To be honest there are various ways to get your foot in the door, and none of them are easy. They invariably involve convincing someone to take a chance on you, read your stuff, and champion you. Sometimes, that may be an agent. 2/
— Joseph Mallozzi 🏴☠️ (@BaronDestructo) August 18, 2023
A spec script. An original. Maybe a series overview/pitch deck for that original series. Then you have to find someone to read it. First, get it read by a fellow writer or, preferably, writers, who can offer honest feedback. 4/
— Joseph Mallozzi 🏴☠️ (@BaronDestructo) August 18, 2023
The "easiest" way to get yourself and your script in front of these decision-makers is through an agent, but to get an agent, you have to convince them to represent you. Most agents won't read unsolicited submissions. You need to find ones who do – 6/
— Joseph Mallozzi 🏴☠️ (@BaronDestructo) August 18, 2023
The same applies for all of the individuals previously mentioned – executives, producers, show runners. They will, to be honest, be reluctant to read material that hasn't been submitted through an agent simply because they have so much to read already 8/
— Joseph Mallozzi 🏴☠️ (@BaronDestructo) August 18, 2023
One approach I offer to getting your foot in the door is somewhat unusual, but I mention it because it's how I ended up writing for television. I did so by writing for animation first. I queried about a hundred different production companies and studios – 10/
— Joseph Mallozzi 🏴☠️ (@BaronDestructo) August 18, 2023
I sold several pitches, wrote several scripts, then pitched to other animated shows, made more sales, wrote more scripts. I eventually became a story editor for animated shows. From there, I transitioned to live-action teen sitcom. 12/
— Joseph Mallozzi 🏴☠️ (@BaronDestructo) August 18, 2023
Over the course of my many years working on the franchise, I wrote numerous scripts and worked my way up from co-producer to, eventually, show-runner. 14/
— Joseph Mallozzi 🏴☠️ (@BaronDestructo) August 18, 2023
Since then, I've continued writing, looking to sell my next show. I have written many great pilots that didn't sell. I was hired to write many great pilots that didn't. I am in the process of writing some great pilots that probably won't sell. 16/
— Joseph Mallozzi 🏴☠️ (@BaronDestructo) August 18, 2023
Leave a Reply