Jim Vines aka Working Screenwriter Interviews Me

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  • #16
    Re: Jim Vines aka Working Screenwriter Interviews Me

    Originally posted by NYNEX View Post
    MacH, in publishing, agents not only have the time to read queries, they typically also accept synopses and the first three chapters and/or the first 50 pages.

    And they accept this on an unsolicited basis. So since literary agents in publishing can deal with all these unsolicited submissions, there's no real reason why this cannot be done in film as well.
    It can be done.

    Benderspink used to have that policy. They've changed now. (Although the door is till open to you (via Joe))

    Here's what you missed, though - not all publishing agents have open submission policies. In fact, the big ones generally don't. Curtis Brown is an exception - but plenty of others are more closed.

    Does this make the literary agents who have chosen this method to filter their inbox somehow worthy of being sued and accused of being racist?

    And you haven't answered my question - am I being immoral (and sue-worthy) by using exactly the same method of filtering my inbox?

    Mac
    New blogposts:
    *Followup - Seeking Investors in all the wrong places
    *Preselling your film - Learning from the Experts
    *Getting your indie film onto iTunes
    *Case Study - Estimating Film profits

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    • #17
      Re: Jim Vines aka Working Screenwriter Interviews Me

      Why are you guys wasting your time? That interview speaks for itself.
      twitter.com/mbotti

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      • #18
        Re: Jim Vines aka Working Screenwriter Interviews Me

        I think NYNEX has earned a read from every pro screenwriter on this board.

        Question is, who's the first pro to pony up?

        EJ

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        • #19
          Re: Jim Vines aka Working Screenwriter Interviews Me

          Originally posted by michaelb View Post
          Why are you guys wasting your time? That interview speaks for itself.
          It's a lost cause, Botti.

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          • #20
            Re: Jim Vines aka Working Screenwriter Interviews Me

            Originally posted by NYNEX View Post
            in publishing, agents not only have the time to read queries, they typically also accept synopses and the first three chapters and/or the first 50 pages.

            And they accept this on an unsolicited basis. So since literary agents in publishing can deal with all these unsolicited submissions, there's no real reason why this cannot be done in film as well.
            This is generally not true.

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            • #21
              Re: Jim Vines aka Working Screenwriter Interviews Me

              Originally posted by nathanq View Post
              Originally Posted by NYNEX
              in publishing, agents not only have the time to read queries, they typically also accept synopses and the first three chapters and/or the first 50 pages.

              And they accept this on an unsolicited basis. So since literary agents in publishing can deal with all these unsolicited submissions, there's no real reason why this cannot be done in film as well.
              This is generally not true.
              But... In my research (a few hundred websites, including many from DDPro's own list of "book" publishers), I've seen lots of similar submission rules, or synopsis of each chapter, or first 10 pages of each chapter, or the book's "table of contents" ie. chapter headings (even of fiction), etc.

              They do seem to be far more open to reading unsolicited material, that being NYNEX's point, even/especially from newbies, in order to catch the next JK Rowling. In film, though, it seems everybody just wants to exploit the current bandwagon till the well runs dry ("next same thing" as opposed to "next great thing"). "Let somebody else take the chance", seems to be the way.

              But the biggest difference, from the publishing vs. film world, is that films take millions to get off the ground, whereas a nicely printed book can be test-marketed for a song.

              Yes, the publishers have to fight for a spot on the bookshelf (metaphorically-speaking), but there are a lot of bookshelves, whereas the other side has to spend $10M-200M just to get a print of the movie to a critic so it can be savaged (never mind to a theater or a chain).

              However, I reiterate that the film business needs to be careful about not "missing the next great thing." That's probably why quite of few of them show up at those pitch fests or the virtual equivalents.

              The old "you just never know" must really nag at the back of their minds.

              And I especially wonder about the attitude of some of the newer prodcos I come across, when I see they're only looking for the same old tent poles and 4-quads, when there are so many Indie-quality projects out there that would build their little companies just fine, with a little patience.

              They may have to wait a few more years before glad handing and hob-knobbing with the big stars, that's all.

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              • #22
                Re: Jim Vines aka Working Screenwriter Interviews Me

                Originally posted by nathanq View Post
                This is generally not true.
                This is generally true, nearly all literary agents in publishing take some sort of unsolicited submission. Different ones have different requirements, but almost all deal with some sort of query (and others want additional materials, like synopses, X number of pages, chapters, etc).

                There's no reason why film literary agents can't do the same thing.
                Check out my videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/NyFilmmaker32/videos

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                • #23
                  Re: Jim Vines aka Working Screenwriter Interviews Me

                  Originally posted by dirtbottle View Post
                  Dude, I didn't know a single soul in hollywood either. I'm from Wyoming for christ's sake and I've managed to have success in L.A. You sound like every other delusional asshat who thinks they're better than they are.
                  Success? I've never heard of you. Can you post your real name and what this success is?
                  Check out my videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/NyFilmmaker32/videos

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                  • #24
                    Re: Jim Vines aka Working Screenwriter Interviews Me

                    Originally posted by NYNEX View Post
                    This is generally true, nearly all literary agents in publishing take some sort of unsolicited submission. Different ones have different requirements, but almost all deal with some sort of query (and others want additional materials, like synopses, X number of pages, chapters, etc).
                    Guy, all film agents take queries as well. Even though they say they don't accept unsolicited queries, they still take them. But you need one thing:

                    A GREAT ****ING SCRIPT WITH A GREAT ****ING LOGLINE.

                    You never wrote either so no one wanted to read your ****.

                    I don't know why but you anger me so much I want to punch my screen.
                    Introduce a little anarchy.

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                    • #25
                      Re: Jim Vines aka Working Screenwriter Interviews Me

                      Originally posted by BurningWorld View Post
                      Guy, all film agents take queries as well. Even though they say they don't accept unsolicited queries, they still take them. But you need one thing:

                      A GREAT ****ING SCRIPT WITH A GREAT ****ING LOGLINE.

                      You never wrote either so no one wanted to read your ****.

                      I don't know why but you anger me so much I want to punch my screen.
                      No, according to their official policies, they don't. No unsolicited submissions, something they would say if you called them. As for punching your screen, you bought it, so punch it if you feel like it.
                      Check out my videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/NyFilmmaker32/videos

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                      • #26
                        Re: Jim Vines aka Working Screenwriter Interviews Me

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                        Last edited by AJ_FIN; 06-08-2020, 11:54 AM.

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                        • #27
                          Re: Jim Vines aka Working Screenwriter Interviews Me

                          Originally posted by NYNEX View Post
                          No unsolicited submissions
                          But not "no unsolicited queries." This board is filled with literally thousands of stories of outsiders getting scripts read by managers, agents and producers off of query letters.

                          Of course, the query letter has to interest them.

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                          • #28
                            Re: Jim Vines aka Working Screenwriter Interviews Me

                            Originally posted by JeffLowell View Post
                            But not "no unsolicited queries." This board is filled with literally thousands of stories of outsiders getting scripts read by managers, agents and producers off of query letters.

                            Of course, the query letter has to interest them.
                            Well everything starts with a query, but the point was that the publishing field seems to WANT, rather than tolerate, something more than just a cute tag or log line that seems to satisfy many of the film people.

                            Oh, but wait, even the film guys get fed up with the logline-only approach sometimes.

                            Here's a quote from a query today (yes, today), which contained my usual query structure of log line and 2 short paragraphs:

                            send us a synopsis of your script. loglines don't work for us, we're story oriented.
                            I'd name the company and exec but I don't think that's what we do here.

                            Anyway, my query always says that I have a 4-page synopsis ready-to-go. So isn't it great he wanted more than just a log line? And that's the thing, when I query prodcos I say that I have a synopsis and I give them the page count of the script (avg. 111) and they still just say way too frequently "not for us" or "not what we're looking for", based on a log line.

                            Hey, it's their loss. But what a stupid way to do business, if finding new, unique ideas (and writers) is what fielding a query is all about.

                            So, you want the first 10 pages? Sure! The synopsis? Great! The first 5 pages of each Act? Absolutely!

                            Now THAT'S a way to make sure you're not missing a good one -- and I doubt if a release is needed, but hey, I'm always willing -- so long as it's not full of rip-off clauses.

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                            • #29
                              Re: Jim Vines aka Working Screenwriter Interviews Me

                              At the risk of making the ultimately obvious observation: books and movies aren't the same thing. You don't have to sell a book on a poster.

                              And your continued success in getting read without a rep shows what many of us have been saying - this is not a referral only business.

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                              • #30
                                Re: Jim Vines aka Working Screenwriter Interviews Me

                                More Books and Movies are not the same: A book by a new writer might ship 5k copies, with an advance of pocket change. The cost of manufacturing a book is much much less than the cost of manufacturing a movie. If a book sells well, they reprint more copies... but the cost for making a movie is so high that it needs to be a hit on the initial run. Even if you open on 50 screens and expand to 500 and then to 3,000 - the cost isn't in more prints, it is in the manufacturing the film itself.

                                And publishing still works through agents and agents are not easy to secure. My friend Harry is a novelist, his first published novel (not the first one he wrote) made Publisher's Weekly Best Books Of 2009, his 2nd and 3rd got starred reviews in Publisher's Weekly (best reviews) - and #3 comes out in about a week: CIRCLE OF ENEMIES (Del Rey/Random House). Everyone who reads this must now buy a copy.

                                Here's his story on finding an agent - he put in a sh!tload of work, after writing the book he thought had he best chances: http://www.blackgate.com/2010/10/23/my-agent-hunt/

                                Here's the thing: CHILD OF FIRE made Pub Weekly's Best Books Of 2009 list, so it wasn't some average book. That's what you need to snag that book agent and get published - the amazing novel that everybody loves. If you haven't written that great book - the door will not open for you.

                                Just to pimp my friend's books some more, here's the trailer...
                                http://youtu.be/o1_fIyanEFc

                                If your book is not good, a more open submission policy doesn't help. But even in the script biz, if you have a great script it will open doors. And no one knows your race or religion or hat size or age when they read your script. It's only later, after you come in and you have a head the size of King Kong's because of your super-brain and wear a size 754 hat, that they may get turned off...

                                - Bill
                                Free Script Tips:
                                http://www.scriptsecrets.net

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