Re: Advice needed from repped writers (spec related situation)
Sounds like you need to have an honest discussion with your manager. Let him know you appreciate all the time he's put into this project, but if he can't give you a firm timeline for when it will be shared around town, then you need to move on. You said you want to believe you are nearing the end of the development process, but isn't that what you believed 7.5 years ago? As others have said, that kind of endless development is a red flag, so I don't think you're doing yourself any favors by continuing under the status quo.
I would argue you're better off writing something new and chalking this up to a learning experience, which it's clear it was. You aren't throwing eight years away when you were developing as a writer throughout that time. It would be a serious disappointment if the manager never allows the script to see the light of day, but the disappointment will only be greater if you allow this situation to persist. He may have a claim to his creative contributions to the script if you completed a page-one rewrite based on his input, so you could offer to let him attach as producer when you move on. That isn't ideal, but if the development process was that extensive and he worked with you that closely on it, it might be the best you can do to salvage the project.
As far as your finalist placement, it's a nice bit of confirmation, but unless you're a finalist in the Nicholl or Austin, it's an accolade that will mean next to nothing to agents, producers and execs. I say this from experience unfortunately. For confirmation, start looking up recent finalists from prominent contests and see if they have reps listed on IMDb or recent projects in development. I have a feeling even most finalists at Austin end up with little or nothing to show for it, though I believe that virtually all Nicholl finalists get a real boost from it.
Good luck with this project however you choose to handle it!
Sounds like you need to have an honest discussion with your manager. Let him know you appreciate all the time he's put into this project, but if he can't give you a firm timeline for when it will be shared around town, then you need to move on. You said you want to believe you are nearing the end of the development process, but isn't that what you believed 7.5 years ago? As others have said, that kind of endless development is a red flag, so I don't think you're doing yourself any favors by continuing under the status quo.
I would argue you're better off writing something new and chalking this up to a learning experience, which it's clear it was. You aren't throwing eight years away when you were developing as a writer throughout that time. It would be a serious disappointment if the manager never allows the script to see the light of day, but the disappointment will only be greater if you allow this situation to persist. He may have a claim to his creative contributions to the script if you completed a page-one rewrite based on his input, so you could offer to let him attach as producer when you move on. That isn't ideal, but if the development process was that extensive and he worked with you that closely on it, it might be the best you can do to salvage the project.
As far as your finalist placement, it's a nice bit of confirmation, but unless you're a finalist in the Nicholl or Austin, it's an accolade that will mean next to nothing to agents, producers and execs. I say this from experience unfortunately. For confirmation, start looking up recent finalists from prominent contests and see if they have reps listed on IMDb or recent projects in development. I have a feeling even most finalists at Austin end up with little or nothing to show for it, though I believe that virtually all Nicholl finalists get a real boost from it.
Good luck with this project however you choose to handle it!
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