Question for Michaelb (clients productivity)

Collapse

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Re: Question for Michaelb (clients productivity)

    Originally posted by The Road Warrior View Post
    Yes, sorry, that was far too vague.

    I was trying not to 'second guess' in my original post and deleted too much whilst rushing.

    You were advising earlier on keeping up with what's happening in the town, what's selling, what kind of new specs are circulating. Or even, by following the trades! I've subscribed to the H/Rep over the last few years. However, at times, I still struggle to see the "patterns" in buying activity and what's up for being made or being made... such as comedies or contained thrillers or current events which involve terrorist related plots...

    So I just tend to write what grabs me.

    I don't overthink it, but of course the 'not going to be relevant to the market niggle' is always there.

    Any general thoughts on this from your perspective?
    The best way for me to answer this is to compare it to working in Wallstreet. If you worked in that industry, or in the case of unrepped writers, wanted to work in that business, you'd follow up on what is happening in the business, what the trends are, etc.

    Same for Hollywood. I am not saying that if 4 R-rated comedies sell, go write that, but you should be conscious of what is happening and what is not.
    twitter.com/mbotti

    Comment


    • Re: Question for Michaelb (clients productivity)

      Originally posted by The Road Warrior View Post
      to add, I think my original question was, in the light of the above, how does this activity form, like a storm, do you get sudden vibes, info and suddenly there's a hunt for certain material.

      I think this is two questions now -

      1. Identifying trends. (above post) and in this post-
      2. How buying behaviours cluster and build?
      That's a a long answer.

      The short version is, after a film performs well, people want to chase that. Like Taken killed it, then everyone wanted a Taken movie. And some followed that and were/will be very successful.

      Best,

      Michael
      twitter.com/mbotti

      Comment


      • Re: Question for Michaelb (clients productivity)

        Originally posted by barant View Post
        Michaelb,

        What would be your advice for the writer/director to solicit for representation? In my own scenario, I am directing a sci-fi feature that I penned and it's shooting in two months. Let's say the film gets into an "A" tier festival and gets sold at the market. Okay, thats great. I have a decent feature under my belt. Do I put my next project together and then cold call agents/managers? Do I put a trailer together and send that out? Everything seems so much more complicated for the writer/director than for the writer only. Thanks in advance.
        If you direct a film that gets into A tier festivals, and is good, you'll get representation.

        Best,

        Michael
        twitter.com/mbotti

        Comment


        • Re: Question for Michaelb (clients productivity)

          Thanks Michael - it was a big question. I'll continue to monitor sales in HW.

          And ignore Wall Street.
          Forthcoming: The Annual, "I JUST GOT DUMPED" Valentine's Short Screenplay Writing Competition. Keep an eye on Writing Exercises.

          Comment


          • Re: Question for Michaelb (clients productivity)

            Quoting myself from another thread.

            Originally posted by michaelb View Post
            Managers love finding the next great writer. We love signing new talent.

            But the key word is talent. Most writers do not have it. Most are not good enough to have careers as writers.

            This isn't 30 years ago when people that wanted to be writers moved to LA and took it seriously (and even then it was hard). Now you have every Joe Blow from around the world with a laptop and a copy of final draft thinking they can be a pro. And that's great because cream rises to the top, but that also means that reps and execs have MOUNTAINS OF S**T thrown at them to wade through to find the talent.

            Unprepped writers are no different then the tens of thousands of people that try out for American Idol every year. A select few have the talent to make it to the final 10, a vast majority are so average they are forgettable in a day, and some are so awful it hurts. And after all that, only 1 is a winner with a career. Welcome to Hollywood.

            Best,

            Michael
            twitter.com/mbotti

            Comment


            • Re: Question for Michaelb (clients productivity)

              Thanks Michael, I hadn't seen that post.

              Yes, there's a lot of us Joe Blows out here and we all have at least one version of that pesky screenwriting software. And then there's that whole other deluded vs keeping it healthy side, which has to be dealt with on this side of the fence.
              Forthcoming: The Annual, "I JUST GOT DUMPED" Valentine's Short Screenplay Writing Competition. Keep an eye on Writing Exercises.

              Comment


              • Re: Question for Michaelb (clients productivity)

                Since it's Friday I feel like I should answer more questions. Ask away.
                twitter.com/mbotti

                Comment


                • Re: Question for Michaelb (clients productivity)

                  Originally posted by michaelb View Post
                  Since it's Friday I feel like I should answer more questions. Ask away.
                  Man, you asked for it! Can a script be slipped to a few producers, do relatively well (meetings but no takers) and be sent out again, wider? How many companies is a good number to submit to? How often do you talk to your clients? Do you tell them about your submission strategy?

                  Comment


                  • Re: Question for Michaelb (clients productivity)

                    Originally posted by michaelb View Post
                    Since it's Friday I feel like I should answer more questions. Ask away.
                    Will the girl behind the Panera counter go out with me if I stare at her really hard?

                    HH

                    Comment


                    • Re: Question for Michaelb (clients productivity)

                      A respected, A-list TV actor known for doing series with ensemble casts (and is currently doing a character arc as the villain in a popular cable show) would be perfect for the lead in my pilot, and I've tailored the lead role to suit his (much publicized) personal sensibilities and background.

                      This actor recently formed his own prodco with his wife as the partner. The wife has her email on imbd.

                      Should I query the actor through his prodco by emailing the wife? Or try to query his manager?
                      "Do just once what others say you can't do, and you will never pay attention to their limitations again." -[/SIZE] James R. Cook

                      Comment


                      • Re: Question for Michaelb (clients productivity)

                        Originally posted by AlexNoa View Post
                        Man, you asked for it! Can a script be slipped to a few producers, do relatively well (meetings but no takers) and be sent out again, wider? How many companies is a good number to submit to? How often do you talk to your clients? Do you tell them about your submission strategy?
                        To answer your questions in order.

                        Yes.
                        Varies from script to script.
                        Daily to weekly, depends on the client.
                        Yes.

                        Best,

                        Michael
                        twitter.com/mbotti

                        Comment


                        • Re: Question for Michaelb (clients productivity)

                          Originally posted by haroldhecuba View Post
                          Will the girl behind the Panera counter go out with me if I stare at her really hard?

                          HH
                          It didn't work for you with the girl at starbucks....
                          twitter.com/mbotti

                          Comment


                          • Re: Question for Michaelb (clients productivity)

                            Originally posted by JoJo View Post
                            A respected, A-list TV actor known for doing series with ensemble casts (and is currently doing a character arc as the villain in a popular cable show) would be perfect for the lead in my pilot, and I've tailored the lead role to suit his (much publicized) personal sensibilities and background.

                            This actor recently formed his own prodco with his wife as the partner. The wife has her email on imbd.

                            Should I query the actor through his prodco by emailing the wife? Or try to query his manager?
                            Both.
                            twitter.com/mbotti

                            Comment


                            • Re: Question for Michaelb (clients productivity)

                              Originally posted by michaelb View Post
                              Both.

                              OK. Will do. Thanks!
                              "Do just once what others say you can't do, and you will never pay attention to their limitations again." -[/SIZE] James R. Cook

                              Comment


                              • Re: Question for Michaelb (clients productivity)

                                Originally posted by michaelb View Post
                                To answer your questions in order.

                                Yes.
                                Varies from script to script.
                                Daily to weekly, depends on the client.
                                Yes.

                                Best,

                                Michael
                                Thank you sir.

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X