Is this a "soft pass"?

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  • Is this a "soft pass"?

    Just got this email back from a rather high profile manager who requested a full script from me. (Mind you, this was shortly before the WGA mess)

    "I finished your script and I really enjoyed it. You're obviously a talented writer, but honestly, the timing is awful. With this WGA/ATA mess, we are doing our jobs and now the jobs of the agents. So with that, and my projects moving closer to production, I am spread too thin and so really can only consider more established writers. Right now, I am just not able to deliver."

    I seem to hear from everyone that, if it's not a "yes," it's a "soft pass." But to me, a "pass" is more of a "No thanks, we're not interested enough in your work." But this seems like more of a "I would sign you, but just don't have the time to help establish a new writer because of what's going on right now."

    Not sure how to proceed. Leave it alone? Follow up?

  • #2
    Re: Is this a "soft pass"?

    It is also called a **** Sandwich - Good, Bad, Good. There are many variants on the theme including, "Your story really has legs, BUT packaging is so difficult, time consuming and expensive. We're just not in a position, right now, to take this on..."

    Yeah, PASS takes on many forms and has many names.

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    • #3
      Re: Is this a "soft pass"?

      It's a PASS, but no way to tell if it would be different if this thing wasn't' going on or it's just a good excuse to use... I would follow up after the agents get back to work and for now just say "I understand, I really appreciate the kind words, maybe we can work together one day.. " all that jazz. Be very positive and don't ask too many questions. Today it is a 100% a "NO."

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      • #4
        Re: Is this a "soft pass"?

        It's a pass but it's a pretty thoughtful and respectful pass (and it sounds like they are leaving the door open for if/when this WGA/ATA feud cools down).

        I'd say that you understand and thank him/her for their time, maybe mention that you'd love to show them a new script when this WGA thing is settled but that you wish them the best in the meantime.

        I just met up with a manager I know at a big company and I can confirm that most of the big management companies currently have twice the work load. Especially right now, with staffing season, they're picking up a lot of slack for their now agentless writers.

        Regardless of one's stance on the union battle, it's unfortunately just not a great time right now for writers who havn't fully broken in it

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        • #5
          Re: Is this a "soft pass"?

          I wonder what the agents are doing daily then...

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          • #6
            Re: Is this a "soft pass"?

            Originally posted by JS90 View Post
            It's a pass but it's a pretty thoughtful and respectful pass (and it sounds like they are leaving the door open for if/when this WGA/ATA feud cools down).

            I'd say that you understand and thank him/her for their time, maybe mention that you'd love to show them a new script when this WGA thing is settled but that you wish them the best in the meantime.
            To me, this is the perfect advice. Do exactly this, and then follow up when the time comes (which, for the record, could be the better part of a year!).

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            • #7
              Re: Is this a "soft pass"?

              Soft pass with the door left a creek open... It's curious to use the present situation as an out thought. Maybe some genuine thoughtfulness there, maybe not.

              PM the name and your spec, i'd be curious to take a look. Or find me on twitter if you'd like @Paradisv1

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              • #8
                Re: Is this a "soft pass"?

                i guess i'm a lot more cynical.

                if he was seriously leaving the door open, he tell you to contact him after the situation is settled. to me, if he was that interested he'd at least have said, "if you don't find representation after this deal is settled send me a new script." but he didn't do that.

                i mean, how does he know you're not an experienced writer? maybe there's something to that. maybe he's saying you're not quite ready. and it's interesting that he didn't say he had to focus on his clients, he said, more experienced writers, right? that means he has time for someone he feels brings more value.

                what did your query say?

                to me, this is a no. move on. don't worry about it and when you have your next script ready and if you don't have a manager yet, query him again. all he can do is say no. but for heaven's sake, don't wait around for him. (not saying you are, just making sure)
                "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

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                • #9
                  "soft pass" with a twist

                  Producer loved my script in a dead genre and suggested I turn it into a book in an effort to make it more marketable and appealing to Hollywood. So I converted the script into a novella of about 22,500 words written in my very own not too wordy (Spartan) prose. Gifted producer a copy and she still insisted the story has legs. Hollywood has not yet called, but I did enjoy the writing experience.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Is this a "soft pass"?

                    anything other than a "yes" is a pass, soft or not

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                    • #11
                      Re: Is this a "soft pass"?

                      Originally posted by finalact4 View Post
                      i guess i'm a lot more cynical.

                      if he was seriously leaving the door open, he tell you to contact him after the situation is settled. to me, if he was that interested he'd at least have said, "if you don't find representation after this deal is settled send me a new script." but he didn't do that.
                      Actually (and ironically), he responded today and told me to check in with him again when the agents are back to work. He was responding to my "thank you anyway" email response. I was as gracious and told him I would keep looking, even though I didn't like my chances until this problem is resolved.

                      So, at this point, I have to believe his remarks were genuine.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Is this a "soft pass"?

                        Originally posted by Cokeyskunk View Post
                        Actually (and ironically), he responded today and told me to check in with him again when the agents are back to work. He was responding to my "thank you anyway" email response. I was as gracious and told him I would keep looking, even though I didn't like my chances until this problem is resolved.

                        So, at this point, I have to believe his remarks were genuine.
                        The downside is - it could be awhile. I was told this mess could drag on until end of year, if not longer. Still, that's a great open door to have!

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                        • #13
                          Re: Is this a "soft pass"?

                          Why would it drag on? Wouldn't the agents have nothing to do and just become managers or jump to Verve or start their own agency that works with WGA? I don't get it...

                          They just assume WGA will relent?

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                          • #14
                            Re: Is this a "soft pass"?

                            Originally posted by Bono View Post
                            Why would it drag on? Wouldn't the agents have nothing to do and just become managers or jump to Verve or start their own agency that works with WGA? I don't get it...

                            They just assume WGA will relent?
                            There are several reasons it's likely to drag on:

                            First and foremost, WME, UTA, and especially CAA answer to private equity investors, who didn't put hundreds of millions of dollars into these companies so they could be tenpercenteries. To accede to the Guild's demands would mean the P.E.s losing out on most/all future profits (which they'd hoped to be in the billions), so they'll fight tooth and nail to prevent it, maybe even going so far as to risk the agencies' futures.

                            Secondly, the WGA is engaged in a very aggressive, increasingly bitter lawsuit with the Big Four. The B4 probably aren't going to sign the Code of Conduct without also settling the lawsuit (for which I suspect the Guild would demand ~8-figure payouts), so their acquiescence would be costly. It'll probably be a year or so before either side has a clear picture of who's likely to win the suit, which is where the "year+" assumption comes from.

                            Third, every agency not called Verve is diversified, so they have plenty of revenue streams to see them through for awhile. At some point, yeah, they'll get tired of paying for floors full of agents with nothing to do-- but as soon as agents start getting laid off, this will come to a very quick conclusion, so they'll avoid that for as long as possible.

                            Fourth, the second-tiers are all in different positions: Abrams barely reps MP lit (and their TV writers are mostly playwrights), so they don't have a lot to lose from holding out. Gersh is totally dependent on the B4 for packaging, and they don't want to be iced out by Ari Emanuel. APA currently chairs the ATA, so they're really not in a position to fold. Paradigm is a funny one-- they, too, are dependent on the B4 for packaging, but they're not quite as pathetic as Gersh-- so they're my personal pick in the Next to Sign pool.

                            Final note: the agencies that everyone seems to forget in these discussions are the smaller TV agencies: Kaplan-Stahler and Rothman-Brecher. I have no idea what those guys haven't folded yet. Anyone got the scoop?

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                            • #15
                              Re: Is this a "soft pass"?

                              Originally posted by AnyOtherName View Post
                              Fourth, the second-tiers are all in different positions: Abrams barely reps MP lit (and their TV writers are mostly playwrights), so they don't have a lot to lose from holding out. Gersh is totally dependent on the B4 for packaging, and they don't want to be iced out by Ari Emanuel. APA currently chairs the ATA, so they're really not in a position to fold. Paradigm is a funny one-- they, too, are dependent on the B4 for packaging, but they're not quite as pathetic as Gersh-- so they're my personal pick in the Next to Sign pool.

                              Wow. You really know your stuff!
                              "I love being a writer. What I can't stand is the paperwork.-- Peter De Vries

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