Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List

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  • Re: Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List

    Gotta love Franklin's professionalism!
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    • Re: Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List

      Originally posted by michaelb View Post
      I was going to start another thread on this but figured might as well post it here.

      While I am not going to stay the rating system is perfect, I think more than anything, you are finding out that most of the scripts that the tens of thousands of aspiring writes out there send out thinking are ready for Hollywood are just not good.

      I will repeat that, are just not good.

      This service is comparing you to established pro writers. You are not in an amateur competition, winning the best of the rookies, but are going up against the pros.

      For most of you, this is shedding light on how far away you are from being ready for Hollywood and how your work stands up against the pros.

      Again, everything is subjective, but I think you'll find when compared to those playing in the big leagues, the numbers are probably somewhat in line. These, as Franklin said, are professional readers.

      BUT, all of that can change with your next script. Every pro writer has that moment when it all comes together and they write that script that is THE ONE. While many amateurs will never have that moment (just being realistic), all you can do is keep writing.

      Hope this sheds some realistic light on to all of the ratings. I'm one of a thousand executives on the site that looks over the amateur script ratings WANTING to find something. No other site can say that.

      Best,

      MB
      Thank you Michael - great insight and information.

      Comment


      • Re: Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List

        Originally posted by emily blake View Post
        I've known of scripts that got read all over town, sold even, and couldn't get past the quarter finals of the Nicholl.

        And come on, there have been scripts to land at number one on the Black List that you didn't like AT ALL.

        Reading will always be subjective.

        This is also why I never try a new thing until other people have jumped in first to see how it all shakes out.
        Chicken!
        If you really like it you can have the rights
        It could make a million for you overnight

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        • Re: Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List

          @Michael (Botti)

          Regarding your post, do you not think amateur writers, even experienced ones like you find on this site, have the ability to evaluate their own material against those of professional writers?
          Last edited by Jules; 10-25-2012, 12:29 PM.
          It's the eye of the Tiger, it's the thrill of the fight

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          • Re: Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List

            Originally posted by Jules View Post
            @Michael (Botti)

            Regarding your post, do you not think amateur writers, even experienced ones like you find on this site, have the ability to evaluate their own material against those of professional writers?
            All are different, but for the most part no, if they did, we wouldn't be sent so many query letters with shitty scripts thinking they are ready for Hollywood.

            Best,

            MB
            twitter.com/mbotti

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            • Re: Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List

              Originally posted by michaelb View Post
              All are different, but for the most part no, if they did, we wouldn't be sent so many query letters with shitty scripts thinking they are ready for Hollywood.

              Best,

              MB
              Amen.

              Comment


              • Re: Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List

                Originally posted by michaelb View Post
                I was going to start another thread on this but figured might as well post it here.

                While I am not going to stay the rating system is perfect, I think more than anything, you are finding out that most of the scripts that the tens of thousands of aspiring writes out there send out thinking are ready for Hollywood are just not good.

                I will repeat that, are just not good.

                This service is comparing you to established pro writers. You are not in an amateur competition, winning the best of the rookies, but are going up against the pros.

                For most of you, this is shedding light on how far away you are from being ready for Hollywood and how your work stands up against the pros.

                Again, everything is subjective, but I think you'll find when compared to those playing in the big leagues, the numbers are probably somewhat in line. These, as Franklin said, are professional readers.

                BUT, all of that can change with your next script. Every pro writer has that moment when it all comes together and they write that script that is THE ONE. While many amateurs will never have that moment (just being realistic), all you can do is keep writing.

                Hope this sheds some realistic light on to all of the ratings. I'm one of a thousand executives on the site that looks over the amateur script ratings WANTING to find something. No other site can say that.

                Best,

                MB
                I must say this this was my first thought and figured that at least here I would get the unvarnished truth from people who can compare my script to those that at least they believe have reached the very top of the profession. It's a great idea and a great opportunity in this regard.

                That said, my lingering question is, if I am understanding the majority of posts from people who have paid for the service correctly, why then do the numerical ratings seem so disconnected from the comments. Lots of positive comments seem to beget very low scores. That confuses me.
                Seven years dungeon --- no trials!

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                • Re: Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List

                  Something doesn't add up here. 1's and 2's for finalist scripts? There can't be *that* kind of divide between pros/"sophisticated" amateurs, can there? These are writers who are on the verge of breaking through so I would've guessed closer to 5's.

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                  • Re: Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List

                    I'm prepared to believe even a finalist-level amateur script combined with 1) generally weak competition that year and 2) a luck-of-the-draw blacklist reader who was just feeling cranky that day might be 5s across the board, or maybe even a 3 or 4 in one category counterbalanced with a 6 or 7 in something else.

                    But 1 to me means Birdemic or Manos: the Hands of Fate. As in, comic ineptitude. Even the very worst SyFy original movies I've ever seen have got to be at least a 3 on the pro scale.

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                    • Re: Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List

                      Originally posted by RGF View Post
                      I've been reading the previous comments with an absolute sense of amazement...wondering what is going on with these ratings. But even these comments didn't prepare me for the review of my script that I got late last night. I posted a thriller on the Black List because I consider it one of my best scripts.

                      I won't post comments. Just scores.

                      Premise 2
                      Plot 1
                      Characters 2
                      Dialogue 1
                      Overall 1

                      Needless to say I was stunned and, honestly, very pissed off. I know this script is better than that. I can handle 7's or 6's or even 5's. But a 1's and 2's? Did I write it with Crayon?

                      Before you ask....yes the script was vetted by both "Scott the Reader" and our "Screenplay Mechanic". The Mechanic gave it a consider and placed it on his Lugnut List of the best 10 scripts he read that year. This script also was a semi-finalist at PAGE, and was also previously optioned by a very well-respected producer and has been through rounds of development with a director attached. Me...I already won Austin...so I consider myself a fairly decent writer. But a 1? Really? Anyway....I'm yanking it and I won't use that service again. With people like that doing the reading, what a waste of money.
                      Michael B. - I'm sure what you are saying is true, but this example by RGF just has to be some kind of mistake. If it was even a 4 or 5 out of 10 overall, okay. But a 1?! It seems inexplicable, given this information. If a 10 is perfect, then a 1 means everything about it is the absolute worst it could possibly be. How could that be the case here?

                      RGF - please keep us updated.
                      "The Hollywood film business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." Hunter S Thompson

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                      • Re: Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List

                        For the script that scored a 1 on plot and for these other scripts that got super low scores -- are you upset because you got low scores or is it because you believe that the service is a scam?

                        A score of 1 or 2 seems very low for festival placement level scripts, but what if you got say a 3 or 4 or even 5? Would that make the service a better option for you? It wouldn't. The script still wouldn't be viewed be anybody noteworthy.

                        I'm not saying that those low scoring scripts are bad, but it seems that these readers think that they are.

                        If I were confident that my script was stellar and some f'ed up reader did me in, I'd pay for another read... and if it scores a 7 or better I would ask Franklin L. to credit me back my $$$ from that first low score.

                        He seems like a well intentioned businessman who has a passion for great undiscovered material.

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                        • Re: Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List

                          Originally posted by cshel View Post
                          RGF - please keep us updated.
                          I will. Franklin emailed me and I will be responding to him shortly with my thoughts.

                          Comment


                          • Re: Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List

                            Originally posted by itsallgood View Post
                            Something doesn't add up here. 1's and 2's for finalist scripts? There can't be *that* kind of divide between pros/"sophisticated" amateurs, can there? These are writers who are on the verge of breaking through so I would've guessed closer to 5's.
                            Considering movies like 'Jeepers Creepers' and 'Catwoman' and many others have been made, I can't believe the devide is that great....
                            www.JustinSloanAuthor.com

                            http://www.CreativeWritingCareer.com
                            http://www.MilitaryVeteransinCreativeCareers.com

                            Twitter: @JustinMSloan

                            Want a free book?

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                            • Re: Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List

                              Maybe it's because they're looking for movie scripts and not scripts about people that sell butter and then, afterwards, talk about it for 90 pages.

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                              • Re: Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List

                                I kind of like the idea scripts are getting 1's and 2's. It's not like they're selling you a "pay more to improve your scores package".

                                The vast majority of scripts submitted to Hollywood, suck!

                                Most of us should try another career path, or not submit until we work many many more hours to improve.

                                I think mediocre scripts are worse than those that absolutely suck. Mediocre stuff plugs up the pipelines and confuses less than savvy readers. I would rather get 1's than 5's. It's much more useful to the writer. I hope BL3 doesn't start giving a bunch of 5's for the stuff that sucks so nobody gets their feelings hurt.

                                Time to hurt some feelings. Most of us need to keep bagging groceries and waiting tables. That's the reality of it.

                                It's kind of funny to see people so arrogant to actually get angry because a reader didn't like their script. 'How dare they? I spelled all the words correctly. That's worth at least a 7'.

                                If someone thinks they deserved way better rankings, post some pages and let's see.

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