Marvin V. Acuna

By “tomorrow” I mean registration ends Wednesday, February 17th at 9pm Pacific Time!

So click HERE to register!

And leave your most BURNING screenwriting question below so we can answer it for you – live on the call!

May Your Life Be Extraordinary,

Marvin V. Acuna

My inbox is already crowded with multiple invitations to participate as a speaker at the various screenwriting conferences/film festivals that will pepper cities across the US and internationally.

Soon you too will witness your inbox bursting at the seams with opportunities to attend the upcoming events in 2010.

As I considered what to share with you so that you could maximize those opportunities it occurred to me that an old friend, Stephanie Palmer, had written a very powerful book entitled Good in a Room.

Here are ten tips that she personally selected from her book and, more importantly, drawn from her experience as a former MGM executive.

If you learn them, you can join the ranks of those who know that they are “good in a room.”

1. Silence is the strongest start of all.

Don’t start talking until the decision-maker is ready.

If there have been a lot of people popping in, urgent phone calls or other interruptions, ask the executive if he or she is ready for you to begin. Make eye contact. Then, start slowly and deliver your first line. Make sure it is dynamite. Pause. Gauge the executive’s response. Then proceed with your presentation at a relaxed pace. Remember, even though you’re intimately familiar with your project, the buyer will be hearing it for the very first time.

2. Understand the buyer’s secret dream.

Even though top-level buyers can seem cold and recalcitrant, this is the result of seeing a seemingly endless stream of poorly prepared and emotionally needy sellers deliver mediocre pitches. Decision-makers don’t wake up thinking, “I can’t wait to disappoint people and pass on 30 projects today.” Instead, they hope today will be the day they discover their career-making project. Thus, you must position yourself and your project in a way that differentiates you from the masses and speaks directly to the buyer’s highest-priority needs.

3. Build rapport. Then, build some more.

People want to work with people they like.

Think about what you have in common with the decision-maker you’re meeting. Be ready to share a few brief, personal stories which demonstrate the attributes you believe will be most attractive to the buyer. Be prepared to ask a few open-ended questions that will encourage the buyer to speak about a non-business interest in a positive light.

All else being equal, you will have the edge if you can establish a personal connection.

4. Make your pitch repeatable.

Though you are selling your project to a decision-maker in the room, after the meeting, the buyer — if interested — becomes the seller and must pitch your idea to their colleagues or superiors. In Hollywood, this is known as the “logline.” If you can’t summarize your project in a brief, compelling statement, you haven’t thought about it enough.

Remember, the more you say, the less people hear. Choose your words carefully.

5. Acknowledge the competition.

Be prepared to answer questions such as, “What does my project have in common with other successful projects in the same industry? What were the last projects that the company purchased, and were they successful? Which of their projects is most similar to my own? What makes me the best person for this project?” Answering these key questions early in your presentation demonstrates that you have done your homework. This will encourage them to listen to what follows more closely.

6. The best meetings are conversational and interactive.

Many professionals make the mistake of performing an over-rehearsed spiel that sounds like an infomercial for their idea. Instead, pause frequently, especially when there is an opportunity for the buyer to give you a reaction or ask a question.

In an ideal world, you’d spend more time in a dialogue with the buyer, than performing a monologue.

7. Start from the beginning — always.

Even if you had a long and productive conversation the day before, you’d be surprised how much can change in the buyer’s mind. After all, you’ve been thinking about the meeting and they have, too. Assume that they’ve done more research, talked to some people and something has changed since the time you last spoke. It’s your job to figure out what that is. After some initial rapport building, do another information-gathering session. If appropriate, ask for a recap from their perspective.

8. Watch for hidden opportunities.

The buyer’s goal for the meeting may not be the same as yours. In addition to hearing your idea, the executive may be evaluating you to see if you would be a good fit for another project. Remember, when you are in the room, you are selling minimally two things: your project and yourself. Even if the meeting doesn’t result in a “yes,” making a favorable impression can be the beginning of a long-term professional relationship.

9. Don’t claim your expertise — demonstrate it.

Don’t just talk about your experience; show your expertise by positioning your project as it relates to the competition. Don’t brag or boast about past wins. If you must mention a past success, do it off-handedly and with humility. This is similar to the common rule about storytelling: “Show, don’t tell.” Remember, a lot of people talk the talk.

Those who are “good in a room” are focused on meeting the needs of the buyer and not on boosting their own ego.

10. Save a surprise for the end.

Plan multiple strategies to exit gracefully. Some techniques are to have a callback to a personal topic that you discussed at the beginning of the meeting, thank them for a specific, useful contribution they made during the meeting, or leave them a polished piece of material that they haven’t seen previously. Use a summary statement that you design specifically to be remembered and repeated.

Remember, last impressions last.

Surprise!

11. You are always in the room.

Develop your skills so that you can handle meetings that occur unexpectedly, like on a plane, at a party, or in a waiting room. More business starts from casual interactions than formal meetings across a conference room table.

The polished professional who is “good in a room” is ready for anything. But don’t feel the need to talk business in all situations. Often the best move is to say, “Why don’t we just enjoy the party, and I’ll follow up with you on Monday.”

These are invaluable tips, but they represent only the tip of the iceberg. I strongly encourage you to pick up a copy of the book for yourself. (NOTE: I receive no financial interest if you choose to purchase a copy of the book.)

Gerard J. Arpey, president and CEO of American Airlines said the best business advice he ever got was, “Borrow money when you can, not when you need to.” This is sound advice that can be translated and applied to…

Pillar #3: Networking

I find most aspiring screenwriters believe that there is only one specific time and place for networking and it’s called “An easel sitting at the entrance of some ballroom with a sign that says so.”

Best selling author and syndicated columnist Harvey Mackay said, “If I had to name the single characteristic shared by all the truly successful people I’ve ever met over a lifetime, I’d say it is the ability to create and nurture a network of contacts.”

Personal networking is instrumental to your career. It’s an invaluable tool to identifying rare opportunities suited to you, as well as to maximize the value of your current relationships.

But networking ONLY when you need to is foolish and sets the wrong tone. Relationships take time, building rapport requires patience, and entertainment professionals are naturally cautious –if not fearful– of those that are simply taking, rather than giving.

It’s pretty easy to spot those that are just networking purely to take… not to give. Therefore, begin networking before you need anything from anyone.

To start with, you must understand all your strengths and weaknesses. Then, seek opportunities where your abilities contribute value to others.

Others will want to be a part of your network if they know that you will add value. And more importantly, your existing relationships will be strengthened if you can consistently add value to those in your network.

Your mission: be the first person everyone remembers and suggests when others ask, “Do you know anyone who….”

Start now, and become a trusted node and connector, not a fragmented meteor that is visible as it enters the atmosphere.

Consider this: Networking is ALL about mutual benefit…

So why not GIVE first?

In summary, I feel it’s important for you to know… talent is only one part of the equation. If you are a hobbyist then this may not ring true to you. That’s ok. You aren’t looking to make a living off your hobby. I get it!

But, if you are reading this and are committed to working as an entertainment professional then I leave you with this…

“Business art is the step that comes after art. I started as a commercial artist, and I want to finish as a business artist. After I did the thing called “art” or whatever it’s called, I went into business art. I want to be an art business man or business artist.”
– Andy Warhol

“There is nothing makes a man suspect much, more than to know little; and, therefore, men should remedy suspicion by procuring to know more, and not keep their suspicions in smother.”
- Francis Bacon

With that said, allow me to focus your attention on the second pillar of a successful screenwriting business…

Pillar #2: Market Intelligence

Market Intelligence is the information relevant to a company’s market which is gathered and analyzed specifically for the purpose of accurate and confident decision-making in determining market opportunity, market penetration strategy, and market development metrics. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

LISTEN TO ME: You are your own Company. You are! When you begin to generate that huge revenue you aspire to attain, the first thing your reps will suggest is that you legitimatize your company and form a corporation.

The very same entertainment professionals that you are seeking to attract into and partner in your business are successful BECAUSE they gather market intelligence.

In fact, an agent’s primary responsibility at an agency is to “cover” their assigned studio. In essence, they must report back to their superiors every bit of information they can mine from the studio executives and the entertainment community so that it can be distributed to the entire company. The more effective they are at gathering market intelligence the more valuable of an agent they become to the agency and to the agencies clients.

Consider this: Industry market intelligence is so valuable to executives, producers, and representatives that in the late 1990’s a dozen or so very entrepreneurial studios executives formed the company Filmtracker.com, the epicenter of privileged information.
Immersing yourself in the business will afford you a competitive advantage over other aspiring screenwriters. And believe me in a business as competitive as screenwriting… You want every advantage.

Entertainment professionals fully embrace Sir Francis Bacon’s other eloquent quote, “… Knowledge itself is Power.” They recognize the value of understanding the market needs, demands, and opportunities.

Do you?

Recently, I attended a festival and was invited to participate in a round table discussion with various screenwriters. It felt a tad like speed dating. Every so often a festival volunteer would ring a bell and I would be relocated to yet another table.

We were not provided with an agenda and I was given no advance notice as to the purpose of this encounter.

Among the sea of screenwriters that I met one asked a very KEY question “What is the key difference between a successful screenwriter and a screenwriter who is not successful?”

I’ll offer the same answer to you that I did to that particular table of screenwriters. Ready?

THE SUCCESSFUL SCREENWRITER RECOGNIZES IT’S BUSINESS.

In my humble opinion, there are three pillars to a successful screenwriting business. And make no mistake… this IS a business.

Pillar #1: The Craft

Outliers, written by Malcolm Gladwell (gladwell.com), notes the following:

“The idea that excellence at performing a complex task requires a critical minimum level of practice surfaces again and again in studies of expertise. In fact, researchers have settled on what they believe is the magic number for true expertise: ten thousand hours.”

I feel screenwriters Craig Mazin and Ted Elliott offer some valuable wisdom in their blog (Theartfulwriter.com)

“Let’s be clear. Writing is a skill. Talent is a huge part of it, but there’s also a practice part. A science part. A “read yer freakin’ Campbell” part of it. There’s hard work. Self-criticism. Structure. Vocabulary. A memory for movies. Grammar. Story analysis. Philosophy.”

To further simplify — a writer writes. There are tremendous benefits derived from consistently honing your craft. I’ll focus your attention on just three: A) Refine your voice; B) Isolate your strengths and weaknesses; and C) Create an inventory of material.

In a video presentation I heard sometime ago uber-successsful screenwriter John August (johnaugust.com) mentioned he had roughly 50 unproduced screenplays on his shelf.

How many do you have?