New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

[kenklmn]

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

One finally got downloaded last night.

I uploaded a script and purchased two evaluations on Mar. 22.

I received one evaluation on Apr. 17. Still waiting on the second.

I did receive the free month of hosting.

[cvolante]

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

FWIW

In my experience, most of the readers are very professional and write well-crafted and intelligent comments both in the strengths and weaknesses areas. However, like the poster above, I also received one weird, super-low-ball, uncharacteristically unprofessional review. I've read for a contest for quite a few years and come across scripts that I didn't like or scripts that offended me but I always rated them on the quality of their writing. This reviewer seemed flat-out angry. I would have assumed it was 110% my fault/my script except the script in question had been a top 24 pilot on the Blacklist previously and was a semi-finalist in the Page. (For whatever reason, I decided to try the "start fresh" option.) When I was talking with customer service about the 3+ week wait, she asked if there was anything else. I mentioned the outlier review and she told me that that particular reviewer was no longer with them. So I think it's safe to say that they're careful about who works for them and they're good with customer service.

[figment]

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

My experience:

The readers were not bad, or stupid, or inept, or amateurs. It is very obvous they were pros and knew what they were talking about, and were exactly what you get with readers at firms and production companies; the good and the bad.

I will say I've had two evaluations where it was obvious the script was skimmed and another where the reader was a flat out douchebag, who low balled the script's score, and literally slammed it for the very things it also praised. It was a weird, contradictory review from a condscending reader who was going out of their way to insult me. That was my one bad experience in regards to the evaluations.

So the readers were not bad, stupid or inept, but they did skim, were a douchebag who low-balled the score, and condescendingly slammed you for things they also praised you for while purposely insulting you?

Uh... what's your version of a "bad" reader, I'm afraid to ask.

[Zed's_Dead]

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

My experience:

The customer service is fantastic. Absolutely grade A in my opinion.

The readers were not bad, or stupid, or inept, or amateurs. It is very obvous they were pros and knew what they were talking about, and were exactly what you get with readers at firms and production companies; the good and the bad. I will say I've had two evaluations where it was obvious the script was skimmed and another where the reader was a flat out douchebag, who low balled the script's score, and literally slammed it for the very things it also praised. It was a weird, contradictory review from a condscending reader who was going out of their way to insult me. That was my one bad experience in regards to the evaluations.

I got the magical 8 review, and as of now I've had 19 pro views and 8 downloads. No contact. But I experienced an odd glitch where I didn't receive any email notifications for almost the entirety of the host, so I have no idea if someone did try to contact me but I never received the email.

I don't have a problem with the rise in costs. I think it's a good service that has obviously worked for some people. I don't know if I would use it again as I basically had everything you want out of an evaluation, to the point each review said the script was very commercial, low cost, cool, etc. and absolutely nothing came of it... That I'm aware of.

I had a query with a Manager from Rain Management who told me the Blacklist is useless. But I also know for a fact Brooklyn Weaver reached out to a writer I know for a script on the Blacklist so it's hard to judge.

[surftatboy]

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

This industry is pure fvcking madness. That's my singular takeaway from this thread.

[Rantanplan]

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

So many writers? Like who?

Maybe the same ones who think the original Black List is responsible for getting Hollywood to pay attention to scripts by Tarantino, Aaron Sorkin and the likes

[mgwriter]

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

It's odd that so many writers think the black list is some kind of nonprofit organization who's sole purpose is to give every writer high scores for free, get them signed by agents and sell their scripts for them.

So many writers? Like who? Can you quote any on this board who think the things you stated?

[slupo]

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

It's odd that so many writers think the black list is some kind of nonprofit organization who's sole purpose is to give every writer high scores for free, get them signed by agents and sell their scripts for them.

[JoeBanks]

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

Just curious - do industry ratings tend to line up pretty well with paid evaluation ratings? Or is there often a difference between the two?

single data point: my pilot received the exact same score (7) from two paid reviews as three industry downloads

[omjs]

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

Just curious - do industry ratings tend to line up pretty well with paid evaluation ratings? Or is there often a difference between the two?

[UpandComing]

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

Thanks!

[ClintW3]

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

Hey Franklin, hope the prep for COLLEGE REPUBLICANS is going well (fun cast).

Quick question -- I've noticed that the BL hasn't been sending out certain automatic e-mail notifications lately. For example, a few weeks ago when 3.5 weeks passed without an eval, I didn't get an e-mail alerting me to a free month of hosting (which I received in the past). So I had to e-mail Customer Service to request it.

Also, I recently got an 8; in the past when the "Evaluation Completed" e-mail came in and this was the case, a "Free Evaluation" e-mail came in at the same time. But I haven't gotten one yet. Have the automatic alerts been disabled? Also, 8s and above get 2 free months of hosting/2 free evals as of the date of your pricing announcement, right?

Slightly OT: Props on the 8!

[UpandComing]

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

Hey Franklin, hope the prep for COLLEGE REPUBLICANS is going well (fun cast).

Quick question -- I've noticed that the BL hasn't been sending out certain automatic e-mail notifications lately. For example, a few weeks ago when 3.5 weeks passed without an eval, I didn't get an e-mail alerting me to a free month of hosting (which I received in the past). So I had to e-mail Customer Service to request it.

Also, I recently got an 8; in the past when the "Evaluation Completed" e-mail came in and this was the case, a "Free Evaluation" e-mail came in at the same time. But I haven't gotten one yet. Have the automatic alerts been disabled? Also, 8s get 2 free months of hosting/2 free evals as of the date of your pricing announcement, right?

[Phoenixman78]

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

Jeebus. That is slow. As I said, for an impression of my script and for the same money I'll use my old coverage service and get tons of notes as well and within 72 hours.

[CrissCross]

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

One finally got downloaded last night.