What are you looking for?

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  • What are you looking for?

    Is this the right section - it's about managers?

    They reject you or give you a little nugget like "love your writing, but wont sign you..."

    And then you follow up so what are you looking for? And they answer back with titles of HIT MOVIES, the unicorns and I'm like that's what I'm looking for too and so is everyone else!!!

  • #2
    Re: What are you looking for?

    Originally posted by Bono View Post
    Is this the right section - it's about managers?

    They reject you or give you a little nugget like "love your writing, but wont sign you..."

    And then you follow up so what are you looking for? And they answer back with titles of HIT MOVIES, the unicorns and I'm like that's what I'm looking for too and so is everyone else!!!
    Meh... I wouldn't even ask. The answer is "Well... not this, obviously!"

    I think they're looking for CONCEPT and don't care what the writing is... mostly.
    Bruh, fukkin *smooches*! Feel me? Ha!

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: What are you looking for?

      I don't think good managers care as much about concept. They're not looking for one sale, they're looking for a writer with a great voice that can work for a long time.

      My first successful feature script was a low budget dark comedy about the industry. No one was going to make it. But it got me work for years.

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      • #4
        Re: What are you looking for?

        I think Jeff is right again.

        So is it a bad sign when a rep "loves your writing" but still won't sign you because they don't feel 100% passionate about that one script? It leads me to believe they are more like agents only looking to scoop up 1 great script and sell it.

        Now I have yet to find the manager who saw potential in one of my scripts that they knew probably would not sell and still take me on, knowing the next one would rock. In fact, even reps that took me on, they went out with a great script, didn't sell, then all the next stuff we worked on seemed like they already checked out and those never went anywhere. Reps seems to be if it sells great, you're my client, if it doesn't, ghosted.

        To me these reps who just want great writing and voices are like unicorns. Only real in books.

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        • #5
          Re: What are you looking for?

          Personally I think the feature side of the business has contracted to the point that very few reps would make the effort to sell a writer based on a great but unsellable spec.

          Pretty sure that those writers who managed to capitalize on a great unsold sample in the past (like Jeff) would find it much harder to pull off in the current climate. I'd argue reps are only looking for both the voice and the inspired commercial concept at the moment, since the difficulty of breaking a writer with anything short of that is overwhelming, even for well known reps.

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          • #6
            Re: What are you looking for?

            NO
            NECK
            JOE!

            (spike and mike reference for me and No Neck Joe!)

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: What are you looking for?

              Originally posted by NoNeckJoe View Post
              Personally I think the feature side of the business has contracted to the point that very few reps would make the effort to sell a writer based on a great but unsellable spec.

              Pretty sure that those writers who managed to capitalize on a great unsold sample in the past (like Jeff) would find it much harder to pull off in the current climate. I'd argue reps are only looking for both the voice and the inspired commercial concept at the moment, since the difficulty of breaking a writer with anything short of that is overwhelming, even for well known reps.
              I think that's true, with one exception: you can definitely break a writer with a great but unsaleable spec IF said spec lands high on the Blacklist-- so a "Blacklist-ready" script is still attractive to most reps.

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              • #8
                Re: What are you looking for?

                You better specify you mean the FREE blacklist list that also has the same name as the PAID blacklist site which is NOT. CONFUSING. AT. ALL.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: What are you looking for?

                  Originally posted by JeffLowell View Post
                  I don't think good managers care as much about concept. They're not looking for one sale, they're looking for a writer with a great voice that can work for a long time.

                  My first successful feature script was a low budget dark comedy about the industry. No one was going to make it. But it got me work for years.
                  This is the same path I took... and that script, even though it finally got made 18 years after I wrote it, is still paying off. I do believe in the "one great script can open doors" theory.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: What are you looking for?

                    Originally posted by Bono View Post
                    You better specify you mean the FREE blacklist list that also has the same name as the PAID blacklist site which is NOT. CONFUSING. AT. ALL.
                    It was clear that's what he/she meant.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: What are you looking for?

                      Originally posted by JeffLowell View Post
                      I don't think good managers care as much about concept. They're not looking for one sale, they're looking for a writer with a great voice that can work for a long time.
                      “can work for a long time”

                      Jeff, I’m going to bring up a topic, and I don’t want you to answer if it could potentially cause you any legal problems.

                      The topic is: Ageism.

                      You’re a working showrunner, who has the power to hire writers, so I don’t want you to say anything here that could be used by a writer that you have rejected for employment in a discrimination lawsuit, even though age had nothing to do with you passing on the writer.

                      There’s no arguing a manager would like to have a writer possessing longevity potential because it’s a huge commitment to take on and represent a writer. Taking on a new writer cuts into the manager’s time with the other writers he’s already representing. He’ll have to expend a huge amount of time, energy and resources (money) to promote and find work for this writer.

                      So, according to your “can work for a long time” opinion, where does this leave the senior citizens of Done Deal, such as, Bono, catcon, etc.

                      A senior citizen who has the ability to come up with high concept ideas and execute them well will be attractive to a manager because he can sell that and keep on selling that until the well runs dry, or the old writer dies.

                      But, what about the older writer who doesn’t write high concepts, but he has a winning voice that was proven in big time screenwriting competitions. He possesses a talent writing in a specific category, i.e., character, dialogue, comedy, etc. that studios look for to help make ready a script in development?

                      Hollywood is a youthful business because its targeted audience is youthful. A young audience has the disposable income to spend on entertainment.

                      An older audience have adult children to put through college, or they’re living on their pensions, social security, etc.

                      What does this mean for a senior citizen writer looking for a manager?

                      Considering the time, energy and resources, will a manager be adverse to taking on an older writer, even though he has a great voice, but he doesn’t write high concept screenplays. He may write great characters, dialogue, etc., but being an older writer the potential for longevity isn’t there. The potential to get him assignments may be difficult because of his age, interviewing with 20 and 30 something studio people.

                      This is a real issue that older writers have to be aware of, especially the writers looking to be staffed on a TV series.

                      Jeff, congratulations on your continued success with the new Netflex comedy THE CREW staring Kevin James.

                      I love Kevin James. People gave him a hard time when he fired his young TV wife from the show “Kevin Can Wait” for Leah Remini, but I thought it was a good move. Kevin and Leah have great on-screen energy and chemistry. Their contrast in their on-screen personalities POPS. Just like The ODD COUPLE’s Felix and Oscar, Abbott and Costello, Moe and Curly, etc.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: What are you looking for?

                        Originally posted by JoeNYC View Post
                        "can work for a long time-

                        Jeff, I'm going to bring up a topic, and I don't want you to answer if it could potentially cause you any legal problems.

                        The topic is: Ageism.

                        You're a working showrunner, who has the power to hire writers, so I don't want you to say anything here that could be used by a writer that you have rejected for employment in a discrimination lawsuit, even though age had nothing to do with you passing on the writer.

                        There's no arguing a manager would like to have a writer possessing longevity potential because it's a huge commitment to take on and represent a writer. Taking on a new writer cuts into the manager's time with the other writers he's already representing. He'll have to expend a huge amount of time, energy and resources (money) to promote and find work for this writer.

                        So, according to your "can work for a long time- opinion, where does this leave the senior citizens of Done Deal, such as, Bono, catcon, etc.

                        A senior citizen who has the ability to come up with high concept ideas and execute them well will be attractive to a manager because he can sell that and keep on selling that until the well runs dry, or the old writer dies.

                        But, what about the older writer who doesn't write high concepts, but he has a winning voice that was proven in big time screenwriting competitions. He possesses a talent writing in a specific category, i.e., character, dialogue, comedy, etc. that studios look for to help make ready a script in development?

                        Hollywood is a youthful business because its targeted audience is youthful. A young audience has the disposable income to spend on entertainment.

                        An older audience have adult children to put through college, or they're living on their pensions, social security, etc.

                        What does this mean for a senior citizen writer looking for a manager?

                        Considering the time, energy and resources, will a manager be adverse to taking on an older writer, even though he has a great voice, but he doesn't write high concept screenplays. He may write great characters, dialogue, etc., but being an older writer the potential for longevity isn't there. The potential to get him assignments may be difficult because of his age, interviewing with 20 and 30 something studio people.

                        This is a real issue that older writers have to be aware of, especially the writers looking to be staffed on a TV series.

                        Jeff, congratulations on your continued success with the new Netflex comedy THE CREW staring Kevin James.

                        I love Kevin James. People gave him a hard time when he fired his young TV wife from the show "Kevin Can Wait- for Leah Remini, but I thought it was a good move. Kevin and Leah have great on-screen energy and chemistry. Their contrast in their on-screen personalities POPS. Just like The ODD COUPLE's Felix and Oscar, Abbott and Costello, Moe and Curly, etc.
                        Eagerly awaiting Bono's response to being called a senior citizen...

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: What are you looking for?

                          Me too can’t wait!

                          Updated joke—

                          Joe you spelled Netflix wrong . Senior moment!
                          Last edited by Bono; 09-06-2019, 06:00 AM.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: What are you looking for?

                            No offense in pointing you out, Bono, but you represent a community of writers who are looking for fairness in the industry: Judge me on my work, not my age.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: What are you looking for?

                              And they do judge work only or at least most of the time. I don’t write old man on my cover pages any more. But yes age race gender all sometimes play a part. Just like any business. But as I said white Jew male and Hollywood still hates me. I am fat. They hate fatties. It’s never fully fair. Just like life. They hire hot girl or hot gay guy receptionist and not the 40 year old fat guy. No one wants to be greated by the fat guy.

                              And why would I be offended? I’m old!

                              But I don’t know for sure but most of the people I talk to on this Board are around my age or older. I’m sure younger people are here too. But the 10-20 I know are older or within 2 years so it’s just funny!

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