Selling a Treatment or Script in other locations besides Los Angeles or New York

The world of trying to sell a script often focuses on Los Angeles and New York City, and for good reason. However, as you write and contemplate selling a script, it might be wise not to overlook some other towns, particularly those with unique or burgeoning film festivals. One, in Boston, will celebrate its 10th year in July 2008. The Roxbury Film Festival for years has carried the tagline, “Celebrating people of color,” but in recent years has branched out to show films focusing on Bosstown locations, as well as how to use MySpace or YouTube to get your story out there. The Festival might make for a nice summer vacation, while at the same time gaining you contacts or insight toward selling a script.

The Roxbury festival attracts filmmakers from the big cities, and also some writers who already have won awards at previous festivals. In recent years the event has scheduled viewings of 50 to 66 shorts and features, as well as discussion panels, an acting workshop, and networking and socializing events. Usually immediately thereafter is the Martha’s Vineyard African-American Film Festival, if you want to extend that vacation and get two experiences in selling a script for the price of a single airfare.

Sell a Script Out of the Country

Broadly, film festivals are arranged to present and showcase films, in one or more theaters or venues, and most occur annually. They can focus on specific types of releases, such as international, a genre, or specific subject. If you are up for international travel to learn more about possibly selling a script, the Edinburgh International Film Festival in Scotland was established in 1947 - the longest continually running film festival in the world. Too often, writers feel bound by their town or country in their quest to sell a script.

Closer than crossing the Atlantic, think Toronto, with its internationally renowned film festival, The Toronto International Film Festival. Inaugurated in 1976, some say now it is the major North American film festival and the most attended worldwide. Toronto’s Hot Docs also is said to be the leading North American documentary film festival. Heading south, there is the Guadalajara International Film Festival in Guadalajara, Mexico, considered among the most important film festivals of Latin America. If you have the resources to travel, these events could broaden your horizon in terms of selling a script or treatment.

Help Selling a Script Closer to Home

The first North American film festival was the Columbus International Film & Video Festival, also known as The Chris Awards, in 1953. Soon thereafter surfaced the San Francisco International Film Festival, started in March 1957 with an emphasis on feature-length dramatic films. This festival helped introduce foreign films to U.S. viewers. Today, some well-known festivals cater to independent films, such as the Sundance Film Festival, WorldFest-Houston in the large Texas city, and the Sonoma Valley Film Festival near San Francisco. For the cost-conscious, some festivals do not charge an entrance fee, such as the Sansevieria Film Festival in Ohio, or the Sicilian Film Festival in Miami.

For experimental films, think Ann Arbor Film Festival, started in 1963 in the Michigan college town. The Seattle International Film Festival is considered a significant fest in the United States. Then there are those focusing on Student films, such as Ivy Film Festival at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, thought of as the biggest student film festival in North America. Again, one does not have to look hard to find opportunities to sell a script outside of New York or Los Angeles.