Submitting Screenplays

Due to the adverse taxation and regulatory climate in the United States, we are no longer seeking screenplays for US production.  We are pre-reviewing screenplays for a foreign associate, but only in the following category.

LONG FORM CATEGORY for THEATRICAL OR TELEVISION RELEASE

• A minimum of 90 pages in length
• Not previously produced
• Targeted to domestic and international theatrical release.  NOT targeted to MOWs, DVD or web distribibution.
• Target production budget is $4M.  High limit production budget is $6M.  Therefore, must be produce-able with a minimum, or no, CGI and a reasonable number of locations
• Fully-compensated once production is green-lit.  (That means that there is no compensation possible prior to signing investors).
• Must be capable of being shot outside of the United States.
• Genre and themes
  • Dramatic thrillers with an emphasis on suspense involving espionage and/or conspiracies
  • Thrillers involving anarchy, revolution or organized crime
  • If you are comfortable with the genre, but uncomfortable with a espionage theme, two members of our staff have extensive experience with the US intelligence community and can assist you with technical advice or story fragments.
  • Production values that contain dark humor, violence and 'R' rated sexual scenes are acceptable.

It will typically require between four and ten months for us to build a business plan around the selected screenplay.  The screenplay and the business plan serve as the basis for approaching the investor community.  It may require between one and four years to obtain investment funding for this picture.  The screenwriter(s) will not receive any payments (including option money) until at least 80% of the investment funds have been subscribed.  Clearly, the writer is free to option his or her screenplay to any other party until such time as we generate an option and deal memorandum.

If your screenplay has not been published or previously posted for open viewing on the Internet, we will send you a submission release which must be signed and submitted with the screenplay.  Or you may download the blank release form in .pdf here.  We WILL sign a non-disclosure agreement to protect your interests, and WILL destroy any and all of our copies at your request, if we elect not to produce your screenplay.  (Most producers will not make such an agreement to do so).

Please make sure that you include your screen name with your contact information in your email to us.

Screenplays must be submitted in readable form.  That means it must have a cover sheet with the title of the screenplay, the year written, the author's name, and the author's contact information.  The author is responsible for paying copyright registration fees and making the copyright deposition.

Screenplays that are full of typographical or grammar errors (not required by the play) reflect poorly on the author's reliability as a potential business partner, and could be cause for rejection.

We encourage electronic submission in .pdf, .rtf or .doc format to:  screenplays@tradecraftfilms.com.  Do not submit in proprietary formats such as Movie Magic Screenwriter or Final Draft.

We will respond to every submittal, even if your screenplay is not selected for production.

Questions are encouraged.  We attempt to answer every email every day, although it may not be until late at night.

All the best,

 Stephen Stough