Screenwriting Websites

[Kiva Wolfe]

I'm a fiction writer who has taken a few screenwriting courses, but I feel I lack the hands-on experience and insight. I hope you will take a moment and share your thoughts on screenwriting websites like InkTips.com, which charge a fee to profile a writer/screenwriter's work.

Are they worth the time of day? Are there any you would recommend over another?

Thanks to everyone in advance.

[IWrite]

Kiva -

There is nothing wrong with inktip - they have a good reputation and it wouldn't hurt you in any way to post on their site - the thing is you need to keep in mind that sites like inktip use pull technology and hollywood like the publishing world is more of a push industry - meaning the vast majority of agents, producers and managers are not going to websites seeking fresh talent - they are inundated with queries and referrals.

[Mac H.]

I can't say I've done a survey of the industry, but I did ask this question of some (very low-level) film producers at the pub once.

The only 'display site' that they had used (browsed) was InkTip - but while they thought it was 'pretty good', nobody had bought a screenplay of it. (They had basically browsed it once or twice out of curiosity. Using someone else's password, I suspect)

They were much more likely to use a script from a friend - someone the funding bodies knew - rather than a total stranger off the 'net.

(Disclaimer: This is here in Aus - where film funding is done quite differently to the US. To put it bluntly - here the film 'industry' is a charity rather than a true 'industry')

Ironically, someone had started a local version of InkTip (with a direct rip-off of the business model etc) and had been advertising it heavily - but none of the locals had heard of it!

IWrite's summary of InkTip seems dead-on.

Mac

[Kiva Wolfe]

Thanks to you both for sharing your insights. You have confirmed my initial opinion of Ink Tip, and it is helpful to know how the film industry typically prefers to conduct business.

I'll shorten my post and save my next question for another thread.