Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List

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  • #31
    Re: Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List.

    Originally posted by FranklinLeonard View Post
    This group typically numbers somewhere between 550-600 people. Typically between 300-325 of them vote.
    A footnote: That's about the same percentage as voting in presidential elections.

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    • #32
      Re: Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List.

      Franklin, several questions:

      1) What percentage, or how many writers who have a script that make the Black List in a given year, are first-time or unknown/unrepped writers?

      2) When an unrepped or unknown writer makes the list, what has been the general effect on their career going forward? Does it aid in finding assignment work or getting new specs sold?

      3) In regard to question 2, do you think whether or not their script is produced and/or released affects their work prospects?

      ***

      I understand you are probably not able to keep track of every writer who makes the list, but if you have a general idea, it is interesting to know how the black list may improve a writer's career.

      Thanks for coming here.

      ~ Ken
      Last edited by Kenneth Fisher; 09-26-2012, 06:34 PM. Reason: English

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      • #33
        Re: Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List.

        Originally posted by Kenneth Fisher View Post
        Franklin, several questions:

        1) What percentage, or how many writers who have a script that make the Black List in a given year, are first-time or unknown/unrepped writers?

        2) When an unrepped or unknown writer makes the list, what has been the general effect on their career going forward? Does it aid in finding assignment work or getting new specs sold?

        3) In regard to question 2, do you think whether or not their script is produced and/or released affects their work prospects?
        I should probably start by admitting that this is a difficult question for me to answer. I'm generally loathe to comment on the extent to which the Black List makes anyone's careers. Fundamentally, I believe that the writer and his or her work is what deserves the credit. The Black List just shines a very bright light on work that's particularly well done.

        That said,

        1. I don't have exact numbers on this and I think they'd be difficult to put together without a deeper investigation into the biographies of each writer on the list. That said, I know from my own experience as a development executive that a large percentage (I'd say at least half and then immediately cede that its a WAG) are writers for whom their Black List script is either their debut script or the script that's allowed them to "break into" professional writing.

        2. I'll say again, uncomfortable question for me to answer but here's what I can say: The Black List draws a great deal of attention to the scripts on it. More attention means more people (of all sorts and in various aspects of the business) reading the script, and assuming those people like the script, it likely means more attention, more demand, and therefore more opportunity for the screenwriter. But again, it's the writer's good work that creates those opportunities. The Black List just corrects some market inefficiencies so that the work can more easily do that.

        3. Generally speaking, produced work improves a writer's prospects, Black List or not.

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        • #34
          Re: Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List.

          Thanks for the reply Franklin. It was not my intent to put you on the spot in any way, I was just curious because the Black List is kind of a big deal!

          I only learned of it a little over a year ago and then with some research I saw that a lot of the scripts on it were produced and released soon after.

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          • #35
            Re: Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List.

            Originally posted by Kenneth Fisher View Post
            Thanks for the reply Franklin. It was not my intent to put you on the spot in any way, I was just curious because the Black List is kind of a big deal!

            I only learned of it a little over a year ago and then with some research I saw that a lot of the scripts on it were produced and released soon after.
            No harm done. It's an entirely legitimate question. I just never want to take credit away from those who deserve it: the writers who actually wrote the scripts.

            Comment


            • #36
              Re: Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List.

              Kenneth - this probably doesn't answer your question, but it will give you some insight into how one writer (Chris McCoy, who has had three scripts on the Black List) feels about the exposure.

              This is from Part One of McCoy's Five Part Go Into The Story interview:
              The nice thing about the Black List is that it provides an industry shorthand that means "This Is A Script Worth Reading,- and by association, "This Is A Writer Worth Reading.- It's a huge benefit for writers like myself, who have written stuff that people like, but haven't got anything produced yet, and therefore can't be pitched by their produced credits.

              By the way, McCoy was recently hired to write a draft of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, so I'd say he's doing pretty well for himself.

              And Franklin, thank you so much for coming to the DDP forums and answering our questions.

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              • #37
                Re: Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List.

                Hi Franklin,
                Can you tell us the timeframe for the list, i.e., when you contact voters, when the voting deadline is, and when the list comes out?

                Thanks.
                ==========

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                • #38
                  Re: Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List.

                  Originally posted by Hasil Adkins View Post
                  Hi Franklin,
                  Can you tell us the timeframe for the list, i.e., when you contact voters, when the voting deadline is, and when the list comes out?

                  Thanks.
                  As I mentioned above, information about the exact timeline is kept secret so that those who may want to try to influence the process (by campaigning and the like) can't do so as effectively as they could if there were an official timeline.

                  What I can say though is that the List comes out on the Monday before the last working Friday of the year. It typically takes me at least a week to aggregate, fact check, and design the list. And the voting period, in recent years, has lasted no longer than 96 hours.

                  Comment


                  • #39
                    Re: Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List

                    What is the prize money for first, second, and third place?
                    QUESTICLES -- It's about balls on a mission.

                    Comment


                    • #40
                      Re: Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List.

                      Originally posted by FranklinLeonard View Post
                      As I mentioned above, information about the exact timeline is kept secret so that those who may want to try to influence the process (by campaigning and the like) can't do so as effectively as they could if there were an official timeline.

                      What I can say though is that the List comes out on the Monday before the last working Friday of the year. It typically takes me at least a week to aggregate, fact check, and design the list. And the voting period, in recent years, has lasted no longer than 96 hours.
                      Franklin, how does the real time Black List affect the voting?

                      My boss is a member. Looks at the Black List from time to time but never seems to vote on anything on site.

                      Do you contact him personally and disregard the real time list?

                      Comment


                      • #41
                        Re: Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List.

                        Originally posted by dmatthew View Post
                        Franklin, how does the real time Black List affect the voting?

                        My boss is a member. Looks at the Black List from time to time but never seems to vote on anything on site.

                        Do you contact him personally and disregard the real time list?
                        Maybe better to simply word the question this way.

                        Currently there are about 3640 scripts being tracked on site. Of those, about 864 are recommended and rated on a scale of 1-10.

                        Do the ratings for the real time Black List on site then simply convert into the final Black List at the end of the year?

                        Or is the final Black List a whole different voting process?

                        Thanks.
                        Last edited by dmatthew; 09-27-2012, 08:21 PM.

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                        • #42
                          Re: Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List

                          Guys,

                          This is what the current site shows. At work right now and my boss let me do a screen grab. His info was blocked out in red of course.

                          http://postimage.org/image/m27ls01zp/

                          So I assume the real time ratings don't figure into the end of the year Black List?

                          Or is the real time ratings a kinda "here is what is in the running" for the Black List?

                          Thanks, Franklin. Super useful that you are on site answering our questions.

                          Sincerely,
                          David Matthews
                          (2011 Black List Alumni)

                          Comment


                          • #43
                            Re: Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List

                            Originally posted by dmatthew View Post
                            Guys,

                            This is what the current site shows. At work right now and my boss let me do a screen grab. His info was blocked out in red of course.

                            http://postimage.org/image/m27ls01zp/

                            So I assume the real time ratings don't figure into the end of the year Black List?

                            Or is the real time ratings a kinda "here is what is in the running" for the Black List?

                            Thanks, Franklin. Super useful that you are on site answering our questions.

                            Sincerely,
                            David Matthews
                            (2011 Black List Alumni)
                            Guys, unless "Franklin Leonard" is sleeping in, I think we all got played.

                            Everybody I've spoken to has said the Black List is now a real time affair. Not some seriously dated 96 hour voting period with hooky ballets sent out.

                            When they end the voting period (which is currently taking place 24/7) that is it, the real time ratings stop and the 2012 Black List is created.

                            True, it is still extra hard to become a voter, but two Directors of Development at a smaller company we deal with have said they are in and approved.

                            "Franklin Leonard" is that how it is going to run this year?

                            Will the real Franklin Leonard please stand up.

                            Or log in.

                            D.

                            Comment


                            • #44
                              Re: Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List

                              Dude, no one is playing you. Let the guy answer questions at his own leisure.

                              Comment


                              • #45
                                Re: Black List founder Franklin Leonard answers your questions about the Black List

                                Originally posted by ATB View Post
                                Dude, no one is playing you. Let the guy answer questions at his own leisure.
                                Yes, I'll second that. It's Franklin. Give the guy some time. Surely he has better things to do each day than simply hang out here answering questions within an hour of them being posted or even a day. He runs the Black List. Has his own website(s). Etc.

                                No one got played.
                                Will
                                Done Deal Pro
                                www.donedealpro.com

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