Why I Do This

There are more people making movies today than ever before, but it’s harder and harder to get a deal to make movies anywhere – at the major studios, the mini-majors, or even viable independent companies. There are more new film distribution outlets as well but more unsold films, and more films that have been sold but are underperforming commercially, than ever. And so it’s more important than ever for filmmakers to find ways to separate their projects from the herd.

But where can a filmmaker go for the kind of story development help that will really make a difference? Sadly, the answer is pretty much nowhere. Script-reading services, how-to books and DVDs, and live seminars have their place, but they won’t give you the in-depth, personalized, process-oriented input that will take your project from concept to the big screen. That’s why I founded Silvestri Storyworks.

Having analyzed and developed movie and TV projects for almost every kind of company in the business today, I provide filmmakers with the artistic and commercial guidance that they need to successfully navigate the modern motion picture landscape. And whether you’re on the lot at a studio or working out of your basement anywhere in the world, concept and story development is the first and in many ways the most crucial aspect of the filmmaking process. 

Moviemakers who believe that, “The script is the easy part,” as one person once said to me only to see his project come to a sorry end, are doomed to failure. On the other hand, every successful filmmaker I’ve ever met has admitted at one point or another – sometimes grudgingly, but more often euphorically – “Everything starts with the script!”