Agent coma
- Thread starter p3anut
- Start date
Randall_Oelerich
Veteran
Producers. Bypass the agents, go directly to the Producers / Prodcos, their receptionists, their Readers; forget all the bull**** about needing an agent. More on all this like I said on Bill's audio CD. I completely agree about having an agent, or manager, or entertainment attorney once you have an interested buyer-- I am leaning towards an entertainment attorney. Getting a manager is easy, an alternative to an agent, and lends credibility when sending queries/pitches to Prodcos.
Producers want great scripts. The whole process is designed to be a gauntlet, to make it very hard for scripts to get into the hands of producers, because 99.9% of scripts are not great scripts, not worth a prodco gambling tens of millions to produce. I don't blame producers at all for making it hard, I would too if so much junk came my way. IMHO the key is write a great script, not a good script but a great script, then use guerella marketing techniques to get your pitch/query/script into the hands of the producers.
Producers want great scripts. The whole process is designed to be a gauntlet, to make it very hard for scripts to get into the hands of producers, because 99.9% of scripts are not great scripts, not worth a prodco gambling tens of millions to produce. I don't blame producers at all for making it hard, I would too if so much junk came my way. IMHO the key is write a great script, not a good script but a great script, then use guerella marketing techniques to get your pitch/query/script into the hands of the producers.
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EJ Pennypacker
Well-known member
1) You need an agent when YOU ARE READY (i.e. you have the chops to write a concept that is either Oscar worthy (indie) or box-office gold (high-concept).
2) Best way to get an agent, is to get a manager first, who will hook you up with an agent.
EJ
2) Best way to get an agent, is to get a manager first, who will hook you up with an agent.
EJ
JonathanLB
Carbonite Member
Yeah...
I actually lucked into finding a literary agent when I was 18 years old, still in high school, and I had sent out a query letter to 50 agents, with a proposal also ready for anyone who said they were interested (and I had the full book), then I got I think about 6-7 "yes" responses. I sent proposals to those agents. In the meantime, a friend of mine knew a rather big-name literary agent, and had me forward the proposal to this agent. In fact, his secretary (evidently) had rejected my query letter initially, so he was in the "no" pile. The agent read my 60 page proposal in 4 days, which is basically unheard of, was impressed I was only 18, and requested the full book. Within a week of sending him the book, he had read it, loved it, and sent me an agency contract. This agent represents Leonard Maltin and a number of other major fiction writers as well, one of the top 5 agents (by gross income) in the nation. It was just basically connections, and quality of work, that got me signed with him.
Things ultimately didn't work out, though, for the simple reason listed above -- they don't make money until you make money, and you have to be writing viable commercial work for that to happen. The best way to find agents, this is what I heard when writing books myself (and that it was tougher to find an agent than to find a publisher), is if you can have a deal on the table, it's easy to get an agent. It's like free money for them. So if you had an offer from a publisher for a $25,000 advance let's say, and no agent, then you would just basically call up agents and tell them this is the deal, you want someone to negotiate the terms for you and seal the deal. It's 15% for them without any legwork to find a publisher -- there is already money on the table. Same with lots of other things, screenwriting, directing, etc.
JonathanLB is so right! When you are making it happen then they want to ride your success. The way I got interest was a simple query when I was shooting my own film. Here is the entire 2 line query I sent.
"The financing, cast and crew are in place. We start shooting "Textbook Charlie" on August 3rd."
That is all I sent them along with my contact info. Out of the top 10 agencies...William Morris, UTA and ICM all contacted me. I wasn't asking them for anything...I was making something happen and they were glad to get on board in case it worked. The film sucked, but I can now submit just about anything to them and they will look at it. And this is after I had a commercial agent at William Morris and they canned me for pushing my scripts at them.
So go out and make it happen and they will be stalking you. Ask them to help you and they will kick you to the curb.
"The financing, cast and crew are in place. We start shooting "Textbook Charlie" on August 3rd."
That is all I sent them along with my contact info. Out of the top 10 agencies...William Morris, UTA and ICM all contacted me. I wasn't asking them for anything...I was making something happen and they were glad to get on board in case it worked. The film sucked, but I can now submit just about anything to them and they will look at it. And this is after I had a commercial agent at William Morris and they canned me for pushing my scripts at them.
So go out and make it happen and they will be stalking you. Ask them to help you and they will kick you to the curb.
ashlockusmc
New member
Agent or No Agent
Agent or No Agent
The importance of getting an agent is they have the contacts. It is a good thing to research agents. Ask an agent how many screenplays have they sold last year, last two months...etc. Just to get a feel of how active they are. Generally as a new screenwriter a person does not want an agency who sells blockbusters for established writers on a regular basis. The reason being is that a new writer will be very low priority when they contact studios. Not always, but it is just a generalization.
An agency with very little traffic may not have talent to effectively represent your script or may have credibility issues. Not all agents are equal. The exception of course is the start up agency with no track record that might turn out to be a great find.
A mid-sized agency in my opinion is best suited for the new screenwriter. An agency that looks out for new talent is of course the best choice.
All of this is based on what I've researched on agents from a variety of books. I myself do not have an agent. I have written screenplays, but I need to enter and win a few more contests for exposure. That is the stage I'm at.
There are a few studios out there that do accept unsolicited screenplays.
Usually the best way to go about that is to contact lower level assistant editors and see if you can catch their attention. Above all else contact agencies and ask a few questions. I hope this helps. Like I said before this is just what I've researched on the subject of getting screenplays sold.:smile:
Agent or No Agent
The importance of getting an agent is they have the contacts. It is a good thing to research agents. Ask an agent how many screenplays have they sold last year, last two months...etc. Just to get a feel of how active they are. Generally as a new screenwriter a person does not want an agency who sells blockbusters for established writers on a regular basis. The reason being is that a new writer will be very low priority when they contact studios. Not always, but it is just a generalization.
An agency with very little traffic may not have talent to effectively represent your script or may have credibility issues. Not all agents are equal. The exception of course is the start up agency with no track record that might turn out to be a great find.
A mid-sized agency in my opinion is best suited for the new screenwriter. An agency that looks out for new talent is of course the best choice.
All of this is based on what I've researched on agents from a variety of books. I myself do not have an agent. I have written screenplays, but I need to enter and win a few more contests for exposure. That is the stage I'm at.
There are a few studios out there that do accept unsolicited screenplays.
Usually the best way to go about that is to contact lower level assistant editors and see if you can catch their attention. Above all else contact agencies and ask a few questions. I hope this helps. Like I said before this is just what I've researched on the subject of getting screenplays sold.:smile:
p3anut
Member
Good advice too Ash. The only problem these days is with the amount of people even trying lower level options, like the ones you mentioned, it in turn has also become hard lol. But we must persist. I would probably at the end of the day, recomend that even if you have an idea for a script (and you're absolutely sure your going to write a script for it) then come up with a synopsis and start pitching it to agents. I reckon with the amount of time they say it takes to even reply to your query, you could punch out a half decent script.
Duke M.
Veteran
I just attended a seminar at the Pitchfest in Pasadena. An agent that retired after 25 years in the business, Michele Wallerstein, and is now a consultant said:
You need to have written at least 6 scripts before she would even consider it. The first three will probably be bad even if you don't realize it. The next three are to show that you aren't a flash in the pan.
She said it is an enormous expenditure of time and money to promote a new author. The agents won't do it unless you demonstrate that you are prolific and therefore worth the effort.
She also said:
a) Don't call you agent unless you have something to say, like a new script or new story idea.
b) Don't be shy, you're an adult, get over it. Introduce yourself to people in the business. You have to promote yourself.
c) RE: Writer's critique groups, be very careful. If they aren't professionals they may give bad advice, or they may have an agenda of their own and sabotage you.
d) Write 6 scripts and put the first three in the closet because they're probably bad.
e) Dress properly for meetings and know when to leave. Don't overstay your welcome.
f) Don't write with a partner. Relationships always end, and when the partnership ends no one knows what part you contributed so you loose your credibility.
g) Don't write for free.
h) When you pitch be sure to include who, what, when, where and why.
i) Networking. Follow up with thank you cards. Connect again and again. Be sure to make friends with everyone's assistant.
j) Many writers switch managers simply because that's the only part of their career they have any control over. Don't unless there is a reason.
k) Give out business cards. Attend classes, tapes, books, etc.
l) Don't use exposition to tell. Tell in Dialog. Don't direct the movie.
m) Arrive 15 minutes early for an appointment. Leave to get there 45 minutes before you think you need to leave. If they keep you waiting in the lobby for much over 30 minutes for a meeting, politely tell the assistent you'll reschedule as you have another appointment.
n) Only mention one or two contest wins in a query letter. Try to keep it to a paragraph. If you can be funny, do it.
o) Occasionally take your agent out to lunch. It doesn't have to be fancy. Remember their birthday. Say thank you. They'll try harder for you.
p) Everyone gets at least two weeks to read a script. After a script is sent out wait three weeks then call the assistant, not the agent, to see if it was received, covered, read, etc.
You need to have written at least 6 scripts before she would even consider it. The first three will probably be bad even if you don't realize it. The next three are to show that you aren't a flash in the pan.
She said it is an enormous expenditure of time and money to promote a new author. The agents won't do it unless you demonstrate that you are prolific and therefore worth the effort.
She also said:
a) Don't call you agent unless you have something to say, like a new script or new story idea.
b) Don't be shy, you're an adult, get over it. Introduce yourself to people in the business. You have to promote yourself.
c) RE: Writer's critique groups, be very careful. If they aren't professionals they may give bad advice, or they may have an agenda of their own and sabotage you.
d) Write 6 scripts and put the first three in the closet because they're probably bad.
e) Dress properly for meetings and know when to leave. Don't overstay your welcome.
f) Don't write with a partner. Relationships always end, and when the partnership ends no one knows what part you contributed so you loose your credibility.
g) Don't write for free.
h) When you pitch be sure to include who, what, when, where and why.
i) Networking. Follow up with thank you cards. Connect again and again. Be sure to make friends with everyone's assistant.
j) Many writers switch managers simply because that's the only part of their career they have any control over. Don't unless there is a reason.
k) Give out business cards. Attend classes, tapes, books, etc.
l) Don't use exposition to tell. Tell in Dialog. Don't direct the movie.
m) Arrive 15 minutes early for an appointment. Leave to get there 45 minutes before you think you need to leave. If they keep you waiting in the lobby for much over 30 minutes for a meeting, politely tell the assistent you'll reschedule as you have another appointment.
n) Only mention one or two contest wins in a query letter. Try to keep it to a paragraph. If you can be funny, do it.
o) Occasionally take your agent out to lunch. It doesn't have to be fancy. Remember their birthday. Say thank you. They'll try harder for you.
p) Everyone gets at least two weeks to read a script. After a script is sent out wait three weeks then call the assistant, not the agent, to see if it was received, covered, read, etc.
Ted Spencer
Veteran
Great post, Duke. Thanks!
JonathanLB
Carbonite Member
I can understand the whole "3 scripts" idea from some perspectives, but it seems to me that better advice would be to continue to write, and then pull out those scripts later when you have learned a lot more, and then revise them properly.
Odds are, I hope, that you don't just come up with awful ideas, but perhaps your execution is not so great or your dialogue is not strong when you begin. The kernel of the idea should still be good. I would not say you know much at all about writing if you start writing something without fully outlining it. Whether it was non-fiction books I wrote or short scripts even, I still want to have a full outline of what happens, and I can tell at the outlining stage already what is just not working. That's where you are going to catch the errors and problems of the story, with the characters, etc.
I have to say that once I have something outlined I feel in a lot of senses like the rest is totally the fun part. Outlining it is like pulling teeth, especially if I'm going to shoot the thing myself, because every great idea is like, "Yeah, right Jonathan, great, where are you going to get the money to shoot that?!" Then it's back to the drawing board, figuring out how can I make the same point, or the same story element, without having to use a new location, or without having to have a bunch of extras, or blow something up, etc. But once I get the entire outline done in detail, it's so much fun watching it come together, and I've written 6 pages in just a few hours that were not modified TOO much later on, after I had a strong outline, because it just flowed better.
Seems a shame to waste 3 scripts that may have been good ideas, but just need rewriting.
Odds are, I hope, that you don't just come up with awful ideas, but perhaps your execution is not so great or your dialogue is not strong when you begin. The kernel of the idea should still be good. I would not say you know much at all about writing if you start writing something without fully outlining it. Whether it was non-fiction books I wrote or short scripts even, I still want to have a full outline of what happens, and I can tell at the outlining stage already what is just not working. That's where you are going to catch the errors and problems of the story, with the characters, etc.
I have to say that once I have something outlined I feel in a lot of senses like the rest is totally the fun part. Outlining it is like pulling teeth, especially if I'm going to shoot the thing myself, because every great idea is like, "Yeah, right Jonathan, great, where are you going to get the money to shoot that?!" Then it's back to the drawing board, figuring out how can I make the same point, or the same story element, without having to use a new location, or without having to have a bunch of extras, or blow something up, etc. But once I get the entire outline done in detail, it's so much fun watching it come together, and I've written 6 pages in just a few hours that were not modified TOO much later on, after I had a strong outline, because it just flowed better.
Seems a shame to waste 3 scripts that may have been good ideas, but just need rewriting.
EJ Pennypacker
Well-known member
I think a writer needs more than just three as "practise scripts" to be quite honest.
Also, I think the concepts we choose to write when we are rookies - are ones that are completely different when we move to a more advanced level.
For that reason, I think it's better to let sleeping dogs lie.
EJ
Also, I think the concepts we choose to write when we are rookies - are ones that are completely different when we move to a more advanced level.
For that reason, I think it's better to let sleeping dogs lie.
EJ