Email for Carol Bodie from ICM?

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  • #2
    Re: Email for Carol Bodie from ICM?

    I don't have the e-mail in question, but I have sent multiple a queries to talent over the years who I thought would be good for my script.

    First, understand what your main purpose for doing something like this:

    The main goal is you are hoping the talent reads the script and likes it so much they attach themselves via a Letter of Intent.

    A Letter of Intent means they intend to star in the project IF and once funding is secured. It's an informal contract, more or less. This letter can, of course, help you fund the film with their name attached because if you have a name actor, it means you are serious about trying to get the film made. Having name talent attached makes it more appealing to investors, of course.

    A lot of agents for actors will ask you up front if there is a solid money offer on the table, or if you have funding already in place... Because this is how the agent makes THEIR money via commission.

    Be honest and up front if the answer is "no".

    Your main goal when querying talent is to emphasize to their agent / manager / publicist that if their client attaches themselves to your script is a good career move for them. Forget about what it might do for you as a screenwriter. Concentrate on selling what it can do for the talent's career in the long-run.

    So, basically, take the Jerry Maguire, "Help me, help you" attitude when querying talent directly

    As to what your e-mail should read like...

    It's just like any other e-query.

    The subject line I use when querying talent is...

    [NAME OF TALENT] Inquiry

    E.g. Drew Barrymore Inquiry

    The only difference in this kind of query is you are address it to the agent / manager / publicist AND their client e.g:

    "I have a screenplay I feel your client Mr. / Ms. [FULL CELEB NAME] might be interested in:"

    Then you do the pitch (logline; mini-synopsis).

    If it is a good pitch... Your response will be the one I cited above about the agent asking if there is funding already in place, or what your intentions are since you are querying their client directly.

    Be sure to make it short and sweet. Many reps field queries on iPhones, Laptops, Blackberrys and other mobile devices. You need to make your pitch and get out.

    The only other thing to be aware of is if they have multiple reps that handle different aspects of their career. If this is the case, be sure to CC all of them. This is the professional thing to do, it keeps everyone on the same page, AND it works to your benefit because if they have a team of four reps, and one doesn't think the project is good for their client... The other three will most likely cancel out the third person's reservations and present it to the talent, regardless.

    I've had mixed results doing this through the years.

    The one thing you quickly learn is these people, the reps, are just like you & me. They may have intimidating titles and work in a very elite industry...

    But at the end of the day if you are polite, professional and prompt they are more than willing to give you a shot because again, if giving you a shot might benefit their client's career in the long-run, this will benefit them (the reps) in the form of a commission somewhere down the line, too.

    Hope this helps?
    Positive outcomes. Only.

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    • #3
      Re: Email for Carol Bodie from ICM?

      Thanks for the advice!

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      • #4
        Re: Email for Carol Bodie from ICM?

        Sorry for bumping this up...

        But one other piece of advice I'd like to share... That just happened to me, recently... Is the only contact (e-mail) I had for the talent I was trying to reach was their publicist.

        So, I queried the publicist who then forwarded my query to the talent's agent.

        Now, of course, the publicist job is to forward things things of interest that might effect their client to the client's agents and managers. This isn't the special part.

        The part I want to share is after the agent agreed to review not one, but two of my scripts...

        I went out of my way and thanked the publicist by sending her a separate e-mail where I personally thanked her for forwarding my query. If I had more funds, I would have even sent her some flowers at her office.

        The reason I made an effort to personally thank her is because even though it is her job to make sure her clients best interests are served...

        It is still nice to let someone know you appreciate their time and effort.

        Most people only contact someone else when they want something, or when they want to b1tch, and tell the person they are doing something wrong.

        So, show them you appreciate their every day efforts in a professional and polite manner whenever you can. This kind of capital goes a long way in this biz, and will come back to in ways you can't even imagine.

        Positive outcomes. Only.

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        • #5
          Re: Email for Carol Bodie from ICM?

          That is very good advice. I actually spoke with the publicist after he called me from the query. He was very nice, but explained that the actress in question had recently done two films that were indies and was not in the market to do another UNLESS their were funds AND a production company attached. He was very apologetic about it, so I told him I would call back when I had the funds. In retrospect, I wish I had pushed a little, but hey it's all a learning curve. I was very polite and thanked him for his time.

          So now I am in the waiting game - waiting for feedback from the people who have the script in front of them - waiting, waiting, waiting some more. If only I were more of a patient person this would be an exciting time.

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          • #6
            Re: Email for Carol Bodie from ICM?

            Originally posted by keeone View Post

            So now I am in the waiting game - waiting for feedback from the people who have the script in front of them - waiting, waiting, waiting some more. If only I were more of a patient person this would be an exciting time.
            This is the best time to write something new... So, you aren't pinning all your hopes on one script. Besides, the "worst" kind of problem is if they do like it, but then ask what else do you have?

            A, B, C = Always Be Creating

            (That's fun riff on David Mammet's "Glenn Gary Glen Ross", btw)
            Last edited by WritersBlock2010; 01-22-2010, 01:49 PM.
            Positive outcomes. Only.

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            • #7
              Re: Email for Carol Bodie from ICM?

              Originally posted by WritersBlock2010 View Post
              (That's fun riff on David Mammet's "Glenn Gary Glen Ross", btw)
              If you like that, you should check out Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet.

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              • #8
                Re: Email for Carol Bodie from ICM?

                Bump...

                Because I and Keeone made a legitimate point about professionalism and courtesy that should be the current focus of this thread.
                Positive outcomes. Only.

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                • #9
                  Re: Email for Carol Bodie from ICM?

                  I actually just started formulating a log line for my new script last night and am planning to start outlining this week! A, B, C is right!

                  I do have several other scripts, but they are period pieces and the feedback I have been given on them already is that the writing is great, but they are passion projects that would take several years to get put together and I would be better off shelving them until I have a reputation and the market picks back up.

                  So this next piece is going to be set in modern time and I am going to focus on something that would be less expensive to make.

                  The other piece of advice I got was to write with a male lead. And although this piece of advice made me cringe because I hate being told things like that, I am going to make the lead a male in this one so that I have something like that in my repertoire.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Email for Carol Bodie from ICM?

                    Originally posted by keeone View Post


                    The other piece of advice I got was to write with a male lead. And although this piece of advice made me cringe because I hate being told things like that, I am going to make the lead a male in this one so that I have something like that in my repertoire.
                    Interesting. Did you hear that from agents and managers? Or execs? Or everyone?

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                    • #11
                      Re: Email for Carol Bodie from ICM?

                      Originally posted by malfernan View Post
                      Interesting. Did you hear that from agents and managers? Or execs? Or everyone?
                      I heard it from several managers, an agent, a production company assistant I pitched to and my industry mentor. The mentor said it is not impossible with a female lead, but it takes much much more persistence and patience to get it made.

                      When I was ranting about my upset, a professor calmed me down my making note of the fact that he got a project made that was about genocide and certainly no one would have green lit that on a pitch. But, I do want to be conscious of the market while trying to break in. Once in, then I would be more inclined to buck the system!

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                      • #12
                        Re: Email for Carol Bodie from ICM?

                        Even if you are a producer you are likely to get a response of "come back when you have the funding". There are ways round this i.e. you get yourself an established producer who has relationships with agents (and can get reads without the project being fully funded) or who can get a director on board who has relationships with talent with/can attract talent. One can also hire a casting director. The casting director will also want to guard his/her reputation and will look at the script, the credentials of the production team and will want money for going out to cast (this varies on what sort of deal you can negotiate).

                        In short--focus on finding a producer directly or via a rep then leave it to the producer to attach talent.
                        Blog: http://writinglounge.blogspot.com
                        Email: kidcharlemagne108[at]yahoo[dot]co[uk]

                        "What is your greatest ambition? To become immortal and then die." - Breathless

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                        • #13
                          Re: Email for Carol Bodie from ICM?

                          The one thing you quickly learn is these people, the reps, are just like you & me
                          Exactly, so look at it from the other angle. If a producer wanted you to write for him/her. Wouldn't you want to know a) If there is any money b) who the producer is and c) what chance the producer has of setting up the project. These are the same thoughts running through a talent agent's head.
                          Blog: http://writinglounge.blogspot.com
                          Email: kidcharlemagne108[at]yahoo[dot]co[uk]

                          "What is your greatest ambition? To become immortal and then die." - Breathless

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                          • #14
                            Re: Email for Carol Bodie from ICM?

                            Originally posted by kidcharlemagne View Post
                            Even if you are a producer you are likely to get a response of "come back when you have the funding". There are ways round this i.e. you get yourself an established producer who has relationships with agents (and can get reads without the project being fully funded) or who can get a director on board who has relationships with talent with/can attract talent. One can also hire a casting director. The casting director will also want to guard his/her reputation and will look at the script, the credentials of the production team and will want money for going out to cast (this varies on what sort of deal you can negotiate).

                            In short--focus on finding a producer directly or via a rep then leave it to the producer to attach talent.
                            Good advice, KidC

                            What I find interesting is this method... Querying talent (catch all term; directors, actors, producers) directly... Is becoming a more viable alternative for new writers, IMO. At least, for me.

                            Meaning, the traditional path for new writers used to be query agents and managers and then the reps take your work out for you. This still happens, of course, and is what a majority of writers lucky enough to make it to this point are doing as evidenced by the number of repped writers here on DD, and at large.

                            My point, however, is this isn't the only way (there is no right, or wrong way) and with the current spec market on life support... Going directly to talent can sometimes be more beneficial than trying for a rep. As you said, you can work backward & sideways through the system and gain a rep on the referral of a producer, director, etc.

                            I have specs out now to talent versus agents and managers. I am not even targeting agents, or managers right now and may not in the foreseeable future.

                            At this point, I would rather be in a position to get things made by dealing directly with those further along in the process who have a more vested interest in whether or not the project geta made like actors, directors, producers, etc.

                            It's a tough market all around, and there are no guarantees.

                            But like we are discussing, there are still ways to maneuver in this contracting and ever changing (spec) market that might yield better results as far as getting projects made versus just putting all your eggs in the baskets of agents and reps... A lot of whom are now concentrating on their established clients to generate commissions via assignments, options & sales.

                            This is just my take and I could be reading things entirely wrong... But I think this is an accurate take given the weak state of the industry right now and my own, personal goals.
                            Positive outcomes. Only.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Email for Carol Bodie from ICM?

                              Good luck with this approach but you also have to be very careful as to who you attach. If the talent you attach will not attract finance, cannot generate high enough sales figures then your attachment beccomes baggage.

                              I don't know of any new writers who have managed to attach major talent on their own that has then led to a movie being greenlit but maybe I missed that post.

                              When you say you have specs out to talent. Are you talking about significant names repped at the big 3 agencies? And the agents have passed the scripts to the clients?
                              Blog: http://writinglounge.blogspot.com
                              Email: kidcharlemagne108[at]yahoo[dot]co[uk]

                              "What is your greatest ambition? To become immortal and then die." - Breathless

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