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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.
If you have a story that you absolutely want to keep the way you wrote it...be a novelist or, at worst, a Director.
Films, at best, are an artistic collaboration between many people, and are an exercise in money making in any event.
You can argue about the rights and wrongs of it, but unless you have a spare £100m in your back-pocket to fund your fantasy script...you have to get used to it.
The truth is..you've got more chance of getting a successful novel turned into a movie than a spec script anyway because it already has a market.
Director-Writers are at the mercy of Production Companies too.
Spider-Man 3 was never meant to incorporate Venom, but Sony decided to tell the Raimi Bros. to include Venom, hence why they cast a piss-poor actor (Topher Grace) as Eddy Brock, a guy you don't instantaneously think of as a roided monster.
Paul WS Anderson, who wrote and directed Resident Evil: Afterlife/Retribution, has been nailed to a cross for delivering terrible movies when in actuality, his original script concepts were rather good, for video-game adaptations that is.
Sony (again) got involved and cut at least HALF of the material in his script, and pretty much gave him a terrible script that was cut up beyond recognition, and told him to make it.
Essentially, the Production Companies are the ones responsible for most critical failures.
Then there's Michael Bay... lol
And Uwe Boll, but I think he's just bad at it in general.
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Novels are easy to me, but I hate Microsoft Word and its constant "fragment" bs that keeps popping up every two seconds. And that I can't use the word "but" as the first line of a sentence.
Small annoyances, but rather tedious after a while.
It exists to provide a bigger Return On Investment than is possible to get from the same amount of money invested in shares.
It is run wholly by huge, multinational companies who want product for their vertically integrated media companies.
If they want Venom in your script because they have a new Marvel series featuring Venom coming up for sale or because the CEO's kid has asked for it...it's going in the script whether you like it or not.
You can remain independent of course..but it's a world of pain trying to raise money to make anything.
It exists to provide a bigger Return On Investment than is possible to get from the same amount of money invested in shares.
It is run wholly by huge, multinational companies who want product for their vertically integrated media companies.
If they want Venom in your script because they have a new Marvel series featuring Venom coming up for sale or because the CEO's kid has asked for it...it's going in the script whether you like it or not.
You can remain independent of course..but it's a world of pain trying to raise money to make anything.
Yeah, sucks right?
I could never do that with anything of mine though. What's in it is in it, if the production company wants to take something out or add something else, they lose their chance of producing it. It films as written or it doesn't film at all.
Well, that's how I think anyway. I'm very stern, lol.
Not sure external coverage means as much as it used to. As Pia says, it does help if you can secure good coverage - primarily so you can use that, or quotes from it, in a pitch. However all talent agencies, management companies, sales agencies, production companies, etc. do their own coverage - which means it doesn't get to the talent, producer, financier, director, without a reader going through it first.
An agent or manager may read it depending on what kind of relationship you can build with them.
To the writer that posted the original question - are you getting coverage because you are trying to get an agent, or because you're trying to get read?
I might be greedy, over ambitious, probably both, but I want $$$. I sent out about 400 query emails, and got two responses. (I know, I know, then send out 400 more) I did get tons of responses though that agents and producers don't accept unsolicited materials. I did some research and that sounded like you needed coverage or an agent to me.
I'm thinking of entering the upcoming Bluecat to see where I stand. Maybe a positive review from that could end up as coverage. Two birds. One stone. I am new at this so that's why I ask a lot of questions. Save me a couple of head bangs against the wall if others have more experience putting holes in walls.
On Pia's recommend, I used screenplayreaders.com. Their price was VERY reasonable and I was extremely happy with their honest, insightful and thorough coverage. I did get 2 "considers" which definitely helped get a few industry people to take a better look at me. I'm sure it matters what company you use. Getting a consider from an unknown company won't turn their heads. There are quite a few out there with really good reputations.
IMO getting coverage is worth it for a couple of reasons. To get an honest review from someone who isn't afraid to hurt your feelings, and/or getting a possible "consider or recommend" which may coax someone into taking a better look at your work.
I might be greedy, over ambitious, probably both, but I want $$$. I sent out about 400 query emails, and got two responses. (I know, I know, then send out 400 more) I did get tons of responses though that agents and producers don't accept unsolicited materials.
You better call them first, I think. Even if you get a consider - it's still unsolicited material. Probably if it's a recommend... I don't know. But my thinking is - unsolicited means submitted by you. If Screenplay readers give it a recommend and submit it to agencies - then it's not unsolicited anymore, I think.
Anyway, if you call you'll know the ones that accept unsolicited material.
I might be greedy, over ambitious, probably both, but I want $$$. I sent out about 400 query emails, and got two responses. (I know, I know, then send out 400 more) I did get tons of responses though that agents and producers don't accept unsolicited materials. I did some research and that sounded like you needed coverage or an agent to me.
I'm thinking of entering the upcoming Bluecat to see where I stand. Maybe a positive review from that could end up as coverage. Two birds. One stone. I am new at this so that's why I ask a lot of questions. Save me a couple of head bangs against the wall if others have more experience putting holes in walls.
The second you put $$$ at the forefront of your mind is the very moment you set yourself up to fail.
In my own experience, after querying maybe 20 literary and screen agencies over the past 4 years, is that agents will define your writing skill on your query email.
The query email is the key to success. One misplaced comma, one uncapped "I", a simple error in formatting paragraphs (use 4 lines at most) and they won't even bother opening your pdf.
So if the query email is badly written, the agent's probably thinking "the script is too". Hence why they're asking you to gain coverage.
I don't know. Maybe it's arrogant to want to get paid. The script I'm peddling is my first ever so I know that's a strike against me. And it's the western which I've posted here so that's strike two. But I think it's good enough to sell. That and the fact that it's heavily based on and influenced by a popular Japanese anime that has already made millions, been turned into toys, video games, and a movie. Twice! So I have to believe there is potential. And why else are any of us doing this except to make money at it.
I've been told to get coverage. To query my eyes out. To get an agent. To avoid agents. To write another screenplay (in process). To enter contests. Make connections. Etc. All I've gathered is there is no secret except to be doggedly determined and keep grinding. That's all I'm trying to do. I'd just rather work smarter instead of harder. I already asked here about query letters before and I think mine does the job. It's just frustrating to have so many doors closed before I even knock. But that's the game and how it's played.
"There once was a mouse who fell into a pail of milk. Day and night that mouse swam and swam to avoid drowning and eventually he churned that milk into butter and climbed his way out. I am that mouse."
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Says my box full of Star Wars toys. 
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