This just in from Hollywood Wiretap: The Gersh Agency has renamed, rebranded and relocated entirely. This is very interesting news, guys. Why? Because Gersh is opening up the playing field for everyone and becoming a serious threat to some of the other agencies by modeling themselves after more holistic businesses like Mosaic Media and BenderSpink - mini-studios, if you will, repping writers, actors, directors and dipping into production as well. I see this as an industry-specific economic stimulus package. If you've been feeling gloomy about the recession and what it may mean for your chances as an aspiring writer - take heart. Yes the market has been slow, yes the competition among writers has been quite tough, but this move by Gersh highlights the growing horizon of entertainment. Nobody invests 30 million dollars into an entertainment company that ISN'T gonna make that money back and how. So for all you screenwriters out there, the industry for which you are writing is alive and well, trust me on this.

So for your reading pleasure, here is the whole article:

*****

As of today the Gersh Agency has new digs, a new name, $30 million in financing for a move into production -- and its first co-financed movie project, according to Deadline Hollywood Daily, the Hollywood Reporter and Variety.

The venerable 60-year-old agency has rebranded itself as simply Gersh, with a new logo and 35,000 square feet of office space at 9465 Wilshire Blvd. in Beverly Hills (where else).

As part of what Gersh co-president David Gersh described as continuing "a very planned and steady growth over the last 10 years," Carolyn Sibitz joined the agency, making her the fourth hire from the fallout of the Endeavor-William Morris merger.

Addtionally, a third-generation Gersh also recently came aboard -- Steve Gersh, 26, is an alumnus of the highly regarded USC film school Peter Stark Producing Program, Deadline Hollywood Daily noted.

Gersh also tapped producer Jay Cohen in April to run its new Film Financing and Packaging division, DHD and Variety said, and Morris agent Roland Scahill is heading a Theatrical Tour Booking division out of the New York office. Endeavor agent Daisy Wu also joined its talent department.

The indie film funding comes from Queen Nefertari Prods. CEO Cynthia Stafford and producer Jeff Kalligheri. They will be producers on the associated projects, and actor-producer Lanre' Idewu will serve as consulting producer.

First up under the new fund is the comedy "Adrenaline," scripted by Gersh client Justin Ware. It is produced by Kirkland Tibbels of Hollywood Farms Production Co., Matthew Lillard and Kerry Barden.

Promoting internally, Gersh also recently elevated Abram Nalibotsky to partner and named Alex Yarosh head its talent department. Six assistants also were promoted to agents.

Taking a different path than CAA and William Morris Endeavor, managing partner Leslie Siebert noted that those percenteries "have made it very clear that they only want to represent the top 2% of the business." But "our goal is to represent top talent in every area -- filmmakers, writers, producers, actors ... with a personal managerial approach."

"We don't want 2,000 clients.," co-president Bob Gersh added. "We don't think you can best service those clients. ... We're competitive in that we do a great job on behalf of the client."

Steve Gersh, meanwhile, is already busy with up-and-comers such as Shawn Ashmore ("X-Men") and Autumn Reeser ("Entourage").

He's the grandson of founder Phil Gersh and son of current agency co-head David Gersh.

With 65 agents, Gersh anticipates its revamped company and newly remodeled digs -- which were formerly home to The Firm and just happen to be nextdoor to WME's under-construction new home -- will encourage potential clients to see it as a serious, competitive alternative to the big agencies as well as to ICM, UTA and Paradigm.

If you enjoyed this post, follow me on Twitter or subscribe via RSS.

Howdy, Wavers! Did everyone have a nice Fourth of July? Over the holiday weekend, a Waver wrote in with a great question (paraphrased):

"...is there really a phantom database in Hollywood that puts a permanent black mark by my name if I get a "pass" coverage or is that just an urban myth like the thing about the dog in the microwave or how that guy in Queens found a snake in his linguine?"


To which I say: The snake thing is totally not true.

But seriously. Well - no, there isn't a phantom database, per se - a list of bad writers and their scripts that is passed around among executives. But there are tracking boards and there are development execs and their damned memories.

Think of it this way: Hollywood is a town that relies upon information, whether that information is garnered from the trades, from between the sheets or from rumors of rumors over cocktails. And this information shoots around very quickly. Sort of like those old vacuum tube delivery systems in offices. And with the advent of the Internet, information zips around this town so fast that it sizzles in the air above your head. What's the hot script? Who sold what to whom?? Which exec was laid off and wound up where? What actor was seen at Whole Foods totally blotto? Hollywood is a town that fuels itself on information and it is the information age. So yeah, that is a little scary.

So the bottom line is that yes, if you send in a script to an agency (in particular) and it is so bad that the assistants chat about it on the tracking boards - you are not a happy camper. However, the chances of a tracking board mention of a bad script are significantly lower than that of a good script.

Let's back up - what is a tracking board? Tracking boards are basically private message boards frequented by assistants and other industry types. They function as virtual water coolers. How much stuff gets discussed around the putative water cooler in your office? A lot. I have never seen nor heard mention of a writer being called out on a tracking board for being bad. Not by name. Even in Hollywood, there are limits.

But before you let out a big sigh of relief, let's keep exploring the topic: Executives in Hollywood change companies frequently. So today's assistant is tomorrow's development exec. And today's junior development exec at Company X is tomorrow's senior creative exec at Company Y. So if your script goes to a production company and gets a pass, the reality is that the exec simply sends a "no thanks" to your agent or manager and moves on with his or her day - not interested. So far so good, right?

But what if, just what if the creative exec's reader thought the script was SO bad that when they turned in the coverage they actually sat down and laughed it up a little bit with the exec? And the exec saw your name on the title page? And had a great memory? I am very sorry to have to report this, Wavers, but I have seen the situation above happen first-hand. Look, don't hate the readers for having a laugh at your expense. Hate the writers who send in such bad work that it makes you all look bad. See, that's what it is, Wavers. For every ONE of you who takes this really seriously and have some talent, there are 100 for whom the reverse is true. And that is what Hollywood thinks about aspiring writers. That you don't care enough to do it right, that you have no talent and that you do not take our jobs seriously and you waste our time. That's why everybody gets SO excited when we read something good. Hollywood cannot WAIT to elevate that writer and give him or her a ticker tape parade.

But let's back up yet again:

Some of you reading The Rouge Wave may be new to the blog and perhaps new to screenwriting. And you're thinking wait, I'm confused, ticker tape parades, readers, execs, tracking boards, oh my GOD I just want to know what to do with my script already!!

One question that a new Waver might be asking themselves about now is do I submit to an agent, to a manager OR to a production company? All three are mixed up together in this blog post and frequently are not separated in these discussions. That's because getting your script read does not have a necessarily straight path. Yes, you should initially submit to an agent or manager. Usually. Most of the time. But some production companies will read unrepped work and if they love the story, then you can take the script to an agent or manager and say hey listen, Prodco X loves the script and they want to option or purchase it, will you rep me? To which the agent or manager will, in general, choke on their coffee because they say "yes" so fast.

But let's back up even further:

Agent: hardcore, fast-talking salesman. Interested in making a SALE. Only interested in you, dear writer, if you have the goods to make a SALE and to do it again and again. They do not really care about your career, your feelings, your family, your son's Little League team or where you went to school and how much you loved JULIET OF THE SPIRITS. They care only about making a SALE. Think Ari on "Entourage" and you pretty much get the gist. It is not uncommon for an agent to actually be an attorney as well. The agent will take 10% of the sale price your script garners; only an agent (or entertainment attorney) is legally qualified to sign the deal and set the monies in action. Agents are not generally interested in brand new, baby writers. Why? No paycheck is coming forthwith. Agents don't got no time to "develop" you. If you're not hot, you're not selling and they ain't interested.

Manager: a professional who is interested in grooming you for your first sale and many sales after that. Think someone significantly more mellow than an agent. The manager is going to take 15% of a sale you make. A manager is interested in staying with you for a long time as you make sale after sale. A manager will develop ideas with you. If you make a sale, a manager will bring an agent in to sign the deal and do the hardcore negotiating. Managers are really the place for writers to start. But here's the thing with managers - it takes a LOT of time to develop a new writer and nurture ideas, etc. So if they read your first script, WATER COOLER DAYS, and think wow, this is a great new voice, and start working with you...but your next script, 26 DRESSES, strikes them as derivative and unpromising, then their belief in you takes an enormous hit, their faith is shaken in your ability to write well consistently and...they'll cut you loose. Usually using the language of unreturned calls. It's like dating, Wavers. Exactly like dating. No call you back...no interest in you. They speak a different language. I think they even sell a Rosetta Stone for Agent/Manager language. It goes like this: Manager Language: Silence. English translation: Your second script disappointed me and I've lost that lovin' feeling and I think I may have been wrong about you and look, no hard feelings, but this Beemer ain't cheap so see ya, pal.

Production Company: Some prodcos will read unrepped work. Not all. Some. They might be a smaller company more open to reading material and more comfy with release form legalities than a larger company. What's cool about submitting to a prodco? It's like going from trying to sell pastries at the county fair to selling chocolate chip cookies TO a chocolate chip cookie fan. In other words, a prodco will be looking for more specific material (a supernatural thriller, a romantic comedy set in Europe, a low-budget horror featuring tarantulas) and maybe you've GOT a low-budget tarantula script and now the question is will the prodco like THIS particular script and YOUR particular writing. If they do, you just have to be sure you protect your rights and go find representation to help you seal the deal. Now, there are some out there (my colleague Bill Martell is one) who write and sell scripts all the time, without rep. But I have to emphasize, this is really quite exceptional. And at minimum, you would need an entertainment attorney to sign the paperwork and ensure that your rights are being seen to in terms of a contract that guarantees payment upon delivery of various drafts and all of that boring stuff that's not so boring when your check has not been delivered but the pages have. This has happened to me and it ain't fun. Gather close, kids, not just everybody who says they are a "producer" is in fact an upstanding, honest or professional business person. And the detritus on the side of the road in deals gone sour is usually the writer.

But I have backtracked enormously. Is there a phantom database that keeps YOUR information online or in the minds and hearts of agents, managers and producers? Yes and no. Not physically, no. Your bad script, you writer from South Dakota or whatnot, is not interesting or significant enough to chat about on the tracking boards or anywhere else. Files are not kept - think about it - really? - busy Hollywood execs with the time to create lists or files of BAD writers? Silly, right? Ridiculous. Nobody has time for that. And you are not the center of the universe, dear writer, you are one of ONE HUNDRED scripts that arrived at X company that day.

That said, Hollywood is a very weirdly incestuous town and people do talk all the time. Good and bad. I don't even want to tell you how often I have heard professionals sharing a laugh or a story about a bad script. Might they remember your name, too? Maybe. It's entirely possible. A development exec at one company who read your script might then move on to another company where you have submitted another script and yes, might remember your name.

The bottom line is that everybody knows everybody and everybody shares a lot of information. The writer who is GREAT with the script that is PHENOMENAL is what will take up most of the gossipy air-time, for sure. But the laughable script, that will get some air too. Maybe not officially - but it will.

So the only thing you can do, Wavers, is to give them NOTHING to laugh about and everything to say WOW about. If you have given it your absolute best shot and get no response, don't worry, your "pass" coverage is not on your permanent record. I feel pretty comfortable guaranteeing that writers who treated themselves and their work like true professionals by doing all of their homework and getting notes and feedback on the script will not be forced to wear the Scarlet "pass" forever.

Might you and your script get gossiped about? Even tracked on the tracking boards? Maybe. You cannot control that. Like anything in life. But you can control the quality of the work before you send it to someone in Hollywood. If you get a regular "pass" coverage meaning it's just not for that company and/or your writing just did nothing for them, well, that's not sensational enough to energize a busy exec to in some way vindictively gossip about that "pass" rating.

You know, it's often very tricky to write about Hollywood because for everything that is true, there is something that counters that. I only speak from MY experience and I have never seen or heard or heard about a black list for "pass" writers. But I have seen and heard, many times over, execs and assistants on every level laugh or talk about a really bad script that they found particularly egregious. So it is only you, egregious writer, who should truly worry about having a black mark next to your name. Because the really GREAT scripts and the really BAD scripts - those are the ones that stand out. Just a regular "pass" script won't follow you around like bad credit, no.

So bottom line: No, there is not an official system for black listing bad writers and scripts. But yes, there is a lot of gossip and shared information, so the risk is always present. Only one thing you can do and that is to not send a script to Hollywood that has not been gone over carefully by your friends, colleagues and ideally, a professional service. The onus is on you. Do not play dodge ball with the big boys if you are not prepared for a bloody nose.

If you enjoyed this post, follow me on Twitter or subscribe via RSS.

So this very sweet high school kid from New Jersey or somesuch ["Somesuch??" Hey, we grow great assistants out there! -Ed.] emailed The Script Department with some very thoughtful questions about my company and being a writer. I wrote up the answers to his questions which of course I answered honestly but simply, since this is a teenager and when I was done I thought hmm...while simplified, this is actually not bad.

****

What exactly is the role of your company when it comes to helping screenwriters get their materials to industry professionals?

The Script Department gives aspiring writers a sense of how their script would be received within the entertainment industry. We provide notes and feedback so that writers can address problems in their scripts – whether they be problems of execution or of plot, character or even the premise, so that when the writer then makes those adjustments, they have a professional, polished script to send out to decision-makers in Hollywood. Writers in the process become more adept at the craft of screenwriting. So often aspiring screenwriters have a skewed sense of just how original or accomplished their script really is and send it out to entertainment industry professionals only to get shut down immediately. We are there to help writers make a good first impression – and sometimes to tell them they are not quite ready to make any impression at all but should rather keep learning the art and craft of screenwriting. Writers who wish to be taken seriously and have a career in entertainment writing need to understand that the industry is quite competitive and shoddy work will tarnish their reputation.

What does your job at The Script Department entail?

I am the founder and director of the company so my job is quite detailed and complex but would include marketing and advertising decisions for my company, attending events and teaching classes, managing the readers who work for me, managing all financial decisions for my company and occasionally, working with clients one-on-one to provide story notes and consultations. In the big picture, my job is to keep the whole operation running on a day to day basis. I make sure our clients get what they paid for in a timely and professional manner, and I make sure my readers get paid well and on time for the work that they do. I also interact with other industry professionals making sure that they are aware of not only my company in general, but of a particularly good writer or script that I have so that I can make an introduction on behalf of the writer.

How many screenplays does The Script Department receive on a monthly basis approximately?

It depends on the month. Hollywood has seasons, just like other industries do. Our busiest time is in April and May because there are a lot of screenwriting competitions and writers want to up their chances so they get notes from us first. November, December and January are always a lot slower. In a busy month, we might evaluate about 100 scripts.

Are there any flaws you or The Script Department have seen in new screenplays written by new writers?

There are too many flaws to list here but the two most predominant ones are scripts that are not actually very original story ideas and scripts that are simply not executed well. That is to say, scripts with what we call “soft” structure, or under-developed characters or sometimes even formatting problems. The newer the writer, the more likely we will see these two issues.

Is there anything The Script Department is looking for in a screenplay when it wants to recommend a screenplay to industry professionals?

We are looking for a really great, really entertaining an original story idea and we are also looking for writers with what we call “voice." In the entertainment industry “voice” means a writer with a great deal of individualism on the page. Style, in other words. Hollywood loves writers with voice. The thing is, newer writers often have to learn the rules first before they can really depart and really let their own personalities through on the pages.

From what you or The Script Department have seen, is there anything high-level executives and industry professionals who make screenplays into films want out of new screenplays?

It’s simple. They want to be entertained. They want to not be able to put the script down. And they want to think to themselves that this script is very unique, and it’s cinematic and it will attract great actors and audiences are going to love seeing this film. The entertainment industry is all about dollars, at the end of the day. And movies are very expensive to make. So industry executives want to see potential return for their investment.

What is it like to be an agent who represents screenwriters?

It is a tough way to make a living. Agents are basically salesmen. They have to convince buyers (studios) that what they are selling (the script) is worth several hundred thousand dollars and that further, the script, once made into a movie, is going to earn the studio a great deal of money down the line. Agents make about 10% of the sale of the script. So that means if they sell a script for $200,000, they take home about $20,000. Not too bad but living in Los Angeles is expensive and agents often have to keep up their image with expensive cars and homes. So an agent might need to earn upward of $150,000 a year to support his or her lifestyle. So that’s making seven+ sales per year in order to support that. Agents earn 10% of whatever their client earns, so they can also earn money if their clients gets a rewrite job, not just an outright sale. But the bottom line is that agents have to hustle, every single day, to make a living. That’s why they are so picky when it comes to representing a writer. They can’t afford to hustle and make phone calls and sweet talk buyers if the writer isn’t original and compelling and talented.

What should a new screenwriter be concerned on when s/he is writing a screenplay?

Brand new screenwriters should know that their first script probably won’t turn out that great. They should know that it can take years to really become a gifted screenwriter and that even after that, they may never sell one single script. They should take the art and craft of writing very seriously and study it wherever and whenever they can. New screenwriters should read as many scripts as they can and they should write every day and see a lot of movies. Knowing a lot about movies, particularly the genre you most want to write will put you miles ahead of many other aspiring writers. New screenwriters should have fun and go for it but also be patient and know that this can take quite some time...

Is there anything agents who represent screenwriters want most from a spec script written by a new screenwriter?

A brand new screenwriter can be very attractive to an agent because he or she can say they rep the “hot new writer” in town. They want originality, personality and saleability - of the writer and the script.

Do you believe there is anything notable about a screenplay that is sold to a major film studio versus one that isn’t?

There is a saying in Hollywood that if we knew what made a hit movie, every movie would be a hit. People spend hours analyzing why some scripts get sold to studios and produced and others do not. There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason or pattern that really holds up over time. Studios are drawn to movies that are what they call “four quadrant,” meaning the story should appeal to both younger women and younger men and older women and older men – the widest swath of audience possible. Give you an example: 8 MILE – not a four quadrant movie, right? But UP, the new Pixar release, is. Pixar is great at producing four quadrant movies. So studios do look for wide audience appeal but they are also surprised all the time by movies they didn’t think would appeal to a wide audience but do anyway, like JUNO. A script by an absolute beginner will probably not sell to a studio because the writer probably doesn’t have the skill, creativity and chops of a more experienced writer. But if you put two scripts side-by-side, both written by skilled, talented, experienced writers – probably the one that is both very unique and would appear to appeal to a wide audience will get that sale. “The same but different” is another adage out here in Hollywood, meaning audiences want to watch what they are familiar with – a buddy comedy, a super hero story, a romantic comedy - and yet with different twists, different characters, different settings, etc. DISTURBIA is an interesting example of “the same but different.” Being trapped in a location, unable to escape a menacing threat is not a new story idea. In fact, Albert Hitchcock’s REAR WINDOW pretty much aced this story concept way back in 1954. But DISTURBIA put a new twist on it, and some new details that updated the concept but also put some new touches on it.

How should a writer treat rejection from an agency?

Writers should take rejection totally, 100% in stride. It is part of being a writer. Many very famous writers were rejected hundreds of times before they got published. Stephen King threw his break-out novel, Carrie, into the trash can, he was so frustrated by rejection yet again. Thank goodness he pulled it out of that trash can and submitted it – that novel kick-started a legendary and lucrative career. Rejection is part of life for a writer. You just keep moving on. Sort of like vendors selling balloons or churros or lemonade at an amusement park. You try to sell your writing and when you are rebuffed you just ask the next person if they want to read your story or script too. You have to be persistent, you have to have faith in yourself and you have to want it so bad you can taste it. Opinions are subjective; it only takes ONE person to say “yes” and there you will be – published, sold represented. Only one “yes”. Think about that. But the thing is, that “yes” will be buried under a pile of “nos.” You just can’t hear the word “no.”

I thank you a thousand times over for your willingness to assist me in my research.

You are so very welcome, Dale! I hope my answers have been helpful and good luck with your project!

If you enjoyed this post, follow me on Twitter or subscribe via RSS.

Dear Rouge Wave,

What are your thoughts on the old catch-22, can’t get a representative but production companies/studios/networks only accept material submitted through a rep? Like so many others, I’ve thought about (and, yes, tried) going the “straight to a production company route.” However, I often run into that wall. I try to target the production companies that have produced or have in production/development similar projects to mine. What’s your suggestion for this type of situation?

-Frustrated in Florida

Dear Frustrated,

This is indeed a frustrating situation. Many production companies will not accept unsolicited scripts, much less those from unrepped writers. But there are some that do. You have to do your research and look up the submission requirements of the production company you are targeting. If you can't see the information you need in the HCD (Hollywood Creative Directory) then you can pick up the phone and politely ask.

The tricky thing about this business is that there are accepted ways of doing things - the norm - but for every norm there are exceptions. So it's hard to know what to do or what to believe. See, here's the thing: Production companies have some pretty good reasons for not accepting unrepped work. A repped writer has been vetted, for one thing. Production companies would rather know the work is on the level where a manager or agent really believes in it. It's a filtering system. It's quality control. And it's very necessary. You seriously would not believe how many scripts arrive in Hollywood every day - and many are unsolicited. And they go straight into the circular file. Production companies are inundated with new material and are of course busy developing the material that they already have. They don't have time to sort through unrepped, unsolicited material to make sure it's a fit for their company and they may not even be looking for new material at the time anyway. A rep only submits to a production company if that rep has a sense that the material might be a fit for the company's mandate, tastes and current needs. An unsolicited, unrepped script may be totally, 100% inappropriate but worse - here's the thing I have been avoiding saying so far - if it's not repped, the chances that it's any good are slim.

All of the big, busy production companies are going to operate with a filter in place. A hardcore filter. No rep - no read. Period.

There are some smaller companies that might respond to a killer query and ask to read your script - you just have to find them.

But let's return to the tough truth I hesitated to say upfront: If it's not repped, the chances that it's any good are slim. Ouch. But unfortunately, Frustrated, this is the truth. Getting rep is phenomenally hard, especially these days. And yes, of course there are writers who should be repped but they just haven't been read by an agent or manager who really clicked with their material or voice. Those writers get reads and get meetings with the agent or manager they targeted but wind up not clicking and have to keep trying. That's how you can tell if you're getting closer and closer - people respond to your work but they aren't quite ready to climb onboard with you.

But. If you have been trying to get rep for awhile now, unsuccessfully, you need to stop and ask yourself why that is.

Have you been querying reps with the same script for some time? Or with various scripts? What is the rate of read requests on your query? Is it time to review your query? If you DO get read, you're obviously getting a lot of of "passes" - well, how many "passes" are you getting? It could be that it's not the reps - it's you. You may just not be ready to be repped. Your writing might not be rating high enough on the professional, creative and unique Richter scale. In other words, that it's tough to get repped is not as much a reflection of this very tough industry, it's a reflection of the fact that your writing is not comparable to those writers who are repped. In other words, your material just isn't strong enough to warrant representation.

Now: This may not be true of you or your material, Frustrated, but if you've been trying for awhile, you need to read the writing on the wall and return to improving your work...generating new ideas, writing fresh scripts and working your behind off on improving your craft. Going AROUND rep by going directly to production companies works for some people but for others it is a rationalization. Stupid reps! I'll just go straight to buyers! Well - are you picking up what I'm laying down here?

Going straight to a buyer can work - again, the infuriating thing about this business is that while what I am saying here is all eminently true, there are rare stories of people who do successfully sell a piece of material and circumvent the normal routes. But really, those are rare stories and think about this: Do you want a one-off sale to a production company so small and so open that they basically have no quality control - or do you want a real career? A real career requires a rep. It just does.

So yes, you can go straight to prodcos but in a way, you are circumventing a reality: Your writing will not blossom into a real career without a rep. And a rep will not take on a writer not ready for that career. So that's the real catch-22, not how to go around the built-in quality control.

I hate to sound negative - in fact, I loathe it - but lately I have been hearing from a lot of aspiring writers who seem to feel that they are entitled to representation. Unfortunately, they lack the perspective of one who does read repped and sold work and, well, aspiring writers often overestimate the quality of their writing. There's only one real litmus test: not if your friends like the script, not if your writing group likes the script, but if a real, working entertainment professional does. It only takes one "yes," right? But if all you are getting is "no" then it's not Hollywood, it's you. Which is a very bitter pill to swallow. Well, wait, you say - that doesn't make sense - if it only takes one "yes" then I'll just keep at it until I find that "yes" like a needle in a haystack! I'll be that story! That story of determination! Everybody said no until I found this ONE rep who believed in me!

It's about calculating odds. Every "no" makes that "yes" a rarer thing. Okay, you're at the prom in your pretty dress. Nobody has asked you to dance. Not one person. It's not YOU, it's THEM, they are a bunch of jerks. How long do you stand there feeling totally rejected before you take a look down at the dress and notice that it's got a punch stain on it and a tear in the hem? Ohhhhhh. It is you. I mean, hey, you might find that ONE dude who doesn't mind a punch stain and a torn hem - but is that the dude you want to dance with? Okay in a romantic comedy, sure, that's probably the guy for you because he looks past appearances. But in Hollywood, you want a rep who LOVES your work so much that he or she is willing to bank a career on it. And on a dance floor full of pretty girls, the bar is pretty high. Don't underestimate that, Frustrated. There are a lot of great, repped writers out there. Hollywood is full of them. So as the new girl on the dance floor, you have to compete with that. So you can stand there with your torn hem and punch stain and wait for just the right guy, the guy with lower standards, or you can go home, clean up that dress and come back to the dance ready to lay down some moves.

Remember, it's not how many "nos" you get, it's how you then restrategize and handle that. For now, you are your own business manager. X tactic is not working. Okay, so what is needed, here? Maybe you are four more completed scripts away from really nailing it and telling a great story in an engaging way. Maybe you are one script away from that. Maybe the script you are querying just isn't going to go anywhere, ever. Sooner or later, you must take honest stock of the situation.

Yes there are production companies that will read unsolicited, unrepped work. And I don't mean to cast aspersions on them; there are new, small prodcos really casting wide for material and they are eager and able to wade through the stacks. Just do your homework and find out who they are. Get an HCD and get on the phone.

But you lead off your question by saying it's hard to get rep, which makes me wonder if you're ready for rep - and if you're not - chances are you're probably also not ready to be sold - to anyone. Take a look at your material - is it really competitive in this market? It's hard to know the truth of that and the only barometer is the reaction you get out on the dance floor, as flawed as that system may be - it's the only real measure.

If you enjoyed this post, follow me on Twitter or subscribe via RSS.

So this pinging thing - how did it become part of the vernacular? Ping me! I'll ping you! Let's ping him! Nonetheless it is descriptive. It's a nudge. A tinny hello down the wires. A wink. A nod. A Riiiiiicolla! (I can't for the life of me understand why Ricola me didn't take off as a colloquialism but then again I never thought the internal combustion engine would be a hit so color me dense.)

So where were we? Ah yes, pinging. Pinging might in another, more formal blog also be described as "following up." You meet someone at a networking event. They agree to "have coffee" or "read your script" but when you ping them a week later, they ignore your email. I say ignore because they saw it all right. But they had post-networking-why-did-I-promise-that regrets. So you wait another week or three and ping them again. They feel bad so they at least email back with some probably semi-true story about being very "slammed." You wait another month and ping them again.

Now this is the turning point. The fork in the road. One of two things is going at this juncture:

They are either truly, deeply annoyed and forward your email to their assistant with the note Who is this jackass? Tell him I'm having face surgery for the rest of my life!

or -

They break down some and think you know what, fine, I'll have ONE CUP OF COFFEE with this person.

I know this because I have done it. Broken down and had a cup of coffee with someone who kept pinging me. Partly out of assuaging my own feelings that I have been perhaps rude and partly - no wait - no, that's it. Just to not feel like a rude, cold or unfeeling person.

How can you tell if you've pung one too many times? Are you being persistent or are you stalking? Well, I would think that if someone SAID they'd have coffee with you or read your script, if they looked you right in the eye and said that, that you have some latitude with the pinging. Even if you feel rude or oddly persistent. Even when you're beginning to feel like a wallflower begging for a dance. Keep pinging. Politely. Sporadically. Ask the person you're pinging how they are. Comment on their latest hilarious blog entry, their script sale or fabulous new hair cut. Flattery will get you everywhere. Because what's going to happen is that you might just wear the person down and because you pinged that one, last time - they will probably break down and meet you finally.

Now I know this sounds counterintuitive, you're thinking, gosh, if I met an agent or manager at a pitch fest for example, and I ping them more than once or twice, aren't I some kind of creepy, entitled CAPE FEAR person?? The more I ping, the more annoyed they get - it'll have the opposite effect. Well - it can. It sure can. But that persistence could also lead to an amazing opportunity, introduction or relationship. You may just ping the object of your pinging on a day when he or she is bored and they might think you know what - FINE - I'll meet this kid/writer for ONE beverage. And that could be your lucky day. Persistence can pay. I have met a number of people for coffee over time because they were politely persistent or because I was politely persistent. No guarantee any professional relationship will arise - but who knows, right?

So you've met a writer, actor, producer, agent or manager at an event. Here's two to-ping-or-not-to-ping scenarios:

Scenario One:
The person you have met is polite but a bit distant and they do NOT agree to read your work, meet you or anything else. They don't offer a business card either. In fact, they move backward slightly while you talk and scan the room over your shoulder. They are polite and pleasant but totally vague.

Should you ping them later? Not if they didn't give your their business card and not if they expressed zero interest in you or your script. No random pinging, please. If they did give you their card but your experience of them was not particularly energized, ping them once, ping them twice - and definitely let it go. They're just not that into you. You'll get put on the "no call" list. I know of two super persistent pingers this happened to. Believe it. If you get rebuffed by silence more than three times - you're not pinging anymore - you're stalking.

Scenario Two:
The person you met was warm and friendly; they looked you in the eye and when you asked if they can read your script or have coffee sometime they nodded, smiled and said "sure." They really looked at you, man, they really SAW you.

Should you ping this person? Did they mean what they said? Well, they were probably punch drunk and on auto-pilot when said they'd read your work or meet you for coffee. They said that to 10 other people too. They don't remember your name, they don't care that much but it was the polite thing to say. Should you ping them? Oh, of course. Ping once, ping twice, ping three times before you give up trying, in this scenario.

Pinging persistently can absolutely pay off and pay off big. You might actually get that script read, or form a new professional relationship. But do your pinging well. If you ping someone for the first time, do it about three to four days after you met them. Hey, met you at the thing with the thing, just wanted to thank you for an informative evening, love to have coffee some time. Done. You hear nothing back, so ping them again in about three to four weeks - Hey so and so, just checking in. How's your thing with the thing? I read about your sale in the trades - congratulations! My script is coming along pretty well. In fact, I wondered if you might have time for a coffee? No accusations, no guilt-tripping, no you-never-answered-my-other-email. NO NO NO. When pinging be as obsequious the second time as you were the first time. Remind the pingee where you met. Do NOT expect them to remember you.

Persistence can be very high yield - you never know - it might just be your lucky day when you ARE able to meet up with someone in person who might be able to help you out. After three pings (at the most) please let it go.

Remember, part of the reason people agree to "read your script" or "meet you for coffee" is that they are doing a rapid-fire calculus - maybe this writer is someone I WANT to know...they never know, right? But people are busy and they do forget, so keep pinging every once in awhile until the silence or "I'm slammed" blow-offs are loud and clear to you.

There are some who would disagree with me and would champion pinging ad infinitum. I personally send those pings to my assistant with the face-surgery-into-perpetuity note. But maybe that's just me. If you have gotten a note from my assistant with any kind of blow off, you've pung too much.

Now get back to work. And find somebody to ping.

If you enjoyed this post, follow me on Twitter or subscribe via RSS.

Michelle sent a very sweet comment re my post of yesterday, which detailed the very long journey of a thriller my writing partner and I wrote. She wished me well and hoped that we'd get rep. I began to answer her comment, reminding her that we don't need or want no stinkin' rep right now then it occurred to me that that might be a little confusing and that better - this situation is a great jumping off point to talk about rep. Do you have it? Do you need it?

My personal situation: I have had three managers over time. Each with varying degrees of efficacy. None has ever made a sale for me. I blame that on me not the rep. But one thing I can tell you is that getting a rep is a total paradox. It's something you absolutely need and something that definitely puts you on the next level of your aspirations - but on the other hand? It guarantees absolutely nothing.

Writers can go through different reps over time and generally do. Getting a rep is tremendously validating. At first. But once you get over the glow of that, you may find yourself doing rewrite after rewrite of the script that got you the rep - mind you, these rewrites are FOR the rep - what he or she is thinking will strengthen the draft before it goes out. I've seen many a writer get stuck right there. I got a rep!! Three months later they're still rewriting the draft for the rep because the rep liked it but doesn't feel 100% confident about sending it out yet. Here's what can happen during this protracted rewrite period - the rep continues to look for and get new clients with other, possibly hotter scripts than yours. So one day, two months into rewriting your script, you get the funny feeling that what felt like a huge step forward has become a lukewarm dead end. Your rep's ardor has cooled. This is a rotten feeling. Trust me.

Alternatively, the rep asks for maybe one or two polishes and takes the script out. You're so excited! It's going out! Wide! Fast forward two weeks. The script didn't grab any traction. So the rep works with you on more rewrites on that draft because he/she is thinking maybe there's someone who didn't see the script who might bite. But we're already talking about second tier now. You're - kinda - hopeful but there's a distinctly different feeling now. The slight whiff of failure. But, you tell yourself, all kinds of hungry young producers are out there and hey, you don't need six figures! Any sale is a good sale! (True, but...it's not what you had in mind).

And round and round it goes.

The bottom line about looking for rep: If you've never had a manager or agent, it will give you a HUGE boost mentally. You will feel like a million bucks. But then reality kicks in - is this rep really, truly going to help you? And - was your material really, truly ready for prime-time? It may not have been. Not all reps - especially those who are not yet real players - have the judgment, taste or connections which will truly anoint you and your script as something to take seriously on the market place. In other words - some reps are not an achievement for you at all. This is a sucky realization, trust me.

If you've never been repped and therefore haven't made the connections nor garnered the experience, the chances that you could get your script into the hands of meaningful producers is almost nil. But if you have had rep in the past, you have had meaningful relationships and meaningful feedback that the material is competitive, you absolutely can make a sale without a rep - because you don't need the rep to shop the material. You've made a hand off. That's what happened to my writing partner and I on this particular script.

Screenwriters come in different stripes and go through distinct stages like:

The absolute beginners happy to be writing draft after draft of premise after premise. They are realistic. They go to classes, they know they're not very good but they're having fun and love the challenge. They are willing to write six scripts before looking for rep. They don't even give getting rep a whole lot of thought yet.

The absolute beginners who've done half the work of the writer above and start looking for rep. They think it goes like this: write script, get rep, sell script. They usually wind up bitter and disappointed and angry. Some have an epiphany and put their nose to the grindstone and really do the work, reverting to the type of writer above. Others just go to screenwriting message boards and spew bile about other writers and sales and how it's all NOT FAIR. Please don't be this person. Please?

Intermediate writers who've done the above (whether they had the epiphany or knew all along it would take time) who enter competitions, keep writing and finally look for rep. They find rep. But it doesn't turn out to be a very good rep. They keep writing. They make relationships. They keep trying. They get a better rep. Their script gets read around town. They get meaningful external and internal validation but no sale. Now they are in the Pool of Potentially Selling Writers.

Potentially Selling Writers have written seven, eight, maybe 10 scripts. And they're working on another one right now. They have placed in competitions. They have been or are repped now. They take meetings from time to time. They are neither head-in-the-clouds nor bitter. They hang around with other good writers. They are always learning. They have humility and high hopes but they are also realistic. They know the brass ring is elusive but they've come a long way and their chances are better now than they have ever been. Because they've made it through the fire and paid their dues, they aren't particularly worried about rep. They don't look for rep - rep looks for them. They no longer see obtaining rep as the be all end all. They see it as a chance for the script to go out. They may not even need a rep; they may know producers who can take the work out to other producers. Through experience, they know that not all rep is alike.

So like everything in this damn town, there are many paradoxes and always exceptions. Getting rep - especially if it's your first rep - does NOT mean you are about to make a sale. But it does mean that somebody who works in the business sees potential in you and your work. And that's a great feeling and one that can fuel your writing for some time - regardless of the outcome.

If you enjoyed this post, follow me on Twitter or subscribe via RSS.

Day two of the Fade In Pitch Fest concluded yesterday and boy, was it a long day for everybody! I think heard as many pitches as some of the agents, managers and producers there, just in a different context. I was so proud of the many writers who I had counseled the day before to be more upbeat and personable, who took that advice with aplomb and had many successful pitches.

Here's my take on pitch fests. If you have the disposable income to do this type of thing, I think it can be a fun way to network, meet other writers and industry professionals and practice pitching your story over and over again. If you are like most of us, on a more limited budget and you have to carefully choose how and where you spend your money, I'd honestly recommend spending that money on professional notes over pitching. Maybe you can afford to do both. Booyah for you and have a cupcake.

Let's clear something up: Yes the people who come to hear your pitches are lower level executives. Of course they are. This. Is not. A bad. Thing. Let me repeat that - it's not bad that lower level baby execs and even assistants go to hear your pitches. Because what does mama always say? Today's assistant is tomorrow's executive. One drawback is that sometimes these lower level pitch recipients do appear to be about twelve. Which can be off-putting. Sometimes their social skills are not quite where they will be in some time. Meaning that if they are bored by your pitch, some can actually be a bit obvious and rude about that. Pay no mind - that's about them, not you. Others are enthusiastic and dying to find a good story so they can get the promotion they are gunning for. Are there good pitches at pitch fests? Yes, of course there are. I heard, over both days, probably about six pitches that sounded really great to me. I would definitely be interested in reading the scripts.

If you do decide to go to a pitch fest (I believe that the upcoming CS Expo, starting on November 12th usually has a pitch fest as part of the festivities) here's your check list:

Bring a one-sheet
Have a great, pithy, compelling logline ready to go*
Bring business cards
Do not pass out artistic effluvia related to your script
Dress casually but nicely; do make some effort. Brush your hair and teeth**
Do some breathing exercises, drink coffee - whatever it takes to be both relaxed and ON
Practice a couple of days in advance then stop practicing so much so you sound natural
Relax; if you make a mistake, smile, back up and do it again. It's really okay
Don't take rejection personally; just get back in line and do it again
Do collect contact information if you have a good pitch
Send thank you notes a couple of days later. Make them brief and gracious

Are pitch fests worth it? Well - I cannot say one way or the other, definitively. If you can afford it, if it's something you enjoy doing and if you have a great script that's really, really ready to pitch, sure, I suppose it's worth it. You can also query your material the old fashioned way, throughout most of the year. I've been to three pitch fests since June and I have noticed a high rate of return. In other words, I have seen some of the same people at all three. Is this because these writers are very successful at this or is it because, like Trekkies, they are devoted fans of these types of gatherings? I don't know and I'm not sure I should go there.

All right everybody, get back to work and have a Monday cupcake on me. I'm a happy girl because I just discovered that I apparently own some crazily valuable rare books so today after I get my reading and notes done, I'll be researching how to sell them. If any Wavers are rare book appraisers, or know a great one, be in touch.

*I was shocked by how many writers either did not have a logline at all or who had overlong, confusing, not great loglines and knew it.

**It's not for nothing that I make the hair and teeth comment. In the spirit of kindness, that's all I'm going to say.

If you enjoyed this post, follow me on Twitter or subscribe via RSS.

Everybody is eager to query and get repped. It will change your life, right? Money will be flowing to you in golden buckets and fame will be quick on its heels.

Not exactly. Getting representation hangs in the frustrating zen space between utter simplicity and very, very hard work. How do you know when you're ready? Only time will tell, grasshopper. Wax on, wax off.

The steps to get representation are quite simple:

1) write a great script
2) then write another one
3) stick with the same genre
4) have a dossier of several great ideas in the form of loglines
5) write a brief, powerful, polite, effective query letter
6) get hold of a Hollywood Creative Directory
7) focus on 10 to 15 agents or managers that seem like a good fit*
8) query
9) wait
10) wait more
11) follow up with an email or phone call if you haven't heard back in six weeks

Pretty simple, right? It actually is. But here is what writers often do - they jump the gun. They query when they only have ONE good script. They don't get feedback on what they think is a good script and so really have no idea where they stand. They query managers or agents all over town, indiscriminately, without doing any research. They send poorly worded queries with dull loglines and wonder what's up with the silence.

If a manager or agent likes your query, you should hear back pretty quickly. If they like the read, you'll hear back quite quickly. They'll ask you what else you have. They'll ask you about you - your writing experience, where you live, what competitions you may have placed in.

Patience, grasshopper. Get an arsenal together before you start to query. Get feedback from someone, somehow whether it is professional or a friend. Proof your material before you send it out. Spend a lot of time crafting an excellent logline.

Getting an agent or manager isn't complicated - but you need to slow down and approach the process with care. Make sure you dot every "i" and cross every "t" before you begin. I don't recommend E-blast queries - they are impersonal and scatter shot. Spending money on an HCD is the best money you'll ever spend. Take a deep breath and make sure you're actually ready to query. Keep writing and developing ideas while you wait to hear back about your queries. Do not put your life on hold. Be ready for rejection. Rejection in Hollywood usually comes in the form of dead silence. Know that obtaining representation will not change your life but it will advance you to the next level of the game.

I know writers very well and I know that most of you skimmed this and are ready to put an HCD on your credit card but really don't know if your script is that great and don't have enough material ready. But you will query anyway because you think you are special and you won't need more than one script at the ready. You think you are different and that you will get repped quickly and easily. You think this blog post is for the suckers. You can't wait to get going with all of this, you can't wait to get repped and be in the game.

When the Wave-inatrix was but a mini-W, my mother spent a lot of time sewing. And I remember vividly being so excited to just put the pretty fabric under the sewing machine needle and press that foot pedal and SEW like a maniac and turn straw into gold. No, my mother said - you have to first wash the fabric. And dry it. And iron it flat. And clear a large space on the table and get out the pattern and measure carefully. Oh - how dreary! How dull! How painstaking! And I wondered, time and again, why my completed project was lopsided and ugly. Now, when I sew, I slow down and I enjoy the entire process. I know that the quality of my project is utterly dependent on the care I put into each step along the way. Unwashed fabric will shrink and warp upon it first washing. Sloppy measurements and dull scissors will doom the fit. A chaotic sewing kit makes finding the right thread and right needle an exercise in anger management. My mother, in all her wisdom, knew exactly how to sew something properly but I would not listen. I knew how to do it! I was special! My fabric was special and my pattern was genius! Ah....youth.

You want an agent or manager? Of course you do. But s-l-o-w down. You may not be ready. Hollywood isn't going anywhere any time soon. If you don't have at least two great scripts in your arsenal, you are not ready. If you have not gotten feedback from a pro or an experienced colleague, you are not ready. There is no quick fix, there is no magic answer. You must do the work. And you are not special - the fabric of Hollywood is what it is and it yields to no man.

*Only query agents or managers (I recommend a manager if you are very new at this) that have offices in LA or New York only. Avoid those who charge ANY kind of fee.

If you enjoyed this post, follow me on Twitter or subscribe via RSS.

Hello Wavers! Sorry I'm late to the table today - it being Yom Kippur and all, I've been busy atoning. No, not really. I don't do that anymore. I just skip lunch, watch ATONEMENT and call it a day. No, kidding again, I just had a really late night. But - I am posting herewith my latest "ask the expert" article for the StoryLink Ezine:

***

If you enjoyed this post, follow me on Twitter or subscribe via RSS.

I talk to managers fairly frequently, in my ongoing networking and effort to connect writers to rep. And I obviously talk to writers about their scripts, concerns, careers and would-be careers just about every day. And when I put the two side-by-side, some interesting gaps in communication arise.

This is what I hear from writers:

Why is it SO hard to get a manager?

Why have I not heard back about my query and it's been two weeks?

My query got accepted, I sent the script and I never heard back.

My query got accepted, I sent the script, I got an email or call saying it's good but not for them; should I be excited that they took the time to call or bummed because it was a pass? The manager said to send them another one of my scripts in the future. Do they mean it?

Why does my manager not communicate with me more often?

My manager was SO excited about my script, he/she took it out but now he/she isn't really calling me back.

My manager took my script out and says he/she got positive responses, but we need to "package" the script and lately, my manager hasn't been calling me back.

My manager works for ME, right? So why isn't he/she more responsive to my calls and emails?

My manager seems a little mysterious about the actual plan for me and my script(s).

I just got my first manager. My whole life is about to change. I am already looking at new cars.

This is what I hear from managers:

I'm looking for a commercial, salable script with a HOOK

I'm looking for a script that is castable and unique and exciting

I have a number of clients who are working writers and taking care of them and their careers takes up most of my time

I get hundreds of emails on a daily basis

I'm always looking for something new but time management is a challenge

I spent a fair bit of time networking with buyers and agents for current and future clients

If I get excited about a script and take it out and don't get a fairly immediate positive reaction, to be honest, my ardor for the script cools a bit. What seemed like a sure thing just got harder and more complicated.

I wish my clients would trust that I'm doing my thing and not be too needy with emails and phone calls

My game plan changes unexpectedly sometimes; I get pulled in another direction for another, more "hot" client and that's not something I can necessarily control

I'm not interested in repping a client with ONE good script; I will look like an idiot if this writer has written a fluke script. I need to know a writer has legs.

If a script doesn't get an immediate positive response, I have to put my attention toward those clients who are generating heat; I can't make a living on writers who don't sell.

I like to develop writers with potential but there's only so many hours in a day and selling clients have to come first.

Developing a writer is very, very time-consuming. It's taking a risk. I'd rather work with writers who are self-directed, empowered and who are creative machines.

So going back to what I hear from writers:

Why is it SO hard to get a manager?
Because it's really hard to make a living as a manager. So managers are extremely selective. They can only deal with so many clients and those clients have to generate salable work. Managers cannot afford to take a risk on a script or a writer that does not smell like MONEY.

Why have I not heard back about my query and it's been two weeks?
Because the manager is inundated with other stuff and because the manager probably saw your query and didn't have an immediate positive reaction.

My query got accepted, I sent the script and I never heard back.
Because the manager is inundated with other stuff and/or the script didn't live up to the promise of the query. If it's been more than a month, chances are, the manager moved on and has long since forgotten about you.

My query got accepted, I sent the script, I got an email or call saying it's good but not for them; should I be excited that they took the time to call or bummed because it was a pass? The manager said to send them another one of my scripts in the future. Do they mean it?
You should be excited that the manager requested the script based on the query and that the manager liked something about your writing. If this manager liked you enough to call or contact you, that's quite a compliment. Keep querying other managers; you may have better luck next time.

If the manager said to hit them up with another script in the future because they liked your writing, they do mean it. But only mildly so. This is often used as a pleasant brush-off. But I would stay in touch and query your next script once it's ready because you never know; maybe this next script WILL rock the manager's world. In a lottery-like business, even if the manager was making a polite gesture only, why not take a chance on that?

Why does my manager not communicate with me more often?
Because he/she is busy. And possibly because he/she is not feeling the electric-love-excitement about your script anymore. The red-hot crush is waning. As in the dating world, if you call MORE to find out what's going on, the ardor will cool faster and faster.

My manager was SO excited about my script, he/she took it out but now he/she isn't really calling me back.
Because the script went out and the manager didn't get an excited response and now his or her attention has been taken up by another, more promising script and writer.

My manager took my script out and says he/she got positive responses, but we need to "package" the script and lately, my manager hasn't been calling me back.
Because when buyers say the writing is good but they'd need to package it to get it off the ground, that's not exactly the response the manager would have hoped for. He or she may be strategizing some packaging reads through relationships with talent or directors but this script sale just got more challenging. This is a true test of the manager's passion and faith for the project; if he or she is SURE this script is going to make a great movie, he or she will put a lot of effort in at this juncture. But if there's any doubt...the ardor will cool. Quickly.

My manager works for ME, right? So why isn't he/she more responsive to my calls and emails?
Well, not exactly. Think of this as a partnership. It's a symbiotic relationship; your manager is your champion until or unless you aren't going to be an earner. It's hard to say, definitively, whether your script is or is not going to be received well on the market. If you think the market and what sells is confusing, try being a manager. They have a stronger sense but imagine that your mortgage payment is riding on your judgment.

Your manager cannot make a living unless clients are selling projects and getting assignments. Think about that: no income coming in - unless there is a deal that goes through. So it's time versus money versus faith. How much time would YOU put into a writer who is not generating income? Will the writer generate income in six months? A year? How long are you willing to work for free?

My manager seems a little mysterious about the actual plan for me and my script(s).
Because the manager is busy with several clients. Because the plan may shift from day to day or week to week. Because the manager is using a finely calibrated sense of judgment and experience and has to follow up on strong leads and relationships first and then go to softer relationships second. But they never really know where that opening will be found. Asking your manager for a clear sense of the plan is great but once the plan starts shifting and responding to the realities of the market, bugging your manager is a little like being the kid in the backseat, constantly bugging mom or dad, upfront, driving the car, trying to navigate a complicated freeway interchange. Are we there yet? Are we going to take that offramp? Look at THAT shiny building! I gotta pee! And the manager is the parent, upfront, trying to focus on getting from point A to point B and grows increasingly distracted and annoyed by the backseat passenger.

I just got my first manager. My whole life is about to change. I am already looking at new cars.
Be excited. Be motivated. Use this feeling to keep writing and to feel validated. But also be realistic. This may change everything - and it may end in a few short months with a frustrated fizzle. Don't put the cart ahead of the horse. Take this in stride. A whole lot of mysterious things have to align - primarily quick and strong reactions by buyers to your work - in order for this to change your life. See this as the first major step forward in terms of validation but never rest on the laurels of this accomplishment. The overwhelming odds say that your life will not change completely and immediately but you have definitely proven that your script has passed a minimal litmus test in Hollywood - it got someone other than your granny excited. Be circumspect about this new development. Tread the fine line between going NUTS with the coolness of this but also knowing that this is absolutely not license to slow down generating great ideas and great scripts and that yes, this could also end at any moment. If this answer seems a bit contradictory - it is. Hollywood is contradictory. It just is. This is what makes it among the most confusing, frustrating businesses in the world. A writer isn't sure how to feel from one day to the next. The only advice I can give you is to feel excited about your love of writing. That's the only thing that will carry you through.

Being aware of the realities of getting and keeping representation is key for an aspiring writer. The main thing you can do is to see how it feels to be repped by whomever has chosen to enter into that relationship with you. Does your manager make you feel like an annoying hanger-on? Or does he or she make you feel respected and heard? Do you have chemistry? Are you simpatico?

At the end of the day, aspiring writers are the only ones really in charge of themselves. Knowing the realities of the life and times of a manager is a huge advantage. Managers love a writer who can go with the flow and who use the down time to keep generating great scripts. If you spent the same time writing that you are tempted to spend calling and whining, imagine the work you'd get done. And there are writers - your competition - who are doing exactly that.

Managers love clients who aren't needy and whiny. So given that ideal, that you are not needy or whiny, how does your manager make you feel? Valued and heard? Or as if you are an annoying pain in the rear? Writers lucky enough to get rep may go through many managers over time. It's a close relationship but from a manager's point of view, only as close as you are productive, unique and successful. It's not personal. They don't call it show friends.

If you don't hear back from a manager you queried - keep querying others. If this is a pattern, take stock of your queries and of your material. Maybe it's not as unique and salable as you thought. In fact, odds are, I'm sorry to say, that it is definitely not as salable as you thought. How do I know this? How do I know anything I write about on the Rouge Wave? From painful and bitter experience.

If you don't hear back from a manager who is repping you, don't waste a lot of energy moaning about that and wondering why. Empower yourself by taking stock of your inventory and continuing to grow it. Once you have not just one not just two but several scripts that are really strong, managers will clamor to rep you because you are a meal ticket. It's pretty Darwinian at the end of the day.

Definitely avoid managers who:

Charge you any kind of fee. Ever. For copying - for anything. This is a huge red flag.

Do not do business in Los Angeles or New York. They simply cannot be tuned in or plugged in from afar.

Do not judge a manager who:

Has not had a client who made a sale yet - how long as the manager been in business? Sometimes a very new manager with great connections is twice as hungry as one who has been doing this for awhile. A new writer and a new rep could be a match made in heaven.

If you enjoyed this post, follow me on Twitter or subscribe via RSS.

What's the difference between a manager and an agent? Do you need one or do you need both? How about some guy like Turtle hanging around?

My friend and colleague Garth Pappas of High Concept Management was kind enough to guest blog for The Rouge Wave today, and in doing so, get down to the nitty gritty when it comes to managers and agents. Read. Enjoy. Then get back to work!

***

Agencies are licensed and regulated by the State. Agents submit spec scripts to studios in hopes for a sale. They are also interested in developing a writer's career if their respective literary team agrees to rep a writer (after reading and liking their writing samples). So to you writers out there, you must have at least two samples ... Now, not every writer has an agent and a manager on their team ... but every writer needs a good attorney (usually referred by the agent or manager involved in a writer's life) ... the decision to have both an agent and manager is up to the writer; if you're chugging along in your career and you have only one, then it might make sense to get a third member on the team; the larger the team, the better coverage you'll get; meaning, consideration for job opportunities at both the studios and production companies.

The technical difference between an agent and manager is: agents can only negotiate on behalf of their client. Managers can attach themselves to a screenplay as a producer; agents cannot. Why do you need both? Well, you don't. But you do need one who's got solid relationships with studio and production executives; and, one who can effectively cover every studio in town. If you start off with a manager and the manager gets your material exposure which will then hopefully lead to some meetings, then you can hold off on giving another 10% to an agent. If you start with an agent and they do the same, then you don't need to give the other 10 to a manager. It's a marriage. It's about chemistry and it's about getting the writer results. I think it's a good idea for a writer to meet several reps and see which one fits best. Good luck!

If you enjoyed this post, follow me on Twitter or subscribe via RSS.

In response to Alice's last comment (that is correct: I am too lazy to cut and paste it here), the upshot of which is she's done gambling on this crazy screenwriting thing:

The death knell of a writer is always something that makes me sad. But you know what that means for other aspiring writers? One less competitor. As we say at The Script Department, we hold this truth to be self-evident; the difference between a writer who makes it in Hollywood and one who doesn't is that the one who made it never gave up.

It is a gamble. It is insanity. Is talent number four? Some would disagree and say it's number one. Or number two. Or fifth. But persistence - that has to be number one for you, the writer. Developing your talent is also hugely important. I say aim high and write brilliance; just don't be surprised if less brilliant writers than you make it because luck, connections and persistence sell a script first. It happens every day. Why? Nobody knows for sure. But it is a fact.

Some writers should throw in the towel - if you don't have the stomach for this, it's definitely not for you. Like being a NASCAR driver, astronaut or game show contestant. But if every "no" fuels your fire, if you are obsessed with writing stories, if when you watch movies you are ignited with passion, if you do not take rejection personally - you're in the right business. It is a kind of insanity; we are all dreamers, schemers, liars and thieves. If you can't run with us or lose the appetite for it, there's no shame in that. There are plenty of nobler pursuits that are more suitable for the saner types. I am a writer. I can't not write. If and when someday I make a different choice, it will be the perfect choice for me at the time.

Tony Gayton, screenwriter of one of the most entertaining scripts I have ever read - The Salton Sea - gave up for many years. He just threw in the towel, moved and became a high school teacher. Then one day, the urge to write a story came back to him like a virus. And he said screw it and wrote the script. The movie was a little checkered though highly entertaining, with great performances - but the script - it was brilliant. And there are lots of anecdotal stories like that; of writers who threw in the towel for a time but were lured back by the siren song of a great story. And there are a lot of writers who quit trying very early on. Fine. Less competition. You have to do what is right for you.

If you enjoyed this post, follow me on Twitter or subscribe via RSS.

Several times a week, the Wave-inatrix gets emails that say: Dear Wave-inatrix, I sent my script to X manager a couple of weeks ago and he/she just sent me and email that said Dear So-and-so: thanks for the read, I liked the script but I just couldn't get any traction with it. Thanks for submitting. What does that mean?

It means "no". Managers and agents have several ways of saying "no", ranging from silence (very common)to the polite brush-off. But what can be really frustrating to a writer is getting the polite brush-off with this addendum - "Do you have another script?" So you send another script. A few weeks later you either get the Silent No or another polite email saying something like "While I enjoyed the read, I just couldn't connect with the theme." Translation? No.

First of all a polite brush-off is of course nicer than the usual silence. Silence leaves the writer hanging for weeks and then of course, we do hear those one-in-a-hundred stories of Silence For Six Months then a phone call or email saying WE LOVE IT. But Wavers - that is so rare. Take silence as a "no" and move on. Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Don't count your chickens til they're hatched. Don't wonder which came first, the chicken or the - okay you get it.

But the most frustrating of all is the manager who keeps passing on your scripts and yet keeps asking for other samples. Is this person interested or not? Are they going to sign you or not? It's like dating a person who is giving you mixed signals. Is he into me? Or not? How do you know? How long do you wait? When is this manager going to pull the trigger??

Should you be continuing to query other people? Or do you put your life on hold as you wait for Manager X to decide whether THIS script is one he/she connects with, or gets excited by or can get behind?

Being in some kind of suspended animation because you are waiting for a response to a script read is a big mistake, Wavers. You need to continually move ahead with your writing and your queries. If someone else - someone bigger IS truly interested in your script and then the person you were waiting for finally indicates they liked the work, well guess what? Now, potentially, both will be even more keen about you and your work because now there's a seeming competition for you. So keep moving, keep querying. Don't sit and wait for weeks, using your Magic 8 ball to interpret either silence or polite brush-offs.

And again - how do I know this? Because Wavers, I have gone before you and I have been in this situation many times. And I have put my life on hold. And I have held my breath, and I have pored over letters and emails with a magnifying glass trying to interpret soft "no's" and soft "yes's". What's a soft "yes"? It's we really liked the script but we can't see doing anything with it right now - what else do you have? So you send another script - and you wait another six weeks and you get another such reply. Or a thousand variations of all of the above.

Being in a position myself, in which more and more lately, writers approach me for management (something I'm toying with but have not committed to), I understand how it feels to be on the other side. I don't receive the volume, naturally, of queries to do the rude silence. Plus, I hate rudeness. But again, that silence is, nine times out of ten, a result of simply too many scripts coming in to respond to each one. But I do receive queries in which I think - hmmm - well - I like this writer, I like his/her writing, but I know I can't do anything with this particular script. But I would like to keep this writer in my periphery because maybe at some point, I could do something with another piece of material...

On the one hand, Wavers, if a manager feels that way about you - that you have potential, it's terrific. Because you have a relationship with someone who sees potential. That's validating and could pay off down the line. Or - it might not pay off. You may never deliver a script to that person that they get truly excited about. So how do you know how long to keep that relationship/courting game up and how do you know when to cut and run to someone who leaps out of their La-Z-Boy when you come home? It's simple: keep up the relationship, yes. Keep checking in with new ideas and new loglines. Make nice to that person who is interested in you. Don't bug them, play it cool, but stay in touch. But at the same time - continue querying others. Because if someone else makes something happen for you and I didn't - I'm not going to be mad at you, I'm going to say DAMN IT, I blew it!

It's a dance. A lot like dating. It's important to know when someone is just not that into you and it's important to sex yourself up by dating other people - by being less available. Because when someone is really interested in you and your script - the signs are unmistakable and things move really fast. There's no second-guessing it.

After doing this dance for a long time - I finally got a manager. And it happened very quickly. A phone call. I like this script, I'd like to meet you. This week. And I'd like to strategize going out with the script. Boom. Bam. Done.

And Wavers, writers often go through several managers before finding one who not only likes you and your work but who has the ability to get your work out to serious buyers, who doesn't give up when they get a lot of "no's", one who works and who works hard on your behalf, consistently. But even when you get that great manager, if they thought they could do something with your script but are proven apparently wrong by a lot of "no's", often what happens is instead of dropping you - they just fade away. They slow down submitting your material, they slow down calling you back, they are less available to you...why? Because they are going out with someone else now, and putting all their energy into that person. It's not personal and it's not unusual. They just stop returning your calls. Yeah - I've gone through that too. Hot and cold.

So what do you do with this awkward courtship? As with dating, you retain your independence and self-respect. You are not desperate, you hear me? You have value and if someone saw it, even a glimpse of it, enough to hip pocket you - then you know you have something that will interest somebody else too. You there in the Mr. Bill T-shirt - what's a hip pocket? Well, it's like this: I'll represent you only until or unless I set up your script in a finite period of time. And if I don't - I never knew you. Say hello, wave goodbye. Wham, bam, thank you ma'am.

A hip pocket is not a bad thing - in fact, it can lead to great things. But often, a hip pocket deal results in a quick fade-out to the relationship. And again, I get it. I can only imagine the number of writers who approach managers on a daily basis. You can only get behind so many scripts and writers. Sure, you might like a writer and kinda like the script - but what's the potential that your time and attention to this script/writer will result in dollars? It's hard but the math has to be done. And I have certainly seen the work of writers and I think - hmmmm, I like this writer but the story...I dunno....it doesn't get MY blood pressure up so how could I translate that to someone else? There's nothing wrong with the script,it's just not for me. And I'm not going to put myself and my reputation on the line for a script that I'm not doing cartwheels about personally. It just doesn't make sense.

I have about five writers right now that I do "manage". I put that in quotation marks because it's not official, but I LOVE their scripts. And of the five, three of the scripts are most definitely not commercial fair that would light the fire of just anyone. But I love those scripts so passionately that I can't let it go. I pitch them whenever and wherever I can. But I don't expect loyalty in return from these writers. If they come to me and say guess what, someone else got behind the material and pushed it out there and we have interest, I'd first say DAMN IT and then do a cartwheel for that client. Because I would love to see this script as a movie. And I'll be damn proud, whether it was me or someone else who set it up. Because from day one, I believed in that writer. And you five know exactly who you are: Jason, Adam, Scott, Gary and Tal. Don't give me your loyalty - make a movie. But maybe I am a strange person. Well, that's a given. It's pretty cool to have someone so into your writing and your script that they talk it up wherever they go in Hollywood. It's way cool. But if someone can do that AND get you set up - go with that person. No hard feelings. Until you have a ring on your finger - you are in an open relationship.

A good friend (hi beautiful Angela) once encouraged me, years ago, by comparing being a screenwriter to one of those guys in trench coats filled, on the inside, with watches. Wanna buy a watch? No? Okay. Hey you - YOU wanna buy a watch? No. Okay. YOU - you wanna buy a watch? And you just keep moving. If someone says hey, I might want to buy that watch - you say that's terrific; I only take cash. You got cash? No. Okay. How about you - you wanna buy a watch? And you keep right on moving.

While maintaining relationships is important, only maintain relationships with managers who are not proprietary about you but who love your work in and of itself and short of that, managers who do more than express how much they like the script but who put themselves on the line for you and your material. If someone is not willing to put themselves on the line - keep moving. Or even if someone like me says I pitch your script wherever I go - that's lovely - but that does not preclude you from approaching others who might do the same thing but actually make something happen faster. It's not personal. It's not show friends, it's show business.

So don't waste hours wondering if this or that manager is really that into you. They either are or they aren't. Silence means "no". And maybe means maybe. And it might mean for my own purposes, I would like to keep you on the back burner because I see potential. Which is lovely. But it is the back burner. And yes, sometimes you can move up to the front through a series of events and the one person who believed in you for years (in Hollywood time that translates to six months) might actually make something happen. But why wait? Don't commit to one person; maintain the relationship but keep dating others. It will only make you more desirable to everyone else.

Just keep moving. Never stop. Keep writing, keep building up your arsenal and keep querying others. You are the guy with the watches - they are yours to sell and it's your prerogative to keep moving forward. If someone is nice to you and encouraging, that's terrific too. But you want the guy with the cash.

If you enjoyed this post, follow me on Twitter or subscribe via RSS.

What else have you got? Those are the five words that come just after - I loved your script.

The Wave-inatrix has toyed with moving into management many times; it's something I do for a select group of clients on an informal basis anyway. The jury is out but in even considering such a thing, I have an insight into how a manager might choose to represent a client. I'm not going to earn a living unless my client does. No sale, no option, no assignment work for you - no rent, no car payment, no vacation for me. So in deciding whether to rep a writer, a manager is looking at not only whether this writer has a salable script now but whether this writer has other salable material on deck as well. Does the writer have legs, in other words? Or is this a one trick pony? Because if a writer appears to be a one trick pony, then that writer is probably not worth the time to manage and develop his or her career. Managers essentially work on commission. So if a writer has ONE great script, that's terrific but it's going to take hours and weeks and potentially months to get that script sold - IF the manager can make that sale happen and there's still an element of luck to that. Connections, great writing, great writers, material that is appealing to buyers - a lot of stars have to align.

So to make it work, a manager needs several clients and those clients need to be producing a fair amount of salable work. See how that math works? So a manager thinking over whether to represent you is going to need to not only be impressed by your initial script, but they need to know: what else have you got? Is this good script a one off or is your writing consistently good? Are you writing salable concepts? How much time do you put into your writing? How easy are you to work with? Will this writer call frantically everyday for updates? Is this writer going to do a JD Salinger and just disappear? Why should a manager put his or her heart, soul and the majority of their work week into getting your work out there if a payday is not imminent?

So - what else have you got? If you're shopping a romantic comedy, do you have another one written I can also read? Do you have two others that you are outlining? Do you have a list of ideas you are developing? Why would you make a good investment for a manager?

It's not personal - it's a time-to-income ratio we're talking about. Put yourself in the shoes of a rep; it's a very speculative business, right? Your manager doesn't earn until you earn. And shopping you and your material is front loaded and time consuming. So either you've got a script that is so GREAT that I feel very confident I can sell it and then we can buy some time while you get it together with some new ideas, or you have a selection of scripts, and I can see that you're in it for the long haul with consistent, salable talent.

So look at your arsenal and ask yourself - would YOU work for free for YOU hoping that maybe just maybe you will earn money? What would you see need to see on the table to make you feel pretty good about investing in you as a writer? A great personality isn't enough. Great ideas that you spout out but have not written down or tested is not enough. Some script that you're on page five of is not enough.

Personally - I would not rep a writer, or even consider it unless that writer had at least two scripts that I LOVED, another one he or she was working on right now and several really great ideas in various stages of development. I cannot speak for all managers - I'm not a manager myself, to be clear, but in even considering the idea, I can see the huge risk involved. Who can afford to work for free without a pretty strong indication of money down the line?

So - what else have you got?

If you enjoyed this post, follow me on Twitter or subscribe via RSS.