Ah, Botti. A name from my past here on DDPro. I've a big "look at me now" coming for him someday, based on a comment he posted on one of my posts several years ago. I haven't been able to say it yet, but it's coming...
Anyway, as for the OP's question, I've never intentionally queried on weekends.
But I have written up drafts to send on the Monday, and have INADVERTENTLY hit <send> instead, on two or three of them. CRINGE!
And this isn't to suggest it's a good tactic to send on weekends, but on two of those I got almost immediate responses, and engaged in respectful back and forth emails over the next half hour!
So it was unintentional, but it was really great having a 'conversation' with these two gentlemen, who both have tons of credits. I must have just hit them at a moment when they felt magnanimous with their time, or they saw that I wasn't too much of a flake as a result of the content of my email/query, so they offered some business advice in spite of the 'it is not for me' reply on the specific pitch. It was nice, and I've never bugged them again (except on weekdays).
Now, another issue for the 'email drafters', or those who think there's no limit to when you can send stuff, is 'how late or early'. You have to watch time zones. I'm in the East, so when I query, I start at 9 a.m. or earlier for the U.K. (5 hours ahead of me) and stop at my noon hour. For HW-bound queries, I start at around 11:30 (8:30 a.m. their time) and go no later than my 8 p.m. (5:00 their time). NY-bound emails are no problem; same EST zone as I am. Australia's the tricky one, because it's a full 12 hours difference for me. What this means is that when I have a new script and have lots of queries to do, I might be pitching 12 hours!
In summary, it's one thing to assume they'll just put any email received aside, and answer it on another day. But because many forward their company emails to the home emails, or otherwise keep themselves 24-7 on tap for business prospects, you really don't want to hit them on weekends or late/early when they're on 'home' time. Show some mercy.
Ah, Botti. A name from my past here on DDPro. I've a big "look at me now" coming for him someday, based on a comment he posted on one of my posts several years ago. I haven't been able to say it yet, but it's coming...
Good thought, Will. A lot of this is the psychological game.
Also, what I don't totally get is HOW these queries go through. Not to beat a dead horse, but I'm not exaggerating when I say 95% of queries sent to my ex went to SPAM. I literally said to her a few times "Hand me your phone, I wanna read the queries." Most were in the SPAM folder. But, the ones that weren't she'd go through here emails specifically to look for queries "check, check, check, check, check, check, check, check, check, check, check, check,"DELETE. Never opened a single one. She'd even say of the ones that made it to her email "How's this stuff making it past the SPAM filter?" I'm like "I dunno?"
My guess: they used her name, referenced something she sold etc.
The higher up the food chain you go, that's what these people are doing as part of their ritual. So, if you DO get a request, understand that you are hella beating the odds.
Also, what I don't totally get is HOW these queries go through. Not to beat a dead horse, but I'm not exaggerating when I say 95% of queries sent to my ex went to SPAM.
I'm by no means an expert or insider on exactly what agencies, management firms, etc. are doing with their emails, but I do know first-hand how easy it is for me to set up filters for my email account for this site to keep stuff out. I have over a dozen filters for certain (spammer) keywords so I never see those e-mails on my phone OR on my computer via an email program. I'm next to positive that many of the people/companies out there have filters set for the word QUERY. Super easy to do. One can "say" send any email with a particular word(s) in the SUBJECT LINE and/or BODY TEXT to the Deleted or Junk folders.
Thus and more to the point, what I'd say to anyone trying to query is don't use the "query" anywhere. I'd be willing to bet the ones that got through to her didn't have that word in them. I don't know for a fact obviously but that was probably the case to some degree or another at wherever she worked. If they had a decent IT department they could also Whitelist tons of different e-mail domains they do receive emails from on a daily basis to be safe.
Put the TITLE of the script in the subject line. Then put the Title in the body along with the logline, maybe a very brief description and possibly some key thing about you that might help. Then ask super nicely, very respectfully and with humility (but don't beg or overdo it, of course) if they would be willing to take a look at (read or consider) your script.
Quite a few of the queries I see in my little world include GENRE and TITLE in the Subject line. (The word query is never used anywhere.)
Now they will still probably delete it. But for that small percent that have a great logline and the writing chops to back it up with a terrific script, they could get break.
I'm by no means an expert or insider on exactly what agencies, management firms, etc. are doing with their emails, but I do know first-hand how easy it is for me to set up filters for my email account for this site to keep stuff out. I have over a dozen filters for certain (spammer) keywords so I never see those e-mails on my phone OR on my computer via an email program. I'm next to positive that many of the people/companies out there have filters set for the word QUERY. Super easy to do. One can "say" send any email with a particular word(s) in the SUBJECT LINE and/or BODY TEXT to the Deleted or Junk folders.
Thus and more to the point, what I'd say to anyone trying to query is don't use the "query" anywhere. I'd be willing to bet the ones that got through to her didn't have that word in them. I don't know for a fact obviously but that was probably the case to some degree or another at wherever she worked. If they had a decent IT department they could also Whitelist tons of different e-mail domains they do receive emails from on a daily basis to be safe.
Put the TITLE of the script in the subject line. Then put the Title in the body along with the logline, maybe a very brief description and possibly some key thing about you that might help. Then ask super nicely, very respectfully and with humility (but don't beg or overdo it, of course) if they would be willing to take a look at (read or consider) your script.
Quite a few of the queries I see in my little world include GENRE and TITLE in the Subject line. (The word query is never used anywhere.)
Now they will still probably delete it. But for that small percent that have a great logline and the writing chops to back it up with a terrific script, they could get break.
Ahhh... yeah. Good tip to never add the word "query." And good overall info.
And agreed, their IT departments are very savvy and definitely have buzz words that will kill your query. Now that you say that, I remember that (I talked to someone at _AA about it). The funny thing is that agents/managers don't (generally) know how any of that works. They just know they aren't seeing the queries. So, they're like "cool!" Ha!
Don't query if they're at a funeral. Now this is tough to know, but that's where the private detectives come in handy... also depends how close they were to the person...
Yes don't use QUERY for many reasons, also because it's redundant. I think agencies may have filters up, but I've gotten queries through many many times. Maybe if you use a hotmail or aol address, they automatically block you because you're emailing from 1995. (this will upset at least 3 of you on here).
Honestly I think it's 2019, we all get emails we don't want and phone calls we don't want, but if you try to block all you'll probably miss some real stuff.
This is all to say I think 95% of the emails make it through. They are just ignoring you. Or read it (if title good and email short) and passed right away w/o emailing you to pass. Why would they?
Again don't query on every second Monday on leap years.
Don't query if they're at a funeral. Now this is tough to know, but that's where the private detectives come in handy... also depends how close they were to the person...
Good call.
If I decide to query a rep, I hang around outside their house and watch through their windows to make sure they're not busy when I hit 'Send'. I usually wait until they are on the can unless I can tell they're having a rough go of it.
If I decide to query a rep, I hang around outside their house and watch through their windows to make sure they're not busy when I hit 'Send'. I usually wait until they are on the can unless I can tell they're having a rough go of it.
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