.

No limit, just make sure they qualify as a 'movie' [see today's post].

I hope you are surprised. I hope you receive so many awesome-fucking-concepts that you have a hard time choosing your four contenders.

As they say in Hollywood, "From your lips to God's ears." As they say on the Internet, "From your keyboard to God's modem."

Roll on Tuesday!

Without question the concept is far, far more important than the skill. You can't be a nonsensical writer - BUT - just about every script gets purchased simply because of the underlying concept or idea. This is a fact. Why? Producers have relationships with established and trusted craftsman that can take your poorly executed concept and fix it on a deadline. Which makes The Quest all the more fascinating. The projects that come out of this should have a both great concept AND craftsmanship. I think you're trailblazing the future here by essentially running a very, very smart production company that builds strong writers. (Which Hollywood needs) You made The Quest available for non-union writers as a way to help total outsiders get established in Hollywood. So when Producer Scott decides on his slate, what should these lucky writers expect in terms of who owns their intellectual property since you will be so heavily involved in every step? You'll have a written deal memo or some kind of terms written up, right? If the properties do not sell they will be free to go raise capital and make the movie themselves, right?

The writer owns the IP. If I do not choose to pursue the script at the end of the workshop, the writer is in the free and clear to do whatever they want. If I choose to go forward into rewrites and promote the project as producer, then we will move forward on good faith. I will ask participants to sign a pledge re the three commitments: (1) Fulfill all reading and writing assignments, and be actively in terms of providing feedback on others pages; (2) Agree to finish the workshop and the first draft of their screenplay; (3) If I choose to go forward with their project, I am attached as producer. Most producer-writer arrangements in Hollywood are based on trust. I will assume as one human being to another, especially given my commitment to the writer and their project in the form of a half-year of my life dedicated to working with them, that writer will abide by that good faith. If not, then that's a writer with whom I don't wish to be involved anyhow.

Interesting that Terry Rossio wrote his first Wordplay columns back in the nineties on the critical need for concept: http://www.wordplayer.com/columns/wp01.A.Foot.in.the.Door.html and further on.

Scott, thank you so much for this opportunity - I'm sure everyone is as excited by the possibilities as I am! One quick question: From what I can tell, you're requiring a logline and a writing sample. Will there be anything else that applicants should prepare for? Will you want anything like a one-page or a treatment for our idea (if we make the first cut)? Thanks! Ben

Ben, the first round is strictly loglines and a title [if you have one]. If there are four or more story concepts that get by Producer Scott, then I will contact those people and ask them to send me the following: * A brief bio of their background. * A complete dossier of their screenwriting education [books, courses, screenwriting 'gurus' who have influenced them]. * A list of all the scripts they have written with titles, loglines, genre. * A statement about what their aspirations are as writers and where they want to be in 10 years. * Why they want to do The Quest. * A writing sample: It could be a script, a first act, a short story, even a story treatment depending upon 'literary' the approach to the narrative [i.e., not an outline, but a story]. Based on that, we will go to the next round and I will do individual phone calls with each person who has made the cut that far. Then Producer Scott and Writer Scott will have a discussion to determine what's what. Understand: This is not just about a screenplay. This is also equally about the screenwriter. One of the main values of The Quest workshop is that participants learn an approach to get them to think like a professional screenwriter, to grasp key principles and practices that will help them segue into a career as a screenwriter, to learn about the business of screenwriting. I want you to nail your original script, absolutely. But I also want you to be prepared when you break into the business and give you the best chance possible of having a career as a screenwriter, not just sell one script, then crash and burn. So a long-winded answer, but one that covers some of my thinking behind The Quest workshop.

That's because Rossio & Elliott are two of the best screenwriters in Hollywood of mainstream, commercial movies, and they understand the critical importance of the story concept in making a mainstream, commercial movie. And thanks for that link, an article well worth reading.

Sounds absolutely incredible. Whoever's lucky enough to make it in will be in for the experience of a lifetime. Thank you, Scott. Ben

I know I'm going to sound arrogant and aloof, but those loglines for spec scripts... I wouldn't want to watch any of them. I hope you will get some that will surpass them! However, now that I've committed hybris, I'm prepared for the arrival of the nemesis. :)

Lars, as anyone who has spent at least a few months visiting GITS should know, I'm a huge adult drama and indie movie fan. If someone hits me up with an absolute winner of a story idea that is not ACT [see the upcoming post about The Quest], I could be convinced to include that writer and project in the workshop. I do know some people in the business who traffic in those type of stories. But I highlighted those concepts in that list to (A) demonstrate what high concepts are and (B) give people a reference point for the main focus of my attention and certainly Producer Scott: mainstream commercial movies [which by the way I also love, especially when they're done well like both The Hunger Games and The Avengers].

[...] “The Quest”: Why is story concept critical to your success? (gointothestory.blcklst.com) [...]

Howdy from Texas: Dear Scott, I am a fellow who has had two short stories bought (I suppose one might consider them "horror," but with a literary flare), and have always had aspirations as a novelist, yet it seems at times that my preferred writing style ("showing" the scenes, thinking of them as a director might "see" them upon the screen) might be more aptly suited to that of a screenwriter--any thoughts on making the switch? and are your selective (your selection) workshops an ongoing thing? If so, how often? P.S. Or maybe I should do my own homework before asking foolish questions?