The Red List Roadmap Writers Initiative
Are you a writer with a Coverfly Red List ranking screenplay?
Nearly a decade on the industry map, Roadmap Writers has been helping writers hone their craft and find representation. Their latest initiative for writers is not one to pass up, specifically for those writers affected by the sudden closure of Coverfly and their Red List ranking. Roadmap Writers is now offering Red List ranking writers free marketing services, with the hopes of gaining industry exposure and representation.
Are you a writer who has had a Coverfly Red List ranking? Keep reading, as Roadmap Writers co-founder Joey Tuccio shares his tips and insights, from submission procedures to getting noticed by top reps and the industry.
Submission Guidelines and First Steps
Roadmap Writers co-founder, Joey Tuccio, emphasized during our conversation that there is “no money involved, no fee to submit and there are no kickbacks to companies.” With the Coverfly Red List service discontinuing on September 1, it’s an “honor system” based system for Coverfly Red List writer’s submissions to Roadmap Writer’s marketing service.
Writers will submit through the Roadmap Writers website. You will submit your bio, logline, tonal comps, and screenplay.
You may submit more than one screenplay. Again, this is an honor system based submission, and Roadmap asks that you only submit the screenplays that made it in the top 15% of the Coverfly Red List.
Your bio is just as important as your polished screenplay. Tuccio states that your bio should be, “very distinct, very visceral…dives deep into what the writer's brand is.” Writers with a strongly written bio tend to be the writers that get the most requests, says Tuccio.
Not sure if your bio will knock it out of the park? Submit anyway. The Roadmap Writers marketing service team will follow up with you with their suggestions on making sure your bio shines.
To date, Roadmap Writers has received over 4,000 submissions. The submissions that have a tight bio, logline, comps, screenplay and full understanding of what the writer’s brand is, will be the first wave of projects to be sent to hand selected industry execs and reps. “The writers that the bios are just not developed, we'll send them a link to the writers bio workshop, and give them another chance to submit a more polished bio for free, it doesn't cost anything.” Tuccio hosted a writers bio workshop on July 29th where he shared his tips on writing and presenting your bio and focusing on your brand.
Is There a Cut-Off Date?
As of now, there is no deadline date. Tuccio foresees submissions continuing through October. But it’s encouraged to get your material to the marketing team as soon as you are able. There will be a delay in response time, but the team will contact each writer individually.
For those writers in the first wave of exec submissions – you will also receive an update as to which companies and reps your screenplay has been sent to for consideration. This is part of Roadmap Writers full transparency policy.
Hot tip from Joey: If you have a list of production companies and/or reps you believe your project is a perfect fit for, he highly suggests mentioning that during your submission as well. This not only shows you did your “industry homework,” but it can certainly help speed up the submission process for the marketing team. Please note – while Roadmap does have a wide reach and connections, there’s a probability they don’t have a direct connection to the company on your list – but don’t let that deter you!
What Are Reps Looking For?
Tuccio has noticed an interest in more genre scripts, and less dramedy, slice of life focused projects, in say the vein of This Is Us. “If you have a really twisted, weird genre feature…they're really eager to find distinctive, wild, fresh voices,” says Tuccio. If this sounds like you, then take your swing now!
Submit your Red List ranking screenplay(s) to Roadmap Writers here.
Sadie Dean is the Editor of Script Magazine and writes the screenwriting column, Take Two, for Writer’s Digest print magazine. She is also the co-host of the Reckless Creatives podcast. Sadie is a writer and filmmaker based in Los Angeles, and received her Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting from The American Film Institute. She has been serving the screenwriting community for nearly a decade by providing resources, contests, consulting, events, and education for writers across the globe. Sadie is an accomplished writer herself, in which she has been optioned, written on spec, and has had her work produced. Additionally, she was a 2nd rounder in the Sundance Screenwriting Lab and has been nominated for The Humanitas Prize for a TV spec with her writing partner. Sadie has also served as a Script Supervisor on projects for WB, TBS and AwesomenessTV, as well as many independent productions. She has also produced music videos, short films and a feature documentary. Sadie is also a proud member of Women in Film.
Follow Sadie and her musings on Twitter @SadieKDean