To Be a Screenwriter in New England

This topic seems appropriate for The Script Sages' inaugural blog post. Joe Hughes and Randy Steinberg (The Script Sages) graduated from Boston University's master's program in screenwriting in 1998. Having most of our family and friends in New England neither of us were tempted by the siren song of Los Angeles. We chose to keep our roots here and do our screenwriting here as well. Can it be done? Can one have a successful career in the screen trade, especially as a newcomer, living 3,000 miles from the epicenter of the movie business.

The answer: it's not easy but can be done. There are certainly some things that cannot be accomplished as easily if not living in Los Angeles. The ability to take a meeting with an agent or at a studio needs no explanation. There is no way to reproduce in Boston the ability to be in the mix in Los Angeles, but that doesn't mean you have to pack your bags and relocate.

This is the era of the PDF and overnight delivery. In fact, most managers, agents, and producers accept electronic submissions these days. A great script is a great script, and no one will turn you and your great script away if you don't reside in West Hollywood.

Living in New England maybe you can't bump into that hot Hollywood producer at a party, but there are all sorts of ways to network from distance. There are many websites and directories that can help you make contact with development personnel, agents, and managers.

But you must always keep writing. You're only as good as your last script. Distance might not matter in the screen trade, but if you only have one script to market you might as well be on the moon. Having a body of work is paramount (no pun intended) if you are to get noticed.

Oh, and it doesn't hurt to visit LA once every year or two. Make contacts from distance and send them your material, and, if you can, follow up with a week's visit to Hollywood periodically. Schedule a bunch of meetings and put a face to that great script you wrote. It's not living in LA, but it's the next best thing.

None of this mentions the growing amount of movie production in New England. There's a lot going on locally, and the opportunities for screenwriters in this area are sure to increase in the next few years. Who knows: in a short time people in LA might be asking "if I want to be a screenwriter, should I move to New England?"

Welcome to our blog. We look forward to posting and interacting with everyone in the New England filmmaking community and beyond....

-Randy