Going in to the studios... wish me luck

[Clyyde]

So my rep took my latest comedy spec out wide late yesterday. As of about an hour ago I got the call to tell me it's getting good reads and they've lined up prodcos to take it into every studio tonight...

I know it's still a long, long shot for anything to happen, but I'm pretty psyched anyway... this is the third time I've had a spec go out wide, and I've never gotten this kind of immediate response. The first two got me into only one or two studios at a time then kind of puttered out. I'm praying that the third time's a charm...

[Jcorona]

Good luck, Clyyde!

Corona

[DMNY]

Yesh...Another one possibly in...Good luck. :cool:

[writer0825]

That's awesome Clyyde! Good luck :bounce: .

[cmmora]

Good luck man, this sounds promising.

[mad_r0]

Good luck brother! Keep us updated!

[santino2699]

DUDE!

You're in great shape.

That script must be FANTASTIC to be moving into every studio within one day of it going wide.

If not a sale...I smell a career being started.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!

S

[RoscoeP]

Clyde, I couldn't even get into the studios on a tour because I didn't meet the minimum height requirement. So I'm impressed!! Good luck and keep us updated.

Roscoe P

[DMNY]

Clyde, I couldn't even get into the studios on a tour because I didn't meet the minimum height requirement.
You too huh? Gimme a hug brother...

[Slappynipsy]

Good luck, and to quote Lawrence “Watch your cornhole man”

[GreatOz]

Hopefully it'll go all the way, but at the very least you'll get some meetings out of this! Congrats!

[nic.h]

Good luck! This sounds really promising. Let us know.

[writer0825]

When do you meet with them Clyyde? Or have you already? :rolling:

[Clyyde]

Well, here's the skinny...

Pretty much all the studios have passed at this point. I think only two haven't officially responded yet, but we can pretty much assume they are passes, since it's been over a week since they took it in.

In general, I hear it got good coverage - mostly around the writing, which is nice. As far as the spec itself, it was a high concept with a fantasy element to it, so it seems to have polarized people into two camps: Those who bought into the concept were big fans and pushed hard to set it up; on the other side, those who didn't buy into the concept from the get-go and felt disconnected to it. (but at least in those cases, it got high marks for writing...)

Sooo.... Now that i've pretty much got a dead spec walking (again...), I'm trying to push my rep to figure out how to best leverage it and get me in the door with the companies that liked it the most (again...).

People tell me I should be excited -- that I've got "fans" all over town... But the truth is, that after having this happen three times now and still not a cent earned in real work, I'm starting to feel just a tad depressed...

[writer0825]

Don't be depressed Clyyde, keep your chin up. You've made some fans, that's great, they'll keep you in mind when they have a re-write assignment. Maybe out of the blue something will come from all the studios reading this one. Just getting it in to them to read is a lot more than most people can do, so congrats. I know how you feel about the getting depressed, I'm sure we all do, but I'll keep a good thought for you. Good luck with it! :bounce:

[English Dave]

I'm starting to feel just a tad depressed...

Don't be. 'Fans all over town' is a great base. You just have to keep plugging away until the right script hits the right people at the right time. If they are already fans you have a much better chance of that happening. Write smart, keep it simple and remember, you have a next great script in you.

[magicghost2977]

Depression is OK... for now...

Get it out of the way... Rage against the machine... Then shake it off and recognize you're seeing light at the end of a tunnel most people never even enter...

Then go write something for your recently acquired fan base... Immerse yourself and just have fun...

Take control and strike while the iron's hot!

[Clyyde]

Thanks for the kind words writer...

You also wrote: "You've made some fans, that's great, they'll keep you in mind when they have a re-write assignment."

You see, that's always been my understanding as well. You hear all the stories about how most professional writers have never actually sold a spec outright but rather used good coverage to get in the door and get assignments.

But everything I'm hearing from my latest manager is that the industry is hurting so badly right now that there's little to no chance they'll give an assignment to someone who either hasn't sold yet or hasn't had an assignment yet... At least that's what I'm hearing from him. To be honest, I'm a little disappointed in his hesitancy to start hustling to get me some meetings out of this. He seems to think it's not worth the time since I won't get an assignment from it anyway. I don't know if he really knows what he's talking about or if he's just telling me that because now that the idea of a sale is dead he's not as interested in spending the time looking for assignments for me where he won't be producing...

[Clyyde]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

PurpleCurtain, it's nice to hear the perspective from someone who's working for real money... even if that perspective supports some of my fears.

I feel like people have been telling me for several years now that things are getting tougher for new writers to break in. I keep telling myself it must be cyclical... things can't keep getting worse, and the pendulum has GOT to swing back at some point... but perhaps not, maybe it's just the reality we have to get used to...

Either way, I definitely agree with you that my rep has got to step up and get me in front of people -- even if they're not buying or hiring.

Thanks

[Copywriter2]

I hear your pain, Clyde. I have a script with fantasy elements that has been extremely well-received -- yet no takers. I have concluded that one of the main reasons why it hasn't sold as a spec is because studios today rarely buy original fantasy specs. Just look at the recent studio films out there with fantasy elements. Almost are are adaptations. Sure, they (studios and prodcos) look for any reason to turn down a spec -- but I really think this is a big part of the problem for writers in the spec market -- for any genre.

With that said, you may want to make your next spec a high concept, yet lower budget story. That way you won't be limited to studios. Good luck to you.

[Clyyde]

Thanks Copywriter.

It's actually not so much a fantasy script but rather a high concept comedy with a fantasy element (in the vein of say a "Bruce Almighty"), but I definitely hear what you're saying. It would need CGI in lots of parts, so it's definitely not a low budget.

The funny thing is this is actually my first shot at a higher-budget spec. The last two that went out would have been relatively cheap to produce, and that's what I normally do when writing specs. But this time around I liked the idea enough to try to take a shot at something different... oh well.

Good luck to you as well!

[BROUGHCUT]

I don't know if he really knows what he's talking about or if he's just telling me that because now that the idea of a sale is dead he's not as interested in spending the time looking for assignments for me where he won't be producing...

if that's right, it's far from unusual. Pimping specs and not representing writers is typical manager modus operandi.

[BROUGHCUT]

It's all about concept.

I think we're going to see more of these "fantasy" scripts in the pipelines. But the ones that get picked up will offer a twist on the genre.

Instead of giving us another NARNIA or RINGS chronicle, Hollywood will buy the likes of KILLING ON CARNIVAL ROW - an original screenplay.

That story is set in a world where humans cohabitate with fairies (that are second class citizens - mostly whores). When a cop is implicated in a string of "fairy" murders, he sets out to find the real killer and prove his innocence.

It's a competent storyline but it's set in a unique world we've never seen before. The script sold on spec from a first time writer.


:)


CE I was going to post this on 2A in that thread but forgot. Really fascinating, you'll love it (first 4 minutes):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/rams/opencountry_20051015.ram

Needs Real Player.

Ever since I heard this interview last year I've been wondering if it's possible to twist it into a sellable concept.

You can immediately visualize the Tim Burton world in Carnival Row, but I can't get past the fact that fairies as whores is a cheap, nasty idea. Reducing a complex mythology to the commonest, most prosaic "human profession" in order to get a rise out of buyers... I guess one lesson from this sale is don't be afraid to put your head in a sewer to come up with that unique "twist".

Another is don't look down on unpaid interns, they can occasionally take in specs that sell!

At the same time I can see how it's a great Hollywood concept and a colid logline. No arguments there. I would pay to see it. Someone would have to pay me to write it, though. :(

Maybe that's where I'm going wrong. :rolling:

[Jcorona]

Clyyde, don't'chu dare go leavin' me all depressed all alone and stuff. Straighten up in that chair and move them fingers . . . writer! Gimme at least fifty characters a minute. Let's move, move it!

Corona ;)

[mad_r0]

Clyyde... isn't that why we write? to be shot down in this world by sharks in suits only to get back on our feet and write something that kicks the shark's asses?

I use it as motivation all the time. All the people that never beleived in me... i will stick it to them via my stories.

Once the grieving period is over, use it against them.

We know we'll see you again Clyyde. Keep your head up hombre.

[Copywriter2]

I just noticed that Killer on Carnival Row was repped by William Morris (and another firm). Sure, it's about concept and quality -- but it's also about who brings in the project. The vast majority of studio sales (at least those listed on Moviebytes and such) seem to be repped by one of the bigger firms. Clyde, just out of curiosity, are you repped by a big, medium or small firm?

[Clyyde]

Hey Copywriter, I'd definitely say my current firm hovers between small and medium -- with the move to medium only happening in the last year or so.

The good news for them is they just had a few nice sales in the last few months and have projects set up with some big names... the bad news is the last film they produced totally tanked at the box office only a few months ago.

When it comes to managers, I've actually had experiences on both sides of the fence. My previous manager was a VERY big name -- probably one of the most recognizable names when people talk about literary managers. He's a great guy and definitely respected around town, but he had so many deals going on at once that he didn't have a lot of time to spend working on script notes or nurturing careers. His modus operandi was to solicit tons of queries and pretty much throw as many new writer specs as possible out there and see what sticks. For those that didn't, he cut ties and moved on pretty quickly to fresh meat. In total, we spent about nine months working together before parting ways... but we remain on good terms. The truth is I learned a tremendous amount from him about pitching ideas and about what sells as a spec and what doesn't. For that alone, the time I spent with him was worth it.


Broughcut -- I definitely hear what you're saying about manager's wanting to produce, and I knew that going in. Regardless of what a manager tells you -- any manager -- their single most important professional goal is to set up projects that they can also produce. That is ALWAYS where their true passion lies. But the good ones don't see it as an "either/or" proposition. They are at least willing to balance it out and try to help the client's career as well, because they have the foresight and confidence to realize that helping a client get assignments may lead to more lucrative opportunities for them down the road.

I guess my real question right now is whether my current manager falls into category I or category II.

[RoscoeP]

There was just another fantasy script on the sales page, though it was a much different situation than the new writer one mentioned by creativexec since Peter Lenkov has been around a while.

Title:R.I.P.D.Logline:In the Rest in Peace Department, where the dead police officers patrol the beat of the deceased who refuse to go quietly, a newly dead cop joins up after being murdered. This cop searches for the man who set him up as he does his duty fighting fiendish creatures.

More:To be adapted from Dark Horse's comic book written by Peter M. Lenkov. Original Film's Neal H. Moritz and Dark Horse's Mike Richardson will produce. Lenkov will executive produce. David Dobkin will direct.

[writer0825]

Hey Clyyde, anything more happen? Maybe something more happened and I just missed it in all the threads....that happens when you start to get old or spend too much time in front of the laptop! (lol) :rolling:

[BROUGHCUT]

I just noticed that Killer on Carnival Row was repped by William Morris (and another firm). Sure, it's about concept and quality -- but it's also about who brings in the project. The vast majority of studio sales (at least those listed on Moviebytes and such) seem to be repped by one of the bigger firms.

Actually, the writer weant to school with Kopelson's intern. The intern brought it in.

obviously Kopelson then took it into the studio. The vast majoity of studio sales have prodcos or producers already attached. The writer may or may not have an agent at that stage,

[kidcharlemagne]

Commiserations Clyde.

I had an A list comedy star repped by a big 5 reading my script last week. The agent called me and asked me if I needed more time, and she said I'd get an answer in 2 days. Prevailing opinion was that I must have got positive coverage on the script. The star's attachment would have greenlit the finance and got me studio distribution. He passed.

So close and yet so far. I think it's only natural to feel depressed for an hour or so when you've almost touched that brass ring. Especially if a spec doesn't sell. I can at least go on to the next star but if a spec has been passed on all over town then that sucks. I've been there too. Although I went out myself and not through an agent. BTW my script was also a comedy with CGI elements.

You must be doing something right to have a rep going wide with your script. I would bust your rep's balls to get him to get you into meetings though. You never know what can come from a positive face-to-face meeting. This is a people business, get in there and meet your fans!

Keep on truckin' dude!

KC