When you query ...

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  • When you query ...

    What do you send?

    Title
    Logline
    Like xx meets yy
    Writer background information

    Please let me know if interested to read the full script, etc.

    In the body of the e-mail?
    Last edited by Done Deal Pro; 10-08-2020, 03:17 PM. Reason: Added tag

  • #2
    Re: When you query ...

    Here's a good thread on it, Merrick.

    http://messageboard.donedealpro.com/...ad.php?t=80548

    Just keep it short and simple.

    --Put the script title and genre in the subject line.

    -- Greet a person, not "to whom it may concern."

    -- Include your logline.

    -- You don't have to say "let me know if you're interested" because they already know that's why you're querying.

    -- yes, it all goes in the body of an email. You never send the actual script unless/until they tell you to.

    Good luck.

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    • #3
      Re: When you query ...

      Ah perfect, thank you!

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: When you query ...

        Subject Line: BALL SACK -- DRAMA

        Sara,

        Please consider reading my script, BALL SACK.

        LOGLINE GOES HER IN BOLD AND BLACK LIKE TITLE. JUST KEEP ON GOING AND GOING AND GOING AND GOING.


        Thank you for your time.

        Best,
        Merrick Garland

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: When you query ...

          You can try different things like this, but I would stick with what I wrote above at first. See how people like your logline. A logline is tough to do. Don't make your logline too longer either.

          JOHN WICK meets THE GOONIES, but you don't have to

          Or I sometimes do IN THE VEIN OF "JOHN WICK"

          If your script Won Austin, yeah I throw that in..

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: When you query ...

            How did you know my film was called Ball Sack? And how did you know it was a drama?

            This is all perfect. Thanks a lot, folks.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: When you query ...

              Another two questions about querying:

              1) If someone is going to reply, what is the average response time you've experienced? 2 days? 2 weeks? I figure once it gets past a certain point, you're out of their eyeline.

              2) When it comes to "blanketing" the industry, say writing to many producers, managers, etc. what is the traditional protocol? Is it okay to write to all or many of the managers at a single agency? Or will you be seen as a pest if you hit too many up? So you should do 1-2 per agency, wait a while, if nothing then move down the list at each agency?

              Thanks for thoughts about these.

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              • #8
                Re: When you query ...

                1) Expect to wait a looooooong time for reads in the current climate.

                Just understand that some of us are already repped and they aren't getting back to our reps in a timely manner right now. The exact people (reps) you're trying to get with, producers are taking their sweet ass time getting back to THEM! Understand that reps are struggling as much as we are. They aren't buyers. Everyone has different levels of relationships. I said in another thread that a HUGE (FUKKING HUGE!) producer I was working with said to me "I sent ____ a project 3 months ago. Nothing. Never responded."

                Stop and let that sink in. This is an absolute A-LIST producer who's getting ghosted. He's made the industry billions. GHOSTED! No one is immune.

                This is a "hurry up and wait" business. How long did it take PRISONERS to catch traction, 2 years? MAD MEN? 10 years to get made?

                2 day turn around is if you're Sorkin or Chris Nolan. Let's assume your script is "FUKKIN BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!" So fukkin what! Here's why: You haven't made anyone any money yet, so the truth is, no one cares... yet.

                Don't fall into the noob delusion of "but... this would be a hit if they'd just read it QUICKLY, WTF!?" It's NOT a hit until it is.

                Again, we had a book on NYTimes best seller list in the NUMBER ONE spot for 26 weeks. It was NOT an easy sale.

                POINT: Check your expectations or you'll start to bug people.

                2) Blanketing the industry? Don't do it. Be strategic and personal. These people can see right through blanketing and they WILL NOT bite if you do that. There's a million other writers who do their homework. Be THAT guy.
                Last edited by GucciGhostXXX; 09-18-2019, 11:35 PM.
                Bruh, fukkin *smooches*! Feel me? Ha!

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: When you query ...

                  Thanks very much for the reply.

                  1) To be more clear, I meant to a query, not an actual script read request.

                  I figure (working in another side of the media industry) that queries that don't get replied to within a week or two get buried under other mountains of mail and never emerge. But am I wrong? You can cold query, wait 3 months and still get a read request after all that time without a followup?

                  2) On the producer end, research is easy but how does one do heavy research on reps? My impression is that most of them fly way under the radar. They have very few IMDb credits often and you have to jump around to random blogs with any possible hope of figuring out who they have repped or are currently repping. It seems that doing that kind of homework is far beyond simple ...

                  But okay, so no blanketing. I just figure if you hit 2 people per agency at a time, wait some weeks, hear nothing, you could move down the list til you get ultimately some reads and if you're lucky then a "yes."

                  In my other work, I'm able to break down doors and negotiate things lightning fast with even the largest companies in the world. Then here I am in film, and they want me grabbing coffee.
                  Last edited by Merrick; 09-19-2019, 12:08 AM.

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                  • #10
                    Re: When you query ...

                    Wait a sec, does IMDb Pro list who agents/managers are currently repping. Are you all signed up to that?

                    Light bulb just went off in my head.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: When you query ...

                      1) I'd say it doesn't matter what the submission is. It's always "Who knows if they'll get to it?- With a read request I'd try exactly twice. Send one query then move on and forget about it (spread sheet may come in handy here). If you hear nothing in 2 months try again. If you hear nothing agin in another 2 months, they either 1) Never saw it and never will [SPAM FILTER]. 2) Saw it and didn't like the logline and silently passed (Literally reps get hundreds of queries a day). At that point. Move on. Try with a different script later. Like I've mentioned, there's some (MANY!) reps who NEVER read queries... EVER. Just how they operate.

                      But you have the PERFECT script for them! You've done your research, it's in their wheelhouse. They still don't care. Let's say they happen to see your logline in the header and think "Meh... Sounds kinda interesting.- There's many mid/higher up reps who will still not read it and think "I'll wait... if someone refers this to me later and vouches for it, I'll maybe read it then.- The reason is: Some of these reps already have enough business. Full rosters of people making money. Slammed with awesome material they can't sell. They hate wasting time (See: year end bonus). Agents, for example, have managers across town begging them to take on their VETTED clients and the agents are still like "Nah... not quite perfect/hot enough, just not passionate ENOUGH, come back after you get them hot and I'll consider it.-

                      Researching reps is HARD. Most of them have ZERO credits, save for maybe a "THANKS- cred here and there. My ex has sold, what, 3 hit films and 2 hit TV shows? ZERO credits on IMDB. So, yeah, researching reps is difficult. I'd work backwards, figure out what writers you dig then figure out who reps them. But, then you run into the problem of "Their roster is maybe full of THAT kind of writer.-

                      Hence, this whole thing is a mindfukk.

                      Yup, you may be a superstar in your chosen field, but Hollywood (MOSTLY) doesn't care. I won't pretend that it's not difficult to find that champion of your work. It's incredibly difficult. When you hear the big writers talk about their problems, ignore that aspect. For the rest of us it's brutal, even with reps. The "cream rising- meh... myth. The truth is that right now it's ALMOST impossible. Almost. Go into it with that knowledge and your expectations will be calibrated correctly.

                      IMDb is not accurate as to who reps whom. I was on IMDb pro years ago and looked up my ex. It was highly inaccurate as to who she repped. Meaning, most of who she repped wasn't listed. Do NOT trust IMDb to know who reps whom.

                      Hope that helps!
                      Bruh, fukkin *smooches*! Feel me? Ha!

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: When you query ...

                        To add: Yeah don't follow up if you hear silence on a query. They'll block your email. Promise!

                        The only time to follow up is if there has been some business discussed (contract of the minds, ya know?).

                        But, understand that REPS have to follow up with producers and sh!t (on our behalf) because those people will ghost our reps TOO! I've had many a call where the rep's like "Yeah, Idk what's going on with them, lemme follow up." But, I already know it's a pass. People don't like saying "No!" They'd rather just ghost.

                        The A-LIST producer I mentioned: I don't know for sure, but my hunch (and based on the way he laid out the story) is that he did NOT follow up. He took it as a silent pass. Admittedly, I found that fukking shocking that ANYONE would ghost him (and that he was admitting that to me) but they did. So he moved on.
                        Bruh, fukkin *smooches*! Feel me? Ha!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: When you query ...

                          Ouch, but all understandable. Thank you for all the info.

                          Kinda hilarious cause in my businesses, it's the clients that are usually abusive. Even unpopular ones. It's industry that is generally really supportive of one another.

                          A "no" is good, but frankly, I can imagine a lot of people don't take "no" well. The rep doesn't wanna deal with those people that flip their **** and argue. I've given "no"s in my business before many times, and some people won't stop e-mailing and begging. I've also given "maybes" and when people e-mail relentlessly to convince me, it usually also turns into a "no." So I get it.

                          Well, I'll just do my best. At the end of the day, I could squeeze the budget crazy tight and crowdfund it, but it's not my ultimate goal. Or grants, there's always grants. I'm a triple national, so that helps.

                          Thank you!

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: When you query ...

                            Originally posted by Merrick View Post
                            Wait a sec, does IMDb Pro list who agents/managers are currently repping. Are you all signed up to that?

                            Light bulb just went off in my head.
                            yes, it does. you have to pay for it. i think it's $29.99 a month.
                            "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: When you query ...

                              Originally posted by finalact4 View Post
                              yes, it does. you have to pay for it. i think it's $29.99 a month.
                              Actually, no it doesn't. It may list some, but it's incomplete and often outdated. FWIW.
                              Bruh, fukkin *smooches*! Feel me? Ha!

                              Comment

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