How long can I make a manager wait?

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  • How long can I make a manager wait?

    Four management companies are reading a script of mine. One's agreed to represent it and I'm waiting to hear from the other three, but I have no idea when I'm going to hear back from them. I asked this manager to wait until then so I can make a decision, but how can I expect her to wait until these other people get back to me? Anyone have experience with this? Do managers lose interest if you make them wait too long?
    Last edited by entlassen; 10-09-2012, 11:37 AM.

  • #2
    Re: How long can I make a manager wait?

    Managers and agents aren't in competition...You can look for a manager and an agent at the same time...though it works better if both teams are familiar with each other if you're all gonna work together...Not sure what your problem is here..if a rep loves your script he'll wait as long as he has to wait.

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    • #3
      Re: How long can I make a manager wait?

      Are you mixing managers and agents up? You said agencies which implies agents but then you said manager... they would be at a management company.

      Just making sure so the situation is clearer.
      Quack.

      Writer on a cable drama.

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      • #4
        Re: How long can I make a manager wait?

        All four are managers. Didn't realize I wrote agencies.

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        • #5
          Re: How long can I make a manager wait?

          You can always drop the other managers a note to let them know you have an offer but that you'd be interested in their thoughts before you make a decision. Might speed things up.
          twitter.com/leespatterson

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          • #6
            Re: How long can I make a manager wait?

            Originally posted by -XL- View Post
            You can always drop the other managers a note to let them know you have an offer but that you'd be interested in their thoughts before you make a decision. Might speed things up.
            This. Usually works like a charm for expediting reads.

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            • #7
              Re: How long can I make a manager wait?

              Why did you submit to them if you weren't willing to sign with them?

              If you tell them you're waiting to hear back from other managers all you're telling them is you'd be settling for them if the others fall through. Not a good start to the manager/client relationship.

              Perhaps I'm missing something. You started off saying one manager has read the script and is willing to represent "it". Aren't you trying to get a manager for you, the writer? What exactly are you trying to accomplish here?
              Vancouver Screenwriters Meetup Group

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              • #8
                Re: How long can I make a manager wait?

                Originally posted by ReneC View Post
                Why did you submit to them if you weren't willing to sign with them?

                If you tell them you're waiting to hear back from other managers all you're telling them is you'd be settling for them if the others fall through. Not a good start to the manager/client relationship.

                Perhaps I'm missing something. You started off saying one manager has read the script and is willing to represent "it". Aren't you trying to get a manager for you, the writer? What exactly are you trying to accomplish here?
                I am willing to sign with this company, but the others have better track records. Yes, it's the equivalent of a safety college, but what am I supposed to do, sign with whoever says "yes" first?

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                • #9
                  Re: How long can I make a manager wait?

                  Why did you submit to them if you weren't willing to sign with them?
                  Just because you submit your script to a company doesn't mean it's an automatic yes. You're looking for the right fit. It's possible that you like one manager, but someone who is reading you right now might be an even better fit, and you want to make a decision knowing all the facts. Ideally, you're hoping to be with this person for the long haul, so I don't believe in rushing.

                  When I was deciding on managers, I met with EVERYONE who liked my writing and wanted to meet with me. The entire process took me several weeks. I kept everyone in the loop, and I told everyone up front that it might take a while for me to come to a decision. They seemed to all understand. And I eventually went with the company I met with early on in the process, so it wasn't a matter of going with my safety school--it was more that I didn't want to have any "what if?" doubts nagging me down the road...

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                  • #10
                    Re: How long can I make a manager wait?

                    Of course you meet with all the interested parties, it really is about finding a good fit. There's no reason to make the first manager wait for that initial discussion though while waiting for the others to respond.
                    Vancouver Screenwriters Meetup Group

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                    • #11
                      Re: How long can I make a manager wait?

                      Originally posted by ReneC View Post
                      Of course you meet with all the interested parties, it really is about finding a good fit. There's no reason to make the first manager wait for that initial discussion though while waiting for the others to respond.
                      Again, not really understanding your thinking here. Maybe you've been lucky enough that everyone responds to you within the EXACT time frame. That is not usually the case. Some companies/managers take a weekend to read, others take two weeks, others take over a month.

                      Let's just say, hypothetically, that I sent my script to Anonymous Content, Circle of Confusion and Kaplan Perrone the same day. Anonymous reads right away and makes me an offer. It's a great management company and I am thrilled that they want to rep me, but I'm going to--RIGHT AWAY--contact CoC and K-P and let them know that I've received an offer, but would like to see if they've had a chance to review my work. CoC gets back to me and says, yes, they've read it and they pass. Fine, no harm, no foul. K-P respond to tell me that no, they've been slammed, haven't gotten to it, but will try to read it within the week.

                      Are you telling me that you wouldn't wait to see what Kaplan Perrone had to say before you accept Anonymous' offer? Yes, AC is a great firm, but how do I know that the manager at K-P won't read my work and "get" it much more? I'm not saying that once you receive an offer, you keep hunting for more companies to send your work to, although I don't see anything wrong with that either. The OP says he sent his script to several places that haven't gotten back to him, so the script is already out there. He's planted the seeds. Why not check out the complete harvest? If everyone else is a pass, that's fine, but what if it's not? He owes it to himself to find the BEST manager he can, and that means investigating and taking time to see how things pan out.

                      Obviously, if weeks go by and they still haven't read your script, it's time to move on. Or if they don't even respond to your "checking in" email, then they aren't interested. But when I sent out that "I have an offer" email, five out of six management companies responded within the day to tell me they were going to read my script as quickly as they could. Three out of the six read my script within two weeks and requested a meeting. And believe me, if a manager is truly interested, they will wait. I took several weeks to make my decision, but during those weeks, interested managers would email/call at least once to express their continued interest. I wasn't making them feel "second best"--I was exercising my prerogative to make an informed and considered decision to commit to someone for what I hope to be a long, long time.

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                      • #12
                        Re: How long can I make a manager wait?

                        Agree with Cusp -- that's the right approach, in my opinion.

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                        • #13
                          Re: How long can I make a manager wait?

                          Must just be my sleep deprivation then. I agree completely with Cusp as well, but it seems at odds with what entlassen's been asking.
                          Vancouver Screenwriters Meetup Group

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                          • #14
                            Re: How long can I make a manager wait?

                            Originally posted by onthecusp View Post
                            Again, not really understanding your thinking here. Maybe you've been lucky enough that everyone responds to you within the EXACT time frame. That is not usually the case. Some companies/managers take a weekend to read, others take two weeks, others take over a month.

                            Let's just say, hypothetically, that I sent my script to Anonymous Content, Circle of Confusion and Kaplan Perrone the same day. Anonymous reads right away and makes me an offer. It's a great management company and I am thrilled that they want to rep me, but I'm going to--RIGHT AWAY--contact CoC and K-P and let them know that I've received an offer, but would like to see if they've had a chance to review my work. CoC gets back to me and says, yes, they've read it and they pass. Fine, no harm, no foul. K-P respond to tell me that no, they've been slammed, haven't gotten to it, but will try to read it within the week.

                            Are you telling me that you wouldn't wait to see what Kaplan Perrone had to say before you accept Anonymous' offer? Yes, AC is a great firm, but how do I know that the manager at K-P won't read my work and "get" it much more? I'm not saying that once you receive an offer, you keep hunting for more companies to send your work to, although I don't see anything wrong with that either. The OP says he sent his script to several places that haven't gotten back to him, so the script is already out there. He's planted the seeds. Why not check out the complete harvest? If everyone else is a pass, that's fine, but what if it's not? He owes it to himself to find the BEST manager he can, and that means investigating and taking time to see how things pan out.

                            Obviously, if weeks go by and they still haven't read your script, it's time to move on. Or if they don't even respond to your "checking in" email, then they aren't interested. But when I sent out that "I have an offer" email, five out of six management companies responded within the day to tell me they were going to read my script as quickly as they could. Three out of the six read my script within two weeks and requested a meeting. And believe me, if a manager is truly interested, they will wait. I took several weeks to make my decision, but during those weeks, interested managers would email/call at least once to express their continued interest. I wasn't making them feel "second best"--I was exercising my prerogative to make an informed and considered decision to commit to someone for what I hope to be a long, long time.
                            Is there a way to favorite a poster? Because ever since I started noticing your posts, you have been spot on.

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                            • #15
                              Re: How long can I make a manager wait?

                              I think you should do what XL says.

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