Okay so I've had a script hosted on the BL website for about 12 months, and I feel it has just about run its course as far as what I am going to get out of it, so I thought I'd post my final stats to give anyone out there who wants to know an idea of what they can expect to get for their money if they use this service.
Keep in mind that my experience is in many ways a best case scenario, in that I benefited from a lot of enthusiastic readers. This script was among the highest rated on the website for a number of months and I got a fair amount of free hosting and free reviews.
My script is a gritty crime thriller, ready to produce, in the 8-10M dollar range.
BY THE NUMBERS-
At the end of a year or so I wound up with:
1014 SCRIPT VIEWS
The website changed last March to lump Pro Views and other member views all together, but I was running about 12% Pro Views at that point, so figure that maybe 120 of those 1014 were industry professionals.
12 REVIEWS by paid readers
The scores were: 8-8-6-7-7-7-6-8-5-5-7-6, so you can see, your mileage may vary greatly and some tastes are definitely acquired.
48 PRO DOWNLOADS
7 of the Pros chose to leave scores. They were 9-8-9-8-7-8-7
I was eventually contacted by 7 Industry Professionals, as follows:
2- Legit Producers of crime thrillers in the 8-12 million dollars range. Both of these guys went through all the trouble of setting up phone meetings via multiple back-and-forth emails and then blew off the calls when the time came. I don't really care if someone gets busy (or cold feet) but to not at least give a courtesy email or call is something that I can not get past professionally, and I now regard these producer contacts with a healthy dose of skepticism rather than excitement.
2- other producers with credits in the 500k - 1M dollar range who were clearly batting out of their league with hopes of getting the financing to produce my script, however we had some nice phone calls (1 hour +), flirted with options, and might perhaps cross paths in the future.
2- Literary Managers, who ultimately did not make offers of representation, but invited future submissions. In retrospect, both of these guys were actively soliciting clients at the time (I noticed they both signed multiple writers the same month they contacted me) and so I'm not that crushed by their passing on me. I'd rather have someone fall in love with my work rather than get signed by someone padding their roster.
1- NYC based tv commercial director looking to make the jump to features. We had one very long meeting (we're both in NY) to discuss a major rewrite, which I finished in about a month. We submitted it, through our own contacts, to a large production company and a studio. Both read it and liked it (the studio script coverage came back as a Recommend) but ultimately both passed for the same reason: The projected box office ceiling for this would be around 35M, and that's just not good enough anymore (unless you're Taylor Sheridan). We are still shopping it nonetheless.
I am most likely going to wind up re-writing this as a novel or a pilot, as those are the formats most friendly to the crime genre.
So anyway, my script hosting runs out on January 8th, and I am not renewing it. I have opened it up for downloading by any BL member, in case you're curious or just home and bored during the holiday break.
https://blcklst.com/members/scripts/view/48390
Here is the most recent favorable review to give you an idea of what it's about:
Era
Present Day
Locations
Garfield, New Jersey; blue-collar neighborhood, suburban, diner, highway
Budgets
Low
Genre
Drama, Crime Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Crime Thriller
Logline
A carpenter struggling to make ends meet is drawn into a vicious criminal underworld after being targeted by a shady debt-collection company.
Strengths
The narrative's premise, which follows a working man in tough economic times doing whatever it takes, could resonate powerfully with the current moment and appeal to a broad audience. Kevin's character is memorably introduced and developed in the first act. His financial struggles, admirable, but flawed business practices, valiant efforts as a father and husband, all earn a very strong empathetic response from the audience. The highly specific, nuanced, grounded characterization of Kevin's role makes it truly stand out, and could make it perfect for an up and coming leading man, such as Milo Ventimiglia. The strength of the script is its stellar plotting, which consistently escalates the conflict, maintains a knife edge tension and suspense, continually surprises, and marches towards a thrilling third act. Baxter is a vicious, ruthless antagonist who tests Kevin to his limits and beyond. The visual storytelling is consistently strong, and the dialogue is well characterized, featuring some lines and exchanges that pop off the page and feel ripe for the big screen.
Weaknesses
Theresa, Kevin's wife and the film's female lead, could feature more, and have a more impactful, meaningful and determinant role. In current form, she mostly functions as just Kevin's wife, who catches him in a lie, and, along with Allison, their daughter, represents stakes that Kevin cannot, at any cost, afford to lose. Finding ways to involve Theresa more, and perhaps feature Allison, their daughter, more as well, might broaden the appeal of the premise, add another exciting, attractive casting opportunity (to play Theresa), intensify Kevin's struggle as not only that of a man under pressure, but a father and husband as well, and thus increase the overall emotional engagement of the plot. After Kevin's first meeting with Gil, when he puts Mr. Green in his place, he then rolls over surprisingly easily when the Manager gets on the phone and threatens him. It's surprising Kevin wouldn't call the Manager's bluff to "subpoena every piece of paper" after having been reassured by Gil. The ending could be more climactic. For all that he puts Kevin through, Baxter is vanquished surprisingly easily. A finale more epic befitting the riveting conflict that preceded it is likely warranted.
Prospects:
FALSE COMFORTS could be a bonafide star vehicle for an up and coming leading man, which along with its stellar plotting, and riveting conflict, makes it an exciting project with genuine commercial potential. Overall, this is a very well executed, compelling story with no significant weaknesses that could also function as an attractive writing sample. Improving Theresa's role and developing a more epic, climactic finale are recommended revisions for further development of an already great script.
Keep in mind that my experience is in many ways a best case scenario, in that I benefited from a lot of enthusiastic readers. This script was among the highest rated on the website for a number of months and I got a fair amount of free hosting and free reviews.
My script is a gritty crime thriller, ready to produce, in the 8-10M dollar range.
BY THE NUMBERS-
At the end of a year or so I wound up with:
1014 SCRIPT VIEWS
The website changed last March to lump Pro Views and other member views all together, but I was running about 12% Pro Views at that point, so figure that maybe 120 of those 1014 were industry professionals.
12 REVIEWS by paid readers
The scores were: 8-8-6-7-7-7-6-8-5-5-7-6, so you can see, your mileage may vary greatly and some tastes are definitely acquired.
48 PRO DOWNLOADS
7 of the Pros chose to leave scores. They were 9-8-9-8-7-8-7
I was eventually contacted by 7 Industry Professionals, as follows:
2- Legit Producers of crime thrillers in the 8-12 million dollars range. Both of these guys went through all the trouble of setting up phone meetings via multiple back-and-forth emails and then blew off the calls when the time came. I don't really care if someone gets busy (or cold feet) but to not at least give a courtesy email or call is something that I can not get past professionally, and I now regard these producer contacts with a healthy dose of skepticism rather than excitement.
2- other producers with credits in the 500k - 1M dollar range who were clearly batting out of their league with hopes of getting the financing to produce my script, however we had some nice phone calls (1 hour +), flirted with options, and might perhaps cross paths in the future.
2- Literary Managers, who ultimately did not make offers of representation, but invited future submissions. In retrospect, both of these guys were actively soliciting clients at the time (I noticed they both signed multiple writers the same month they contacted me) and so I'm not that crushed by their passing on me. I'd rather have someone fall in love with my work rather than get signed by someone padding their roster.
1- NYC based tv commercial director looking to make the jump to features. We had one very long meeting (we're both in NY) to discuss a major rewrite, which I finished in about a month. We submitted it, through our own contacts, to a large production company and a studio. Both read it and liked it (the studio script coverage came back as a Recommend) but ultimately both passed for the same reason: The projected box office ceiling for this would be around 35M, and that's just not good enough anymore (unless you're Taylor Sheridan). We are still shopping it nonetheless.
I am most likely going to wind up re-writing this as a novel or a pilot, as those are the formats most friendly to the crime genre.
So anyway, my script hosting runs out on January 8th, and I am not renewing it. I have opened it up for downloading by any BL member, in case you're curious or just home and bored during the holiday break.
https://blcklst.com/members/scripts/view/48390
Here is the most recent favorable review to give you an idea of what it's about:
Era
Present Day
Locations
Garfield, New Jersey; blue-collar neighborhood, suburban, diner, highway
Budgets
Low
Genre
Drama, Crime Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Crime Thriller
Logline
A carpenter struggling to make ends meet is drawn into a vicious criminal underworld after being targeted by a shady debt-collection company.
Strengths
The narrative's premise, which follows a working man in tough economic times doing whatever it takes, could resonate powerfully with the current moment and appeal to a broad audience. Kevin's character is memorably introduced and developed in the first act. His financial struggles, admirable, but flawed business practices, valiant efforts as a father and husband, all earn a very strong empathetic response from the audience. The highly specific, nuanced, grounded characterization of Kevin's role makes it truly stand out, and could make it perfect for an up and coming leading man, such as Milo Ventimiglia. The strength of the script is its stellar plotting, which consistently escalates the conflict, maintains a knife edge tension and suspense, continually surprises, and marches towards a thrilling third act. Baxter is a vicious, ruthless antagonist who tests Kevin to his limits and beyond. The visual storytelling is consistently strong, and the dialogue is well characterized, featuring some lines and exchanges that pop off the page and feel ripe for the big screen.
Weaknesses
Theresa, Kevin's wife and the film's female lead, could feature more, and have a more impactful, meaningful and determinant role. In current form, she mostly functions as just Kevin's wife, who catches him in a lie, and, along with Allison, their daughter, represents stakes that Kevin cannot, at any cost, afford to lose. Finding ways to involve Theresa more, and perhaps feature Allison, their daughter, more as well, might broaden the appeal of the premise, add another exciting, attractive casting opportunity (to play Theresa), intensify Kevin's struggle as not only that of a man under pressure, but a father and husband as well, and thus increase the overall emotional engagement of the plot. After Kevin's first meeting with Gil, when he puts Mr. Green in his place, he then rolls over surprisingly easily when the Manager gets on the phone and threatens him. It's surprising Kevin wouldn't call the Manager's bluff to "subpoena every piece of paper" after having been reassured by Gil. The ending could be more climactic. For all that he puts Kevin through, Baxter is vanquished surprisingly easily. A finale more epic befitting the riveting conflict that preceded it is likely warranted.
Prospects:
FALSE COMFORTS could be a bonafide star vehicle for an up and coming leading man, which along with its stellar plotting, and riveting conflict, makes it an exciting project with genuine commercial potential. Overall, this is a very well executed, compelling story with no significant weaknesses that could also function as an attractive writing sample. Improving Theresa's role and developing a more epic, climactic finale are recommended revisions for further development of an already great script.
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