I had to think long and hard before I posted this, but as I got feedback on my scripts from other sources, I decided that I had to say something.
I had a script request along with three other people in the Pitch Tank, which was on April 23rd. Now, I know in this crazy industry of ours, people are busy, and sometimes, it takes a while to hear back.
So, after six weeks, I contacted Stage 32 support, and I was told that they would look into it.
Within those six weeks, I also paid for a five-minute pitch session with an executive for another one of my projects. Again, I waited... and waited.. Nothing. Again, I reached out to Stage 32 support about both situations, and when I did hear back from them, I was told that "If I did not hear back from the script request, they just weren't interested in your project, and that they had reached out to the executive." I have yet to receive the feedback that I paid for in May from the paid pitch session.
Now, last month, I had another script requested from the Pitch Tank, and I have yet to hear anything back from that one. It has been almost a month. This script has been read by others who have said it is ready for studios (An Emmy award-winning producer, and someone who has taken classes here). My concern is why we're sending our scripts and not hearing anything back. In the case where all four were requested, mine may not have been the best, but there was one that was spectacular, and they did not hear anything back either. None of us did.
I had a producer (from the movie The Help) tell me that if they read a script and really wanted it, they would work with the script that you give them (suggestions, ad-libs, rewrites, etc). But if the potential is there, they will want to work with you.
I have had to email more than once regarding my feedback on paid pitches, as I have not received a response to script requests. And that may mean my scripts at the time sucked, but TELL ME THAT! That is what this forum is for, supposedly, correct? The changes I have made to my scripts have come from outside of Stage 32. I do not like that this is happening, and that it has happened multiple times. It is unfair to us as writers to give us a false sense of hope, per se, and I hate that because this platform has taught me a lot in developing my craft, but it has also made me unsure in a lot of ways.
Sounds like two different situations here.
1) If you paid for a session or written feedback that you did not receive, absolutely contact support and get that resolved.
2) If someone found your logline intriguing and requested your script, you send it. If they see potential or want to discuss it, they will. If they don’t like it, they move on to the next. They don’t owe you a rejection letter. They’re not going to give you free coverage. You should move on, too. Keep rewriting to make it better, or start writing your next one.
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2. No, they did not request my script from a log line. As I stated in this post, it was requested in the Pitch Tank 2xs. We’re supposed to receive feedback from there as well.
Being snarky when people have concerns on what is happening is not the way to handle situations, ESPECIALLY when we’ve been told what to expect.
No snark here, just trying to interpret your original post.
If you paid for something you didn’t receive, you’re right to ask for fulfillment or refund.
Yes, I did, and this is how this chain of emails began. I asked for a refund, and was told they reached out to that person, and I still have not heard anything back (despite sending several emails) and this was in May. Also, the other script request came from the the Pitch Tank that Stage 32 provides once a month with an executive. This is where four people pitch a project, and if they like one of more of them, they ask to read the script/s. After they read them, they also offer feedback, maybe something more. Nothing has happened in regards to that either.