When's the best time to start looking for an agent?

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  • #16
    Re: When's the best time to start looking for an agent?

    Originally posted by curious1980 View Post
    This is my first time hearing about a manager. What's the difference between a manager and an agent? Do you go about getting a manager the same way you would an agent (through query letter)?
    A literary manager will help you nuture your talent as a writer. An agent is basically the middle man between you and the studio/production company when it comes to down to the contract. I have neither, but that's my impression of both entities. You're better off querying a lit manager first.
    "A screenwriter is much like being a fire hydrant with a bunch of dogs lined up around it.- -Frank Miller

    "A real writer doesn't just want to write; a real writer has to write." -Alan Moore

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    • #17
      Re: When's the best time to start looking for an agent?

      The problem still boils down to the query to a manager- suppose you have a good script but can't get anyone to read it. Is it all about the logline? Has anyone ever landed a manager with a logline that was NOT commercial?

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      • #18
        Re: When's the best time to start looking for an agent?

        You can't get anyone to read it? Surely there's someone you know - an exec, an assistant, someone who (if they like it) can refer you to a manager they know and respect. You can also query managers, but most people get their managers by the first means.
        https://twitter.com/DavidCoggeshall
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        • #19
          Re: When's the best time to start looking for an agent?

          Originally posted by ProfessorChomp View Post
          You can't get anyone to read it? Surely there's someone you know - an exec, an assistant, someone who (if they like it) can refer you to a manager they know and respect. You can also query managers, but most people get their managers by the first means.
          Exactly. This is how I landed my old manager and my current one - through referral. I think there's way too much emphasis in this forum on firing off random queries, worrying about loglines and trying to score email addresses. People should focus their energies on finding people they know to help them get their scripts into the right hands. If they did, they would be amazed at how many more reads they'll get while rarely ever having to worry about writing the perfect query, which results in far fewer reads no matter how great a logline you have.

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          • #20
            Re: When's the best time to start looking for an agent?

            Originally posted by Telly View Post
            This is incorrect information. Agents will not be knocking down your door, ever. You will need to follow the industry standards and query your butt off. If for some reason you win a major contest, sure, you'll get a few calls from agencies requesting the script, but never count on that.

            You control your fate.
            Not true. There are people who have made films on an independent basis. If said films become huge, yes, AGENTS will be seeking the writer.

            Or if someone has some sort of personal connection to a Hollywood producer, gets his script produced, and the movie becomes a major hit? You'd better believe it that agents will contact the writer.
            Check out my videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/NyFilmmaker32/videos

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            • #21
              Re: When's the best time to start looking for an agent?

              Quote:
              Originally Posted by ProfessorChomp http://messageboard.donedealpro.com/...s/viewpost.gif
              You can't get anyone to read it? Surely there's someone you know - an exec, an assistant, someone who (if they like it) can refer you to a manager they know and respect. You can also query managers, but most people get their managers by the first means.



              This is hard to do if you don't live in LA...... Query is the only choice I've got.

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              • #22
                Re: When's the best time to start looking for an agent?

                Originally posted by brubenow View Post
                Quote:
                Originally Posted by ProfessorChomp http://messageboard.donedealpro.com/...s/viewpost.gif
                You can't get anyone to read it? Surely there's someone you know - an exec, an assistant, someone who (if they like it) can refer you to a manager they know and respect. You can also query managers, but most people get their managers by the first means.



                This is hard to do if you don't live in LA...... Query is the only choice I've got.

                Same here. I'm in Oklahoma. I don't have funds to go to an LA party every night and try to find someone who knows someone who knows someone else. Outside a telephone and a computer all I have is a query letter...and (although I would like to) I highly doubt that I'll become friends enough with someone on here or any other forum to get a good referral. It'd be great if it happened (hint hint)...but I doubt it will.

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                • #23
                  Re: When's the best time to start looking for an agent?

                  I think networking is highly overrated for screenwriters just starting out. I find a query letter via email to managers works just fine. That's how I got my rep and how many others here (people that sold stuff) did too.

                  And technically I did "network" by talking to writers on this board and querying managers. This is what you should be doing. You don't have to be in LA or go to parties right now.

                  I doubt most writers broke in by meeting a manager in a restaurant that was willing to read their script. Always stories like that, but it seems 95% of them are just people that knew NO ONE and had a great script that they read and feel in love with.

                  So don't make excuses, send emails.

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                  • #24
                    Re: When's the best time to start looking for an agent?

                    I think networking is a waste of time as well. The better way to get a referral is to make a list of everyone you know and find out who they know. If you're not in LA, then this becomes incredibly hard to do. But if you are, this should be the first method of attack, because surely if you live in LA, you'll have a connection somewhere. Unless you're a hermit. It's always better to get someone you know to pick up the phone and make a personal connection than to be one of a hundred blind queries.

                    I think the problem is people relying too much on queries - sometimes that's all they try. Sure, it may have worked well for some - power to you - but I'm a firm believer that it should be the method of last resort.

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                    • #25
                      Re: When's the best time to start looking for an agent?

                      Originally posted by docgonzo View Post
                      I think the problem is people relying too much on queries - sometimes that's all they try. Sure, it may have worked well for some - power to you - but I'm a firm believer that it should be the method of last resort.
                      I think that's because the first thing most new comers hear is, "write a query letter to an agent." So you hold that piece of information as your only ticket into the biz. I know I did. I've been gathering information about screenplays and the business for over a year now. Until now, I've never heard anyone mentioning any other option than sending a query. This is also my first time hearing about managers. Any and all advice I got was, "you need an agent." I'm sure a lot of writers don't get a shot because of this - them only going down one path and approaching one type of person. There's so many aspects of the process that's untold to a newbie or misconstrued.

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                      • #26
                        Re: When's the best time to start looking for an agent?

                        Originally posted by curious1980 View Post
                        I think that's because the first thing most new comers hear is, "write a query letter to an agent." So you hold that piece of information as your only ticket into the biz. I know I did. I've been gathering information about screenplays and the business for over a year now. Until now, I've never heard anyone mentioning any other option than sending a query. This is also my first time hearing about managers. Any and all advice I got was, "you need an agent." I'm sure a lot of writers don't get a shot because of this - them only going down one path and approaching one type of person. There's so many aspects of the process that's untold to a newbie or misconstrued.
                        I never had one reply ever to a cold query. Referral based business for the most part. There are always exceptions though, as proven by many in this forum. My suggestion is to continue working on your content. Plan to invest much more than a year gathering info about the business. It's a life long learning experience and I'm learning new things daily. Plan and save while writing to relocate to LA. Work here, live here, and you will meet people. When you no longer have to ask the question, "when should I look," ironically that's the time to look. You'll have a few timely commercial screenplays under your belt and plenty of people in your cache who will have access to managers, who will then lead to agents. Took me 5 years before I finally got a manager. Took my friend a year. It's different for everyone. Many ways to skin this cat. Just be prepared and informed when the opportunity comes. Know the language these guys speak and respond to. Have the product they want to sell. And you can query along the way.

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