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So I asked awhile back if anybody had any tips on query letters. I have another question piggybacking off that I guess. I've gotten a lot of responses saying producers and agents won't take unsolicited scripts and that I need coverage. I even tried querying Babz from the site and got an extensive reply on why and how I should get coverage.
Is it worthwhile to pay to have somebody read my script for feedback? Some of these consultation services are a bit more than I care to afford right now. I don't want to pay if it isn't worthwhile. Once I get coverage how would I mention that in a query letter? Does it really help open doors? Do agents or producers care where I get my read from? Or just as long as I have one?
As always, I know I could Google search the reasons why and get a bunch of drivel from who knows who. But I'd like to hear any real life experiences from people here as well as their thoughts. I value that input way more than I do a search engines. Thanx.
Surely though the agents would have certain people one should use to gain feedback. Else it would be easy for me to set up a legitimate-looking website in just a couple of hours and give myself a RECOMMEND.
Yeah that's part of it......... A buddy of mine just created a website to do editorial services and I was wondering if I could get him to do a proper read through and pass that on. He wouldn't try to pull a scam, just thoght I could get a friend discount for his services.
Consider my experience with coverage part of the movie industry in general. Look how many films come out every year that are just awful. Films that should never, ever be made yet get made.
Someone had to give them a "recommend", right?
And if they didn't, then these films still got made.
Meaning coverage is pretty much worthless when you put things into perspective that either A) They got a recommend from someone, or B) They never received coverage in the first place, yet still managed to be made.
Is it worthwhile to pay to have somebody read my script for feedback?
Well, that all depends. While coverage can be very valuable, not all readers are created equal. It's always a good idea to check out their background and credentials, and ask for references.
Do you need it, probably not. I know some companies have their own people who do that for them.
Personally, I'd never send any of my scripts without it. Hell, I'd hire my own script consultant if I could. The storytelling quality of my script, its readability, understandability, the premise, plot, structure, theme, ect... things that I need to know.
Depending on how you chose to market it. You can upload it to InkTip and those people would read your stuff if they like your synopsis. Although a consider for a script might prompt extra reads - I mean logically it should. When my script was on InkTip I didn't do coverage and it still got a fair share of reads. And if you get a Pass - you don't have to alert producers) you just upload without any mention of the pass I guess. If you want to do a quiry letter - you should probably get a coverage, and try to get a consider. They take that into account I heard. If you get a pass don't quiry - I wouldn't.
Yeah that's part of it......... A buddy of mine just created a website to do editorial services and I was wondering if I could get him to do a proper read through and pass that on. He wouldn't try to pull a scam, just thoght I could get a friend discount for his services.
BTW, I dig your logo Dustin. Look legit.
Hey, if it was my mate, I'd expect a leg up. Not sure why agents are asking for things like that when they are so easily cheated.
The logo does look crisper than that ordinarily. I got the jpg that had a white background and I removed the image to make it transparent. Messed up a little in a few places. Thanks though.
Just a thought too.. but I've never been asked by an agent for coverage. Not that I've approached many either, mind... but the ones that I have have never asked for coverage.
If they do ask for coverage then they shouldn't just accept any old coverage from anybody. I could literally make a legitimate-looking website in 2 hours.
A lot of things happen to a script between that "recommend" and final cut.
I agree with your broader point, though, Lee. Consultation service is another mini-industry that offers very little value but is attempting to insert itself heavily enough into the industry to become an unavoidable cost.
Consultation service is another mini-industry that offers very little value but is attempting to insert itself heavily enough into the industry to become an unavoidable cost.
Agents really shouldn't be helping it along either, IMO. If an agent can't tell a competent writer from an initial query letter then I would question their own credentials. There are a lot of wannabe agents and managers too.
A lot of things happen to a script between that "recommend" and final cut.
I agree with your broader point, though, Lee. Consultation service is another mini-industry that offers very little value but is attempting to insert itself heavily enough into the industry to become an unavoidable cost.
I understand that. But why do the writers allow these movies to be made?
If the director and/or production company is gonna tinker something you put a helluva lot of effort into and make it a far cry from what it once was, it is your moral obligation as the writer to give them back that paycheck and find someone else willing to produce it.
Hell if I'd let Age of Shadows become some terrible fantasy adventure movie where instead of being a bad-a** mofo, Orion was a PG-13 friendly "good guy" that kids could call a hero. Nah, I'd literally pull out no matter how much I got for the rights.
See, a screenplay is like a novel. You put a lot of work into it. You write the story, develop the world and characters. Then some snobby director comes along and says "nope, can't do that, let's do this, hey, let's have racial sterotypical transformers", etc.
It's wrong and needs to stop.
On the other hand, with Novels in general, all you do is send 3 chapters, a cover letter and synopsis, alongside (obviously) the query email.
Do this and you get 1 of 2 responses: Yes, we're interested OR We're not interested at this time.
They don't say "go pay someone to read your entire manuscript, then return to us once you have viable coverage".
Another thing that, unfortunately, is casting a physical shadow over new writers.
I don't think that's how it works. Once a prod-co has purchased your script. You are the last thing on their mind. The writer sadly is the lowest person on the totem pole. They will move on to make the film the best they can in their eyes. And obviously at this point, you've already signed the contract, so there's no way for you to return a check and them scrapping the project.
About the writer meaning nothing. When I shot TTD, just a small little short that turned out only so so after my best efforts. I'm new at this. What I was sadly shocked to find out was that on location shooting where everyone including crew had a paper copy of the script in hand I asked everybody to not look at the script and then tell me who the writer was. No one knew!!!! Bert's name was on the cover page! But no one knew or cared. As a writer, this saddened me a lot.
Exactly. Writers are the idea originators. We design these worlds, stories and characters. If not for us, these Hollywood Blockbusters or Indie Films would be non-existent.
That's what these companies need to recognize. Actors too, for what it's worth.
Look at Novels. JK Rowling, JRR Tolkein, Suzanne Collins, Steven King. They receive 100% credit for their creations because no one else helped make the novel.
If I were to publish my fantasy novel, my name would be on the cover. If I were to sell the production rights to the script to a production company, my name would be nowhere NEAR the poster.
Why should that be any different for screenwriters? "Oh, Joe/Jane Nobody wrote this script" "Ah, just give 'em a credit and a paycheck, they won't care if we tinker too much because they get money, that's all they care about".
I don't know how many screenwriters/potentials I speak for here, but I care a helluva lot more about the finished product than the paycheck.
This is why I'm going dual. Everything I write, I intend to film myself.
No Agents, no coverage, no production company apart from my own (first logo):
In the end, the writer means more than what we get. Hopefully this will change, but if not, once I get Ironwing off the ground, I won't have to worry about some snobby Hollywood director taking all the credit.
Makes me wonder how the writer of "Skyline" feels about his story being tarnished. As parts of that movie were really damn good, and I'm betting that was the script trying to shine through.
-Lee
P.S: Anyone is welcome aboard to avoid the annoyances of "spec writer" territory.
I'm planning on having it going shortly. Will be looking for other writers to expand globally in 2015. Going through legal channels right now to make it official.
Screenwriting can be a solitary exercise but film making is by its nature extremely collaborative. It's hard to make that transition I understand and give your baby away and let other play with your toys. But if you can't around that fact then maybe you're in the wrong field. Write a novel.
Screenwriting can be a solitary exercise but film making is by its nature extremely collaborative. It's hard to make that transition I understand and give your baby away and let other play with your toys. But if you can't around that fact then maybe you're in the wrong field. Write a novel.
My two cents.
I can let others play with my toys. I just don't want my toys scuffed.
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