Screenwriters Rachel Paterson and Sean Robert Daniels were joined by director Isabelle Seib, and they had a great panel discussion about getting produced and maintaining a career during the 2024 festival. In some ways, no time at all has passed since then, but it can also feel like the entire landscape can change on a dime. Streamers, anyone? Plus, as an American, I suddenly have to make room in my brain for things like “tariffs on movie productions even exist???”
Luckily, there’s some advice that is both concrete and more or less evergreen, which is what I’ll focus on for this post. And the great news is it is all about preparation – which you can do at any time! As Rachel Daniels put it, you have to play to any advantage you’ve got, and as an unknown, the main advantage you have is time. Which is a big mindset switch to make. That time you spend not being paid to write is still incredibly valuable time because you do the preparation to set yourself up for success.
Be Prepared – To Do the Legwork Yourself
It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that getting an agent or manager is the key to getting work. But Rachel made the clear point that the more you already have going on when you seek representation, the better agent you’re likely to attract.
More importantly, getting out there and meeting people is how you build connections with other industry folks. Rachel met someone vital to her career in the line for the loo at a previous LSF event. And that kind of thing only happens if you get away from your keyboard sometimes.
Another important piece of legwork you can already start doing is researching production companies. Seib couldn’t gush enough about the power of IMDB Pro and their company thermometer that tells you which places are trustworthy and how to contact them. She suggests following people on social media and striking up a conversation about their previous work.
Be Prepared – For Meetings (Whether or Not You Have Anything Lined Up)
Researching potential production companies also falls under this heading, but there’s a lot of other things you can be doing. Sean told his tale of woe – he won the Nicholl but was completely unprepared for what came next. His biggest tip was to keep writing the next thing so you don’t end up in his position where people wanted to see more and he had nothing to offer. Even if you get the meeting based on the merit of one script, it might take showing them a few more in order to get the work. So by extension, I’d say the advice is also to keep coming up with ideas, keep thinking about topics and themes and characters you want to explore. A script in the hand is best, but if you have already been ruminating on the topic of revenge, you are going to be better prepared to get hired onto a show where that is the theme.
Rachel also emphasized doing a ton of research with all that “extra time” non-working writers have at their disposal. She was brought into a meeting, told it would be casual and not to worry about prepping. When she arrived, she was very glad she’d ignored that advice and read five books on the subject instead. She showed up, blew them away with her knowledge and passion, and got the job. This makes a lot of sense to me on a visceral level. I have always found the more I learn about a subject, the more emotionally invested I become. Which also means my passion is poured into it, and more likely to come across when I talk about it.
Be Prepared – To Say No (AKA Gamble on Yourself)
Seib never used the word kismet, but she talked a lot about if you are true to yourself and patient, you can find the right opportunity. This doesn’t mean she thinks you should passively wait for success to find you – far from it. You still have to find the opportunities and do the legwork to be the right fit.
Her message had more to do with holding out for projects that will take your career in the direction you want it to go. (Which first involves having a clear idea of what kind of a career you want to have.) For instance, she tells the story of directing an episode of a murder mystery show and doing it well. But then all she was getting were scripts for the same kind of show. She needed that foot in the door opportunity to get her first credit, but she was not at all interested in locking herself into the procedural box. She had to have the courage to turn down work that didn’t resonate with her in order to have the time and energy to find the opportunities that would actually move her forward.
Tune in Next Week for More Great Tips!
The LSF Replay series is still going strong. You can watch them all during our live replays, including the May 15 sessions about Navigating Development with Clive Frayne. Find out more.
But did you know that every person who bought a badge to the 2025 festival or who pre-buys for 2026, you can get ALL of the sessions on demand? We’re talking YEARS of amazing advice and inspiration from incredible, talented people. Sign up now!
Want to connect with Alison? You can find her on X (@A_Weaverdyck), Instagram (@alisonweaverdyck) or visit www.Alisonweaverdyck.com and her Coverfly account is HERE.
