Any point in following up a read request?

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  • Any point in following up a read request?

    Hey all, I sent out a bunch of queries to agents and managers and three got back to me. Two of them only about 10 minutes after I emailed them. I sent the script and that was almost a week ago and haven't heard anything.

    I know a week isn't long but if they get back to you so quick it feels like they're keen to read it right away. Is there a point to following up and asking why the disinterest?

    Be good to know if it's the idea or the writing that put them off. Do they even ever tell you and how long is it best to wait before that follow up and is a call better or email?

    Thanks in advance!

  • #2
    Re: Any point in following up a read request?

    A week is nothing in Hollywood. Get used to waiting.

    You should follow up [one time] at 3 weeks. And never again after that.

    Just understand that, while represented and working with big producers we wait many weeks. Over a month in some instances [say, if your producer is doing two films simultaneously]. This is a wait, wait, wait business.

    Asking "why the disinterest" will be seen as being pushy [and not 'getting' how the industry works]. They will think exactly this "Dude! WTF?? I'm busy as sh*t here. I'll do good to get to it two weeks from now. I have a life outside of agenting/managing. I had to take my kids to ____ on Saturday and sunday I had an event, then weekend reads late into the night, which included 2 films that are greenlit, a new spec from _____ big client [who's your hero] and a new script by my journalist client who won the pulitzer prize last year. Sorry, didn't have time to read your script. Chill. I'll get to it. And if I hate it, I'm not going to call to tell you that, I honestly don't have time. I can barely squeeze in a life for my family as it is."

    ^^^1000% that's what they'll think. So, no, don't contact them. Sit tight.
    DOPE CITY

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    • #3
      Re: Any point in following up a read request?

      As a general life rule, it's rarely a good idea to ask the person who's rejecting you why they chose to reject you. It just places an awkward burden on your relationship with that person. Besides which, quite often the information won't be very constructive ("I just didn't feel it" / "It's too close to another project I'm attached to" / "My boss says I can only look at vampire comedies and yours isn't one" type answers).

      If you want to know if something is off with your writing, ask trusted friends or mentors within the industry, or try going through a notes/development service for feedback.

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      • #4
        Re: Any point in following up a read request?

        Originally posted by worldeater View Post

        I know a week isn't long but if they get back to you so quick it feels like they're keen to read it right away. Is there a point to following up and asking why the disinterest?
        They request quickly because 1) They'll forget it under hundreds of other emails 2)Why not, right?

        When they actually get it, it goes to the bottom of a stack of scripts that may be 20+, 30+, 50+ scripts from clients, potential clients sent from a referral, projects from the agency, pilot season, etc.

        So give it 2-3 weeks at the least and then follow up nicely.

        While you're waiting, write your next project.
        Quack.

        Writer on a cable drama.

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        • #5
          Re: Any point in following up a read request?

          Originally posted by worldeater View Post
          Hey all, I sent out a bunch of queries to agents and managers and three got back to me. Two of them only about 10 minutes after I emailed them. I sent the script and that was almost a week ago and haven't heard anything.

          I know a week isn't long but if they get back to you so quick it feels like they're keen to read it right away. Is there a point to following up and asking why the disinterest?

          Be good to know if it's the idea or the writing that put them off. Do they even ever tell you and how long is it best to wait before that follow up and is a call better or email?

          Thanks in advance!
          You've gotten excellent advice from the others. Listen to it. As they all said, one week is nothing. To be honest, Three weeks is nothing. You need to practice Strategic Patience. The art of Send and Forget. If after three or four weeks you want to send a one sentence email saying, "Hi. Just checking in, wondering if you had a chance to read "Name of Script Here" yet? Thank you, Your name here.

          If they answer and promise to read, accept what they say. And continue to wait. Once I heard after eight months that someone liked a script and wanted to talk about it. You just never know, but beyond the first inquiry email, you stop sending stuff. If they don't answer your email, they have passed on your script. You move on. If you don't hear in a couple of months, you have to assume they have passed on your script.

          And if they let you know they are passing and don't offer you a reason, you don't ask why. And if they give you a reason, no matter how lame you think the reason is, you accept it and move on. There zero upside to arguing with them. No is no. In fact, everything they say that's not YES, is a NO, no matter how nice it may sound.

          Someone above said this is a business of waiting and that's a truth that is guaranteed. Nothing ever happens in the timeframe you want. Nothing. And waiting by the phone or watching your
          email for a response is a massive waste of your valuable writing and/or marketing time.
          Last edited by EdFury; 04-19-2016, 06:23 AM.

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          • #6
            Re: Any point in following up a read request?

            Originally posted by EdFury View Post
            In fact, everything they say that's not YES, is a NO, no matter how nice it may sound.
            Good line.
            DOPE CITY

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            • #7
              Re: Any point in following up a read request?

              They might not like the project, but they might like you, as in your writing, so getting an open offer from them to send other stuff is just as good as a yes. I made a network doing that and got a manager. Not getting a response for over a month is not unusual if you don't hear back in a few days... If at all. I've actually gotten replies back from people that I forgot I sent the script to. The longest was well over a month.

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              • #8
                Re: Any point in following up a read request?

                Like the others, I follow up after a few weeks. If they don't respond, I forget about it. If they say thanks, but no thanks, I ask if they are looking for anything specific (which has led occasionally to additional script requests) and if they say, yes, we want to buy it, I... I'll tell you when that happens.
                TimeStorm & Blurred Vision Book info & blog: https://stormingtime.com//

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                • #9
                  Re: Any point in following up a read request?

                  It's not like they're gonna write you back saying, "Oh yeah, I read it last week. Awesome sauce! Let's meet tomorrow!"

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                  • #10
                    Re: Any point in following up a read request?

                    Originally posted by juunit View Post
                    It's not like they're gonna write you back saying, "Oh yeah, I read it last week. Awesome sauce! Let's meet tomorrow!"
                    I mean yeah but I've followed up with a manager who said thanks for reminding him about the script and read it in the next week.

                    An appropriately timed followup or two can be helpful.

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