Advice needed from repped writers (spec related situation)

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  • Advice needed from repped writers (spec related situation)

    Original post is deleted to preserve fine details.
    Last edited by spacefarer; 10-17-2019, 02:24 AM. Reason: Original post is deleted to preserve fine details.

    "Artificial Intelligence will never match the efficiency of Natural Stupidity"

  • #2
    Re: Advice needed from repped writers (spec related situation)

    Hey Spacefarer, i’m a little confused by your post and so apologies if I’ve missed something here. At the top of the message you mentioned an action thriller spec script that you’ve been working on. In regards to that one, are you saying your manager has been developing this spec with you for 8 years now and never taken it out to the market? Or shared it with any directors, agents etc he/she thinks might dig?

    That’s a major red flag to me.

    For example, my last feature spec that my reps took out, I developed for a couple of weeks further with my manager after I sent across a ‘first draft’, then with the manager happy, I passed it on to my agents, who read within a week and gave me a round of notes. Then they took it out. Same with a pilot script I have out now. I wrote it, gave it to my agents, who read it in a few days. Rang me with some thoughts. I implemented them, and since then they’ve started setting up meetings with producers. All within a week of that. To me that seems standard. Others may disagree. I can only relay my own experiences. Sometimes it can take a little longer on this front, if there’s a backlog of reads but 8 years and no urgency to get it out??? Wow. That would be a problem for me personally.

    As for the second script you mentioned, congrats on the placement. By the sounds of it though, they don’t appear to be showing much interest/ enthusiasm in getting it out to industry folks whatsoever. Not just agents but execs. My guess is they’re not that jazzed by the material and don’t want to offend you. Course after 8 years as a team, they should be able to be honest with you if that’s truly the case.

    Ultimately (IMHO) a rep’s job is to get eyes on your work and help you build a fanbase that leads to paid gigs. If they’re not doing that, then they’re not doing enough. Have they actively got other scripts of yours out to folks over the years? If not, that’s a conversation that needs to be had.

    Also, side note, I’ve only ever done one pagers/ snynopsis’ for producers. Not reps.
    Last edited by Mintclub; 10-16-2019, 02:54 AM.

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    • #3
      Re: Advice needed from repped writers (spec related situation)

      This whole situation sounds crazy. I'm also curious about that second script - was this written in the past eight years and he had no idea you were writing it?

      Everything about this is dysfunctional. I 100% believe you aren't high maintenance because this guy has led you around on one effing script for eight years. I took out four specs this past year with my manager. That's on the high side. But anything less than one per year seems bananas for someone who hasn't made their first sale.

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      • #4
        Re: Advice needed from repped writers (spec related situation)

        Original post is deleted to preserve fine details.
        Last edited by spacefarer; 10-17-2019, 02:24 AM. Reason: Original post is deleted to preserve fine details.

        "Artificial Intelligence will never match the efficiency of Natural Stupidity"

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Advice needed from repped writers (spec related situation)

          Would love for you to PM me who this rep is, out of morbid curiosity.

          Normally, I'd say run like hell. But your Chinese Democracy/Avatar development cycle has me all sorts of flummoxed. This just seems impossible.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Advice needed from repped writers (spec related situation)

            Look into getting a UK agent. If you’re based in the UK and have a script you believe in, that’s a better starting point. Even if it’s not right for the UK market they’ll be able to help set it up and introduce you to folks. Also, your manager can’t get funny about that as it’s a different side of the pond. I have British agents, as well as American agents and managers. They often work as one big team. At the very least it may force your current manager to take it out to producers. Also, it’s not ideal that he hasn’t developed and taken anything else out for you. Here’s a list of UK agencies that are well respected.

            Independent Talent Group (ITG)
            United Agents
            Curtis Brown Group
            Cassarotto & Ramsey
            Berlin Associates
            42 Management (they’re an agency and prod co)
            The Agency
            Sayle Screen

            Most of these have direct contacts on their websites

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            • #7
              Re: Advice needed from repped writers (spec related situation)

              Originally posted by spacefarer View Post

              The question is now: I am willing to pull the plug, but how do I get out of this situation without throwing 8 years in the trash bin?
              I think this is the real question you're asking.

              I'm not repped, so anyone correct me if I'm wrong.

              But this person has no claim to your script AT ALL. They repped it for 8 years. But didn't send it anywhere or get you an agent.

              YOU CAN LEAVE WITH YOUR SCRIPT and get it repped elsewhere with someone who will push it to sell. You owe this person nothing.


              In all honesty -- is this person even a rep? Who spends 8 years giving notes and still doesn't want to sell it?

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Advice needed from repped writers (spec related situation)

                Originally posted by figment View Post
                I think this is the real question you're asking.

                I'm not repped, so anyone correct me if I'm wrong.

                But this person has no claim to your script AT ALL. They repped it for 8 years. But didn't send it anywhere or get you an agent.

                YOU CAN LEAVE WITH YOUR SCRIPT and get it repped elsewhere with someone who will push it to sell. You owe this person nothing.


                In all honesty -- is this person even a rep? Who spends 8 years giving notes and still doesn't want to sell it?
                Without knowing the substance of their understanding on the manager-client relationship, i would say . . . maybe. Because I can make a pretty good guess that if the writer takes the script out themselves, or even through a different rep, and it sells, this guy is going to come back on them strongly for some kind of producer credit. Unless it was totally clear (in writing, ideally) that they had agreed eight years ago up front that all the development work they did was strictly as manager to writer for the usual 10% commission if it eventually sold.

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                • #9
                  Re: Advice needed from repped writers (spec related situation)

                  Wait, so in 8 years has he done ANYTHING for you? Gotten you generals? Rewrite work? Anything? Or has it just been eight years honing this one project?

                  My other big question is this, have they successfully taken out projects for other clients? Because based on the little you've shared, it kind of sounds like maybe they secretly don't really have the connections to take out this script.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Advice needed from repped writers (spec related situation)

                    Originally posted by Mintclub View Post
                    42 Management (they're an agency and prod co)
                    Just to be safe, 42 is a management company. We've always listed them as such, but more importantly and from their own site:

                    "42 is a fully integrated management and production company..."

                    "42 represents the industry's leading actors, writers, directors, casting directors and producers.

                    Managers

                    Kate Buckley
                    Alex Bloch
                    Molly Cowan
                    Etc., etc."

                    Or is there a different 42?
                    Will
                    Done Deal Pro
                    www.donedealpro.com

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                    • #11
                      Re: Advice needed from repped writers (spec related situation)

                      Originally posted by spacefarer View Post
                      The question is now: I am willing to pull the plug, but how do I get out of this situation without throwing 8 years in the trash bin?
                      As others have wisely noted, eight years is far, far, far too long. In the vast majority of cases eight months could be considered too long, unless of course there are some extenuating circumstances: full time job, illness, travel, death in the family, etc.

                      One of two things should have happened a few years back. They should have dropped you as a client or, and better yet, you should have dropped them as a manager. Studios and producers paying people don't drag out script development that long. Even scripts that have taken years to hit the silver screen simply went dormant/quiet for a while without anyone working on them.

                      Granted none of us know the situation as well as you, but it sounds like you might be better off dropping them as a manager. Thank them for all they have done and tell them if it ever gets set up you will get them their 10% regardless. Or something to that effect for their efforts.

                      Good luck with this.
                      Last edited by Done Deal Pro; 10-16-2019, 09:44 AM.
                      Will
                      Done Deal Pro
                      www.donedealpro.com

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Advice needed from repped writers (spec related situation)

                        Originally posted by Done Deal Pro View Post
                        Studios and producers paying people don't drag out script development that long.
                        Unless it's the remake of LOGAN'S RUN. Haha.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Advice needed from repped writers (spec related situation)

                          Originally posted by Done Deal Pro View Post
                          Just to be safe, 42 is a management company. We've always listed them as such, but more importantly and from their own site:

                          "42 is a fully integrated management and production company..."

                          "42 represents the industry's leading actors, writers, directors, casting directors and producers.

                          Managers

                          Kate Buckley
                          Alex Bloch
                          Molly Cowan
                          Etc., etc."

                          Or is there a different 42?
                          Nope same one. They’re my old agents. I moved with them from ITG when they formed 42. And yep, they say they’re a management company (for producing purposes no doubt) but put it this way, you’re not repped by them and another agency such as ITG/ Curtis Brown/ Casarroto in the UK. It’s one or the other. Simply put, in the UK we don’t have managers we have agents.

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                          • #14
                            Re: Advice needed from repped writers (spec related situation)

                            Originally posted by Mintclub View Post
                            They’re my old agents. They say they’re a management company (for producing purposes) but put it this way, you’re not repped by them and ITG/ Curtis Brown/ Casarroto in the UK. It’s one or the other. Simply put, in the UK we don’t have managers we have agents.
                            Ah, okay. Interesting. So because there are no regulations like here, then are they simply managers who act like agents in the UK since there are no laws stopping them from procuring work? Thus, one could be repped by them and have no "issues" and thus wouldn't need Curtis Brown, etc.

                            Not to stray too far off topic, but curious about your take since you were there and one of the founders noted back in 2016, "We were the first people to do it here. But in a way it didn’t strike us that way; we feel like it’s a model that’s been used a lot, it’s just that most happen to be geographically located in L.A. and we happen to be geographically located in London. But it is kind of unique here."

                            (And just to be clear, not arguing about it all just discussing to make sure we are properly listing them here on the main site, of course.)
                            Last edited by Done Deal Pro; 10-16-2019, 10:43 AM.
                            Will
                            Done Deal Pro
                            www.donedealpro.com

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Advice needed from repped writers (spec related situation)

                              Originally posted by Done Deal Pro View Post
                              Ah, okay. Interesting. So because there are no regulations like here, then are they simply managers who act like agents in the UK since there are no laws stopping them from procuring work? Thus, one could be repped by them and have no "issues" and thus wouldn't need Curtis Brown, etc.

                              Not to stray too far off topic, but curious about your take since you were there and one of the founders noted back in 2016, "We were the first people to do it here. But in a way it didn’t strike us that way; we feel like it’s a model that’s been used a lot, it’s just that most happen to be geographically located in L.A. and we happen to be geographically located in London. But it is kind of unique here."

                              (And just to be clear, not arguing about it all just discussing to make sure we are properly listing them here on the main site, of course.)
                              Hard to know for sure what 42’s actual remit is. If they’re saying they’re a management firm then so be it. All I know is that my then agent of a few years had been wanting to produce movies and tv shows but it wasn’t something that sat well with the UK agency he worked for. FYI, I was repped by one of the founders of 42. He pitched the new company to me saying they wanted to be like an Anonymous Content/ Management 360. Only thing is he took me and all his other clients with him from ITG. They didn’t share us. So I guess they’re a management that do all the negotiating for their clients in the exact same way British agencies do. I had US managers at the time. And US agents as well. But I didn’t then get UK agents on top of 42.

                              I have friends still with them who refer to them as their agents, but each to their own. Guess it allows them to produce internationally by calling themselves a management company.

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