FAQ
Would you be willing to provide free advice or consulting?
Absolutely. I can provide a free 15-minute consultation via Skype or through another calling service.
Can you do a consultation if I am based outside the US?
Yes. Through Skype (or through another international calling service).
If I book a free consultation, am I obligated to use your paid services?
No, you are in no way committed to use my paid services after the free consultation. Additionally, I am in no way obligated to take you on as a client following the free consultation.
Do you specialize in any particular genres?
No. The genre I have worked on the most is comedy but I've written in other genres and can write action, historical or current drama, thriller, suspense, sci-fi, fantasy, etc. My least favorite genre is horror, but I may even write that if I like the story enough or if you pay me enough. ;-)
How do I know you won’t steal my idea?
To be honest, you don’t.
Any person you tell your idea to can steal your idea. I can only promise you that I will not. I’m just not that kind of person. Plus, if you want, I can also sign a non-compete, non-disclosure type of agreement to put any fears at rest. If you are really worried I will steal your idea from the free consultation then I would recommend not to go for a free consultation in the first place.
Writing a screenplay is a lot of work and to be perfectly honest I am not interested in stealing or plagiarizing any person’s idea/s. When I write a screenplay it is always my own idea, unless I am being paid to write it for another, in which case we would both sign a contract that clearly shows that the rights to the completed screenplay belong to the client, not to me.
Please bear in mind one thing with regards to stealing ideas and copyright. You cannot copyright an idea. You can only copyright words in written or typed form. Copyright automatically exists the moment you write or type something. In order to prove your rights (in case there is ever conflict with another), you register your works with a copyright organization (WGA or Copyright Office is recommended). In the screenwriting world, generally only treatments (long narrative documents describing a film in detail) and screenplays are registered with copyright organizations. Brief documents describing the “idea” are not registered for copyright.
Do you provide a guarantee that my screenplay will sell or be made into a movie?
Not at all.
There is no guarantee your screenplay will ever sell. No professional screenwriter will provide you this guarantee. If they do, they’re being deceitful, because there is no guarantee it will be sold. And even if/when a screenplay sells, there is no guarantee the producer will ever make the movie. Larger studios actually buy or option quite a few movies. But they actually produce far fewer movies than screenplays they purchase.
So, bottom line is there are no guarantees at all.
How much do you charge?
I do not have any set fees for screenwriting but rather work out the fees on a project-by-project basis. This is because some projects will take more work than others. Sometimes only small tweaks to an existing screenplay are needed. Sometimes a whole screenplay is written from scratch. Some stories require more research, some less. You get the idea.
For consultations, which are provided on an hourly basis, I charge as follows:
5-hour package: $50 per hour ($250 total)
10-hour package: $40 per hour ($400 total)
What languages do you write in?
English.
Can you consult with me even if my story/screenplay is in another language?
I can consult with you in this case but bear in mind that you will need to have it translated so I can understand it and then provide recommendations to you.
Can you provide a writing sample/s?
Yes.
Do you provide consulting services on other formats, such as TV series, reality shows, etc.?
It's possible. But just bear in mind that my specialty is feature films.
Are there any particular genres you recommend I start writing in?
Yes, the genre of the movies you have personally enjoyed the most.
If you have any other questions not listed above you are welcome to submit this on my contact me page.
Absolutely. I can provide a free 15-minute consultation via Skype or through another calling service.
Can you do a consultation if I am based outside the US?
Yes. Through Skype (or through another international calling service).
If I book a free consultation, am I obligated to use your paid services?
No, you are in no way committed to use my paid services after the free consultation. Additionally, I am in no way obligated to take you on as a client following the free consultation.
Do you specialize in any particular genres?
No. The genre I have worked on the most is comedy but I've written in other genres and can write action, historical or current drama, thriller, suspense, sci-fi, fantasy, etc. My least favorite genre is horror, but I may even write that if I like the story enough or if you pay me enough. ;-)
How do I know you won’t steal my idea?
To be honest, you don’t.
Any person you tell your idea to can steal your idea. I can only promise you that I will not. I’m just not that kind of person. Plus, if you want, I can also sign a non-compete, non-disclosure type of agreement to put any fears at rest. If you are really worried I will steal your idea from the free consultation then I would recommend not to go for a free consultation in the first place.
Writing a screenplay is a lot of work and to be perfectly honest I am not interested in stealing or plagiarizing any person’s idea/s. When I write a screenplay it is always my own idea, unless I am being paid to write it for another, in which case we would both sign a contract that clearly shows that the rights to the completed screenplay belong to the client, not to me.
Please bear in mind one thing with regards to stealing ideas and copyright. You cannot copyright an idea. You can only copyright words in written or typed form. Copyright automatically exists the moment you write or type something. In order to prove your rights (in case there is ever conflict with another), you register your works with a copyright organization (WGA or Copyright Office is recommended). In the screenwriting world, generally only treatments (long narrative documents describing a film in detail) and screenplays are registered with copyright organizations. Brief documents describing the “idea” are not registered for copyright.
Do you provide a guarantee that my screenplay will sell or be made into a movie?
Not at all.
There is no guarantee your screenplay will ever sell. No professional screenwriter will provide you this guarantee. If they do, they’re being deceitful, because there is no guarantee it will be sold. And even if/when a screenplay sells, there is no guarantee the producer will ever make the movie. Larger studios actually buy or option quite a few movies. But they actually produce far fewer movies than screenplays they purchase.
So, bottom line is there are no guarantees at all.
How much do you charge?
I do not have any set fees for screenwriting but rather work out the fees on a project-by-project basis. This is because some projects will take more work than others. Sometimes only small tweaks to an existing screenplay are needed. Sometimes a whole screenplay is written from scratch. Some stories require more research, some less. You get the idea.
For consultations, which are provided on an hourly basis, I charge as follows:
5-hour package: $50 per hour ($250 total)
10-hour package: $40 per hour ($400 total)
What languages do you write in?
English.
Can you consult with me even if my story/screenplay is in another language?
I can consult with you in this case but bear in mind that you will need to have it translated so I can understand it and then provide recommendations to you.
Can you provide a writing sample/s?
Yes.
Do you provide consulting services on other formats, such as TV series, reality shows, etc.?
It's possible. But just bear in mind that my specialty is feature films.
Are there any particular genres you recommend I start writing in?
Yes, the genre of the movies you have personally enjoyed the most.
If you have any other questions not listed above you are welcome to submit this on my contact me page.
"Setting a good example is a far better way to spread ideals than through force of arms." - Ron Paul