Today we’d like to introduce you to Wendy Kram.
Hi Wendy, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I got started by simply having a love of stories and starting writing at the age of five to express my feelings. As I grew older, I found myself gravitating more and more to books, wonderful plays, and movies. I had the good fortune of living near New York City and having parents who loved theater, culture, and the arts. We would attend Broadway Shows, New York City Ballet or touring dance companies such as Alvin Ailey once a month. I grew up in a household listening to Rogers & Hammerstein, Wagner and watching Leonard Bernstein and Julia Child on PBS. At age 13, my father turned me on to Lawrence Oliver’s Hamlet. From that point on, I became even more engrossed in literature, theater, and film. To this day, I consider Shakespeare to be one of my greatest teachers when it comes to dramatic writing, character development, dialogue, and subtext. Tennessee Williams and Eugene O’Neill were also great teachers to me. I studied their work and even got to meet Tennessee Williams before he died, as I had been an apprentice at the prestigious Williamstown Theater Festival when they performed a tribute of his greatest works.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely not a smooth road. As a producer and executive, you work hard on projects, and then random things can happen that are beyond your control, such as a project being ready to go when a new regime steps in and purges everything their predecessors had in development. I can think of so many times this has happened to me, including the film MAD MONEY, which I had set up with MGM. Calli Khouri was directing, and it was on the verge of a greenlight when MGM went up for sale, and all their assets became frozen. The project sat on the shelf for five years. Fortunately, the head of MGM, who had initially acquired the project, formed a new company and made this his first acquisition and release. It wound up starring Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah, and Katie Holmes.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I work with writers to help them elevate their scripts to increase their chances of selling. I am up to speed with current trends and buying needs because I work with executives at studios, production companies, streaming providers, agents, managers, actors, and directors on a daily basis. What sets me apart — As a script consultant, I don’t do general overviews. Instead, I provide granular, detailed notes based on my consistent interactions with industry professionals, understanding what they respond to and making them want to option material and what elements turn them away. Moreover, I specialize in packaging — identifying the production companies, studios, networks, streaming providers, filmmakers, and actors that can be a right fit for specific material. I have a proven track record securing high six-figure deals for clients and attaching A-list talent to projects.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Belief in material, the artist, the courage of my convictions, not backing down if I believe in something strongly, fearlessness, keen insights about how best to position projects to garner interest and attention, ability to listen, and fight for what I believe in.
I will also be honest if I don’t feel I can.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.la4hire.com
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=KSZfgB5cOPk
