Screenwriting : Finding a manager or agent by Amanda Samaroo

Made. Ahhhhhh

Hi Amanda....those achievements in my opinion, should at least warrant a phone call from an agent. I've said it before, Hollywood seems to be recycling and rebooting materials...in my opinion, because they have created such a "closed door", a wall even, making in almost impossible to get in. Albeit, the reasons may have been good ones in the beginning...Good luck on your endevours...hope you get that phonecall.

It's good that you fared well, although my feelings on the Black List have been made clear here many times. So foremost, good job. I'm wondering if you are just sitting back waiting and expecting managers and agents to find you though? Does scriptapalooza make introductions for semifinalists? I don't know them? Does top 15% Nicholl mean they are putting your work in front of people? I enter the contests here because they guarantee meetings and avoid those that don't do that. I have had high placements in contests, but my reads and meetings with high level people have always been through connections I made over time or that others were willing to make for me on my behalf because they know and vouch for my work. I've made so many connections just by networking here. Last week a fellow member I met on my very first day and who I eventually traded scripts with put one of my screenplays in the hands of a producer with 30 credits to his name. It wouldn't have happened without talking and building a friendship first!

Amanda; the sad truth is that the professional filmmaking industry remains very personal based - that is; you got to know someone or know someone who knows someone. That level of screenwriting achievement certainly places you in the very top tier - way ahead of the pack. But now comes the hard part - selling it. If there's anything I can do, just say the word but what few contacts I still have are out here on the West Coast but I know there are some agents over there on your side of the country. CONGRATULATIONS!

Here is what a writer-friend did: she had about 7 spec scripts at the time, won contest awards, some 8s score on the black list website, called managers on the phone to setup a face to face sit down meeting in Los Angeles, flew out to LA for meetings, flew back home, wrote a new spec months later and emailed script to the same managers and she got signed by one. (She has moved on to another rep). Took her about 15 years while working full time, raising 2 kids alone.

Pick up the phone and call them up.

If you're waiting for an agent to discover your talent, you may have a long wait. You have to look for every opportunity to find folks with any kind of connections interested in reading your script. And, unless you have a script that has some kind of buzz, most agents are not going to be interested in repping you if you're an unproduced writer. You're competing against thousands of writers to get on the Blacklist or Tracking Board radar.

I suggest trying to hook up with producers making indie and low budget films, which can be achieved by attending film festivals and connecting with producers with outfits like Inktip and Virtual Pitchfest. You can pitch agents, producers and production companies at VP for ten bucks a pop, which is a good way to get your feet wet and test your pitch writing ability. You might also want find lists of agents at IMDb and online and start sending out some blind queries. But hoping to get noticed via the big contest is an incredible long shot. One of my friends won Austin Film Festival last year, got a little bit of interest, which one of the biggest talent agencies and nothing happened after a few months. Be relentless at making things happen and try to create a continual pipeline of people reading your work.

A while back manager Lee Stobby sent a tweet he wants to read Nicholls QF scripts. Research his stable of writers and see if he is a good fit for you.

Amanda, you sound like a very talented writer. However, a note of caution. There are many managers and agents who would eighty-six your query instantly if they saw the three or four typos in your brief paragraph above. Always edit anything/everything that could create a negative first impression.

Agreed. Wasn’t able to delete. I hate typos. I did repost without the typos.

Hi Amanda. Another option is to meet a mid-level actor (who is not yet an outsider) and propose that he or she play the lead role. The most recent example is Ari Aster and Toni Collette for their Hereditary debut.

Amanda - why don't you put the first 10 pages up on your profile. Someone in these forums just might read it and someone in here just might be able to get it into someone's hands in the industry. It's a pretty long shot for sure - but it's free and what do you have to lose?

Your IMDb profile says you live in South FL and you are in an MFA program in screenwriting. Can the school career counseling help?

I went to Florida Atlantic University in Boca and they had a fantastic theater arts program. Maybe your school can help?

Were they technically flawless?

That's important.

Not the only importance but was technique a flawless score?

Also can you reduce your work to a clean simple conveyance without clutter.

Read How I Met Your Mother I know its television but it is an awesome example of clean and simple.

Even Nicholl Winners don't get produced much or they didn't used to because of reduction capability I suspect.

However that is only my opinion in the matter.

I've done flawless technique twice with movies but I dislike simply writing anymore.

It's tedious.

I recently wrote a third with flawless technique but not for the public and more to make sure I could still do it and it still took me a couple months with much research beforehand. That's after literally 15,000 hours of doing this stuff. (I'm not a slow learner either).

Good luck Amanda and don't give up.

Sometimes I miss just screenwriting and the never ending journey of learning sometimes forgetting?

Now I'm trying to start something new.

Try the Pitch opportunities here at Stage 32. Another option is the InkTip website for posting your script pitch.

When you send out your queries to Agents do you lead with the awards?

I've used virtualpitchfest in the past and when I was able to list how my script did in competition, I received a good amount of script requests from producers. Agents and Managers, not so much. Maybe that's an option to get your script read?

I've done two consulting calls through stage 32 services here that led to face to face meetings and one Skype follow up as well as an open door to submit more material. I have a 3rd with Julia Glausi from Endgame scheduled within the next week. I also met two producers here over the weekend, one approached me, I approached another, who are now reading the same feature and have another I met here 2 months ago who has promised me a call to discuss a different script this week. No stone can be left unturned!