New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

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  • Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

    Franklin, or anyone who knows, if you get a download request after you've taken your script off the site, does pressing "accept" allow you to talk to the requester first, or does the site store the deleted script somewhere and automatically send it to the requester?

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    • Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

      It would be cool if when you ordered a new evaluation for a script that has been revised since the last time it was evaluated if you could A) get reread by the same reader(probably for a nominal fee/extended wait time) and B) if you could maybe highlight what has changed about it since the last revision? Maybe if someone reads it and you got a low score for dialog, and you made a pass at refining it, they might focus on that a bit more in the next review?

      Comment


      • Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

        Originally posted by wsaunders View Post
        It would be cool if when you ordered a new evaluation for a script that has been revised since the last time it was evaluated if you could A) get reread by the same reader(probably for a nominal fee/extended wait time) and B) if you could maybe highlight what has changed about it since the last revision? Maybe if someone reads it and you got a low score for dialog, and you made a pass at refining it, they might focus on that a bit more in the next review?


        I'd happily pay double to have some of the prior BL readers whose notes / coverage / reviews were helpful take a second look at my script.

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        • Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

          Originally posted by entlassen View Post
          Not a question, just more of an observation. Apparently an e-mail gets sent out every Monday to pros listing the previous week's scripts that got an overall score of 8, though an e-mail the previous Friday was sent out to pros listing scripts that got 8s in individual areas.

          Why would someone want to read a script that happened to get an 8 in dialogue but lower scores in everything else, and only got a 5 overall? This doesn't seem particularly useful.
          Simply put, because they've indicated a specific interest in scripts by that description.

          While the example you used it's necessary a likely one, it's easy to imagine why someone might be interested in comedies that had an 8 or better for concept, for example.

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          • Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

            Originally posted by entlassen View Post
            Not a question, just more of an observation. Apparently an e-mail gets sent out every Monday to pros listing the previous week's scripts that got an overall score of 8, though an e-mail the previous Friday was sent out to pros listing scripts that got 8s in individual areas.

            Why would someone want to read a script that happened to get an 8 in dialogue but lower scores in everything else, and only got a 5 overall? This doesn't seem particularly useful.
            From a writer's point of view, there are two ways to look at it:

            The first is that it's just another avenue for success. That's kind of the point of The Black List, I'd imagine: to give certain kinds of writers and material new ways to stand out.

            The other thing is that there really are some writers, even high level ones, who excel at certain aspects of writing, while failing at others. There's a reason why a second writer might be brought in to punch up a single aspect of a script.

            Just through my own work, I'd say that good dialogue is probably the rarest thing I see. After that, it's good descriptors (that don't then wind up overwritten). Careful plotting is the next one, though I do have an issue with people who think complex plots are naturally better.

            I'd be really interested to see how common it is on The Black List for there to be component score disparities. I'm also still curious if they've ever considered any other potential components.
            ****

            I am a critic first and a writer second.

            I have a background in development and currently provide low-cost coverage.

            More info here: www.FourStarNotes.com

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            • Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

              Originally posted by BillG View Post
              Franklin, or anyone who knows, if you get a download request after you've taken your script off the site, does pressing "accept" allow you to talk to the requester first, or does the site store the deleted script somewhere and automatically send it to the requester?
              You shouldn't be receiving a download request after you've removed your script from the site. Once you remove it, it's no longer visible on the site, which makes it impossible for people to request it (unless you're a WGA member, in which case your script will be remain listed but not hosted.)

              If you're seeing the accept button you describe, please email us so we can figure out what's going on.

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              • Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

                Originally posted by wsaunders View Post
                It would be cool if when you ordered a new evaluation for a script that has been revised since the last time it was evaluated if you could A) get reread by the same reader(probably for a nominal fee/extended wait time) and B) if you could maybe highlight what has changed about it since the last revision? Maybe if someone reads it and you got a low score for dialog, and you made a pass at refining it, they might focus on that a bit more in the next review?
                We foresee no time in the future where this will be possible.

                All that matters is whether the script elicits a strong positive reaction when read. Not whether it's improved over the previous draft, not what the previous reader thinks of it now.

                Comment


                • Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

                  Okay I'll e-mail you. Although I didn't choose the option of keeping the title/logline up (not even sure it was available when I deleted the script), here's what it says in the FAQs, which makes it sounds like everyone has the option to do so:

                  I want to delete my script totally. How can I do that?

                  Answer:


                  Log in to your account, then click "Remove Script- on the left side of the screen. Like suspending a script, you cannot delete a script while an evaluation is still pending. Contact Support if you need to delete a script while an evaluation is still pending.

                  In order to keep a script listed in our site index even after removing it from hosting, when you go to remove the script, make sure you click the box that states "You may choose to keep your script title and logline on the site free of charge. Please only use this option if you will not be uploading a revised version immediately.- This will keep your script listed on the site, even if you aren't hosting it anymore. In this case, the ratings and evaluations would still be on the site (according to the settings you've chosen), but the script itself would not be available.

                  Comment


                  • Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

                    Originally posted by FranklinLeonard View Post
                    We foresee no time in the future where this will be possible.

                    All that matters is whether the script elicits a strong positive reaction when read. Not whether it's improved over the previous draft, not what the previous reader thinks of it now.
                    *
                    Last edited by Mintclub; 03-17-2015, 11:38 AM.

                    Comment


                    • Blind Readings

                      Hi Leonard:
                      Enjoyed the last Scriptnotes episode when you were a guest.

                      Will The Black List consider blind submission reads?

                      With information that more books sell by male writers, women novelists still using male pseudonyms, and the revelation that women readers seem to have a bias against female writers, it seems preferable to simply not allow the reader to be able to see the writer's name on title page. After all, it isn't information that is relative to the reader.
                      Best,
                      FA4
                      "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

                      Comment


                      • Re: Blind Readings

                        Originally posted by finalact4 View Post
                        Hi Leonard:
                        Enjoyed the last Scriptnotes episode when you were a guest.

                        Will The Black List consider blind submission reads?

                        With information that more books sell by male writers, women novelists still using male pseudonyms, and the revelation that women readers seem to have a bias against female writers, it seems preferable to simply not allow the reader to be able to see the writer's name on title page. After all, it isn't information that is relative to the reader.
                        Best,
                        FA4
                        Writers are welcome to submit their material under pseudonyms. Just be sure that the pseudonym is on your cover page as well. The reader will never know your real name.

                        Comment


                        • Re: Blind Readings

                          Originally posted by FranklinLeonard View Post
                          Writers are welcome to submit their material under pseudonyms. Just be sure that the pseudonym is on your cover page as well. The reader will never know your real name.
                          Can the pseudonym be "Anonymous" or "(Name Withheld)"? If so, that would accomplish the goal of not arousing unconscious bias in the reader (an issue I admit I'd never considered before, yet does seem like a legitimate concern in some cases).

                          Comment


                          • Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

                            Apologies if I'm out of place here for voicing my opinion, but if I were perusing the Blacklist myself, say in a producer capacity, I would steer a wide berth around any writer who seemed over-anxious about looking for bias everywhere.

                            Doesn't seem like an ingredient for a good working relationship is all.

                            Comment


                            • Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

                              Franklin, how important is choosing the genre tags? For instance my script is a sci fi thriller / suspenseful mystery with some horror elements. Do I need to click on the overarching genre, or is it fine just to choose the sub genre, for instance there is Sci Fi & Fantasy, Mystery & Suspense with the sub genre of Sci-Fi Thriller? Do I need to click all of those or is just checking Sci-Fi Thriller enough?

                              Comment


                              • Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

                                I have a question about the Blacklist Partnerships. In regards to the Warners Bros Blind Script Deal, how are scripts on the site chosen? Does someone associated with Warners download your script once you opt in? Or do Blacklist readers download, read, and make recommendations to Warners? Is it based on paid evaluations? I'm just curious as to how the whole process works.

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