Hi,

I'm laurence, a newbie, a playwright and as mad as a disturbed beehive.  Reason?  I submitted my 102 page original screenplay to Kevin Pickell, a guy who solicited scripts to produce an indie film on Writers Net.  Submission date?  August 24th.  Keven faithfully corresponded with me before I submitted the script, during the reading and after the reading.  His last email to me was on August 30, telling me that he'd passed on the script to a film making friend of his, and that he, Kevin, was going to re-read the script to visualize it on screen.  He said he liked my script above all the other submissions he received.  One week after 8/30/07, I sent him a short email telling him that I'm just touches bases with him.  No response.  One week later, I sent him another email asking him if he was going to use my screenplay.  No response.  One week later, I sent another email advising him NOT TO use my script for any purpose.  No response.  As you can see, the last correspondence I received from Kevin was one month ago.  What does his silence signify?

Anyone ever had this sort of experience? :(

Only with shorts, but pretty close to the same.

Frustrating indeed. You never know if they did anything or not with it...

I think some others here have had the same experience too.

He should at least let you know one way or the other, so you're not left hanging.

Keeping the slight optimistic light here...he could just be busy.  It took a couple weeks/e-mails for one guy to get back to me because he was busy.  I guess it happens.  Keep e-mailing him, though.  Don't let it go.

By the way, has anyone else received an e-mail from a guy from Momentum Film Company?  He wrote me a couple days ago asking for a sample of my writing.  I responded today politely asking for some more info on the company since there's nothing on the website.

Just curious.

Hey, thanks, folks.  It would have been great if he'd only let me know what he's about.  No, Greg.  I'm not going to email him again.  He's not going to contact me again.  He was very punctual in the beginning, he was not too busy to respond to my questions or comments.  It doesn't take a person one whole month to acknowledge another person's messages.   To let the author of a screenplay know what you are doing with his/her work.  Cripes!!  This really sucks.

Quoted from greg By the way, has anyone else received an e-mail from a guy from Momentum Film Company?  He wrote me a couple days ago asking for a sample of my writing.  I responded today politely asking for some more info on the company since there's nothing on the website.

Is the guy's name Collin Mc Dowell?  Because he wrote me and asked for samples of my writing a few days ago and I responded asking for more info and haven't heard from him since.

this is Kevin's last email to me.


Kevin Pickell wrote:
Hi Laurence. I really love the script. Others submitted scripts as well, which I am now reading through. I usually know right off if I cannot use the script, and I will stop reading once I get the sense that I can't use it. I read yours all the way through. In fact, it is the only one I was able to finish thus far. Someone also sent me a self published novel, which I am going through now. But again, I like yours above the others so far. Give me a little more time to make a final decision. Don't worry, I would never violate your work in any way. It's your story, and I appreciate the trust you have placed with me while I review it. I have no plans to use any of your original ideas without your consent and cooperation. Perhaps I can use it?...and perhaps we can work together even beyond this first project of mine. Again, I absolutely adored the script. I may read it again over the weekend, ....this time trying to visualize it on screen as I read. Give me just a little more time. I'm close.

P.S...I sent the script to a filmmaking friend of mine. Someone I trust and admire. I just want his feedback on it. He told me he has it but hasn't read it yet. I would never have sent it if I didn't think it was great.

Laurence,

I think you're safe then.  The guy probably decided not to do it and he's too inconsiderate to get back to you, but given what he wrote it doesn't seem like he's stupid enough to do something without your consent, though I must say that his writing makes him sound like a sleaze.

And his name is Kevin hahaha(inside joke).

Quoted from mcornetto Is the guy's name Collin Mc Dowell?  Because he wrote me and asked for samples of my writing a few days ago and I responded asking for more info and haven't heard from him since.

My guy was Bobby Sabelhaus.  This one was a red flag as well, because what kind of film company randomly e-mails people asking for their writing without any knowledge of the writer?  Especially without so much as an introduction?  Hmmm.

Odds are he has decided to go in a different direction/not use your script.

The fact that he hasn't sent you a response email is a strong indicator of this, and is actually quite common.

Quoted from Shelton ...and is actually quite common.

Happens all the time, and usually exactly as you've described.

Get used to it haha.

It happens all the time.  It happened to me a dozen times with one short I wrote.

Just move on and forget about this guy.


Phil

Quoted from dogglebe It happens all the time.  It happened to me a dozen times with one short I wrote. Just move on and forget about this guy. Phil

Yeah.  I'm moving on, but it galls me to think that someone would use my work and take the credit for it.

As some pointed out, maybe Kevin decided not to use my script and just didn't bother to inform me.  Cripes!  He informed another person who submitted a script to him that he was not going to use that person's script.  From the contents of his correspondence to me, I was certain that he'd let me know his decision one way or another.  I think it's very callous of him to leave my hanging like that.

Thanks again for all the input and encouragement.

I wouldn't worry about them using your work and not crediting you.  If they were going to do that, they wouldn't have bothered to contact you at all.

If you think cutting conversation after a few emails back and forth is bad, think of how it must feel to have somebody film something and abandon it in post.

That happened to me, and if I ever see somebody talk about being contacted by him, I will advise that they choose not to work with him because of it.

This sort of disappearing act really is far too common, even among people and companies you'd think would be above such things.

I think there's a degree of not wanting to give bad news to some of this. I've had meetings go really well that ended with an exec excitedly telling me he was sending the script to his boss only to have the exec suddenly disappear so completely that I wonder if he wasn't abducted by aliens.

My assumption from such situations is that, somewhere along the line, the script lost whatever was propelling it forward (the boss didn't like it. The exec changed his mind. whatever) and the exec didn't want to have to "let me down" or didn't want to deal with it for whatever reason.

To me, the disappearing act is worse than simply replying and saying the boss didn't like the script or whatever, but that seems to not be the norm for whatever reason.

I really appreciate all your comments and kind words.  I do not think it's because he doesn't want to give me any bad news.  I told him let me know one way or the other, that I can handle rejection.  He also told me that he'd let me know one way or the orther.

All in all, the guy is a scammer, trying a get-rich scheme.  I'm sure he's trying to fine-tune my script to either produce as his own creation, or he's going to submit it to various producers, etc.

At least I know that I'm a good screenwriter.

Thanks again, folks!!!!

Hopefully, it's properly copyrighted and registered at the Library of Congress.


Phil

Yes, it's copyright and registered at the LOC.  

Thanks!!!

I received an email just the other night from an Evan Hirsch.  There was nothing in the subject line and the content was this: "can i please take some ideas from your script?
email me back please"  I e-mailed him back asking who he was and all that great stuff.  Anyonw know who it is?

Quoted from Higgonaitor I received an email just the other night from an Evan Hirsch.  There was nothing in the subject line and the content was this: "can i please take some ideas from your script? email me back please"  I e-mailed him back asking who he was and all that great stuff.  Anyonw know who it is?

For some reason, that name sounds oddly familiar...

Emile Hirsch was  in "The Girl Next Door" and will be playing "Speed Racer"..  No idea who Evan is.

That email sounds kinda suspicious, especially if that's its entire contents.

Quoted from Shelton That email sounds kinda suspicious, especially if that's its entire contents.

Yeah, that's all it said, and I was thinking the same thing.  I was thinking it was some member on the site justw anting to use a joke of mine or something in his script, but if it's not that I'll be a little sketched out.

I got an e-mail back:

"my name is zac.
the substiute angles script
the over all idea of angles and stuff but not the same stuff"

Find him and destroy him.

Quoted from Higgonaitor I got an e-mail back: "my name is zac. the substiute angles script the over all idea of angles and stuff but not the same stuff"

I take it that he doesn't know about the inability to copy an idea (Use a general concept and tweak it in your own style.)


Tell him no.  The ensuing conversation should be hilarious.

"substiute angles because i like the idea
i just want to change somethings around to my likings
may i use your script thats all im asking"

To this I simply responded "no"

Quoted from Higgonaitor I got an e-mail back: "my name is zac. the substiute angles script the over all idea of angles and stuff but not the same stuff"

That's a big LOLERZ right there.

I'd like to post my sceenplay here.  Anyone ever got produced by posting their script here?

I have two shorts produced and a couple of others in production.  One or two have been from filmmakers visiting here.

By posting here, you will get feedback to help improve your script.  This way, you can revise your scripts before sending them out.


Phil

Thanks, Phil.  I should have posted it a long time ago.   Will do so tomorrow.

I posted my script BENEATH THE SURFACE.  Thanks for your feedback, comments, suggestions, folks - that is, after you've read it.