I was listening to a Scripts and Scribes podcast and a manager by the name of Jesse Silver was on, and here's a conversation that went on, roughly transcribed (NOTE: I have questions below the quote, you don't need to read the quote if its too long):
Now, I have two questions:
1. is it really that rare for agents to sign people based on scripts that are good but they don't necessarily think will sell, just to wait for the writer's next script? I could swear I've heard a lot of stories like that, tho it may have been mainly Nicholl winners.
Furthermore, isn't it standard practice to querry agents with screenplays?
2. How much does a writer really need a manager?
If you look at some of the stuff that the manager says, I feel its stuff that most people would know if you follow the trades and you listen to screenwriting podcasts etc.; Have at least two scripts before you querry, if something sells you should have more material so people can read it while there's buzz around you, be aware that your material is creating an idea of what kind of writer you are etc etc.
I feel that that's all stuff people who try to be informed screenwriters know about and can therefore manage their own careers in that way.
So why then would a guy need a manager?
Sometimes people say he helps you develop the script, but what if I don't want that? I feel I can be objective about my work and develop it fine by myself.
So what would be the benefits of a manager?
I suppose his contacts would be of value.
HOST: agents are in the business of selling material more than finding new talent, because they have a lot more clients, I mean, unless you win the nicholl fellowship, you're prolly not on their radar, or not something they would take a chance on unless you get a referral, so they find a lot of their clients through referrals through managers
Lets say you find a new writer you want to work with, what's the next step:
JESSE: If they have a great script, well then absolutely, we're just gonna go get an agent, because we're just gonna go sell that script.
Then he talks about this one writer and his scripts was one fo the best things he ever read and he said, I knew it was gonna start his career. I don't know if its gonna sell, because its super tiny, but it is.... you will be a professional writer. And went and got an agent.
A splashy sale to a studio is easiest scenario for reps (for getting an agent I guess he means, tho doesn't he have to have an agent to make a sale?), because you get incoming calls right away, you have other studios start calling you, 'who is this guy, we gotta meet him,' and it takes care of itself. Then my main job at that point is making sure he has a lineup of new material to sell and advance his career, so we go right into development.
For someone who doesn't necessarily have a script that he can sell right away, we start developing one. And I try not to think about selling it, I try only to think about making a statement about this person and their writing and who they are and in some cases that has ended up with a sale. We just say lets write something really bananas, and then it ends up making a big sale and making a ton of money and launching the person into another category.
Sometimes its too weird to sell, but it still has enough value that that person gets a lot of meetings and now people know who they are, which gives me an opportunity to haev them write something a little safer for their next script, because now they have credibility as a creative and brilliant person, they can do something slightly safer that fits into sort of the kind of boxes of things that actually get made, and I find that works really well.
But its not until you have something to sell that I go to an agent.
Lets say you find a new writer you want to work with, what's the next step:
JESSE: If they have a great script, well then absolutely, we're just gonna go get an agent, because we're just gonna go sell that script.
Then he talks about this one writer and his scripts was one fo the best things he ever read and he said, I knew it was gonna start his career. I don't know if its gonna sell, because its super tiny, but it is.... you will be a professional writer. And went and got an agent.
A splashy sale to a studio is easiest scenario for reps (for getting an agent I guess he means, tho doesn't he have to have an agent to make a sale?), because you get incoming calls right away, you have other studios start calling you, 'who is this guy, we gotta meet him,' and it takes care of itself. Then my main job at that point is making sure he has a lineup of new material to sell and advance his career, so we go right into development.
For someone who doesn't necessarily have a script that he can sell right away, we start developing one. And I try not to think about selling it, I try only to think about making a statement about this person and their writing and who they are and in some cases that has ended up with a sale. We just say lets write something really bananas, and then it ends up making a big sale and making a ton of money and launching the person into another category.
Sometimes its too weird to sell, but it still has enough value that that person gets a lot of meetings and now people know who they are, which gives me an opportunity to haev them write something a little safer for their next script, because now they have credibility as a creative and brilliant person, they can do something slightly safer that fits into sort of the kind of boxes of things that actually get made, and I find that works really well.
But its not until you have something to sell that I go to an agent.
1. is it really that rare for agents to sign people based on scripts that are good but they don't necessarily think will sell, just to wait for the writer's next script? I could swear I've heard a lot of stories like that, tho it may have been mainly Nicholl winners.
Furthermore, isn't it standard practice to querry agents with screenplays?
2. How much does a writer really need a manager?
If you look at some of the stuff that the manager says, I feel its stuff that most people would know if you follow the trades and you listen to screenwriting podcasts etc.; Have at least two scripts before you querry, if something sells you should have more material so people can read it while there's buzz around you, be aware that your material is creating an idea of what kind of writer you are etc etc.
I feel that that's all stuff people who try to be informed screenwriters know about and can therefore manage their own careers in that way.
So why then would a guy need a manager?
Sometimes people say he helps you develop the script, but what if I don't want that? I feel I can be objective about my work and develop it fine by myself.
So what would be the benefits of a manager?
I suppose his contacts would be of value.
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