New Black List Thread - Franklin Leonard answers your questions

Collapse

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.
This topic is closed.
X
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

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

    Originally posted by finalact4 View Post
    Franklin:

    Why is there no tag for "high concept" available on The Black List?

    FA4
    Seems unnecessary.

    Wouldn't a "high concept" script be reflected in a reader's "Premise" rating?

    Comment


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

      Originally posted by FranklinLeonard View Post
      Re: the recommendation algorithm, it's not different for pros, and you've astute to note that the recommendations often vary widely by genre and subject matter. This is because for script based recommendations we're looking for scripts that that got high ratings from other users who rated the original script highly. It really is as simple as "people who liked this script also like these scripts."

      The recommendations to individuals are a bit more complicated. We're looking at all of the scripts you've rated, and all of the people who have rated those scripts too, and then all of the scripts they've rated that you haven't rated, and algorithmically making an assessment of our best guess as to what you would rate the script, based on comparing your ratings to other people's ratings of scripts you share in comment.
      Thanks Franklin!

      So basically, you let the search function take care of finding similar scripts while the recommendation function is based on ratings alone.

      I will confess to being slightly disappointed. I had hoped that the recommendations would be a combination of rating and tags/genre so that they might provide an opportunity to get eyes on a script with a more middling rating if it was similar to the script being viewed.

      Also, just a comment on the search function. Is the tag selection process is the same for us as it is for the pros? Because unlike when I pick the tags for my script, where I get a full page with all the tags visible, when I search I just get a small pop-up column that I have to scroll through. And every time I pick a new tag, i have to start at the beginning again. Very cumbersome - to the point that I can't imagine anyone using more than the broadest, most important tags to pick through the scripts. If I'm correct, you might want to look into changing that up since as it stands I would hazard a guess that most of the smaller tags are essentially useless because of the effort required to select them for searches.

      Finally, a quick note on the "high concept" tag debate. I agree that it shouldn't be available to writers because it will be overused, but perhaps it should be available to readers only. That way, anyone seeing or searching it knows that it was an independent assessment.

      Comment


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

        Originally posted by AP Oz View Post
        Seems unnecessary.

        Wouldn't a "high concept" script be reflected in a reader's "Premise" rating?
        You mean while you wait three weeks for the review to come in? Tags, i think, can bring attention to your script and generate views even before your review comes back, right? And how difficult would it really be to search and then skim the loglines?

        So, I disagree. High concept is an important tag. And I understand FL position, but it's like punishing those who do have high concepts.

        Any tag could be abused. Whether it's action/adventure or thriller. Just because it's a tag that people would abuse the most indicates its value. You can tell from the logline whether or not it's a high concept.

        To not have one is like basically saying there are no high concepts offered. If the tag is abused, and it's rendered useless what's the ultimate harm? It may just help those who have them to connect with those who are looking for them.

        "High Concept" is a selling point, imo. I'm not saying it for only selfish reasons. High concepts are not easy to come up with and those that do (any writer) deserve the right to call attention to it.

        Maybe (if the haven't already) they should ask the membership if it's something they would like to be able to search by. If i were looking for high concepts I would wade through the crap to find one... Maybe I'm alone in that respect.

        Best,
        FA4
        "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

        Comment


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

          Originally posted by AP Oz View Post
          Seems unnecessary.

          Wouldn't a "high concept" script be reflected in a reader's "Premise" rating?
          You mean while you wait three weeks for the review to come in? Tags, i think, can bring attention to your script and generate views even before your review comes back, right? And how difficult would it really be to search and then skim the loglines?

          So, I disagree. High concept is an important tag. And I understand FL position, but it's like punishing those who do have high concepts.

          Any tag could be abused. Whether it's action/adventure or thriller. Just because it's a tag that people would abuse the most indicates its value. You can tell from the logline whether or not it's a high concept.

          To not have one is like basically saying there are no high concepts offered. If the tag is abused, and it's rendered useless what's the ultimate harm? It may just help those who have them to connect with those who are looking for them.

          "High Concept" is a selling point, imo. I'm not saying it for only selfish reasons. High concepts are not easy to come up with and those that do (any writer) deserve the right to call attention to it.

          Maybe (if the haven't already) they should ask the membership if it's something they would like to be able to search by. If i were looking for high concepts I would wade through the crap to find one... Maybe I'm alone in that respect.

          Anyway it's good to know they'll still consider it.
          Best,
          FA4
          "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

          Comment


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

            Originally posted by tinlizzie View Post
            Thanks Franklin!

            Finally, a quick note on the "high concept" tag debate. I agree that it shouldn't be available to writers because it will be overused, but perhaps it should be available to readers only. That way, anyone seeing or searching it knows that it was an independent assessment.
            I may be way off base here, but I'm pretty sure a writer who does have a high concept would appreciate being able to tag their script as such.

            By reader, do you mean the paid reader? I don't think it matters for a reader in this case because they have to read the script. It's a selling point.

            If you have a high concept and you're saying that you don't care if it's tagged as such, then clearly I am incorrect.

            Again, maybe it's just me.
            FA4
            "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

            Comment


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

              I hate asking this question in case it has been answered before but I uploaded my first script the other day and after a few hours I received an email that it was downloaded by a industry member.

              I paid for 2 reviews.

              My question is the person who downloaded it, was it one of the reviewers or an actual industry member inquiring about my script?

              Thanks

              Comment


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

                re: the high concept tag. Why stop there? Why not have a "great script" tag or "you have to buy this right now" tag?

                Of course "high concept" would be abused. Just look up the threads where people argue for 1000 pages about what the definition of "high concept" is.

                Comment


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

                  Originally posted by Wise View Post
                  I hate asking this question in case it has been answered before but I uploaded my first script the other day and after a few hours I received an email that it was downloaded by a industry member.

                  I paid for 2 reviews.

                  My question is the person who downloaded it, was it one of the reviewers or an actual industry member inquiring about my script?

                  Thanks
                  Same thing happened to me with my last two scripts. It was definitely not a reader as there is a separate indicator for reader downloads. They probably dug what we had as it was spot lit in the 100 most recent uploaded scripts on the top of the industry view page. Even though there are many ways for a pro to stumble upon material, I'm almost positive if it was just hours after the upload that's how they came across it and found it interesting enough to check out.

                  Best of luck of with it!

                  Comment


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

                    Originally posted by Twombly View Post
                    Same thing happened to me with my last two scripts. It was definitely not a reader as there is a separate indicator for reader downloads. They probably dug what we had as it was spot lit in the 100 most recent uploaded scripts on the top of the industry view page. Even though there are many ways for a pro to stumble upon material, I'm almost positive if it was just hours after the upload that's how they came across it and found it interesting enough to check out.

                    Best of luck of with it!
                    Cool. Thanks for the response.

                    Best of luck to you as well.

                    Comment


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

                      Originally posted by Wise View Post
                      I hate asking this question in case it has been answered before but I uploaded my first script the other day and after a few hours I received an email that it was downloaded by a industry member.

                      I paid for 2 reviews.

                      My question is the person who downloaded it, was it one of the reviewers or an actual industry member inquiring about my script?

                      Thanks
                      You can check on your script's page and it will tell you whether it was a reader or a pro. I want to say I had the same thing happen and it was a reader - but I can't really remember for sure right now.

                      Comment


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

                        Originally posted by finalact4 View Post
                        I may be way off base here, but I'm pretty sure a writer who does have a high concept would appreciate being able to tag their script as such.

                        By reader, do you mean the paid reader? I don't think it matters for a reader in this case because they have to read the script. It's a selling point.

                        If you have a high concept and you're saying that you don't care if it's tagged as such, then clearly I am incorrect.

                        Again, maybe it's just me.
                        FA4
                        Yes, I was referring to the paid readers since I think they are able to add tags to a script (I might be wrong about this).

                        While I'd love to be able to use the tag (who wouldn't) I think Franklin may be right because it's been my experience that not everyone has a good grasp of what makes a script "high concept" and therefore it's likely to become so ubiquitous as to be useless. That was why I suggested that perhaps paid readers could use it and that way, true high concepts would still stand out.

                        Of course that would no doubt bring up a whole slew of new complaints, since even I would hate to leave what could be a huge draw for my script up to some anonymous person. I just think it's the only option outside of not having the tag at all.

                        Comment


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

                          Originally posted by CColoredClown View Post
                          re: the high concept tag. Why stop there? Why not have a "great script" tag or "you have to buy this right now" tag?

                          Of course "high concept" would be abused. Just look up the threads where people argue for 1000 pages about what the definition of "high concept" is.
                          It's just my opinion, dude. No need to condescend. The Blacklist has several hundred tags available.
                          "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

                          Comment


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

                            Originally posted by CColoredClown View Post
                            re: the high concept tag. Why stop there? Why not have a "great script" tag or "you have to buy this right now" tag?
                            lol

                            Comment


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

                              Originally posted by Twombly View Post
                              Same thing happened to me with my last two scripts. It was definitely not a reader as there is a separate indicator for reader downloads. They probably dug what we had as it was spot lit in the 100 most recent uploaded scripts on the top of the industry view page. Even though there are many ways for a pro to stumble upon material, I'm almost positive if it was just hours after the upload that's how they came across it and found it interesting enough to check out.

                              Best of luck of with it!
                              Did you opt in for the Warner Bros. blind deal option? I had the same thing happen and wondered if it had to to with that?

                              Don't know for sure.
                              FA4
                              "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

                              Comment


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

                                Originally posted by finalact4 View Post
                                Did you opt in for the Warner Bros. blind deal option? I had the same thing happen and wondered if it had to to with that?

                                Don't know for sure.
                                FA4
                                I did for the script I uploaded in December, but not for the one I uploaded last week. I thought that might have been the case the first time around too.

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X