12 Questions For Screenwriting Success

According to Marvin Acuna of the Business Of Show Institute, here are 12 important questions to ask yourself  if you want to adapt and thrive in Neo-Hollywood. 1) Are you evolving with the ever-changing landscape of the entertainment industry? 2) Are you part of a screenwriting forum that is sharing business information and/or relationships? 3) Are you part…

Three Steps to a Killer Query Letter

Marvin Acuna from the Business Of Show Institute lists three basic guidelines to consider when crafting your next query letter: 1) KNOW YOUR MARKET Targeting CAA or any of the top-tier literary representatives as an emerging writer is simply the wrong strategy. They are shaping careers, not inventing them. They are elevating a career, not…

What Does Success Look Like to You?

Marvin Acuna from the Business Of Show Institute states “if you want to be successful it makes sense to model the strategies of the successful”. First and foremost, modeling the strategies of people who are successful in the field that you are pursuing is truly about discovering what success strategies you connect to/with, are prepared…

13 Critical Screenwriting Career Questions

Marvin Acuna from The Business Of Show Institute talks about being part of the industry. Feedback is crucial, and getting it should be no problem in business. Yet most people don’t seek it; they just wait for it. Know how you compare to other screenwriters. Know what the standard is. Become known in the industry….

All Movie Investors Are Not Created Equal

It’s hard enough getting your film financed, but should you say “yes” to everyone that offers? Marvin Acuna from BOSI thinks not. In a tough economy, all capital is created equal, right? Wrong. Even in a credit-starved environment like this one, the source of your money matters. A lot. When it comes to courting angel…

Screenwriter: Artist Or Entrepreneur?

Here is yet another fascinating article by Marvin Acuna from BOSI, answering the ubiquitous dilemma of writers facing an identity crisis. What am I? Artist or business person? The point is, there is no decision to be made. You need to be both to survive. Famed marketing professional, Gary Halbert would often ask audiences at…

Are You Good In A Writers Room?

Marvin Acuna, from The Business Of Show Institute recently interviewed Stephanie Palmer, a former MGM executive, who  wrote a book about maximizing the effectiveness of your business interactions, entitled Good in a Room. 1. Silence is the strongest start of all. Don’t start talking until the decision-maker is ready. I know of one writer who…