Reputable agents/managers charging a fee to read

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  • Reputable agents/managers charging a fee to read

    Hi all,

    I was just curious of everyone's thoughts to very highly reputable agents and managers charging a fee to read your screenplay. The fee is for coverage and a back-and-forth on this coverage. But, if the screenplay strikes a cord with the rep, then they are willing to take you on, or (at the least) refer you to their contacts.

    I ask because I actually ran into this and by no means am I trying to bash these agents/managers. They definitely have the track records and contacts, and their notes, no doubt, would be invaluable. Everyone has to have a side hustle, right?

    (please excuse any typos as Coors Light isn't always your friend)

  • #2
    Re: Reputable agents/managers charging a fee to read

    They may have a track record but they are not reputable. No reputable agent or manager charges for reads. None, zero, zilch etc.

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    • #3
      Re: Reputable agents/managers charging a fee to read

      Originally posted by Northbank View Post
      They may have a track record but they are not reputable. No reputable agent or manager charges for reads. None, zero, zilch etc.
      This is the answer.

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      • #4
        Re: Reputable agents/managers charging a fee to read

        Actually against rules for agents to do this. Who are these companies, if you don't mind saying?

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        • #5
          Re: Reputable agents/managers charging a fee to read

          Originally posted by JeffLowell View Post
          Actually against rules for agents to do this. Who are these companies, if you don't mind saying?
          Not speaking for the OP, but I know Scott Carr has been doing this for a while. It's not a good look, to say the least.

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          • #6
            Re: Reputable agents/managers charging a fee to read

            I've gotten reads from Scott off a query. He didn't ask for money.

            If he's started doing this recently, it's appalling.

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            • #7
              Re: Reputable agents/managers charging a fee to read

              I've raised this before, about the rise of pay for play and how it's becoming more and more the norm. I for one don't think it's at all reputable, but preys on writer desperation.

              Yes Scott Carr has been doing this for a good year at least I think. Others are routinely offered up on Stage 32 and Roadmap Writers.

              I don't think any agents do this, but cetainly managers and production company execs.

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              • #8
                Re: Reputable agents/managers charging a fee to read

                Originally posted by muckraker View Post
                I've raised this before, about the rise of pay for play and how it's becoming more and more the norm. I for one don't think it's at all reputable, but preys on writer desperation.

                Yes Scott Carr has been doing this for a good year at least I think. Others are routinely offered up on Stage 32 and Roadmap Writers.

                I don't think any agents do this, but cetainly managers and production company execs.

                Yep, and Stage 32 and those guys are super disingenuous. I have friends of friends who are assistants for companies and then Stage 32 will list them as Creative Execs or Coordinators, which isn't even their title.

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                • #9
                  Re: Reputable agents/managers charging a fee to read

                  It probably goes without saying, but if a management company needs to chase reading fees to supplement its income, it's not successful. (Let alone - if a manager has *time* to provide coverage, he's not successful.)

                  I was googling and found a thread here about a company mentioned in this thread - interesting reading. http://messageboard.donedealpro.com/...ad.php?t=74536

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                  • #10
                    Re: Reputable agents/managers charging a fee to read

                    Think about it like this:

                    If a manager is so hard up for cash or feeling that they need to be compensated for their time in such a way... they must not be making much money, which means they're not very good at their job.

                    Go elsewhere. There's so many reputable firms, boutiques and individuals out there that are open to quality material and fresh new voices that would never even think about charging someone for a read.

                    Please don't feed into any money grabbing bs, both for your sake, and for all writers in general.
                    Last edited by Lahlowen; 06-14-2018, 08:18 AM.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Reputable agents/managers charging a fee to read

                      If don’t get paid your rep doesn’t get paid. That’s their motivation to hustle for you and your motivation to mantain their interest in you.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Reputable agents/managers charging a fee to read

                        That wasn't the OP's point: He wondered if querying a rep should involve an invoice.

                        This idea is spreading all over the business. Here's one I found yesterday:

                        I don't have the money to do the VPF thing, but I do keep track of the "new pros" they bring on-board. One, a "producer", has an extensive footprint on the web that was interesting. While VPF has her looking for virtually everything under the Sun, for production, she's got her own script consulting biz going, and on Stage32 she's listed as a model. Oh, and she has one credit (for writing).

                        Look, to each their own. Good for her, and I admire anybody's entrepreneurship. If you can make a buck, go for it. Nothing illegal about it.

                        But here, and as with that other contemporary thread about responding to a @gmail.com invitation to send a script, we have to do our due diligence to find out just who these people are. We have only so much money (I have virtually none) to hand out, but we mustn't forget that we have something infinitely more valuable and precious at our disposal: Our IP.
                        Last edited by catcon; 06-14-2018, 08:30 AM. Reason: Sorry, I called it Script32 instead of Stage32

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                        • #13
                          Re: Reputable agents/managers charging a fee to read

                          Do not pay a manager or agent directly to read your script, I echo sentiments of all others here. That just seems off...What I will say is that I have worked on and off as a paid freelance script reader for financiers, production companies and various others for years. I also work in development at a production company and I do work with a company providing feedback to writers.

                          I do not represent writers and have no intention to, however what I will say is that i make very clear It is only my opinion, and that they're merely paying me for my time, I also teach at college and post college level, and I don't do that for free either. These are projects not I am interested in producing but that way either coverage, meetings or notes, which would be different than if I was reading a script more casually someone simply queried me with.

                          Ultimately it's your decision and your money, and feedback is always valuable. But it's also worth realizing how subjective this business is too. Best of luck.

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                          • #14
                            Re: Reputable agents/managers charging a fee to read

                            Besides the ones mentioned here, I have also seen a screenplay consultant who touts to being a former executive. Then lists a page of "second reader" add on sevices where a manager or producer will charge a fee for giving notes. And one or two names were junior managers at a fairly recognizable shingle. Not sure if that's what the original commenter is referring to.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Reputable agents/managers charging a fee to read

                              My pilot got an 8 on the BL, so I've been querying lots of reps. Carr is the only guy to respond with an offer to read for a fee. You can land reads through cold queries, but I don't think you should be paying any rep to read it.

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