47. Is Your Story Idea Commercial?

The Storyteller’s Mission with Zena Dell Lowe

EPISODE DESCRIPTION:
This week Zena explores the viability of a project by asking the question, is it Commercial? We’re snotty when it comes to this. But commerciality means mass appeal – which we should want. Here are some ways to test whether or not your story idea is commercial.

1.) Name recognition – is this screenplay based on anything famous? A trend or compic book hero? Something popular in pop culture? A historical event that got a lot of air play?

2.) Is a “Tent-pole” genre (a story that tends to sell because it’s got something supporting it already)? This makes it less risky for the powers that be. For example:

a. Thrillers (small casts, lots of suspense, person-to-person violence)

b. Action adventures (car chases, things that blow up)

c. Comedies (romantic or broad) – these stories tend to sell.

3.) Previously published material – If something actually made it to book form, then Hollywood will give it a good once over. A book means that somebody actually saw some merit in the project and was willing to take a risk on it.

4.) Holiday material – A tie to Christmas or Thanksgiving? Always looking for Holiday fare.

5.) Young adult market – Largest demographic of movie goers is 16-35 year olds. Remarkably undiscriminating in their tastes. A good date movie is always commercial.

6.) True Story

7.) Urgency of Your Story – Why does this story have to be told? Why does it have to be told now? Even with truth-based dramas, there needs to be a justification for telling it now.

8.) Is it Visual? The most commercial stories are almost always visual.

9.) What is the Budget? This is a particularly important consideration for screenwriters.

10.) Are You the Best One to Tell This Story? Not every person can tell every story. You may be too close to it, unfamiliar with the world, or not good at writing women and it’s a woman’s piece. You may be the person to create the idea, but find another writer to tell it.

UP NEXT
Next week, we will continue this series on how to find the right story by diving into genre considerations.
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QUESTIONS OR TOPIC REQUESTS?

If you have a question about this or any other episode, or if you have a specific topic that you would like Zena to address, click on the link below to leave a voicemail recording with your problem, question, or issue.

https://www.speakpipe.com/ZenaDellLowe

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Due to Covid, the launch of The Storyteller’s Mission website and online classes will now be pushed back for a few weeks. However, you can still go to www.thestorytellersmission.com to sign up for our FIRST ACCESS EMAIL LIST so you’ll be the first to hear about any new classes once they become available for registration.

SPECIAL THANKS

The Storyteller’s Mission with Zena Dell Lowe would like to thank composer Carla Patullo for the original music she graciously permits us to use in the intro and outro of this podcast. To find out more about this amazing talent, go to www.carlapatullo.com

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