Last year, I watched a YouTube video interview with a working screenwriter who said it took him ten years to make a feature film. What a coincidence; that’s how long it took me to make a deal for Purgatory Station, recently released on Amazon Prime, Fandango, and Tubi. And when I say a feature, I don’t mean a microbudget indie that plays on the festival circuit. I mean a film with a legitimate distributor that gets it onto proven streaming networks. At the risk of immodesty, this was a goal I worked hard to achieve.

During the previous ten years, I wrote over fifty feature screenplays and teleplays, signed eighteen option and right-to-shop deals, and worked with a boutique agent and prominent agency, who produced notable films and television shows that did little to further my career. Every other agreement I made was without the aid of a talent agent. I currently have no agency deal, yet I have two producers (one, a long-term associate) pitching four screenplays and one TV pilot. I’m also working on another screenplay for LAMA Entertainment, the company that made Purgatory Station. The film's producer and star, Angus Benfield, plans to shoot this new project in the fall of 2025.

So how did I get a feature created with established actors like Bob Gunton (Shawshank Redemption, Royal Pains), Angus Benfield (The Keeper, Inventing Anna), and Sean O’Brien (Olympus Has Fallen and Princess Diaries)?

ENCOUNTERING THE THREE U’s

Most aspiring screenwriters begin by creating spec screenplays, often in a popular genre like horror or comedy. After they’ve completed one or preferably more feature scripts, they search for pitching channels, such as lists of literary agents and managers, many of which have been heavily mined by thousands of other writers. However, many newer creatives encounter the dreaded U’s. Unsolicited material from unrepped screenwriters is unwelcome by most established production companies and literary agents. After multiple rejections, unproduced writers can use platforms that charge a fee for written or live video pitches. For example, Stage 32 offers this service, as mentioned earlier, which gets screenwriters access to industry people they would otherwise not be able to reach. Click here to explore Stage 32's Pitch Services.

However, before newer scribes go this route, I highly advocate researching their chosen executive and carefully reading what genres of material they’ve produced and what they say they want. The better their production record, the better your odds of success. A primary goal in pitching is trying to meet a need. That can include an OWA (Open Writing Assignment) you think is a good fit for your spec or a Work-For-Hire, where the producer is looking for a specific topic, such as a biopic about Clark Gable.

THE PATH OF PURGATORY

Purgatory Station was created when I found a low-budget production company looking for a single-location horror film. These filmmakers didn’t love the story and wanted changes I disagreed with, so I moved on. During the following years, I became a prolific writer and made other deals for different screenplays while occasionally pitching Purgatory Station. Seven years later, and after pitching Purgatory Station many times, Angus contacted me, and we made a deal for him to option, produce, and star in the feature film. Shortly thereafter, Angus also optioned my comedy screenplay, Dirty Real.

THE PROCESS

I gained experience working with ten other producers before collaborating with Angus and was pleasantly surprised when he requested only minor changes to the story. As an experienced film and television actor, Angus understood the challenge and opportunity of playing the slightly crooked antagonist Joe Fortune and that he would have to carry much of the movie inside the back of a semi-truck trailer. Before casting the film, Angus conferred with me on the other key role of antagonist, and I was thrilled we could secure the distinguished actor Bob Gunton, who recently made the list of the 15 Most Hated Characters of All Time, playing Warden Norton in The Shawshank Redemption.

Purgatory Station was shot in January of 2023. With many other films on their slate, LAMA finished editing the movie this summer, found distribution, and released it this November. So, it was fifteen months before I saw a rough cut to allay my trepidation after a first-time feature director, Ethan Hegle, made story changes I didn’t like. Upon reading them, I called Angus and told him the alterations were 1) unauthorized and 2) diminished my vision of the story. Angus patiently listened to my discontent, but I’m pretty sure I strained our relationship.

THE REVELATION

I stayed in contact with Angus, and in July of this year, I asked him to send me the film's rough cut. Within five minutes, I loved what I saw and realized that Ethan did a superb job directing. By the film's end, what I saw exceeded my expectations, and I believe the talent did a fabulous job realizing my original vision. Moreover, Ethan’s changes significantly improved several plot points and captured a neo-noir vibe that enhanced the movie. I contacted Angus the following day to congratulate him on his excellent job. Additionally, I asked him to convey my apologies to Ethan for my pushback on the changes, and the finished film proved my trepidation and discontent were unfounded.

So, when making a feature, writers should expect that filmmakers and actors will want to put their stamp on the work. Furthermore, although screenwriting is typically a solitary event, making films is not.

MAKING FEATURES

If your goal is to make feature films, here are six things to consider:

1. Selling screenplays is a numbers game; the more you pitch, the better your odds of success.
2. There’s a great deal of mythology about getting films made. This includes the belief that you must live in Los Angeles to succeed. With the advent of video meetings, accessibility to information, and a rapidly changing film business, you can live anywhere and still connect with filmmakers if you have talent and hustle.
3. If you sign with a talent agent, it’s not certain you’ll make movies. Getting an agent can be a milestone in a writer’s career but doesn’t guarantee success. More importantly, a thick skin, a good output, a relentless obsession with success, luck, and timing are just as important. Furthermore, be a screenwriter/agent until such time as someone with equal passion for your work wants that job. And if they do, be sure they have the requisite contacts before you sign any agreements.
4. If you’re having little success sending cold queries, don’t be afraid to invest money in script listing and pitching services. I met Angus using a paid service, which led me to get Purgatory Station produced. But when you go this route, spend considerable time vetting your targeted agents and producers.
5. If you have artistic differences with a filmmaker, sticking to your creative guns is okay. Conversely, if you’re proven incorrect, put your ego aside and give your collaborators the affirmation they deserve. I did this with Purgatory Station; consequently, my relationship with Angus is ongoing.
6. If you’re blessed enough to make films, it’s inevitable that your collaborators will offer suggestions and changes to the screenplay. And it’s okay to push back if you disagree with the alterations. However, don’t hold too tightly to your work without first accepting that a good collaborator can improve your script and make a better film.

Let's hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Got an idea for a post? Or have you collaborated with Stage 32 members to create a project? We'd love to hear about it. Email Ashley at blog@stage32.com and let's get your post published!

Please help support your fellow Stage 32ers by sharing this on social. Check out the social media buttons at the top to share on Instagram @stage32 , Twitter @stage32 , Facebook @stage32 , and LinkedIn @stage-32 .