New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

[Guerilla]

Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

Maybe I'm wrong, but I would think that any script with high scores stands a much better chance of receiving requests than a high concept/commercial-sounding script with low or even mid-range scores. In other words, a script with high scores might at least interest them as a writing sample. However, a commercial-sounding script with low scores tells a producer that the script will require a lot of development, which scares most producers and agents away from projects. Unless a logline absolutely blows them away, my guess is that a low scoring script wouldn't receive requests -- so what's the point of leaving it on the site?

Of course, in the real world a query/pitch with a logline that blows them away might still receive a request -- because there is no review/score attached.

Am I off base here?

I don't think you are.

I was working on a script for about two weeks (my first script) and my premise on my pilot got an 8, but my review score was just a 5.

I did not know a thing about screenwriting a month ago. An idea just popped into my head as I was sick at home from work, so I did some research on it and decided to try.

I sent out 60 queries last week, and got only five responses. Three of the responses were asking for the script and one of those also sent a disclosure form, one said it sounded great but she has too much work right now (so maybe not that great), and the last asked for a short synopsis.

Even if nothing comes out of those queries, that's more success than the zero views I received on The Black List from pros after my review. And I have nothing against the Black List at all. Some of the points my reviewer made for my weaknesses were true and I fixed it, but most of it was as if they expected the entire pilot to be shootouts, car chases, and fights because it is in the "gangster" genre.

[grumpywriter]

Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

Sweet! As they would say in Spain -- enhorabuena!

[UpandComing]

Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

Congratulations! That's awesome!

[cp6267a]

Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

Not sure if this is the right thread for it, but I thought I'd post a Black List success story. My script was chosen as a featured script last month, which lead to an increase in traffic. A Goya winning producer from Spain read it and liked it, and I've optioned it to his production company. Just wanted to send thanks and post about a good experience with the site.

[JoeBanks]

Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

How much traffic do you guys get on your hosted scripts?

I purchased three evaluations, which are not done yet, and it seems I am not getting any traffic w/o one.

my pilot got decent traffic (60+ views, 5 non-review downloads, 2 or 3 non-review ratings). 7 ratings across the board, which put it on the Top Pilots page for a month. nothing came of it

my feature received less so, but the two review ratings were only 5s, so not surprising

[JoeWright]

Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

How much traffic do you guys get on your hosted scripts?

I purchased three evaluations, which are not done yet, and it seems I am not getting any traffic w/o one.

[UpandComing]

Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

You get a free evaluation if you get an 8 or above.

As for taking advantage of it, it depends. If you only have one rating, and it's an 8 or above, I would take the free eval. Only because you need two evaluations to qualify for the Top List, which can give your script extra visibility (keeping it in the minds of Pros after the e-mail blast has been sent out). If the second score is not high enough, you can just hide it. If you have two ratings and are not on the Top List, I'd say try it as well in case the new score bumps you onto it.

If you already have two ratings and have managed to make the Top List, I'd say don't take the free eval because of the chance the new score can knock you off.

[ClintW3]

Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

We got free read for getting an overall 8.
May I suggest not taking them up on it. With an 8, I suspect you now enjoy one of the higher overall averages.
But if the score from the free read is much lower, it dings the average.
The score from our free read was a 5.
In our case, we should have walked away from the table.

[Rhodi]

Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

Does anyone know if you get a free evaluation for all script ratings 8 and above (i.e. 8, 9, 10), or just for scoring an 8?

[ClintW3]

Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

Don't know if this is relevant to this discussion...but I just tried BL for the first time. Had two reviews done. Received a 6 average. As a result, I don't see any point in leaving the screenplay on the site. Don't think I'd receive any requests for the script. Even with a great logline, my assumption is that producers and agents will look at the score -- and unless it's high they are not going to request it.

So, I guess my question is this: What good is it to leave a script on the site if it's received less than stellar reviews?

I would suggest you simply not renew the hosting fee.

[Pasquali56]

Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

Maybe I'm wrong, but I would think that any script with high scores stands a much better chance of receiving requests than a high concept/commercial-sounding script with low or even mid-range scores. In other words, a script with high scores might at least interest them as a writing sample. However, a commercial-sounding script with low scores tells a producer that the script will require a lot of development, which scares most producers and agents away from projects. Unless a logline absolutely blows them away, my guess is that a low scoring script wouldn't receive requests -- so what's the point of leaving it on the site?

Of course, in the real world a query/pitch with a logline that blows them away might still receive a request -- because there is no review/score attached.

Am I off base here?

[DangoForth]

Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

So, I guess my question is this: What good is it to leave a script on the site if it's received less than stellar reviews?

Sometimes it's your logline that generates the interest.

I had a.script put up once that garnered 8s and 9s from one reviewer but, as far as I know, didn't generate much foot traffic.

[Pasquali56]

Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

Don't know if this is relevant to this discussion...but I just tried BL for the first time. Had two reviews done. Received a 6 average. As a result, I don't see any point in leaving the screenplay on the site. Don't think I'd receive any requests for the script. Even with a great logline, my assumption is that producers and agents will look at the score -- and unless it's high they are not going to request it.

So, I guess my question is this: What good is it to leave a script on the site if it's received less than stellar reviews?

[DangoForth]

Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

Maybe do thirty seconds of research and you would have found many deals that have come out of the BL.

Now, Geoff, to be fair, it really would have been about a minute and a half to search AND read...

[Geoff Alexander]

Re: New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

Has this site landed anyone a deal aside from the guy who worked there? If not, maybe that's a sign that people shouldn't be pumping so much money into it.

Maybe do thirty seconds of research and you would have found many deals that have come out of the BL.