InkTip
InkTip is a screenplay facilitation company founded in 2000 by Jerrol LeBaron. InkTip’s most recognized service connects screenplays with production companies and representatives (agents and managers) through both its website and publication, InkTip Magazine.
The company is also known for weekly e-newsletters that are sent to both writers and entertainment professionals. The writer version contains calls for script submissions from production companies whereas the entertainment professional version contains loglines from the website’s index for producers and literary representatives to consider.
Writers can submit script pitches based on the newsletter leads or list their screenplays on the website, InkTip.com. Entertainment professionals browse script listings on the site and can view loglines and synopses, as well as download scripts.
History
InkTip initially launched itself as Writers’ Script Network and offered screenwriters the opportunities to pitch their screenplays in a secure location. According to LeBaron, approximately 1,700 production companies formed the initial network of potential script buyers.
In 2002, Daily Variety announced that Columbia Pictures had picked up the script for “Rapid” in a deal valued at $275,000 against $575,000 after being read on InkTip.com. The screenwriter's manager, who he met through InkTip, negotiated for him a three-picture deal with Miramax/Dimension Films.
Writers' Script Network adopted the InkTip moniker in 2003. Later that year, film producer and literary manager Marvin V. Acuna of Acuna Entertainment stated that he signed five writers from InkTip. Members previously accessing www.writersscriptnetwork.com were directed to www.InkTip.com.
InkTip Today
InkTip is not an agency and does not accept commissions from any deals made through scripts or writers . Instead, InkTip promotes scripts and writers to facilitate film and television productions and to establish relationships between writers and agents, managers and producers. According to IMDb.com, InkTip is credited with screenplay facilitation credit on 53 films (as of January 12, 2009).
Entertainment professionals must qualify for membership by providing references and having a body of work listed on IMDb.com. After this evaluation period, qualified professionals are able to access scripts in the website's index and contact writers for potential representation or script option.
The site's index is password-protected and tracks activity by entertainment professionals including script downloads and synopsis viewings. These records are also available to writers, leaving them a trail of interested parties. Only qualified entertainment professionals have access to writers' materials. If a writer has the intention of producing scripts or picking up writers for representation, the writer must first qualify as an entertainment professional. Otherwise, that writer does not have access to other writers' materials.
According to IMDb.com, InkTip is credited with "screenplay facilitation credit" on 53 films (as of January, 2009)