“Mark Wahlberg taking ‘Prisoners’”… and an offer

Hollywood Reporter with this today to inspire every single aspiring screenwriter:

One of the hottest scripts in Hollywood right now?

It’s a dark thriller from a writer who just signed with a major talent agency two weeks ago — but has the attachment of Mark Wahlberg and the interest of nearly every major studio in town.

The previously unknown Aaron Guzikowski, a Brooklyn native who flew out to Los Angeles just a few weeks ago and signed with Endeavor, is behind “Prisoners,” a project said to have echoes of “The Silence of the Lambs” and “Seven.”

And how did Mr. Guzikowski get to this penultimate moment in his life?

Guzikowski was noticed two years ago by management company Madhouse Entertainment, which then worked to develop this script through dozens of iterations (the company also will produce).

A: He came up with a great story concept.
B: He found someone inside the industry to take an interest in him.
C: He worked his ass off revising the script.
And now?

Studios, meanwhile, have been clamoring for rights the past few days, but Endeavor is keen on attaching a director before making a sale. A director is expected to be attached next week.

And a rags-to-riches tale may continue to be written for a long time after that.

Good for Mr. Guzikowski!
But what about you?

You can control A: Coming up with a great story concept.
You can control C: Working your ass off to revise the script.
But what about B: Finding someone inside the industry to take an interest in you?

Well, if Spielberg isn’t your next door neighbor or your brother doesn’t work for CAA, there’s always… me. I know agents. Managers. Producers.

If you have a great script… and by great, I mean great… I’ll consider reading your material. Then get your script to an appropriate Hwood person.

Query me by email:

scottdistillery@gmail.com

Provide a one-paragraph description of your story.

If I like your story, I’ll probably request the first 15 pages. If I like that, I’ll probably request the entire script.

But be advised: I am only interested in commercially viable scripts. 

What do I mean by “commercially viable”?

It can be a big mainstream popcorn movie. Or a mainstream independent movie. But it has to be a story that has a strong commercial hook.

So there’s my offer. For the time being.

Now go write a great script.

UPDATE: In comments, Nicholas asked how long my ‘door will be open’ to consider reading scripts. Circumstances can change as I’m juggling my ‘real’ job at Trailblazer Studios, teaching, blogging, writing, etc, but I’d say that the door is open through May. I’ll be teaching a 10-week online screenwriting course starting in June, then a 15-week on-site course at UNC beginning in August, so let’s say this: I’m will accept email inquiries up to Memorial Day weekend, Friday, May 29th.

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