Hey everyone, has anyone out there actually had a face to face meeting with a V.P.? I had a response to one of my 900 query letters I sent out for my latest screenplay and it was from the V.P. of creative development for a production company. He had said that it's their policy not to accept unsolicited material but that if I lived in LA he'd like to have coffee with me. Well, I do live in LA and we're supposed to meet next week. What am I to expect? Has this happened to any of you guys before? Since he's asking to meet, is my screenplay no longer unsolicited? Should I have a pitch ready? God, I'm terrible at pitching. Please share your stories and or thoughts with me on the matter. Thanks in advance! Jason Spellman
Screenwriting : Meetings by Jason Spellman
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I've had dozens of meetings with VP's. You should expect conversation; being asked about you, your goals your script and (most important) what other finished scripts you have. And you should have a pitch ready. Writers cannot be "terrible" at pitches. "Unsolicited" means they will not read a script they have not asked to read. So if he asks to read you script then yes, that means in is no longer unsolicited.
900! bloody hell you have been industrious.
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Have a pitch ready and more than one. Treat it like coffee with a good friend who wants to know about you and what you are doing. Also ask them about what the are doing. I am having lunch with a producer in two weeks simply because I wrote a script as a favour for someone she knew. Go for it and good luck.
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I second Geof's advice. You're having coffee. Relax. Be yourself. Be interested in the his career, his life (within reason). Ask open-ended questions, that lead to conversation (can't be answered with "yes" or "no"). Frankly, this isn't going to be the start of your career, but it is likely to start a relationship, which can be far more valuable. It's called a "meet & greet". If you haven't already, do your research. If he's not from an established prodco then it's perfectly reasonable to ask about the company, what they've got on their slate, what they want to make of themselves. There are producers working out of their parents' basements and that's the only office they'll ever have. So you want to assess HIS abilities as well. Seconding D Marcus and Alle's advice, too. Be ready with your story and pitch. He's there to meet you, he's there to do business. When you get to the business, be a businessman not an insecure, needy writer. Good luck. Oh! And don't have too much coffee beforehand!
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D, thanks for answering my follow up questions. I really do appreciate your advice. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks again!
Thanks Geof, Alle and Shelley! Great tips and solid advice. Jason
So how'd it go? (Or was it rescheduled -- so many meetings are!)
Initially when I had contacted his office in June he told me to send him an email the first week after the July 4th holiday to set something up. So, I did. No response for a couple of weeks. I followed up one more time as a reminder. The next day he asked me what my schedule was like for the next week. I said I was available all week and that was the last I heard from him. I didn't want to seem like a pest, so I haven't sent any follow ups to him. It's been a month now. It's rough when people don't get back to you when they say but in my experience with this, it's normal. I'm just trying to stay busy, working on a new screenplay and spending time with my family. Thanks for asking.
Try again after Labor Day. Can't hurt.
Yeah, why not? Thanks James.
Thanks Alle. I'll give it another shot after the holiday.