PLAYDIGM Entertainment Licensing & Branding

To make a successful brand you will have to do more than just write a good story, be it a short story, novel or screenplay.  Every writer hopes and looks forward to their big break.  Well unless you make it happen, it isn’t going to happen.
So what can you do?

First,  you need an amazing story idea – then write it down.  A story so damn good that everyone wants to read it or hear it told.  That means having a great idea and putting it on paper.  I always explain when I give seminars or am a keynote speaker at conferences and events, start with a short story, two or three pages that will express the basics of the idea, but more importantly, turns your unprotectable idea into something you can copyright.

I recommend the three page short story structure so that you can write Act 1 on page one, Act 2 on page two and Act 3 on the final page.  This gives you the skeleton of the story.  I do this as soon as possible, that way if I talk to anyone about this intellectual property, it is no longer just an idea (which are easily borrowed).

Once you have that, you can expand it into novel format or a screenplay or a comic book/graphic novel, video game story format, etc…   This is where diversifying your original story allows you to sell it into several markets.

I write the screenplay next because it only has to be a maximum of 120 pages.  This script, based on your short story, will be able to be shown once you have the first draft completed – rewritten several times with input from friends and professionals in the industry that you can trust (will not borrow your excellent concept).  If many of these readers point out the same problem or area, then this is a sign to correct or improve or delete that section of your story.  That is why readers screen screenplays at studios and production companies.  This is also a great way to ensure you are ready to submit your best work.

Second, you have to brand yourself by making people, especially industry people, notice and want to know more about you.  AND what you have written about.

By drawing on your past, previous  profession, jobs, interests, you may spark some interest with a person who can lift you from obscurity.  If you have no writing past then it is time to start creating one right now.

Your brand? Who are you right now and what have you done in the past.  How can this bio info be leveraged to make you stand out from all the other writers?

Take a class at a reputable University or College/school.  Co-write with a famous writer.  Write greeting cards or comics or video games or any thing – even a website blog like this.  What ever gets you attention and in the search engines.  That way if some one tries to locate you, they search for your name on the internet and there you are.

If you write two screenplays mention the second one in your query letter as it makes you seem more professional than a one-time script writer.  Then there is the  email/mailing campaign that promotes you and your screenplay.  What should be in a query letter will depend on who it is written for.  I will discuss this in a future post.

The key is to get as much exposure as possible.  Network at events, conferences, trade shows, mingle where other writers hang out or join a writer’s group, meet producers, directors and actors.  If you can, put on a party and invite the elite, if they don’t show, hey you tried.  If they do, make sure they enjoy themselves, that way they will remember you.

There are so many ways to make a brand so don’t limit yourself to staying within the box.  My mother always said, “If you don’t ask… you won’t receive.”  She is right, so go ahead and contact the star or element you need to take the next step.  The worse they can do is say ‘No’.   Robert Ludlum said no to me three times and I still did a deal with the man.

Work with what you have, create the image you want and live the part.  Sure the world’s a stage but you are the writer, write the lead character (you) a really juicy part.  Because, in the end, you only get one life to live = so live it the way you want to and you will be surprised how many doors open if you just keep promoting yourself and have others help you too.

This is the reason stars remain stars – they hire Public Relations firms.  Which is another great idea to help brand yourself if you can afford it.  Otherwise, you are your own PR company.

Cheers and good luck branding your story and yourself!

When I ask creators of entertainment product, "Who is your
target audience?"  Most would reply with consumers of a certain range,
say, 'children 4 to 12' or 'Males 14 and above'. 

I respond with, "Yes, that is your final public target audience
objective to have your product reach, but the REAL initial audience
are buyers of products like yours. Because if you can't convince
them to take your product, the public audience will never be
introduced to your entertainment project."

So, if the true audience for your projects or screenplays are the
producers, studio executives and their other advisers they surround
themselves with. You must ensure that they enjoy the story, packaging
and come to an agreement that the public viewing audience will enjoy
the entertainment product too.

This is true too for products that need to get a buyer to purchase
your product and put it on a shelf so that consumers have the chance
to see and buy it.  Sales representatives, wholesalers, distributors
and others in the chain of marketing.

When you come up with an idea, get opinions on it from the closest
person you know to the immediate buying audience (production crew,
agents, lower management at companies you would love to have read,
review and buy your product).  If they like it, they may hand it off
to someone they know in a better position to get it made.

I personally know of a writer who hands out his screenplays to who
ever will read them and on occasion, after several years, sometimes
someone in the industry becomes interested. Then it is revealed later
that a friend of a friend gave the script to someone else who liked
it and passed it to an assistant producer who handed it to a director
they knew, until finally it was optioned by a producer.  

In the end the story and writing quality drove the product towards
its REAL audience/market - someone who can make the entertainment
product.  So make sure you are writing for these readers.  

This selling draft will need to be directed to producers not the
viewing audience. The screenplay directed to the final target audience
the viewers, will be written from the original version that was sold.
Many rewrites will be done to ensure the end viewers will enjoy the
show.

So look at your entertainment vehicle (script/product) as two parts.
One draft is for selling the script to industry professionals and the
second is for the target public audience.  Kind of a two phase
approach.

Impress the buyers first is the key.

======================================================================

Orders for the FROM THE MIND TO THE MARKET – ebook will be available in 2009. Preorder now by contacting Info@Playdigm.com and for further information. (c) Tuey All Rights Reserved.