Sunday, July 15, 2007

The Limit - email titles

How to entitle script inquiry e-mails is something I haven't seen written about in any scriptwriting book or blog. So, naturally, after working on a submission letter for the last week this has had me puzzling for about the last hour.

The challenge is to get a person you don't know to open an e-mail about something they've never heard about before.

After thinking it through, here are some of the qualities that were important to me:

- Short (seven words or less - so they can read the entire title before opening the email)
- Not a question the producer can say ‘No’ to at the just-reading-the-subject-line stage (for instance, "Can I submit a feature film script to you?")
- If it's a choice between mentioning genre or the title, I'll go with the genre
- I prefer a functional subject line over a humourous one

I came up with about 15 options, and after running them through The Prioritizer (which gave me a few more ideas), this is what I had (in order from favourite to least):

  • Script inquiry about a vigilante thriller (the winning title)
  • Script submission inquiry
  • Inquiry about feature film submission
  • Script submission inquiry for a vigilante thriller
  • Thriller script seeks producer
  • Thriller script, seeking producer
  • Finished script seeks producer
  • I'd like to submit a feature film script to you
  • Can I submit a feature film script to you
  • Are you accepting script submissions?
  • Have script, need producer
  • I have a script I'd like you to read
  • The Limit - a completed script for your perusal
  • Would you like to read a script?
Other, unranked ideas:

  • Submission inquiry for a vigilante thriller
  • Inquiry about submitting scripts
  • Submitting a feature script to you
  • Inquiry about your script policy
  • Gauging interest in a feature film
  • I’d like to submit a script to you

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

script inquiry FOR a vigilante thriller?

vigilante thriller script inquiry?

vigilante thriller for sale?

hix said...

Weird. "script inquiry for a vigilante thriller" was my original phrasing for what I eventually went with.

I changed it to 'about' because I figured you inquire about something, or on behalf of it - not for. What do you reckon?

BTW: I've heard back from the producer, and they want to take a look at it.

This is How I Roll said...

I was going to suggest: Vigilante thriller script submission but it looks like it doesn't matter.

"submission" seems more logical than "inquiry" in my mind - and suggests that it's already done (so you don't have to put 'complete' in the subject).

But like I said ... looks like it's a moot point. Congrats on getting the producer's attention.