A 4-week Online Course to begin February 3, 2010.

With Dave Trottier

Course Objectives: To help you create a laser-focused strategic marketing plan that you can use to sell your script and/or move forward your screenwriting career.

Course Texts: The Fourth Edition of The Screenwriter's Bible by Dave Trottier, and How to Get in the Game, a report by Dave Trottier. (The report will be provided free.)

Course start date:  Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Requirements: A completed script and Internet access. If you don’t have a completed script, you will need to get Dave’s permission to attend.

Week 1 (Feb 3) – The written pitch and the oral pitch

Reading:  The Screenwriter’s Bible, pages 257-267, 23-28, and 299-324.  "Your One-Sheet and Seven Script-Selling Tools"-Dave will give you the link to this article. If you wish, you may review or scan pages 272-294 of The Screenwriter's Bible; you'll be asked to read them later.

Homework Assignment #1: Write a one-page query letter.  [My fee to evaluate a query letter is $115, but you get this service free with the course.]

Week 2 (Feb 10) – Assembling your selling tools

Reading:  The Screenwriter’s Bible, pages 268-271, 325-333.

Homework Assignment #1: Read pages 290-291 in The Screenwriter's Bible, and make a list of personal industry contacts that you have of any kind, regardless of how "lowly."  It may be that you don't have any, but give this some thought.    Add to the list the names of people you know who know someone in the industry.

Homework Assignment #2: Drawing from the direction found on pages 268-271, make a list of your strengths.

Week 3 (Feb 17) – Agents, producers, and markets

Reading:  The Screenwriter’s Bible, pages 294-298 and 334-360. How to Get in the Game (a report by Dave Trottier).

Homework: After reading How to Get in the Game and your other reading, make a list additional tools or contacts (including organizations) that you might use to sell your script. In addition, are there some additional opportunities that you have become aware of that might help further your screenwriting career (besides those that would help you sell your script)? Write them down, too.

Week 4 (Feb 24) – Your strategic marketing plan

Reading:  The Screenwriter’s Bible, pages 272-294.

Homework: Create the Project Plan worksheets found on pages 278-286. These are for your own use, and are not to be submitted. After you have completed these, complete a Weekly Action Plan (page 287) for your next full week; submit this to Dave.

About your homework assignments

All homework assignments may be submitted anytime they are ready.  There are no hard deadlines.  Take whatever time you need.  I will evaluate all homework assignments and return them to you in a timely manner.

Communication

We will have three means of communication:

1) A chat-room where we will meet as a group for one hour every Wednesday night.

Chats will begin on February 3 at 8:00 p.m. Mountain Time.   That's 7:00 p.m. Pacific time; 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

The last meeting will be February 24.  These chat sessions are simply one-hour question-and-answer periods with me. 

2) E-mail for sending homework and asking personal questions. You can attach your homework as a Word document, RTF, or PDF; or snail mail it to me directly; or fax it to me at 801-756-5781. In some cases, I may print out your attached file so I can write comments on it; in such cases, your homework will be returned by U.S. mail. 

3) Telephone – Call me if necessary at 801-492-7898.

Class procedure
A class week ends on Wednesday.  The homework may be submitted any time during the week. (Homework may be submitted as late or early as you wish.)  On Wednesdays, those who wish to will meet together in a chat room with me for a question-and-answer period of one hour.

Registration details

Our class will be limited to ten students each.  Early registration is suggested.

Tuition is $245, but there is a $50 discount for early registration.

Required book: The Screenwriter’s Bible (Fourth Edition) if you don’t already have it. Dave’s report How to Get in the Game (valued at $7.00) and his article "Your One-Sheet and Seven Script-Selling Tools" will be provided free of charge.