I would be shocked to hear that a porn studio has ever purchased a spec script.

-T.C.

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-T.C.

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Good luck!

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Worst case scenario, it's a learning experience.

Having a finished product to show for your efforts may not be proof of your marketability, but it is at least proof of your ability to get something made rather than just talked about.

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Edited by - flash on 2/12/2005 12:00:07 PM

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I even talked to Mrs. Buttman about it and Tricia assures me that all of the directors who work for EA do their own stuff. only rarely do they even take suggestions, let alone an entire script written by someone else.

too bad too because I had a killer teleplay worked out for The Fashsionistas 2: Ready To Wear .

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1. Do NOT submit spec scripts unless you have a personal relationship with a director at that company or are a known quantity in this business. Otherwise, it is not entirely unlikely that you will eventually see some version of your script, or ideas, on screen credited to someone else. Be prepared if you do make a sale to have to share screenwriting credit with the director.

2. Expect it to be a losing proposition, financially. At anywhere from $200 to $1000 (and you can' count the writers who make $1000 or more per script on one hand, even after that unfortunate industrial accident) even if you end up in the loop and writing one or two scripts a month, it's a losing proposition. That fee, btw, INCLUDES rewrites, unless you're dealng with a particularly decent and sympathetic director.

3. Don't expect any respect or props from the company. While that rare decent director may treat you well, to the company you don't exist. When I wrote a major production house's huge hit of a couple years ago, not only did the director, who went up on the AVN Awards stage several times to accept its many awards, thank everybody BUT me all the way down to the caterer, I was invisible to the company itself in all regards after they had the script in their hand -- until they called looking for another one.

4. Don't expect the director to "get it" or for the finished product to resemble your work. The only dependable exception to this rule in my experience has been Michael Raven.

5. DO familarize yourself with Playboy TV's standards & practices regarding themes and content, as this is most likely the market where the company will be selling their video. Though the standards swing back and forth somewhat according to the general temperature of the culture at the moment, many themes and dramatic situations that you wouldn't think twice about including in an R-rated or even PG-13 feature are verboten.

For instance, when the Cambria List came out back around the turn of the century, one of its suggestions that the top companies took very seriously for awhile was that any themes involving prostitution were unacceptable. Sounds nutty, I know, but I had to entirely toss out the script I was about to direct for Vivid, and substitute it with another. With A.G. Gonzalez announcing a new frontal act on smut, I expect Cambria will be racking up quite a few more of those very expensive hours coming up with new advice for the industry in how to absolutely avoid prosecution.

6. If all this doesn't daunt you, here's a couple of hints: DON'T make the script dialog-heavy; in particular stay away from words over three syllables (two, if you wanna stay on the safe side) and individual lines of more than 25 words or so. There are less performers than ever who are able or even interested in handling much in the way of dialog, and the time alloted in the production schedule to even the most popular director is not enough to coax the performers through it.

Also, make everything REALLY OBVIOUS in terms of character development and subtext. Sophistication and subtlety will not make it to the screen. Unless you love to cringe, do not create characters who enjoy the benefits of a college education, as hardly any of the cast will have one. Remember this and think twice before including that forensic pathologist, schoolteacher, corporate CEO, molecular biologist or, for that matter, professional writer.

Constantly think of the kind of budgets we're talking about; keep the number of different sets to a minimum, don't write scenes that occur outdoors in urban areas (expensive to film), try not to use more than one character that doesn't have sex (though having one non-sex role that's pivotal can be helpful, as directors are free to cast actual actors for those roles), and think twice before including action sequences or special make-ups or effects that can't be done in post, because of time and money issues.

Finally, keep it within 20 to 30 pages. Otherwise it won't be read, or even if it is and is bought, that's about how much of it will make it to the screen. Also, make sure to include a sex-scene breakdown (five to seven is the average requirement) with the script for easy reference, as well as cast of characters and locations.

best,
david aaron clark

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Sex Scene: Male 1 and Female 2

Or is it more detailed?

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Sometimes I think a little more choreography would improve porn features a lot.

If you're interested in writing erotic you may find this site useful.

http://www.erotica-readers.com/

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