The New Black List

[Rhodi]

You don't agree? Surely you'd rather the merits of your screenplays assessed on the basis of the script itself, rather than what you're able to cram into a one or two sentence logline?

[stainjm]

Originally Posted by cshel

Another thing that I realized about this from reading a post on the other BL thread. (There really should be one thread on this somehow.)

The poster joined, unrated, and immediately had some views. He probably correctly came to the conclusion that every time another curious unrepped writer reads your logline it will count as a view. So you could have 500 views and no read requests without knowing if a professional ever read your LL. You could come to the erroneous conclusion that nobody is requesting your script because the pros don't like your LL, etc., and take it off, when that might not even be the case.

One of my concerns is the fact that all unrepped writers could see all the others. Here's another reason why that's not a good idea. It muddies the whole tracking of your stats benefit, one of the supposed selling points.

Yes! (I think that was me)

[mgwriter]

Franklin created the original Blacklist and it took off and grew beyond expectations. It actually became something of VALUE.

However, Franklin was not paid for creating the value laden Blacklist.

Blacklist 3.0 is Franklin getting paid for creating the original Blacklist which now has value and pedigree. (everyone deserves to be compensated, but since industry pros benefit so much from the list, maybe he could have tried to collect on that end).

The reason it's so difficult for aspiring writers to break through is not because there is a lack of avenues. The reason it is so difficult is because the overwhelming majority of scripts sent in are not BOTH well written and highly marketable. The few that are will get through the normal channels. The scripts that are well written but not marketable may get writers looked at as well.

Blacklist 3.0 is not going to change the fact that most scripts are not ready for prime time. If people are not responding to a writer's script or query, it's probably not because it just needs to be listed in the right place. It's probably because the concept is not very compelling and/or script not written well enough.

BL 3.0 will only help those writers who probably don't need the help in the first place. Everyone else will remain in the same boat with a few less dollars in their pockets. However, if it takes spending $75-$150 to learn a lesson about why a script isn't getting through, then I guess it's money well spent.

[karsten]

Originally Posted by lordmanji

Franklin, is there a way to update the uploaded script without deleting the listing?

This is my question as well.

[CColoredClown]

I've uploaded a script and have read other's loglines, but from what I've seen, I do not have ability to download those scripts, so I'm not sure if that would count as a "view."

[NoirDigits]

Originally Posted by Rhodi

You don't agree? Surely you'd rather the merits of your screenplays assessed on the basis of the script itself, rather than what you're able to cram into a one or two sentence logline?

A writer's ability (or inability) to craft a concise and intriguing logline is probably a good indicator of their overall talent.

[stainjm]

Originally Posted by Geoff Alexander

Because the writers' targets, i.e., buyers/reps create a profile within the system that includes their preferences and taste as interpreted by ranking a minimum of 50 scripts and thereby generating matches. The system takes that profile and then finds scripts which match in terms of genre, ratings, etc.. So, the reads aren't being generated by someone seeing your logline, as they would in traditional queries, they are generated by the system matching your script to people who have already expressed an interest in its qualities.

The theory seems to be that, as users add data into the system about their own taste, the system gets really good at predicting if you will like a script or not, and then actively pings the user with specific recommendations.

At least that's how it seems to work. I started rating scripts and I can see it starting to dial in the prediction on how I will rate i the future. Pretty interesting.

Being a reader, can you recommend a way for us to get attention for our scripts? Is it just the logline, or are you looking at coverage, or... ? Is it in bad form to go out and find people that are on there and ask them to take a look?

[Jules]

Originally Posted by Geoff Alexander

At least that's how it seems to work. I started rating scripts and I can see it starting to dial in the prediction on how I will rate i the future. Pretty interesting.

What are you rating though? scripts you've already read, like stuff on the black list (the actual list) and based on that it's giving you recommends with new stuff that matches that in some way?

Like if you liked a couple of ninja scripts, it's telling you about ninja scripts all of a sudden?

I don't understand how it can be operating when it seems to have so little information at present on a script other than its genre, or are readers building a database of keywords relating to the scripts like they do on inktip?

I think Franklin should let writers see what readers are seeing from their side.

There's still a lot more that needs to be answered about this service.

[Rantanplan]

Granted, I haven't been through the site. But who are the "industry pros" reading scripts with good coverage? Franklin said "repped writers" are considered "industry pros." No offense, but they are absolutely not. Just hanging out on DD you realize there are tons of writers who've had reps for years and who still haven't made a sale or a living buck off writing. They are not pros. They are one step ahead in the game, but still aspiring scribes. Why should a writer give a sh!t if those guys are reading their scripts? Might as well post on Scriptshadow and have every yahoo out there give an opinion on your work. No thanks!

The way I see it, you CAN get reads off queries. Most of us had. But if only going by Hamboog's example, there are still tons of reps or prodcos that will absolutely never look at a cold query --they are automatic deletes, and that is just a fact. So there are services that make access more feasible, and I think that's a good thing. But reading this thread, I'm a little unsure as to who is actually reading scripts, and I don't like that. Personally, when it comes to this kind of service, my vote goes to VirtualPitchFest (disclaimer: the only such service I've ever used). Yeah it's only one person at a time, but you know who you're querying and you're guaranteed a response. Many people are inaccessible via query but accessible via VPF.

Personally, my experience is that I've gotten a lot of reads through good old fashioned free querying, but that there are production companies with very strict policies, and those are the ones I choose to query through VPF. Obviously nobody can afford to pay 10 bucks for every single query, but using that as an extremely targeted, second solution, when querying has failed, has, in my experience, shown results. And the best thing is, the writer remains in control of who is reading the script. If the DOD of a big company requests the script, then well, I know who has it. Even though he/she might give it to an assistant to read.

It's an interesting approach, this one, but time will tell. People already have many reservations about it, and my main one is, who is reading these scripts. Overall, I see too much emphasis on mathematical formulas than on actual real influential people reading scripts.

[FoxHound]

Originally Posted by NoirDigits

A writer's ability (or inability) to craft a concise and intriguing logline is probably a good indicator of their overall talent.

If this were true, then why do agents reject 95% of the scripts they request off a cold query?

A good logline = a good script? Only 5% of the time.