Spec Scout

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  • #16
    Re: Spec Scout

    It makes no sense that Duffield's MONSTER PROBLEMS is a 83.3, and his JANE GOT A GUN is a 40.

    Why not post WHO the readers are and THEIR credentials. Everyone gets away with "Industry readers" as an anonymous blanket to fool aspiring writers. For all we know, it's a USC dropout who was a PA on a short film.

    Comment


    • #17
      Re: Spec Scout

      Whoa, Steven, thanks for pointing that out. You're totally right -- the Jane coverage was from quite a while ago and we've changed both the coverage rubric and the formula since then. On it now...
      Jason Scoggins

      http://www.specscout.com

      or for that matter

      http://www.scogginsreport.com

      Comment


      • #18
        Re: Spec Scout

        I've looked into the MONSTER PROBLEMS vs JANE GOT A GUN issue and it turns out the scores are actually good examples of the system working as designed. While I don't want to get super granular about how our formula works, one aspect is worth discussing here in some detail.

        A key component of our scoring system converts the standard "Pass/Consider/Recommend" rating used by almost all coverages into a numerical value. As you might expect, scripts that get three Recommends score quite high, and scripts that get three Passes score quite low.

        That's fairly logical and obvious, but here are the implications: To get a good score, at least one reader needs to consider it a Recommend (no pun intended). Scripts that have even one Pass from a reader end up with lesser scores.

        That's as much as I am comfortable saying about the formula, but I'm happy to discuss it further in general terms.

        Meanwhile, I've looked at the coverages for both scripts (I haven't read either script myself). While I may personally disagree with some of them (I'm not saying I do, I'm saying this stuff is inherently subjective), all but one completely justified their scores with their comments, and their comments are thoughtful and thorough and professional. That one outlier was written several months ago while we were fine tuning our system. I've deleted it and put the script back into the coverage queue.

        Thanks again for bringing this to my attention, Steven, and for the opportunity to clarify.
        Jason Scoggins

        http://www.specscout.com

        or for that matter

        http://www.scogginsreport.com

        Comment


        • #19
          Re: Spec Scout

          Originally posted by jscoggins View Post
          We won't be disclosing our subscriber numbers for the foreseeable future, but they're all industry pros (agents, managers, directors, producers, executives, assistants to all of the former, and a few outliers). And yes, our subscribers all pay a small monthly fee for access (currently, $19/month).
          Greetings Jason,

          So industry professionals pay monthly to have access to the database, while a writer would only pay $147 once. Then the writer's data is held in your database, and highlighted if it's good enough? Correct?

          I like this compared to the Black List. A writer shouldn't have to pay an ongoing monthly fee. Paying for reads, yes, but a monthly fee, no. It should be the industry professionals that pay for access. And If they pay for access, they see value in the information they're getting and may be more inclined to visit the site.

          Some questions:

          - If an industry professional is interested in an unrepped script, how do they get their hands on it? Is is hosted on your site for them?

          - What if there are more than ten top scripts that have a score above 60? Number 11 and others are not highlighted. Will they ever be found or are the top ten lists I see on your website expanded for industry professionals to include all scripts within acceptable range?

          - After submitting a script for coverage, does the writer have access to anything else?

          Thanks Jason.
          Last edited by LFGabel; 12-12-2012, 01:02 PM. Reason: added content
          All the best,
          Lee
          __________________________________
          I'm not just a screenwriter...
          I also write and illustrate picture books!

          Comment


          • #20
            Re: Spec Scout

            Hi, Lee. Thanks for the opportunity to keep clarifying what we're up to at Spec Scout.

            Regarding your opening question, that's correct -- writers aren't allowed access to the coverage library in the first place, and they only pay the $147 coverage fee once. (That is, once per submission -- if a writer wants us to review a new draft of previously submitted script, we treat it like a brand new submission: Three new coverages, a new Spec Scout Score, the whole nine).

            We actually keep all our script submissions in a separate database altogether from the main Spec Scout database. The ones we invite to be included in our coverage library get moved over into it, where they're highlighted in a couple of ways and promoted both separately from and together with the spec market material.

            Here are answers to your follow-up questions:

            If an industry professional is interested in an unrepped script, how do they get their hands on it? Is is hosted on your site for them?

            For now, we're not allowing anyone to download any PDFs (unrepped or repped). We've made it easy for our subscribers to contact the agents/managers behind the projects or, if it's unrepped, to contact the writer directly. We have a form that allows them to be emailed and also to make phone numbers available.

            That said, we're planning to make changes to this approach in our next round of development of the site. We'd love input from you and the rest of the DDP community: What do you think the best approach is, from the writers perspective?

            Regardless, we'll be as transparent about what we're doing and why as I've been on this thread so far over the past couple of days. And of course, if we make changes to our policy that affects the writers whose material we've invited to be on Spec Scout, we'll let them know directly.

            What if there are more than ten top scripts that have a score above 60? Number 11 and others are not highlighted. Will they ever be found or are the top ten lists I see on your website expanded for industry professionals to include all scripts within acceptable range?

            The Top 10 lists are just teasers on the public-facing website (in front of the paywall). Once our subscribers log in, they can see ALL of the unrepped scripts we've added to the database. (That's true for the rest of the coverage library as well -- everything we have is available behind the paywall, not just top 10 lists. That's probably obvious...) All unrepped scripts show up alongside the rest of the projects in the database when subscribers do keyword, genre, title and author searches, too.

            After submitting a script for coverage, does the writer have access to anything else?

            No. Access to the coverage library is limited to industry pros who are actively involved in discovering and acquiring material (on either side of the table): Agents, managers, directors, producers, executives, financiers and their assistants.
            Last edited by jscoggins; 12-12-2012, 09:11 PM.
            Jason Scoggins

            http://www.specscout.com

            or for that matter

            http://www.scogginsreport.com

            Comment


            • #21
              Re: Spec Scout

              Originally posted by jscoggins View Post
              If an industry professional is interested in an unrepped script, how do they get their hands on it? Is is hosted on your site for them?

              For now, we're not allowing anyone to download any PDFs (unrepped or repped). We've made it easy for our subscribers to contact the agents/managers behind the projects or, if it's unrepped, to contact the writer directly. We have a form that allows them to be emailed and also to make phone numbers available.

              That said, we're planning to make changes to this approach in our next round of development of the site. We'd love input from you and the rest of the DDP community: What do you think the best approach is, from the writers perspective?
              While downloading scripts is very convenient for industry professionals, personally I like someone contacting me. That way I can track who it is who wants to read the script. Of course I can't stop someone from emailing the script to someone else. I guess you could have a script download feature, but also let the writer know who downloaded the script via an email message. It would allow for followup. On the B.L., I have no idea who is reading my script.

              Originally posted by jscoggins View Post
              What if there are more than ten top scripts that have a score above 60? Number 11 and others are not highlighted. Will they ever be found or are the top ten lists I see on your website expanded for industry professionals to include all scripts within acceptable range?

              The Top 10 lists are just teasers on the public-facing website (in front of the paywall). Once our subscribers log in, they can see ALL of the unrepped scripts we've added to the database. (That's true for the rest of the coverage library as well -- everything we have is available behind the paywall, not just top 10 lists. That's probably obvious...) All unrepped scripts show up alongside the rest of the projects in the database when subscribers do keyword, genre, title and author searches, too.
              I assume when you say ALL, you mean only ones worthy of inclusion (60+)? It's good you list all scripts. Right now, on the B.L. you only get the top 15, and I'm sure people worthy of being seen are not.

              Originally posted by jscoggins View Post
              After submitting a script for coverage, does the writer have access to anything else?

              No. Access to the coverage library is limited to industry pros who are actively involved in discovering and acquiring material (on either side of the table): Agents, managers, directors, producers, executives, financiers and their assistants.
              Makes sense, same as on the B.L.

              I particularly like seeing that writers don't have to pay a monthly fee. Do you foresee that policy changing?

              Thanks for your answers and your time.
              All the best,
              Lee
              __________________________________
              I'm not just a screenwriter...
              I also write and illustrate picture books!

              Comment


              • #22
                Re: Spec Scout

                Thanks for the excellent feedback, Lee. Getting the balance right between the needs of our writer clients and our subscribers is tricky, but we'll learn what works as we go and keep striving to improve.

                I assume when you say ALL, you mean only ones worthy of inclusion (60+)?
                Right.

                I particularly like seeing that writers don't have to pay a monthly fee. Do you foresee that policy changing?
                Absolutely not. Theoretically we might consider expanding our definition of "industry pro" to include writers and other creatives and allow them to access the coverage library, but that's not currently on the table. And either way I can't see us ever charging writers to list their projects on Spec Scout. There are other excellent sites that do that, and I'm not judging them at all. But the purpose of our coverage library precludes that.
                Jason Scoggins

                http://www.specscout.com

                or for that matter

                http://www.scogginsreport.com

                Comment


                • #23
                  Re: Spec Scout

                  How long will the top scripts be included in this library?
                  http://www.pjmcilvaine.com/

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    Re: Spec Scout

                    How long will the top scripts be included in this library?
                    Indefinitely. Generally speaking, we'd like Spec Scout's coverage library to function as a "long tail" discovery mechanism for our subscribers. Buyers' mandates change from time to time, and something that wasn't right for a given company a year ago might be perfect today, so why be limited just to material that's on the market right this minute?
                    Jason Scoggins

                    http://www.specscout.com

                    or for that matter

                    http://www.scogginsreport.com

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      Re: Spec Scout

                      I sold a spec this year that also made it on the hit list, but I noticed that it hasn't received coverage on any either of your sites...

                      Comment


                      • #26
                        Re: Spec Scout

                        Aside from user-submitted scripts, you're also covering and rating specs by professionals?

                        Comment


                        • #27
                          Re: Spec Scout

                          Originally posted by jcgary View Post
                          Aside from user-submitted scripts, you're also covering and rating specs by professionals?
                          This is something that I don't like, especially specs that are still on the market but ranked low by this top secret "formulaic system". Unsure how many others feel the same way, or if professional writers just "don't care" that someone's assigning ratings to their material.

                          Comment


                          • #28
                            Re: Spec Scout

                            I sold a spec this year that also made it on the hit list, but I noticed that it hasn't received coverage on any either of your sites...
                            Send me a direct message with the details (title, your name, the reps who took it out, when it went out, etc.) and I'll look into it.
                            Jason Scoggins

                            http://www.specscout.com

                            or for that matter

                            http://www.scogginsreport.com

                            Comment


                            • #29
                              Re: Spec Scout

                              Aside from user-submitted scripts, you're also covering and rating specs by professionals?
                              Right. In fact the vast majority of the projects on Spec Scout fall in that category (i.e., scripts that went out to buyers from agents and managers).
                              Jason Scoggins

                              http://www.specscout.com

                              or for that matter

                              http://www.scogginsreport.com

                              Comment


                              • #30
                                Re: Spec Scout

                                Originally posted by jscoggins View Post
                                Right. In fact the vast majority of the projects on Spec Scout fall in that category (i.e., scripts that went out to buyers from agents and managers).
                                I dont recommend that bud. Not to answer that in a public way since I could just email you, but it's going to be a headache for you... unless you do it with the writers and reps approval. I know if any of my clients scripts were covered (good or bad), I'd have you take it down.

                                Best,

                                MB
                                twitter.com/mbotti

                                Comment

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