Formerly Repped

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  • #46
    Re: Formerly Repped

    Originally posted by Hernan Giaggio View Post
    Do I reach out? Do I coast, play it cool? I've gotten different pieces of advice on this.

    Hollywood ain't the best for neurotics (not calling you one, just me).
    I'd reach back out. Why not?

    But, I think Hollywood should be fully aware that we're all nutz by now. I've never meet a sane writer who's GOOD!
    Bruh, fukkin *smooches*! Feel me? Ha!

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    • #47
      Re: Formerly Repped

      Originally posted by EdFury View Post
      I had one manager for years. We got along great. He called me as much as I called him. I wrote, he sent out. He never had notes, which I never wanted from him. He got me OWAs... Then.... he got the producer bug. And everything changed. When I forbid him attaching to any of my project unless he brought money, which he didn't, it went downhill further... and we parted ways. Instigated by me. It was sad. We once had an amazing relationship.

      I got another manager right away and it was a complete mismatch from the get go. I never mentioned the old manager or anything that happened. Let my writing speak for me. I don't think looking back, except for talking about successes, does you any good.

      The new manager lasted a couple of months until he read my latest spec and said, "Great script. Too low budget. I can't make enough money from it." Fired the next day.

      Decided to take a break from reps while I endured surgery and chemotherapy (in remission now, thank You God) and then.... my old manager called with a OWA he thought I was perfect for and by osmosis we were back. I got the job. He hasn't said a word about producing and he's getting my stuff out and me back in rooms. Like the break up never happened.

      Finding the right rep is so hard. Keeping a good one is difficult. I thought I had done my homework on the second one and nope, completely wrong. I do know that a recommendation from a producer or director helps a lot. Is there any way you can go back to producers who have optioned in the past and see if they can help?

      I got both those managers and my now fired agent from referrals. I got the referrals because I called people I knew, and some not that well, asked for them. Never hurts to ask. Beats the hell out of querying.
      Interesting chain of events...

      Agreed, referrals are probably the way to go if you can. I tried to get a new rep (last time) without referrals, being stubborn. Finally said F' this BS, got a new rep quickly using the referral.
      Bruh, fukkin *smooches*! Feel me? Ha!

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      • #48
        Re: Formerly Repped

        Originally posted by GucciGhostXXX View Post
        Interesting chain of events...

        Agreed, referrals are probably the way to go if you can. I tried to get a new rep (last time) without referrals, being stubborn. Finally said F' this BS, got a new rep quickly using the referral.
        Yep. It doesn't hurt to ask people you know. All they can say is no. I sat in a conference room with the head of production company once I'd done a couple rewrite jobs for, before I had an agent.... and asked him for a referral to one. To which he answered, "Nope. Can't."

        I asked why and he said, "Then I'd have to share you." So, a rejection and a compliment at the same time. I called another producer a week later and got the referral... I still work occasionally for the first guy...

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        • #49
          Re: Formerly Repped

          Originally posted by EdFury View Post
          Yep. It doesn't hurt to ask people you know. All they can say is no. I sat in a conference room with the head of production company once I'd done a couple rewrite jobs for, before I had an agent.... and asked him for a referral to one. To which he answered, "Nope. Can't."

          I asked why and he said, "Then I'd have to share you." So, a rejection and a compliment at the same time. I called another producer a week later and got the referral... I still work occasionally for the first guy...
          Ha! Right? Worst they can say is "Nah..." To which I'd say "Okay... no worries, man."

          But, good story of things working out for you!
          Bruh, fukkin *smooches*! Feel me? Ha!

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          • #50
            Re: Formerly Repped

            When talking to a new rep -- maybe even when they are interested in repping you or better become your rep -- how much of the past should you reveal? I have so many projects that I still find sellable, but you also don't want to give them "here's 5 terrible scripts" and have them think you suck now after they got excited by your new stuff. It's such a hard line to walk I feel...

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            • #51
              Re: Formerly Repped

              Originally posted by Bono View Post
              When talking to a new rep -- maybe even when they are interested in repping you or better become your rep -- how much of the past should you reveal? I have so many projects that I still find sellable, but you also don't want to give them "here's 5 terrible scripts" and have them think you suck now after they got excited by your new stuff. It's such a hard line to walk I feel...
              Lead with your latest script, or whatever got them interested. But then tell them you're also working on something new. Then a month later, whip out the new script - which is just an old script with a new date - and you're good to go.

              The truth is no script is ever really dead, but at least get them to think it's new and not some dead horse from years ago that everyone passed on.

              Even scripts that have been send out before, I have had sent out again with a new date and new title. No-one knows anything.

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              • #52
                Re: Formerly Repped

                Originally posted by Incognito View Post
                Lead with your latest script, or whatever got them interested. But then tell them you're also working on something new. Then a month later, whip out the new script - which is just an old script with a new date - and you're good to go.

                The truth is no script is ever really dead, but at least get them to think it's new and not some dead horse from years ago that everyone passed on.

                Even scripts that have been send out before, I have had sent out again with a new date and new title. No-one knows anything.
                very happy to hear this, Incognito. thanks for posting.
                "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

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                • #53
                  Re: Formerly Repped

                  Originally posted by Incognito View Post
                  But then tell them you're also working on something new. Then a month later, whip out the new script - which is just an old script with a new date - and you're good to go.
                  Don't do this. Your reps are your partners, not your employees, nor your bosses. Discuss your old scripts with your rep and be honest with yourself and them as to their quality if they are early efforts. Share the loglines with your rep, discuss them, and there might be one to freshen up and try and sell.

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                  • #54
                    This post is relevant again for me. This business is crazy. Not for the thin skinned. It helps that I am super fat. My spec is still out there with a big time producer so it could sell any day or never! But I am now a free agent as far as reps go... So my advice just became 10% less helpful.



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                    • #55
                      Double post.

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                      • #56
                        Originally posted by Bono View Post
                        This post is relevant again for me. This business is crazy. Not for the thin skinned. It helps that I am super fat. My spec is still out there with a big time producer so it could sell any day or never! But I am now a free agent as far as reps go... So my advice just became 10% less helpful.
                        Sorry it didn't work out, man. Email me if you want to commiserate. Same boat!

                        Comment


                        • #57
                          Originally posted by NoNeckJoe View Post

                          Sorry it didn't work out, man. Email me if you want to commiserate. Same boat!
                          I will as soon as I can remember your real name! I've got 4 choices in my fat head! Sorry too man.

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                          • #58
                            Just my opinion, but wouldn't mention anything about being repped previously and would only mention 1 script in an email. I think if you can write 1 sellable script per year, an agent will love you. If you're "good in the room," they will love you even more. If your agent isn't getting you a ton of meetings as a writer who is still trying to break in, then that means either they're not working hard for you, or the sample they sent out has gotten lukewarm responses from the industry. If it's a dynamite script with a unique voice, everyone will ask to meet you, not the other way around.

                            I know you've written dozens of scripts, but I would maybe do an honest assessment and pick the very best 1 or 2 for now. And don't mention you have any others for the time being until those get to that great level. Just say you have more material once you get on a call, material that's in progress, and you expect to have another feature ready in 6 months. There's a lot of strong writers out there.

                            In the end, it's a competition.

                            If you want to write TV, that's a tragectory to discuss with your agent or manager, as some paritcularly focus on getting their writers in those rooms, which I believe you will do well in.

                            Would be happy to vote on my favorite loglines of yours and give you my feedback.

                            I'm not the best person or best writer on here to ask, but the above has been my experience thus far.

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                            • #59
                              I've been in this position before and trust me mentioned you were repped before HELPS a ton. Sometimes I even wrote in in the subject line. It reads I AM NOT A WASTE OF TIME LIKE THE 100 OTHER EMAILS YOU GOT TODAY.

                              Also yes I would query with something NEW and not mention other work other than that 1 project in this first pitch to them.

                              Oh yes I've written say 40 features, but 90% of them I consider dead projects. Probably even higher. I tried to sell them at one point or wrote them with a writing partner so now that I'm solo, those to me are dead dead dead.

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                              • #60
                                Originally posted by Bono View Post
                                I've been in this position before and trust me mentioned you were repped before HELPS a ton. Sometimes I even wrote in in the subject line. It reads I AM NOT A WASTE OF TIME LIKE THE 100 OTHER EMAILS YOU GOT TODAY.

                                Also yes I would query with something NEW and not mention other work other than that 1 project in this first pitch to them.

                                Oh yes I've written say 40 features, but 90% of them I consider dead projects. Probably even higher. I tried to sell them at one point or wrote them with a writing partner so now that I'm solo, those to me are dead dead dead.
                                Bono -- I know the business isn't all about talent and hard work, because you have both, but when assessing yourself objectively, what do you think is holding you back?

                                I think you should consider what we talked about in one of our chats, working in TV, and here is why. Being able to write quickly is a skill that not a lot of people have. Take me for example, I am a very slow writer. It is one of my weaknesses. But I do have a couple strengths, I think. I read Promising Young Woman script this weekend. And that's probably the first time I read an Oscar script and said to myself, I think my work is better than this, conceptually, on a technical level, and a literary level. So then I say to myself, ok, I think I have a competitive advantage in this industry.

                                I think that one of your advantages is your speed, and believe me when I tell you that it is a huge skill. I've come to know quite a few a list screenwriters, and the only ones who have written as many scripts as you are considerably older than you.

                                Let me explain it in a different way. When you're writing a spec script, your advantage of speed goes away. No one cares that it only took you 2 months to write your script, and it took me a year to write mine. I've had many executives ask me, "would you be interested in working in a writers room?" and my answer is always no. The reason why is because the quality of my work will suffer. I will not walk through that TV door because I am not ready to walk through it yet. But if you're producing the same quality on a spec in 2 months, where most professionals would spend 3-4 months, then you are ready.

                                I've seen some pro basketball players practice their free throws, all day and all night, when they only average 0.5 free throws a game. If you never get to the line in the game, then that skill you've taken so long to develop has no value.

                                Anyway that's my tough love kind of post to you because you're the man and I hope to see you do big things. Remember what your best skill is. And attack the market that needs that skill.

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