StoryRocket

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  • StoryRocket

    I've found this (I think) fairly new website called StoryRocket at which you can upload either a screenplay or a book manuscript and add things like pictures and videos and a cast wish list to the pitch package you make. Then people from all over the industry come to this site to look for new material.

    I am planning to give it a try with my screenplays. Does anyone else think it looks like a worthwhile way of trying to get a movie made?

  • #2
    Re: StoryRocket

    Don't do it.
    M.A.G.A.

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    • #3
      Re: StoryRocket

      Originally posted by SundownInRetreat View Post
      Don't do it.
      Why not?

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: StoryRocket

        Originally posted by Cynthia Hanson View Post
        I've found this (I think) fairly new website called StoryRocket at which you can upload either a screenplay or a book manuscript and add things like pictures and videos and a cast wish list to the pitch package you make. Then people from all over the industry come to this site to look for new material.

        I am planning to give it a try with my screenplays. Does anyone else think it looks like a worthwhile way of trying to get a movie made?
        No, that's not what is says (bolded part). It says they CAN access the site. They don't claim anyone does or whether they have any producers currently as members.

        Not at all the same.

        And their "pitch packages" look to be nothing more than listing your screenplays. You don't actually PITCH to anyone, which is the essential meaning of PITCH.

        No, it doesn't look worthwhile and I've never heard of it.

        They've been around since 2017 and do not have a single "claim to fame." Not only that, they're based in Miami, which is almost as far away from Hollywood as you can get.
        • It has three testimonials.
        • They have 105 followers on Twitter. I have 950 and I'm a nobody.
        • There's nothing on their facebook page that promotes their writers. At least that I can tell.
        • They co-produced a short in 2005 and 2017. It says she's a two time emmy award winner, but neglects to say what she produced. That's a red flag to me. It just seems a stretch that they would have the "Global" connections necessary to make this work.


        That's just my opinion. I'm a nobody.

        Did you do any research on them? Or did you just buy what they were saying? If you're going to throw that kind of money at a service your chances, even though they can be hit or miss, are still better with The Black List. At least you KNOW the industry actually uses it.
        "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

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        • #5
          Re: StoryRocket

          Originally posted by finalact4 View Post
          No, that's not what is says (bolded part). It says they CAN access the site. They don't claim anyone does or whether they have any producers currently as members.

          Not at all the same.

          And their "pitch packages" look to be nothing more than listing your screenplays. You don't actually PITCH to anyone, which is the essential meaning of PITCH.

          No, it doesn't look worthwhile and I've never heard of it.

          They've been around since 2017 and do not have a single "claim to fame." Not only that, they're based in Miami, which is almost as far away from Hollywood as you can get.
          • It has three testimonials.
          • They have 105 followers on Twitter. I have 950 and I'm a nobody.
          • There's nothing on their facebook page that promotes their writers. At least that I can tell.
          • They co-produced a short in 2005 and 2017. It says she's a two time emmy award winner, but neglects to say what she produced. That's a red flag to me. It just seems a stretch that they would have the "Global" connections necessary to make this work.


          That's just my opinion. I'm a nobody.

          Did you do any research on them? Or did you just buy what they were saying? If you're going to throw that kind of money at a service your chances, even though they can be hit or miss, are still better with The Black List. At least you KNOW the industry actually uses it.
          All this.

          The key tell here is they have no track record of any kind of success. Most of these guys at least try to tout something. Not sure why this one isn't.

          Anyway, I found an interview with Ana Benitez in the Miami Herald, where she claims that the "game changer" is their search engine where "content hungry producers" can "easily search" for your project. In other words, when you pay them to "pitch," that means you get uploaded into their database along with hundreds of other projects while they.... I don't know what they do, since they don't say.

          She also points out how the site "has a social media component to it that allows you to promote your script outside of Storyrocket to as many people as possible." Like FA4 mentioned, they have only 105 followers on Twitter. And they haven't tweeted anything since March 2019. Facebook is more active, but looks like they're just posting random **** to generate clicks. Nothing about what they do or how they're helping people get read.

          https://miamiherald.typepad.com/work...-industry.html

          From the interview, it seemed like Ana is well-intentioned, but she's simply not connected to the industry and will do nothing to help you get a script into the hands of a rep or producer. You're wasting your money on this one. HARD PASS.

          Give the BL a shot. Personally, I'm not a fan or any of these sites, but at least that one is directly connected to the industry and could potentially be of benefit to you.

          Good luck.

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          • #6
            Re: StoryRocket

            Okay. So perhaps StoryRocket isn't a service I should purchase until I've heard success stories from it at least.

            But as for The Black List, I've looked into it and I haven't read of anywhere near as many films getting sold or optioned from it as I have about from InkTip. Couldn't I just go with InkTip?

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: StoryRocket

              Originally posted by Cynthia Hanson View Post
              Okay. So perhaps StoryRocket isn't a service I should purchase until I've heard success stories from it at least.

              But as for The Black List, I've looked into it and I haven't read of anywhere near as many films getting sold or optioned from it as I have about from InkTip. Couldn't I just go with InkTip?
              Do your research. Then you'll know that The Black List is the place to be and be ranked on. The last time I checked, InkTip doesn't rank and score scripts nor has the players of the industry mooching around.
              Last edited by SundownInRetreat; 06-21-2020, 04:11 PM.
              M.A.G.A.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: StoryRocket

                Cynthia, I thought I recognized your name, and I checked your old posts. I was right.

                I am an old guy (ancient!), so I will speak freely.

                Your many questions indicate clearly to me that you are a babe in the woods. You are going to get swindled. The film world has many predators out there that want to take your money. You will get nothing.

                Two points of advice.

                (1) Spend just a few dollars at Amazon to order Bob Saenz's screenwriting book That's Not the Way It Works. Bob is someone who knows what he is talking about. He is a successful actor and screenwriter. He is also a nice guy.

                (2) If you have a screenplay or a TV pilot that you think is ready to go out, I can give you the names of two or three script consultants who are honest and reliable and offer script coverage at a reasonable price. They usually have a waiting list, so do not expect to be able to get your script read immediately. By the way, ordinarily I do not recommend spending money on coverage, but - as with everything - exceptions do occur. I think that you might be an exception. Send me a PM (Private Message) if you want.

                "The fact that you have seen professionals write poorly is no reason for you to imitate them." - ComicBent.

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                • #9
                  Re: StoryRocket

                  Comic is right about the money-fleecers. That said, the thing with (even upstanding) script consultants is that they're not going to give advice you can't get for free here. You can pay $200 per feedback and get different feedback each time. More importantly, you can't canvass on the back of it. If you try and entice an exec with an email query stating 'my script got a recommend from Screenwriter Guru' then you're going to fail. Whereas, 'my script scored a 9 on The Black List' will definitely grab their attention.

                  Personally, I'd be honing your craft by posting pages here, then, when you've ironed out a lot of the basic writing errors, you can upload to The Black List or (if you wish) get a script consultant's opinion on the small issues that turn a good spec into a great one
                  Last edited by Done Deal Pro; 06-25-2020, 06:49 AM. Reason: Typo fix
                  M.A.G.A.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: StoryRocket

                    Originally posted by SundownInRetreat View Post
                    That said, the thing with (even upstanding) script consultants is that they're not going to give advice you can't get for free here.
                    Uh... yes they are! The feedback here is fine if you're hacking out a logline or concept, but no one is going to read your whole script and give you global comments.

                    The Blacklist costs hundreds of dollars, and their "comments" aren't good or designed to help you with a re-write.

                    Titan Creed costs a hundred bucks and you only wait a week. He's very good. And he might still have a reduced rate too.
                    Last edited by Done Deal Pro; 06-25-2020, 06:50 AM. Reason: Typo fix

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                    • #11
                      Re: StoryRocket

                      Originally posted by figment View Post
                      Uh... yes they are! The feedback here is fine if you're hacking out a logline or concept, but no one is going to read your whole script and give you global comments.

                      The Blacklist costs hundreds of dollars, and their "comments" aren't good or designed to help you with a re-write.

                      Titan Creed costs a hundred bucks and you only wait a week. He's very good. And he might still have a reduced rate too.
                      It's not uncommon for people to read full scripts and ask the OP to email them over. All criticism helps with the rewrite - whether it's from a consultant or TBL.

                      Ultimately, what the OP decides to do is her own choice but the point is you only ever get one person's feedback. She can go to Titan, ScriptGirl and Mechanic and get three different sets of feedback. The same problem applies to rewriting based on TBL feedback - resubmitting it and finding out the next reader doesn't like the fixes you put in place to appease the first reader.
                      M.A.G.A.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: StoryRocket

                        Originally posted by figment View Post
                        Uh... yes they are! The feedback here is fine if you're hacking out a logline or concept, but no one is going to read your whole script and give you global comments.

                        The Blacklist costs hundreds of dollars, and their "comments" aren't good or designed to help you with a re-write.

                        Titan Creed costs a hundred bucks and you only wait a week. He's very good. And he might still have a reduced rate too.
                        I completely agree. If someone doesn't understand that a professional reader's notes are far superior than the average writer on done deal, perhaps they haven't used one before.

                        I've used Titan Creed twice in the past several months and have two scripts in his queue. He gave incredibly insightful dev notes. And he doesn't stop there, he will take your goals and intentions into consideration while reading, he will discuss the notes with you after you receive them and allow you to follow up. The notes you receive here, from anyone, are not even close to the same caliber.
                        "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

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                        • #13
                          Re: StoryRocket

                          I've never been a believer in getting notes from consultants, no matter how much they cost or how good their reputation. It's silly to me to spend $200 every time you need a read. It's MUCH better to join a writers group and get notes from your peers. I've been a member of one group or another for almost as long as I've been writing, and every one of them has been invaluable. I don't think I would have grown as much without being part of one.

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                          • #14
                            Re: StoryRocket

                            Originally posted by docgonzo View Post
                            I've never been a believer in getting notes from consultants, no matter how much they cost or how good their reputation. It's silly to me to spend $200 every time you need a read. It's MUCH better to join a writers group and get notes from your peers. I've been a member of one group or another for almost as long as I've been writing, and every one of them has been invaluable. I don't think I would have grown as much without being part of one.
                            Out of curiosity, where does someone find screenwriting groups to join? I assume it's mostly virtual, especially with the pandemic?

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