Disclaimer: this is by no means exhaustive or a claim to be the definitive method of querying. But as we're at the start of the query season (and procrastination being the writer's best friend...) - some collected thoughts on this subject. I am sure there are many others with useful experiences as well to contribute.
As Sundance is Jan 20-30th, there are many who say that the Town really only gets back to work after that. Which means anyone planning to query has a good 2-3 weeks to prep for open query season.
PREPARATION
- Begin with downloading Limama's Lit Manager list* which contains names + emails of agents and reps (a collective DDP production). Run the names against Trackingb's search feature (www.trackingb.com) to see what are the types of scripts different managers have taken out in the last year so as to get a sense of their genre/area of preference. (trackingb's entries that are older than 2 weeks are free).
* I do not have a copy of this list. Please post your request above for it from the DDP community.
- Narrow down the list of managers to individuals whom best suit your genre or who you feel best match you as a writer based on the scripts they have taken out.
- Sign up for a trial sub of either IMDBPro or Studiosystems.com** to establish the manager/agent's client list, to further refine your target list of managers/agents, so as to ensure that you position your query to the right person, but also someone who is open to your genre or already has taken clients in that genre. Alternatively, the Hollywood Creative Directory (USD80) is also an option.
** For the long-term, an IMDBPro sub makes sense because you are bound to have to want to look up other things like who reps a particular actor or just to look at projects in development. But if you have budget constraints, then a trial subscription makes sense. Whilst Studiosystems is acknowledged to be more comprehensive, accurate and timely, especially with regards movement of individuals from one company to another and projects in development, it is more expensive than an annual IMDB pro subscription. Eventually one or the other will be necessary as your career moves along but for entry level, IMDBpro is certainly less financially strenuous than Studiosystems.
- Key in the names of the reps you plan to query into a spreadsheet. This is to help you track your queries and progress. Remember to fill the sheet as you go along so you don't double query someone accidentally.
- Proofread your script thoroughly - it's a good idea to get another pair of eyes as you'll be amazed how many typos appear to the person not reading the script for the 40th time. (especially important if English is not your first language)
- PDF your screenplay. You may in some instances be asked to send a hard copy but most reps will request a PDF these days.
- Draft your Query Letter.
THE QUERY LETTER
Crafting a query is more challenging than it seems - brevity without sacrificing impact is required. There are varied opinions on whether or not you should use a catchy subject line, place the word Query in your subject line, introduce yourself etc etc. Personally I put the word query in the subject heading because I don't see the point in 'tricking' someone to read your query by making them think it's something else. Some managers on the other hand may admire the ingenuity that goes into that. I'm practical and prefer it if people are straight with me. But this is open to debate.
- Place the TITLE and GENRE in the subject line. This way, they can decide EVEN faster if they want to open the mail or not.
- Address them by name.
- If you think their list closely connects to the type of genre you write, mention this briefly - this appeals to some managers but not all. But don't stuff it in for the sake of it. That being said, do try to make your query personal in some way but only if you can.
- Mentioning your script is similar to something they sold recently looks like you've done your homework but may make them simply lose interest (why would they want to sell the same thing twice?). If the genre is the same you might be safe, but certainly not the same concept.
- Include a VERY BRIEF INTRO of yourself but only if you have a background that matters ie: MFA in Film/Writing. A significant contest placement/win is worth mentioning VERY BRIEFLY. The intro should be no more than 2 short sentences.
- LOGLINE - most important part of the query letter. Short, brief, but catchy. This is the part of the Query that requires the most effort. Good steps to take include getting it critiqued at DDP's forums but also, don't use the first logline you write. Try writing it out in 20-30 different ways - it's like crafting a tagline or a slogan. You rarely get it right the first time.
- Have more than one logline to use to query. If you have two scripts on hand, it helps because
a) some managers want to see more than one script before signing
b) if your first batch of queries doesn't work, you have a 2nd script to try with.
SENDING QUERIES
Use a neutral email address (something that doesn't give away a foreign location although nowadays, newer managers don't seem to have issues with this). A professional email address (your name/initials etc) is better than one with your pet nickname.
Batching out queries is a good idea so send out 10-20 at your first go. This enables you to test your logline - if at the end of 20 queries and you have no nibble, test another 20 with a different logline. If at the end of 200 queries (random number I selected), you have NO READS, the query is definitely flawed and possibly, the script may not be right for the market. (ie: you query a western after westerns died at the b.o).
Although some people take the view that you should follow up with a query, I am not of the view that's necessary except perhaps where you are querying off someone's recommendation. Otherwise, it's less torturous (and less emotionally stressful) to just assumed they pass.
EXPECTATIONS AND OUTCOMES
No Reply
This effectively should be interpreted as PASS. Some managers will actually deign to reply 'Not for me', but you should also expect some to just ignore your query entirely or not bother to answer 'no'. Silence is best interpreted as a polite no.
'not for me' is just shorthand for anything from 'too busy now' to 'not really interested' to 'that's the worst idea I've ever heard'. It is productive to NOT badger someone into the reasons why they didn't want to read the script OR to be pissed off. They may tell you what was the reason briefly or they may not. They may offer comments or they may not. At the end of the day, move on is the operative mindset here.
Read Request
Bingo. Send PDF asap. I'm of the view that rewriting a script after a request has been received is a bad idea - you don't want to delay their interest and it seems unprofessional (why are you querying if it's not ready). A quick 24 hour proofread for typos maybe but a read request should be responded to asap.
A READ REQUEST could be followed up with
a) REPRESENTATION (!!!) - break out the bubbly. You're signed.
b) LET'S CHAT.
If (a) is the response, it is best not to get too excited either. There are cases of reps losing interest quickly after signing on someone. Treat it as a positive move forward, but not the be all and end all.
If (b) is the response, this is when they're not sure and want to know more about you or want to get a better sense of the person they're thinking about signing. This could happen with Jnr Managers (they need to convince the pecking order to sign) or it could just happen for Managers who are selective with who they work with. Sometimes, the outcome of (b) is offer you notes or suggestions for improvements but there is no overt offer of representation.
It's a good idea during the phone call to have 1-2 loglines to throw at them to see if they are interested to read your other material (another reason to have more than one iron in the fire). Most importantly is to specifically ask if it's okay to send them other stuff in the future.
It is best not to mull over the reasons for (b) - they could be numerous or just random (they're too busy to take someone then, they were tired, they liked the script but aren't sure about you etc etc). See it as a door opened, an opportunity for the future.
FOLLOW UP
A read request should always be followed up - one week (including a weekend since a lot of reads are done over the weekend) is a good idea, but up to two weeks for someone to read is also possible. That being said, some managers also read very fast and respond quickly but those aren't the ones you'd have to follow up with usually!
I personally think two follow ups (reminder,2nd reminder) should be the max - beyond that and it becomes stalking.
QUERIES OUTSIDE USA
- A Blackberry will make your life less stressful because when you query, your life suddenly becomes taken over by email and you are held hostage by your computer. Since H'wood's day is night on the other side of the world, a BB will let you know at least when you wake up that either today was your day, or not your day (try again)
- It is possible to secure representation from outside of the USA but not all managers are prepared to handle this. But there are a lot of signs that this is increasingly changing - DDP has a number of people who live outside of the US and who are repped by managers in the US. Find out who these managers are as they would be more open to foreign queries. But generally, don't limit yourself. If they love your writing (and think they can make money from you), they'll find a way to make it work.
Addendum:
i. Additional Further Useful Information can be found at the post Query Letters, Tips, Dos and Don'ts written by CommandD (a producer)
ii. See comments from Michael B that have been included on p4 of this thread.
As Sundance is Jan 20-30th, there are many who say that the Town really only gets back to work after that. Which means anyone planning to query has a good 2-3 weeks to prep for open query season.
PREPARATION
- Begin with downloading Limama's Lit Manager list* which contains names + emails of agents and reps (a collective DDP production). Run the names against Trackingb's search feature (www.trackingb.com) to see what are the types of scripts different managers have taken out in the last year so as to get a sense of their genre/area of preference. (trackingb's entries that are older than 2 weeks are free).
* I do not have a copy of this list. Please post your request above for it from the DDP community.
- Narrow down the list of managers to individuals whom best suit your genre or who you feel best match you as a writer based on the scripts they have taken out.
- Sign up for a trial sub of either IMDBPro or Studiosystems.com** to establish the manager/agent's client list, to further refine your target list of managers/agents, so as to ensure that you position your query to the right person, but also someone who is open to your genre or already has taken clients in that genre. Alternatively, the Hollywood Creative Directory (USD80) is also an option.
** For the long-term, an IMDBPro sub makes sense because you are bound to have to want to look up other things like who reps a particular actor or just to look at projects in development. But if you have budget constraints, then a trial subscription makes sense. Whilst Studiosystems is acknowledged to be more comprehensive, accurate and timely, especially with regards movement of individuals from one company to another and projects in development, it is more expensive than an annual IMDB pro subscription. Eventually one or the other will be necessary as your career moves along but for entry level, IMDBpro is certainly less financially strenuous than Studiosystems.
- Key in the names of the reps you plan to query into a spreadsheet. This is to help you track your queries and progress. Remember to fill the sheet as you go along so you don't double query someone accidentally.
- Proofread your script thoroughly - it's a good idea to get another pair of eyes as you'll be amazed how many typos appear to the person not reading the script for the 40th time. (especially important if English is not your first language)
- PDF your screenplay. You may in some instances be asked to send a hard copy but most reps will request a PDF these days.
- Draft your Query Letter.
THE QUERY LETTER
Crafting a query is more challenging than it seems - brevity without sacrificing impact is required. There are varied opinions on whether or not you should use a catchy subject line, place the word Query in your subject line, introduce yourself etc etc. Personally I put the word query in the subject heading because I don't see the point in 'tricking' someone to read your query by making them think it's something else. Some managers on the other hand may admire the ingenuity that goes into that. I'm practical and prefer it if people are straight with me. But this is open to debate.
- Place the TITLE and GENRE in the subject line. This way, they can decide EVEN faster if they want to open the mail or not.
- Address them by name.
- If you think their list closely connects to the type of genre you write, mention this briefly - this appeals to some managers but not all. But don't stuff it in for the sake of it. That being said, do try to make your query personal in some way but only if you can.
- Mentioning your script is similar to something they sold recently looks like you've done your homework but may make them simply lose interest (why would they want to sell the same thing twice?). If the genre is the same you might be safe, but certainly not the same concept.
- Include a VERY BRIEF INTRO of yourself but only if you have a background that matters ie: MFA in Film/Writing. A significant contest placement/win is worth mentioning VERY BRIEFLY. The intro should be no more than 2 short sentences.
- LOGLINE - most important part of the query letter. Short, brief, but catchy. This is the part of the Query that requires the most effort. Good steps to take include getting it critiqued at DDP's forums but also, don't use the first logline you write. Try writing it out in 20-30 different ways - it's like crafting a tagline or a slogan. You rarely get it right the first time.
- Have more than one logline to use to query. If you have two scripts on hand, it helps because
a) some managers want to see more than one script before signing
b) if your first batch of queries doesn't work, you have a 2nd script to try with.
SENDING QUERIES
Use a neutral email address (something that doesn't give away a foreign location although nowadays, newer managers don't seem to have issues with this). A professional email address (your name/initials etc) is better than one with your pet nickname.
Batching out queries is a good idea so send out 10-20 at your first go. This enables you to test your logline - if at the end of 20 queries and you have no nibble, test another 20 with a different logline. If at the end of 200 queries (random number I selected), you have NO READS, the query is definitely flawed and possibly, the script may not be right for the market. (ie: you query a western after westerns died at the b.o).
Although some people take the view that you should follow up with a query, I am not of the view that's necessary except perhaps where you are querying off someone's recommendation. Otherwise, it's less torturous (and less emotionally stressful) to just assumed they pass.
EXPECTATIONS AND OUTCOMES
No Reply
This effectively should be interpreted as PASS. Some managers will actually deign to reply 'Not for me', but you should also expect some to just ignore your query entirely or not bother to answer 'no'. Silence is best interpreted as a polite no.
'not for me' is just shorthand for anything from 'too busy now' to 'not really interested' to 'that's the worst idea I've ever heard'. It is productive to NOT badger someone into the reasons why they didn't want to read the script OR to be pissed off. They may tell you what was the reason briefly or they may not. They may offer comments or they may not. At the end of the day, move on is the operative mindset here.
Read Request
Bingo. Send PDF asap. I'm of the view that rewriting a script after a request has been received is a bad idea - you don't want to delay their interest and it seems unprofessional (why are you querying if it's not ready). A quick 24 hour proofread for typos maybe but a read request should be responded to asap.
A READ REQUEST could be followed up with
a) REPRESENTATION (!!!) - break out the bubbly. You're signed.
b) LET'S CHAT.
If (a) is the response, it is best not to get too excited either. There are cases of reps losing interest quickly after signing on someone. Treat it as a positive move forward, but not the be all and end all.
If (b) is the response, this is when they're not sure and want to know more about you or want to get a better sense of the person they're thinking about signing. This could happen with Jnr Managers (they need to convince the pecking order to sign) or it could just happen for Managers who are selective with who they work with. Sometimes, the outcome of (b) is offer you notes or suggestions for improvements but there is no overt offer of representation.
It's a good idea during the phone call to have 1-2 loglines to throw at them to see if they are interested to read your other material (another reason to have more than one iron in the fire). Most importantly is to specifically ask if it's okay to send them other stuff in the future.
It is best not to mull over the reasons for (b) - they could be numerous or just random (they're too busy to take someone then, they were tired, they liked the script but aren't sure about you etc etc). See it as a door opened, an opportunity for the future.
FOLLOW UP
A read request should always be followed up - one week (including a weekend since a lot of reads are done over the weekend) is a good idea, but up to two weeks for someone to read is also possible. That being said, some managers also read very fast and respond quickly but those aren't the ones you'd have to follow up with usually!
I personally think two follow ups (reminder,2nd reminder) should be the max - beyond that and it becomes stalking.
QUERIES OUTSIDE USA
- A Blackberry will make your life less stressful because when you query, your life suddenly becomes taken over by email and you are held hostage by your computer. Since H'wood's day is night on the other side of the world, a BB will let you know at least when you wake up that either today was your day, or not your day (try again)
- It is possible to secure representation from outside of the USA but not all managers are prepared to handle this. But there are a lot of signs that this is increasingly changing - DDP has a number of people who live outside of the US and who are repped by managers in the US. Find out who these managers are as they would be more open to foreign queries. But generally, don't limit yourself. If they love your writing (and think they can make money from you), they'll find a way to make it work.
Addendum:
i. Additional Further Useful Information can be found at the post Query Letters, Tips, Dos and Don'ts written by CommandD (a producer)
ii. See comments from Michael B that have been included on p4 of this thread.
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