Screenwriting : Black List Review Concerns by Otis Dixon

That is unacceptable. Did you complain?

If writers receive less than 5 pages as advertised, which is 1,250 words, that’s not a difference of opinion, that’s a service issue.

Here’s my concern:

- To really get noticed on The Black List, you basically need to score an 8. Anything

below that doesn’t surface to industry eyes in the same way.

- That creates a “lottery effect.” Writers keep paying for re-reads, hoping to hit the

magic number — but it feels random depending on who your reader is.

- The business model relies on writers paying over and over, while industry pros browse

for free. That imbalance makes it feel less like mentorship and more like gambling.

- The lack of transparency (no published word counts, no data on complaints, no system for

handling big score discrepancies) only fuels this perception.

I’m not saying nobody benefits — obviously some do. But the structure seems designed so

that only a handful of scripts hit 8, and those become the showcase “success stories” that

keep everyone else buying in.

For the rest of us, it feels like we’re funding the system without much accountability.

Curious if others here feel the same way — do you see The Black List as a genuine

opportunity, or more of a pay-to-play lottery?

I've had the same experience. Emailed them about it and they gave me a brush off. Fully convinced the Blacklist is a scam now. Ever since the pandemic their reader reviews have gone downhill.

Bret, simply report the person that steals your money!!!

My Response to Black List Evaluation after it just informed me that my complaint has been closed:

Thank you for your reply regarding my evaluation concerns. However, I must reiterate that your response does not address the fundamental issue: the service I purchased was not delivered as advertised.

A “five-page evaluation” by any industry standard should equal approximately 250 words per page, or ~1,200–1,300 words.

The evaluation I received contained 699 words, which is fewer than three manuscript pages by that standard.

Other writers have reported receiving even shorter evaluations. This points to a broader pattern of inconsistency and poor quality control.

Your reply framed my complaint as if it were about the content of the notes. It is not. I am disputing the objective shortfall in service delivery. Regardless of whether the reader engaged or not, the evaluation was materially shorter than what was promised when I paid for a “five-page” evaluation.

This is unacceptable. Unless this matter is resolved with either a refund or a replacement evaluation of proper length and depth, I will be pursuing a chargeback with my credit card provider. I also intend to share my experience publicly on major screenwriting forums so that other writers can make informed decisions before spending their money.

I would prefer to resolve this matter directly and amicably, but I cannot accept having paid full price for a product that was never actually delivered.

Sincerely,

Otis Dixon

Update on my refund request from Black List: They got back to me and asked for the location of where it was stated that I would receive a five-page evaluation. This was my response:

Dear Black List Support,

Thank you for your earlier response. For the reasons below, I remain insistent on either a refund or replacement evaluation that meets profession expectations for length and substance. If this matter can not be resolved directly I will be forced to dispute it through my credit card company

Misleading Formatting

My evaluation was delivered as a five-page PDF, but the actual content was only 699 words. By any professional standard, a five-page evaluation should contain approximately 1,200–1,300 words (~250 words per page). Spreading 699 words across five PDF pages creates the impression of more depth than was actually delivered.

Pattern of Inconsistency

Other writers have reported receiving even shorter evaluations, also formatted to appear as five pages. This suggests a systemic practice of artificially inflating page count through formatting, rather than delivering substantive feedback.

Consumer Protection

Regardless of whether the term “five pages” was explicitly stated, the use of a five-page PDF creates a reasonable expectation of length and depth. Delivering half of that undermines the value of the service and constitutes a misrepresentation of what was purchased.

To fellow writers:

I would add this although it was not in my reply

Optics

On most screenwriting forums writers discuss their "five- page reviews." Therefore, the formatting is helpful for marketing but is misleading to current or future BL customers.

The Blacklist is like rolling a dice and it all comes down to how many times you're willing to lay down the $$. Yes, an 8 could help, but there are plenty of examples of writers scoring an 8 that did nothing for them (see Reddit). I also received an AI-generated evaluation (could have been written for ANY script), complained (nicely), which they refuted and dismissed.

The BlackList is not great. They're hardly notes, more like a vague review. Nothing they've ever given me has helped improve my writing or pointed out anything remotely useful for further development. At best, they're a pat on the back. Most of the time, however, they're an expensive barometer. Better options out there for sure

The Black List has now stated it will reimburse my credit card charge. The following, to be clear, will confirm my evaluation was stretched across five page which I can provide.:

Hi Otis,

Thank you for your patience in this matter. The primary issue seems to be one of false expectations. We are open and clear about what to expect from our evaluations. We would also like to note that our evaluations are not formatted in a five-page PDF. If you look at your project's consolidated report (attached for your convenience), it is three pages - a title page and a page-and-a-half of feedback.

All Black List services are provided on a non-refundable basis unless otherwise agreed by Black List in its sole and absolute discretion on a case-by-case basis.

At the Black List, our standard for excellence is extremely high, as our system is designed to create an accurate representation of the film, television, and theater industries' professional expectations. All of our readers have exhaustive industry experience, having worked at least one year as, at minimum, assistants focused on the formats and genres to which they are assigned scripts. Furthermore, their work is monitored constantly in order for us to maintain the standard of excellence that has distinguished the Black List since its inception.

That said, given your profound dissatisfaction with this evaluation, we, in good faith, are willing to offer to remove this evaluation from your script and issue a refund. Although we have moved forward with a refund in this case, we stand by the quality of your original evaluation and do not believe there is any evidence of substandard work. If you would like to proceed with a refund for your hosting, as well, we require your permission to delete your project.

As a matter of correcting your expectations, we would like to note that any future evaluations you may purchase would follow the same format and would be similarly concise.

Best,

Support

Attachment(s)

house-of-elders.pdf

Now I don't seem able to cancel my account so I am not charged $30,00 a month for hostIng. This has been a very negative experience for me.