My manager won't return my calls

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  • #16
    Re: My manager won't return my calls

    I'm also in a similar situation. My manager produced a movie that's being released this summer and is therefore super busy. I'd been working on a script that I finally gave him. Waited two months - politely bothering him. He finally told me he read it, thought it was funny but not ready. I just know he didn't read it. He always gives very specific notes. But he was clearly busy with this way more important project (it's his first movie) and wanted to get me off his back.

    It sucks cause he's a nice guy and I really liked him but Hollywood is no different from high school. Once you become popular, you leave everyone else behind. I'm pissed off and disappointed but it's time to move on.

    To answer your question. Any querying will get back to your manager. The town's too small for it not to. So the key is in how you word that e-mail. Talk about how great your previous manager was and something about how you've moved on to different places. Put yourself in your manager's shoes. If you were to receive a forwarded e-mail from one of your clients wanting to jump ship, what could the client say to make you the least angry?

    Good luck.
    Script Reviews - 5 a week! http://scriptshadow.blogspot.com/

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    • #17
      Re: My manager won't return my calls

      Heard this song before: he was into you, now he's not.

      All you can do is lick your wounds and move on.
      http://www.pjmcilvaine.com/

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      • #18
        Re: My manager won't return my calls

        How bout'...

        Keep the manager and submit yourself.

        If the people you're submitting to know the manager's client list they'll know what's up. But the big star's manager as your rep gives you cred.

        You land a fish and they'll call. And frankly, you'll be able to get more leads because you're the only client you have!

        I don't know maybe it'll p*ss em' off but who cares?

        Just a thought...

        Bot
        Since I sensed a sudden lack of appreciation for my presence, I hopped out of the Jumpy-jump, snatched my glow-stick from the fridge and galloped away on the Rent-A-Pony. - Stolen from Jcorona

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        • #19
          Re: My manager won't return my calls

          Hmm, that's interesting and pretty smart. Using the actor to get into some good prodcos before you bail.

          So what if you sent your manager an e-mail that said something like (but more fleshed out)..."Dear Whomever, I know how busy you've been over there. But because I believe this screenplay is ready for the market and you have your hands tied, I thought I might submit it to prodcos myself. I hope you understand that under the circumstances, taking things into my own hands is necessary. I appreciate your support." (That's actually a little passive aggressive. I would neuter it down even more)

          Hahahaha. I have a feeling he'll call you back within 10 minutes. But if he doesn't, you have an e-mail trail in case he gets angry later on. "Well, I told you I was doing this but you never got back to me." Surely the relationship will die, but the utilization of the big actor could help you land a few big reads. Good luck.
          Script Reviews - 5 a week! http://scriptshadow.blogspot.com/

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          • #20
            Re: My manager won't return my calls

            Originally posted by wilsoneads View Post
            Hmm, that's interesting and pretty smart. Using the actor to get into some good prodcos before you bail.

            So what if you sent your manager an e-mail that said something like (but more fleshed out)..."Dear Whomever, I just wanted to let you know that I know how busy you're been. But because I believe this screenplay is ready for the market and you have your hands tied, I thought I might submit it to prodcos myself. I hope you understand that with how busy things are over there, taking things into my own hands is necessary. I appreciate your support."

            Hahahaha. I have a feeling he'll call you back within 10 minutes. But if he doesn't, you have an e-mail trail in case he gets angry later on. "Well, I told you I was doing this but you never got back to me." Surely the relationship will die, but the utilization of the big actor could get you a few reads that you might otherwise not have gotten.
            Zactly
            Since I sensed a sudden lack of appreciation for my presence, I hopped out of the Jumpy-jump, snatched my glow-stick from the fridge and galloped away on the Rent-A-Pony. - Stolen from Jcorona

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            • #21
              Re: My manager won't return my calls

              Writerly, that e-mail is being sent to your current manager. Not the person you're submitting the screenplay to. So it's not dragging anyone else in. It's just between you and your manager.

              I think, in a sense, it is probably unprofessional. But is at as unprofessional as your business partner not calling you back for a month?

              All I'm saying is that when nice doesn't work, you have to try something else.
              Script Reviews - 5 a week! http://scriptshadow.blogspot.com/

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              • #22
                Re: My manager won't return my calls

                I have both a manager and an agent -- and I still pitch things on my own. Nothing wrong with that. I always keep them informed and often they submit it for me when I get reads.

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                • #23
                  Re: My manager won't return my calls

                  Originally posted by writerly

                  You simply pitch your script, logline, etc. and then say, "I would be glad to have my manager send it over" or whatever. And then send it.
                  This is what I do through an attorney. I don't have a manager or agent so I just call them on my own. If I have something interesting I can get several people to bite on a submission in a day and devote more time to it than an agent/manager can. If her piece gets positive feedback from the prodco the manager will be there for the heavy lifting.

                  My point is that making lemons into lemonade in this case is: instead of being repped by "Joe Schmoe's" manager you're now repped by "Brad Pitt's" (whoever) manager which may open a few doors previously locked.

                  People know "Brad's" manager tends to Brad first, and the other clients need to do what they need to do - especially new writers. I don't think you'd get demerits from the CEs for that. You'll get demerits for sending something that sucks.

                  Bot

                  PS - Like Oz said.
                  Since I sensed a sudden lack of appreciation for my presence, I hopped out of the Jumpy-jump, snatched my glow-stick from the fridge and galloped away on the Rent-A-Pony. - Stolen from Jcorona

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    Re: My manager won't return my calls

                    You shouldn't be waiting a month or even a week. If this guy is your rep, you should get a call back within 24. Hours. Not days.

                    At the least, you should be getting an email that says he's really busy and will call you back the next day. Imagine if you called your tax guy or your plumber and then waited a month to hear back from him. That's unacceptable and so is this.

                    So if you don't hear back in 48 hours, call again. If you don't hear back from that send an email that says "Dude, are you on vacation or out of town, haven't heard back from you and I really want you to read ______ for _____ client."

                    If you don't hear back from that, we'll then he's just not that into you. And you should find someone who is.

                    JD

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                    • #25
                      Re: My manager won't return my calls

                      What JimmyDean says is all too true (as I posted something similiar in another thread).

                      Also, lit managers are different than talent managers -- as a writer, you want a lit manager. A lit manager should know development and a talent manager should know how to get their actor client booked on a show. Totally different skill sets. And no, I don't think you can do both -- totally different contact base (lit managers talk to studio execs daily while talent managers talk to casting directors, mostly).

                      That said, a powerhouse like Untitled -- yeah they have both talent and lit managers, but they're different departments. See?

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                      • #26
                        Re: My manager won't return my calls

                        Originally posted by 25 O'Clock View Post

                        Also, lit managers are different than talent managers -- as a writer, you want a lit manager. A lit manager should know development and a talent manager should know how to get their actor client booked on a show. Totally different skill sets. And no, I don't think you can do both -- totally different contact base (lit managers talk to studio execs daily while talent managers talk to casting directors, mostly).

                        That said, a powerhouse like Untitled -- yeah they have both talent and lit managers, but they're different departments. See?
                        I believe Brooklyn Weaver manages both talent and lit.
                        There might be advantages to a manager doing both surely in terms of attachments etc? Love to hear the pros and cons to this.

                        Comment


                        • #27
                          Re: My manager won't return my calls

                          Originally posted by 25 O'Clock View Post
                          What JimmyDean says is all too true (as I posted something similiar in another thread).

                          Also, lit managers are different than talent managers -- as a writer, you want a lit manager. A lit manager should know development and a talent manager should know how to get their actor client booked on a show. Totally different skill sets. And no, I don't think you can do both -- totally different contact base (lit managers talk to studio execs daily while talent managers talk to casting directors, mostly).

                          That said, a powerhouse like Untitled -- yeah they have both talent and lit managers, but they're different departments. See?
                          Actually, I think this is an important point. Whenever I talked with my manager about something I'd sent him, he'd always include this other guy from the company who had more experience developing scripts and thinking creatively. It's like he didn't have confidence in his ability to develop work. But he was aces at playing hardball and getting a producer to pay you more.

                          Now if I can just find someone who does both...

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                          • #28
                            Re: My manager won't return my calls

                            To clarify -- managers develop material and then, try to get their writer a producer and/or agent who will join the team to help sell material to the studio. the lit manager should have a really good contact base w producers and also studio executives (i think i left out the producer part in my previous post -- oops!). i've worked for both producers and studio executives as an asst "back in the day." 80% of their jobs is to develop material. they may work on a go movie once every year or so -- but like i said, most of the true work is in development and acquisition of screenplays.

                            i hardly know what a talent manager does b/c i'm not an actor or director (note -- some directors are rep'd by lit managers if they also write) -- but like i said, their goal is to get their clients (actors or directors) "booked" on a tv show or movie. they don't develop material (unless you're repping an A-list actor and want sp taylored for them) and thus, talent reads a screenplay totally differently. when you -- as a writer-- pick up a screenplay, is your first instinct to see how many pages a given character has or where he/she first comes in? uh, no! but that's the first thing my actor friends look at. so talent managers should have amazing contacts w casting directors and studio casting depts. they also have producer/studio exec contacts -- but talent managers are coming in when the movie is already dev'd and greenlit... could be anywhere from six months to ten years after a screenplay is first acquired.

                            when i was looking for a manager recently, i was "in talks" w a management companies that had a strong presence in the talent dept and were, sorta, developing their literary wing. i had a mtg and it was clear to me, these guys did not know how to develop material. so i would really focus on tried and true lit managers -- it's like would you buy a car from a new dealer who is known in the refrigerator world. makes killer refrigerators, but would you trust them to make a reliable car that can get you "there" safely" or at all -- enter metaphor time!

                            that said, if a talent managemment company is serious about opening up their lit wing and brings in a pro -- by all means, totally different story!

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                            • #29
                              Re: My manager won't return my calls

                              I've never had a manager, I've had project managers, but that's not the same.

                              But quite a number of people seem to turn up here after having been strung along by a newish or junior manager for years sometimes.

                              And during that time they've written scripts for them. That's harsh.

                              And I just can't help but think it's not healthy. It's not good for writers to write for free. Dampens it somehow. And I wonder if they don't end up on a rocky road that they may have otherwise not ended up on.

                              Go for a long walk on the beach. If you can bring yourself to do it, even go for a swim. Wash it all out of your head.

                              And take a bit of time off, even if only to make time to remember why you started writing in the first place.

                              But don't forget it was a two way relationship. They got you to write up their ideas for free, but you blindly entrusted them with your entry ticket.

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