Managers and Development

[nojustice]

Originally Posted by holly

well, its always going to be heresay until people make share stories, make connections, until some authoritive source - news, law, whatever, brings it to light. an issue of exploiting writers is tough as so many writers work in isolation. this is a good use of a forum of writers, it seems to me.

if it is heresay, it will fade away. i doubt it will stop aspiring screenwriters from signing with an a list management co.

Do writers really have the ability to suffer in silence? I don't think so. No one is shy about telling their tales around here.

If there is a manager out there signing writers and then not taking out their work, the lynching mob can be saddled up by noon.

But we would need to hear first hand accounts.

The only account of that nature was from Farnsworth. His manager wasn't taking his work out, only getting him to spec. And not even his own ideas. So if it's Farnsworth's manager, there is testimony in the archives here.

[nojustice]

Originally Posted by dirtbottle

In the last 6 months alone he's optioned one of my scripts and gotten me a rewrite assignment on a film that should shoot later this year.

I don't mean to be rude, but do you mind me asking how much you've been paid?

[NikeeGoddess]

Originally Posted by nojustice

I don't mean to be rude, but

too late!

[NikeeGoddess]

sorry, i couldn't resist.

[dirtbottle]

Originally Posted by nojustice

I don't mean to be rude, but do you mind me asking how much you've been paid?

Actually yeah, I do for obvious reasons.

[vladdrak]

I've been through this now in the last six months from two separate management companies. What is being said here is absolutely true.

[nojustice]

Been through what, vladdrak, you will need to elaborate.

[nojustice]

I see. A man of few words.

Maybe they do suffer in silence.

As far as managers taking on writers but not wanting to show anyone their work, I think it's weird. What are they living on? Are they junior managers who they want to train by letting them wrestle with new writers?

I don't understand it.

It's really the unpaid assignments that I think are toxic. It doesn't break them in, it just breaks them. I've heard there are managers who are involved with those.

They're not doing a very good job of managing things if their writers are working for free.

It's irresponsible. If a producer can't pay to have a script written then they should just take an option on a spec.

[jtwg50]

NoJustice: It's not just wanna-be's and beginners that are doing free work. Even some well established pros are being forced to jump through more hoops and do a lot more work on pitches and "free" rewrites characterized as "producer's passes" to get around the normal step structure and WGA rules. It's all just a testament to how incredibly difficult it is now for all concerned since the business (and discretionary money and development funding) is shrinking rather than growing.

[BattleDolphinZero]

i've had reps not want to take my work out, if that's what this discussion is.

it happens.

that's why they like to know what you're gonna write before you write it.