So, I got a free month of hosting on the Blacklist.

I'm sure some of you have experience with the site... any tips to maximizing the site? Anyone buy one of their evaluations? Did it help? Was it worth it?

Any thoughts appreciated!

PK

I only know what I've read - some love it, some hate it.

Dave had an opinion, (unless he's changed his mind) I'm sure he won't mind me quoting from a December, 2020 thread:

The Blacklist (BL) has always been a bit of an irritant to me.

I don't like the fact that Edwards also calls his paid script hosting site - The Blacklist - like somehow that is the entryway in. It's not. He could have called it anything else and should have. I'm cynical enough to believe that the potential confusion is purposeful.

I don't like the fact that it is characterized as the most loved unproduced scripts when in fact it is the most marketed yet to be produced scripts.  Year after year the list contains scripts that are already repped, and/or have talent (directors, actors. producers) attached and/or are already financed. AND it is always top-heavy with the size of the Agency (e.g., the largest agencies always have the scripts with the most votes because they get more votes).

So, when you hear stuff like scripts that 300 scripts that appeared on the Blacklist were made and XX number have won Oscars - you need to keep in mind that they already at some stage of being made when they got on the list in the first place.

And lastly this - there are some really solid scripts on each year's list. BUT - there are also far too many stinkers for this to be viewed as some filter of quality.

Long-winded way of saying it is not a quality exercise - it is a marketing one.


PK, you got a freebie so maybe nothing to lose.

I was advised here not to submit (by some of the most prominent members of the site btw)
But then I submitted. It was my first draft, it didn't do too bad. I don't remember what exactly it got - it gets graded from 1-10 - but I wasn't feeling down.

But then, there was a review and I felt like the person was a bit off. Well, we're all off and it's one persons opinion but it was the script I posted here for the challenge and people were pretty together on certain aspects of it and I remember that person not citing the actual problems but saying completely different things.
Whatever it was for a disciplined person it's an additional push. I didn't do anything more with the script though, it's still in the first draft stage. And it's a horror so I'm not into it much myself.

Just my opinion:

The BL is just a cog in the script-to-screen dream industry (e.g., InkTip, Virtual Pitch Fest, Stage 32, a dozen query blast services, etc.).  They are all characterized by 2 common elements. 1) They claim they have access to legitimate producers and agents in the industry seeking scripts and 2) if you pay us some money we can create access to your script.

If any of them had true, quality connections to the industry they would not need to charge you for their hosting services. They would simply 1) seek quality scripts to host and host them for free, then 2) require a commission when your script is sold. i.e., the alignment of mouth and money.

I would put the BL in the upper tier of the dream industry in that I do know some writers that have had some success when they receive ratings of 8 or better on their scripts – although that data is anecdotal (they don’t publish any success metrics or data) – at least some success “stories” exist.

You do need to be aware of the money-pit aspect of the site.  Last I checked, it costs $30 per month to host a script and $100 per evaluation/rating.  Just with one month of hosting and 3 evals, you’re at $330.  It is not hard to spend in excess of a grand chasing an 8 for a single script.

IMO, the actual quality of the evals is pretty dismal. Not unexpected given that they are anonymous, you don’t know the bona-fides of the reviewer, and most of the reviewers are doing this as a part-time gig and are paid peanuts to do so.  There may be a gem of a thought here and there – but in my experience, the evals are thing and not helpful in any meaningful way.

My personal experience – I have had three scripts evaluated at the BL – all were PAGE Finalists or better and no received ratings over 5 – It could be because I suck. It could be because they suck. It could be that neither of us suck but my scripts were just not their thing. I didn’t want to spend any more money finding that answer – maybe one day I’ll give it another shot.

Libby correctly described my dissatisfaction with the purposeful conflation of the annual BL with the website. I think it is exploitative.

Hope this helps

I'm in a writer's group on FB with quite a few on there who have scored 8 or more. There's one person with three scripts hosted, all with a score of 8! The feedback from them is they get a few download requests, and that's about it. I've never scored higher than a 6.

Some scripts have been sold on the Blacklist and produced into expensive movies, but the majority just sit there, waiting to be discovered.

As with any opportunity, it depends on what you do with it. If you wait for things to come your way, you'll be disappointed. If you have built up a network of contacts, you can use the high score to send out queries, or use this as a potential way to cold query and see if you can make something of it.  

Thanks for all the great responses. It's just sooo hard to tell the difference between all the services. When I worked in radio, I got tired of all the people wanting my time for free, in exchange for the promise of something bigger. It's one of the reasons I left the business. In screenwriting, they want your time AND your money. I get at least 40 emails a day with another way to buy my way closer to the dream. If I keep spending, it will take a big script sale just to get back to even. (I'm way overstating things. I'm too cheap to get in that deep. But, the point's the same.)

I've done quite a bit of research on managers, and I've seen a couple who say they get most of their clients from referrals or the Blacklist. That's the data point that makes me consider rolling with it for a few months. But, man, it's such a long shot.

(Special thanks to the thoughts on evaluations. I was wondering if I should pop for one.)

Quoted from PKCardinal Thanks for all the great responses. It's just sooo hard to tell the difference between all the services. When I worked in radio, I got tired of all the people wanting my time for free, in exchange for the promise of something bigger. It's one of the reasons I left the business. In screenwriting, they want your time AND your money. I get at least 40 emails a day with another way to buy my way closer to the dream. If I keep spending, it will take a big script sale just to get back to even. (I'm way overstating things. I'm too cheap to get in that deep. But, the point's the same.) I've done quite a bit of research on managers, and I've seen a couple who say they get most of their clients from referrals or the Blacklist. That's the data point that makes me consider rolling with it for a few months. But, man, it's such a long shot. (Special thanks to the thoughts on evaluations. I was wondering if I should pop for one.)

Personally, I would do one just for the experience.  Before I did mine, I was constantly worrying whether or not I should do it and then I thought - eff it - just consider it like a contest entry fee.

Quoted from eldave1 Personally, I would do one just for the experience.  Before I did mine, I was constantly worrying whether or not I should do it and then I thought - eff it - just consider it like a contest entry fee.

And I'd know at least one person read my script!

(Kidding aside, I'll probably do this.)

Quoted from PKCardinal And I'd know at least one person read my script! (Kidding aside, I'll probably do this.)

Let us know how it goes