Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

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  • Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

    Sooo not to turn this subforum into a Black List Q&A, but I'm kinda bummed...

    I got an Eval a few weeks ago, 7 overall, 8's for Premise/Setting, 7 for plot, 6 and 5 for character and dialogue respectively.

    Just got a new eval on a new draft and it was a 5 overall. Everything was 5's, and 6's. I'm not totally impressed with the review. My script is very complicated, I'm aware of it, but some of the notes sounds like they skimmed it, and this script does not allow for skimming(a risk I know since most people will skim it)

    Between the two evals I've had script consults from Wheelhouse Writer, Script Gal, and a friend who reads for Austin Film Fest. A lot of the notes were highly positive and it seems my character and dialogue improved. I had some logic issues, but the draft on BL had a lot of revisions explicitly aimed at clarifying why things were happening. I was very disheartened to receive a worse score after putting three weeks of work between the two evals.

    I *know* that every reader is different so there is a small margin for differences in opinion. To be honest not sure why I'm posting. This is my first setback I guess, of many to come I know. Maybe I'm looking for encouragement, or honest assessment

    Not sure where to go next with it.

  • #2
    Re: Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

    I'd advise you to go back to the draft before revisions and see if you haven't lost the heavenly spark of inspiration somewhere along the way. It happened to me more than once. I fixed a script by deleting things that made me care for it, following the notes of producers or others who didn't have a feel for what is unique and valuable in the project.

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    • #3
      Re: Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

      Originally posted by goldmund View Post
      I'd advise you to go back to the draft before revisions and see if you haven't lost the heavenly spark of inspiration somewhere along the way. It happened to me more than once. I fixed a script by deleting things that made me care for it, following the notes of producers or others who didn't have a feel for what is unique and valuable in the project.
      Yeah I'm wondering if I'm changing it too much on the whims of others, but to be fair I haven't really cut anything, mostly just reworked dialog, changed things from show instead of tell. It's essentially the exact same plot.

      Under the weakness section they wrote:
      ...main weaknesses of the script lie in a lack of forward momentum...
      Which I have not received a note from anyone about as of yet. What really confuses me is how nice the opening is:
      Will Saunders' script presents a well-written, original, twist-laden, and polished story about an interstellar journey of survival. The dialogue is smart and the space scenery is described in clear detail. The characters are dynamic and interesting. Aidan and EL have a realistic and relatable relationship. The world-building is intriguing and the ship is wonderfully conceived. The reader was pleasantly surprised by the twist ending, which made sense within the logic of the script. The script is polished, free from any grammatical and formatting errors.
      This doesn't sound like a 5, this sounds like an 8. Honestly I'd be more happy if the review reflected the score.

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      • #4
        Re: Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

        The answer to this and nearly every other "Now What?" is pretty much "Write More."

        Put this script aside. Start something from scratch with the specific intention of heading off the problems you had with this script before they pop up. Then, once you've spent time fully focused on something else, you can go back to this script with fresh eyes. Maybe then you'll be able to see it like a reader and pick out what others are trying to say.

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        • #5
          Re: Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

          Just click on a few of the TOP RATED scripts... look at the spectrum of their numerical evals. You will see scripts that have both 10s and 3s...

          10 and 3 for the same script.

          Now reassess how much value or concern you want to place in the gap between your evaluations. Just write more - make the script what you think it needs to be and do your best to get it out into the real world (if you can call Hollywood that) and see what happens.

          But as has been said many times - the BL site can be great if you get the right numbers and it leads to someone looking at it. But sometimes it's purely a crapshoot and luck of the draw when it comes to getting a reader who either does or doesn't like your script.

          Cuz... 10 and 3... Make it abundantly clear you can't assess your own self worth based on a couple ratings.

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          • #6
            Re: Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

            Maybe they did skim or maybe they didn't and were still legitimately confused. Either way, as Ronaldinho says, that's ultimately a script issue not a reader issue. But yeah, next thing up for now.

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            • #7
              Re: Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

              Originally posted by JoeBanks View Post
              Maybe they did skim or maybe they didn't and were still legitimately confused. Either way, as Ronaldinho says, that's ultimately a script issue not a reader issue. But yeah, next thing up for now.
              Ronaldinho? Looks like someone skimmed this thread

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              • #8
                Re: Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

                Hmm, I guess it's not all bad either, since now I have two reviews I'm currently in top scripts category, as well as top 6, and 8 for my genres.

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                • #9
                  Re: Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

                  Originally posted by JoeBanks View Post
                  Maybe they did skim or maybe they didn't and were still legitimately confused. Either way, as Ronaldinho says, that's ultimately a script issue not a reader issue. But yeah, next thing up for now.
                  Originally posted by wsaunders View Post
                  Ronaldinho? Looks like someone skimmed this thread
                  "Says", not "said".

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                  • #10
                    Re: Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

                    Im still confused? He didn't post in this thread?

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                    • #11
                      Re: Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

                      Originally posted by wsaunders View Post
                      Im still confused? He didn't post in this thread?
                      Some people are regulars here, and if their comments posted in other threads resonate, people may reference those regulars even in threads in which they haven't posted.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

                        Originally posted by wsaunders View Post
                        This doesn't sound like a 5, this sounds like an 8. Honestly I'd be more happy if the review reflected the score.
                        This is the Blacklist's defining characteristic. High praise. Low scores. I think it's because the score reflects RECCOMENDING a script, not scoring how good it is. For eg. I loved Shadow 19 by Jon Spaihts -- 10/10. But would I recommend it to a big producer if I was a reader? No. It doesn't have enough story or characters to work as a Hollywood blockbuster.
                        I'm never wrong. Reality is just stubborn.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

                          This is true. Perhaps if readers recommended scripts on their quality rather than perceived Hollywood success, there would be more originality and vibrancy in the product put out by Hollywood. There's a begrudging nature to writers scoring other writers unfortunately but it works in a way because you have impress someone really jaded and if you do then it means your script is truly special in some way at least.

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                          • #14
                            Re: Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

                            Don't be bummed about your 5. It's one readers opinion it is not the official pronouncement from On High about the quality of your script or your abilities as a writer.

                            If the review gave you helpful suggestions or things to think about during the next rewrite, use them. Otherwise, take it for what it is - one reader's opinion - and move on.

                            Just don't keep throwing money at the site in hopes of getting that magic 8 or above, unless it is money you could afford to literally set on fire. Even writers who do score highly don't necessarily get anywhere as a result.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Black List Reader Gave Me A 5 - Now What?

                              Originally posted by FoxHound View Post
                              This is the Blacklist's defining characteristic. High praise. Low scores.
                              Not to be too cynical, because I have no inside knowledge of the instructions the BL gives its readers, but I read for another (relatively small) contest and we were instructed to be extremely positive in our notes. Like, heaps and heaps of praise, with maybe a little nugget of criticism.

                              I think this is because - as anybody who has ever offered notes to a writer knows - lots of people are only interested in hearing praise. As writers, we also all have a certain tendency: say ten nice things about us and one bad one, and we'll only hear the bad one.

                              So I wonder if the sometime discrepancy between the notes and the numbers on the BL is in part a business decision.

                              That all being said:

                              You can not let your sense of self-worth or the value of your screenplay be determined by a reader getting paid $25 to give you notes on your screenplay. This is suicidal. And just as importantly:

                              Somebody gives you notes you agree with? Execute them. Great! But unless somebody is invested in your project (e.g., has paid you or is attached as a director or actor) you can not do things you disagree with to make them happy. That way lies madness, and, more importantly, bad screenplays.

                              (As for being name-checked, I actually scrolled up. "Did I post in this thread already?" But the point is one I do make regularly. It's your job to win over the reader.)
                              Last edited by Ronaldinho; 04-04-2015, 12:15 AM.

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