NUMBERS ATTRACT: There is much truth to the idiom, “There is strength in numbers.” Used to describe how a group of people has more influence or power than one person, it is the reason why political parties, labor unions, armies, tribes, and even gangs come to be created. As a generality, people are attracted to numbers, to a plurality of anything which tends to stand out because of its total volume, as opposed to singular items that do not stand out because of its singularity. Hence, by listing their script synopsis as part of the ForesT screenplay database, a writer may have a slightly greater chance of being seen by occasional site visitors, who will be attracted to the fact that at one onsite location, a bevy of script descriptions can be viewed.

ECONOMIC SENSE: The fact is most screenwriters have not written more than a few screenplays. Many have written just one. That one script that reflects the great story that they poured their heart and soul into to write. So for the typical screenwriter, promoting their script online seems like a good idea until they realize the costs for building their own website – purchasing a domain name, paying for a hosting company, and buying a web content management system – doesn’t seem cost beneficial given there may be just a few scripts to promote, and that these costs will have to be renewed, at least annually. Instead, by becoming part of the ForesT database, a screenwriter can publicize their scripts at no cost at all.

SCRIPT SECURITY: All writers are concerned about protecting their intellectual properties. They must balance their desire for promoting their scripts while at the same time assuring that those they share their scripts with do not end up stealing their story or even the script itself. ForesT screenplays understands this. No, it doesn’t operate an escrow service between writers and any interested producer, but it also doesn’t get in between either party by requiring that scripts be submitted in order to appear in the database. In fact, the only thing that is listed is the synopsis itself, and whether or not a script is shared with anyone is a decision left solely with the writer. Then, only if a sale results, does the writer pay a finder’s fee of 5%.

FAST RESPONSE: Upon a writer correctly completing its application form, ForesT commits to uploading a script synopsis within 24 hours. It also will immediately respond to all inquiries, whether from a producer inquiring about a script, or from a writer asking anything of ForesT, or its parent company, Yellow Brick Studio. All inquiries made to ForesT go through YBS, and can either come through phone calls or emails made to its contact representative, or via its contact form. But however the inquiry is received, a response – including notifying a writer of what an interested party is asking – will be responded to within a 24 hour period. The success of ForesT is contingent on the success of the writers in its database, so prompt service is guaranteed.

LOW FEES: The best financial arrangements involve no up front risk of capital and payment for services occurs only if a sale is successful. Paying a lawyer by contingency, rather than a fixed hourly rate, takes the financial risk off of the plaintiff, for payment is paid only if the law suit is successful. A store owner who agrees to a consignment contract pays for the product only if it sells. Salespersons who work for a real estate company working on commission do not cost the agency anything until they bring in a home sale, from which they are paid a percentage of the price sold. Similarly, ForesT does not charge writers anything until an actual sale of the script is made, and even then are charged the incredibly low fee of 5% of the gross sale.

ONLINE VISIBILITY: Most creative spirits know very little about how to promote themselves. It matters little if the great American screenplay has been written if it remains in a folder stuffed in a desk drawer. Today in our cyber world, something that is posted online can be viewed by anyone on the planet who has a computer and access to the Internet. By listing their script with ForesT, writers at least can have an online description of their scripts to which they point their own marketing efforts to. Sure, a greater online presence would be to have a website and consistently promoting the script through social media. But the operative words are, “Will they?” A ForesT listing is a quick, low maintenance way of promoting scripts online immediately.

NARRATIVE CONTROL: A good, explanatory description of the script is imperative to draw interest about a script, and no one knows better about the scripts than the writers themselves. So writers are free to describe their scripts in their own words, and can do so in any fashion. While the majority of synopses in the database range in length from 150 to 250 words, writers are free to describe their scripts as they desire, including entire script treatments (though not recommended). The key to writing a good script description is to make sure that the narrative adequately explains the genre of the script (e.g. drama, comedy, romance, thriller, etc.), what the story is about, who is the hero, what is the challenge, and why the script needs to be read.

SELF MARKETING: On the surface, it doesn’t sound like a great service if one has to do it themself. But it is. By listing their description, a writer has done a great thing – they have put it somewhere for people to see. Now, the rest is up to them. Suffice to say, there is no magic bullet to getting the word out. But because they took the first step, writers typically will find that it will induce them to take more steps. They now can let the world know that they: a) have a great script; b) have a link to a description about it; and c) have a contact if there is any interest. In essence, they have done what every motivational speaker says is the key to success. They have decided to do something about it. Actively marketing their script will inevitably follow.

INTERMEDIARY SERVICES: A writer’s own marketing will likely result in interested parties contacting them directly. But should someone reviewing the database happen to show an interest in a script, ForesT will immediately notify the writer and provide the interested party’s contact information. While ForesT merely posts the script information in its database and does not serve as a writer’s agent, if asked, it may also assist in whatever capacity it can to help the writer land the deal. This may include, but not necessarily be limited to, inquiring on behalf of the writer the nature and scope of the producer’s production, what is the proposed budget, and based on obtaining this information, providing a recommendation for the script purchase price.

CREATIVE ASSISTANCE: While ForesT allows writers full freedom to write their own script synopses and to provide eye-catching thumbnail images, sometimes writers may actually want assistance in crafting a compelling description as well as in finding just the right image that can sufficiently pique the curiosity of someone perusing the database so that the reviewer will actually click on the image to review the background information. Truth is, while writers often have no problem writing a hundred pages, they sometimes have difficulty summarizing their story in a few hundred words. If asked, ForesT can assist in creating just the right description that provides a sufficient overview of the writer’s story while not giving away the entire storyline.