Here's my Blacklist experience: The first feature I ever wrote and submitted got a 7/10 back in 2018. Nothing moved the needle. Submitted a different feature just a couple of weeks ago and got an 8 out of 10. So far, I've had over 25 industry downloads and I've engaged with 3 Managers, having sent them my screenplay. Now, the waiting game. I'm praying for all to win! God bless you all!
@@tishgarcia2833 Thank you so much! So far, it's resulted in several downloads of the screenplay by Industry insiders from the site and I've also engaged with a few Managers, but then the strike. Lbvs! I haven't heard anything back, yet!
@@David-mg1yj Just means it's not His will. His will. Not mine. At any rate, I'm going to be content in every circumstance and will STILL praise and honor God even IF things don't work out according to my plans because, as The Bible says, "In their hearts, humans plan their course, but God establishes their steps." God knows best. 😊
Yes. It is now $100. They raised the price. Also, in addition to $100 per read, you have to host the script there, which is $30 a month, but you don't have to leave it there for more than one month.
Submitted a screenplay to Blklst. One reader gave it a 7. Another gave it a 5. I made the suggested changes, that I agreed with and didn’t help the score at all. It all comes down to someone’s opinion and having it land in the right hands at the right time . And it’s expensive.
And yet, you kinda have to play this game if you want to be read. I know it can be frustrating, but it's like Christian said: baptism by fire. Jump in and keep rowing my friend, a 7 is a good start. Just don't chase those notes I guess. You'll know when something's not quite right with your script.
@@Mrs_Puffington with all the ways an independent writer can publish, honestly, do we need to play this game? Black list is becoming a relic of the past.
@@mattt2277 Probably not. If your goal is to publish a book that is. But if you just can't stop writing these specular scripts and don't live near an industry that could make a movie out of it, I think the black list is still a great opportunity.
I submitted my script to blacklist and was given a 7. The reader noted the scene with the moving train would be expensive to shoot, problem is, my script has no trains. There were several errors made by the reader that I pointed out, so they gave me another reader, but the new reader gave my script a 4. I'm convinced the blacklist process is just another scam... My advice is don't waste your money, find another avenue to get your script read.
Yeah it seems to be pushing one to get repped first and have to pay all these fees to those reps and managers before anyone will take you seriously. Sad really.
Guys. Make writer Friends. Share Scripts. Learn by reading film Scripts that got made and are good. By reading other Scripts you get better! Make friends, read each others work.
My experience: unrepresented writer: gotten about four or five reviews ranging from 5-7; never heard from any industry professionals, but understandably my scores weren’t 8-10. Think your Better off getting coverage from a script service if your scripts not going to be getting at least an 8. Most feedback from black list reviewers is brief and not terribly helpful. I’ve been more of a Proponent of covefly where placing in competitions has a quantifiable effect on your scripts exposure. Same script that was 5-7 on black list is in top14% on coverfly because of placing in Page international. Hope this is helpful to someone out there; keep battling and writing
I agree. I have something from Coverfly placing me in the top 8% AND they let you know exactly how many scripts that includes which is a lot easier and more meaningful to gauge considering they go off contest results where your script, if placing that high, has typically been vetted by multiple contests, multiple rounds of each which = multiple readers.
Does coverfly get films produced? I’m genuinely asking. Cause I know writers with similar complaints as yours about the blacklist but movies get produced every year from the site. I rather get a realistic score and try to improve rather than have a ego boost and the film never gets made.
Good call. Blacklist readers vary greatly in quality. Put a script on, got an 8, same script again- a 4. Result- my average is a 6. Total waste of time and money. Coverfly and comps way better imho
@@davidaston5773 - That's being 'blacklisted', meaning that your reputation is so poor that nobody wants to work with you. A 'Blacklist' is a list of potential items worth looking into. Just like being 'In the black' means your company made a profit, while 'black comedy' is a very dark sense of humor.
@@rickshaw9219 I gotta say, it threw me off the bat too. Even if blacklist has been a positive long before the term blacklisted, I think it's a poor choice for a domain name/place to submit spec/scripts.
I submitted 3 scripts to Blacklist, none of which were ever reviewed. I couldn’t afford to pay the monthly fee of $90.00 and had to delete my account. I wanted to enter into the upcoming Cassian Elwes screenplay fellowship but can’t afford to pay the ongoing monthly fee. I really wish there was genuine opportunities for screenplay writers to get a chance. I stepped away from my nursing career to pursue something I feel so strongly about but As time goes on, I feel disappointed and discouraged. I will continue regardless.
Jamie, I understand as I am on the same path. Sometimes it feels like there's now way to win. I had my scripts there and had to cancel as well. What has worked for me is to get coverage and feedback from my writers' group, wescreenplay, and contests. But of course, then you end up with a REALLY good script and no one else to read it.
I'm studying Blender Grease Pencil animation to make my scripts into cartoons. But my assumption is that, if people avoid reading my scripts, they're not yet up to par. But I keep on trucking. Like Dr. Who and the Shepard's boy.
Jamie, do persevere. Realizing your dreams is ALWAYS worth it. I've adopted as my mantra the following line from the musical Evita: "It's hard to keep momentum when it's you that you are following." I agree why you cancelled your Black List account and I'm glad you did so. I haven't heard many good things about it. You're going to need to spend money to break into this industry. The trick is to spend that money judiciously. Trust your gut and, as Casey Kasem used to say, "Never stop reaching for the stars."
I bought 3 evaluations up front and the first two scored high enough to get on the "top lists" section. Magically the third scored just the right amount to bump me off that top list and they offered me a lesser fee to pay for a 4th evaluation because it was way lower than the first two. It could be a coincidence, but I don't think I'll be going back to the website. It seems like they are carrot danglers.
@@adoublemedia1178 Just some rando giving you his two cents, but did you put the copyright notice anywhere in the script? If so, don't do that any more if you plan to resubmit anywhere. They will look at that as a rank amateur move and they'll pretty much reject your work on sight without ever reading anything. You can copyright your work and it's recommended, yes, but there's no need to show people "Hey, by the way, this is copyright protected". They know that. As soon as you publish it, it's copyright protected (even if you never did so officially). Official copyright only offers you an extra layer of certainty but just know that it's 100% not needed to maintain your copyright. I've spent years doing research on publishing and submitting screenplays and the general consensus seems to be "If you put a copyright notice on your screenplay it will be ignored and they'll move to the next one."
Mixed but I've noticed a steep decline in quality over the years. Leonard seems overly sensitive about criticism and the readers aren't consistent; a 8/10 from one reader can get a 4/10 from another. If I'm paying $100 a pop I want to know it's helping my script and not just dicking me about.
Yeah inconsistent readers can kill a screenplay. It is all so subjective. I was a reader for a British production company once a few years ago and they sent me all these awful scripts that had placed in contests! I thought they were terrible but someone else thought they were great. Then the shoe was on the other foot. I was lucky enough to get two scripts to a major studio through connections with a producer friend and both were killed by the readers. Even though my producer friend, a director who wanted to make the movies, and a few others thought they were fine, the studio readers slammed the door in my face.
Unfortunately the disparity between readers is not a flaw of the platform, the readers or the website. It all comes down to personal taste, and it’s also the reason why a project might get picket up by a studio or network, simply because it ended up in the hands of someone who loved the project and championed it. That same script might have passed through numerous readers who disliked it, and passed on it. A reader might give a script an 8/10 and another script will get 4/10. A different reader might give those same scripts a 4/10 and an 8/10, cause that’s just how they interpreted the material. At the end of the day, it’s not an exact science and it’s not scientific, because it’s all personal interpretations of an art form.
@@albertstock85 this nobody will be honest the fact that this industry is much based on personal taste and I would add political and social views play into personal taste. Black List scripts that are championed fall under a progressive indie socially relevant or the writer fits what Leonard and co want to support which is racially and lgbtq diverse.
@@NA86737 literally all of hollywood is beholden to the modern milleu of progressive politics. did you watch the oscars? even the people who aren't in lockstep with such sentiments would be too afraid to speak against it, unless they're firmly established (and even then, people routinely finding themselves stepping in poo). It's not just the blcklist. If you're concerned about adherence to progressive politics/social issues, you're better off finding an entirely different industry.
@@baphometic8767 there is a difference between the liberalism and the progressivism. The liberals in the industry will support works by Peter Berg and Taylor Sheridan that still are entertainment while having a message while the Black list supports message over entertainment.
Seems like a money grab. What's stopping them from just giving sevens to everyone? Amazon used to do this for free, before bezos went full dr evil. Wouldn't it be great if there was a production company that just took TV concepts, and funded pilot episodes. Film them, all professional, and put it up to stream as a proof of concept? Let the viewers pick which ones they want to see more episodes of
They used to do this in British TV back in the 70s. Took a well known star and shot four or five 30 minutes pilots, aired them all on BBC or ITV, and then the ones that did the best and got the best response from the audience went to full series, which in British TV meant 6 episodes back then. The one example I can think of is Ronnie Barker from Two Ronnies fame. He did a bunch of pilots and the best one was picked to become the prison comedy series called Porridge. Awesome show that lasted four seasons and got a TV movie.
@@Brometheus426 I'd argue the collapse of GOT was multi variant. Dumb and dumber were not good writers, and let their egos get ahead of themselves. Just two of the reasons, imho
Yeah. My thought when he stated the cost, right after saying "any one can join". A monthly membership fee, or vetting is understandable. But 30 a month, and 70 bucks every time some one critiques your script? That is gate keeping, disguised as an open community. However I do understand that a professionals time, and quality feedback, has value. Also the cost can help weed out true riff raff on many variety. Ponying up the cost means your are serious.
It all boils down to this: don’t give a penny to these scammers. Screenplay competitions are scams. Plain and simple. No one should PAY anyone to read your script. Actors don’t pay to audition (JRP was a huge scam and still is). If a producer finds your logline interesting he/she will read it free of charge because he/she would possibly profit off a movie based on it. But paying ISA, AFF, Script Pipeline and all these competitions is messed up. Making money off people’s dreams. Shame on them.
I've wasted thousands of dollars on the Blacklist. I would recommend only if you want feedback on your first draft. It's too opinionated. I literally got four 7's the first three submissions for the same screenplay, one was nearly an 8. The last submission I got a 5. How do you go from 7's and nearly a 8 to a 5.
screenplays are very subjected. also it's a who knows you to give you a higher score. I sometimes wish that our field was like a sport where we can just show our skills with no fan bias.
Black List Evaluation: Premise 3 Plot 3 Character 3 Dialogue 3 Setting 5 Overall 4 Logline: After an instrument gets stolen that holds extreme sentimental value, a famous musician struggles to get it back as he battles a police force that is out to get him, con artists in their 80’s and a ticking clock counting down to his next concert. Era: Present day Locations: Albuquerque, New Mexico Budget: High Genre: Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense Pages: 144 Title: My Cello Is Missing The strengths and weaknesses were helpful. I paid just for the evaluation and did not leave the script on the sight. Scores to low. This is a “rough draft” and not a “first draft.”
My humble advice, and I don't mean to disrespect (as I am a new screenwriter as well), is to start with Drama, first. As much as I, too, would like to write Sci-Fi/Action/Adventure right off the bat, you have to keep your expectations low, specially in the beginning. Besides, most famous writers and directors started with Drama, first. Not with Action/Adventure right away. Keep your script handy, though. Don't trash it. Another advice: don't pay to get your script read. Copyright it, and signup to a community like ScriptRevolution or WriteToReel, where you can talk and share your works with other fellow screenwriters.
Page count is deemed way too high. Also big productions in the view of studio (telecom conglomerates, now) aren't "bankable" unless from a verifiable (hit) IP. This info came from 3 competition judges in my spring/summer Page & Script Pipeline submission of one of my 3rd draft scripts. Just sayin', 85-105 pgs max is advised😎
After submitting to competitions and nevery hearing back or sharing it with reps and having a company say that say "Love it, just already have something similar in the development"...it's so nice to get feedback. Sometimes you can feel that they person didn't read it that deeply but that's okay because that's coverage (I used to do coverage earlier in my career and it is such a difficult job to distill it down). But to get honest feedback and then get back in the kitchen to keep cooking is amazing.
Not everyone goes to see a single movie even the most popular ones. If you get negative feedback and are able to incorporate it into the script you might be able to widen your audience and make the script more sellable.
That would depend on the critique being offered. If they're suggesting downsizing a particular scene or element because it would be "too costly to film" or "not practical" then yeah, do the work. If they're saying things like "Not diverse enough" or "Add more 'color'" then ignore it because they're trying to woke up your script. Stick to your guns as much as possible.
I tried it too. It’s okay but I received much more in depth feedback from readers at contests. Maybe use contest readers first then rewrite it and post it on the blacklist.
You need to be careful with stuff like that though, because some submission sites state rather clearly that your work submitted cannot have been submitted elsewhere past or present or it will be disqualified. Not sure if the Blacklist has that, but I know of a couple contests that have that provision. You can't have submitted it elsewhere before submitting it there.
I didn’t know if they were legit or not after my experience. I responded to an email and was directed to purchase the book, Story. Only after I’d purchased it through them, would I be granted access to speak to someone who could help with my script. It seemed off.
I uploaded a script a week ago and paid $30 to have it go active and still no one has read my script or downloaded it. I am now wondering if anyone will ever read it. I am thinking about paying the $100 for a paid evaluation but will wait a bit more before deciding.
It’s been mostly expensive. Making suggested changes doesn’t matter if the revision lands in the hands of a reader who just isn’t feeling it. Coverage, no matter where it comes from, is subjective.
To start with, there is no mention of getting your script Copy Written before submission, even if good or bad. No producer or production company wants to be sued for plagiarism. Next, Readers are writers, and they are always looking for ideas to incorporate in their scripts, so keep that in mind, so maybe it's better to circulate your script among just people who are willing to read it, sort of like a general audience. Last, you wouldn't send a "slasher script" to Disney as a possible kid's cartoon show, so up your odds by getting to those who do. All criticism is subjective, but if you keep hearing the same thing from most, you might want to take a good look at it.
First thing I thought of was that it sounds like a great way for someone to steal your original idea. I can only imagine the amount of hacks trolling the site for ideas under the guise that they are “evaluators.”
More than likely that's what's going on. When I lived & worked in LA my roommate was a "wannabe screenwriter and ran an ad in the trades saying he was a producer looking for scripts. He only rand the ad once and got close to 25-scripts, which he went through hoping to find something he could use. By the way, all of them were pretty poor (in my opinion). He never ran the ad again. I worked for a short time as a reader for a small production company, where everything I wrote coverage on, there was my female counterpart doing the same.
I thought he was going to talk about either a list to banish writers (the usual meaning of "blacklist"), or a list of black writers to be pulled up to high society with sold scripts and big earnings The anticlimax was so underwhelming, I'm going to change the channel 😆😆😆
The Blacklist is a famous hollywood element - it refers to a list that used to be compiled every year of the best scripts that didn't get purchased. In other words, it's a thing that already exists, and has for decades. You didn't have to guess at its meaning.
One thing that the blacklist could do to improve, in my opinion, is allow you to remove any negative reviews and only keep your good ones. Now this might initially seem silly, but from my experience, any negative reviews I’ve received have been from people who just clearly didn’t vibe with the theme or the topics I was writing about. It wasn’t because I hadn’t written it properly, or effectively conveyed the themes, or told the story in an entertaining way with interesting characters, it was purely because they wouldn’t normally like that type of movie, so obviously didn’t enjoy reading it either. By keeping only the good reviews, you’re really just proving that for people who like these types of films, this one is a good one. I feel like this would fix a lot of the issues people have with the site, but I doubt it’ll ever happen
"By keeping only the good reviews, you’re really just proving that for people who like these types of films, this one is a good one." Wouldn't it be better if Blacklist read a summary of the screenplay and gave the script to readers who like that type of film? Then the writer can keep all the reviews.
Don't move the camera when the speaker moves (unless it causes an egregious cropping). When he moves it's for dramatic effect. When you move the camera to keep him centered you take away from his affect by reminding us we're watching an interview. If he moves out of frame slightly that's ok, it's more raw and therefore visceral. When you move the camera I'm only reminded of the format by which his message is being transmitted to myself. I was really absorbed in what he was saying until the camera jerk which was NOT fluid at all... If you're going to pan at least do it slowly Also the nature of his gesture is one of tension. He's moving in that manner to convey urgency to his point. You undermine that tension by moving the camera. Just hold it still next time, let him express the gesture then return to his normal positioning. If he returns to a slightly off position then do a minor correction. All you did was break my focus, remind me this isn't a real conversation I'm having and undermine his gesture and it's meaning. Also by the time you got the camera back into focus, he was already back in his original position. Dont move the camera. Stay focused and wait it out. Great interview otherwise, honest massage with good advice. Thanks!
backlist (paid service) has some of the worst, if not the worst, 'readers/evaluators.' people on average get a 7-8 and then a 2-4 on their scripts. and usually repeated on next the submissions. so many (including industry players who have no ties to such competitions/paid services) have complained this built-in inconsistency is a scam and hustle to get people to keep paying, etc., which in turn just degrades the whole landscape for creators/honest talent and the industry itself. their service cannot be said to be any more valuable or resourceful or meaningful than the other so-called top or even low-tier scriptwriting competitions. nicholl's evaluation process is also quite ridiculous, with their 'expert readers' giving wildly opposing or conflicting (and wholly confusing) notes on any given script (current competition's or subsequent submission's feedback notes), not to mention the notes frequently clue you in on how amateurish or calculating the evaluators are and their unnatural tendency to reward/opt for dramas with inconsequential themes/content (even with sloppy writing) over those with more important ones or with taboo or really rarely-seen subject matter (despite the better writing). but blacklist could be even worse. (which makes me think their annual blacklist list is also suspect - and having read some of those listed scripts, i am not wrong. they range from plain awful to seriously gimmicky. same with many of the nicholl's winners and semi-finalists. nicholl could have maybe one really really good quality script but only out of fifty thousand entries for say, ten years. blacklist, not even that lucky. and the scripts they cull to get made, they are not even worth 1.99 bucks at the dvd sale bin. it's that bad, folks, let's not be coy about the reality of it all. if the scripts are all garbage, man, the readers are not that better.) naturally, there is a degree of subjectivity with readers/evaluators.... but come on. (it's interesting to note that while so many do experience the above, their same work gets more consistent evalatuations from overseas industry experts/resources.)
My problem with all this is that we have all seen movies where the script was obviously garbage. Most movies have garbage scripts, hell there are some GREAT movies that if you know what you are looking for ..were obviously garbage on paper. How good your script is really only determines how close you will get to an oscar. Quality doesnt determine wether you will make it to production or not. In every corner of the entertainment industry music, tv, film etc there is a second industry designed to get money from those trying to get in. And blacklist is the film equivalent of the many "get your music heard" services that musicians are spammed with daily. The only realistic way to look at it in my opinion is that there are only so many people with access to 15 mill to throw at a movie at any given time, and its all bout getting that idea to that person the minute they have decided to throw 15 mill at an idea similar to yours. Your idea could be GREAT but if its a drama and they want to blow 50 mill at a horror that week. It goes in the box never to be seen again. Either you meet that person the minute they are ready to meet you, or you dont. We are all writing 120 page lottery tickets. Thats all there really is to it.
It's hard to evaluate the feedback when the reader is unknown. The feedback I got was not useful in helping me improve my script. I felt that I could have gotten similar feedback for free on a writing website. I remain curious as to whether readers are assigned based on favored genres. This was several years ago - I have not returned to the website as it feels like a shot in the dark.
If you guys are going submit your scripts to the blacklist or script contests, make sure your scripts are very good or great before sending them out. So you guys don’t waste any money. The reason way they charge because they are so many bad scripts. They are taking advantage of them. Don’t be the 90 percent of scripts out that are bad.
It's not a bad idea as an official copyright will carry a mark and a degree more of actual protection, but truth of the matter is that the moment you publish your work it's copyright protected as your work. Don't be fooled that you have no copyright unless it's done formally. That is a 100% inaccuracy. Even the copyright office/WGA would tell you same. It pays to spend the money for the formality, but it is 100% not "needed" to protect your work. Formal copyright only helps you through the court system a little quicker if needed, that's about it.
I just had a very negative experience with the Blklst. I paid for an evaluation and got very negative evaluation scores. To a certain extent this is fair enough. But the written comments were extremely flattering and the scores were so low as to be outside of the realm of possibility. Also this script has gotten other paid evaluations and all of those have been within a normal range. Again, the scores my script received were so ridiculously low that they made zero sense and were not reconcilable with the evaluators own comments. The saving grace is that I can take the script off the site. Which I would have done even if the scores were doubled. But the, random, weird nature of the scores leaves me a little skeptical. K
Before you send it to anyone. You own the copyright as soon as the work is finished. You register with LoC (Library of Congress) to provide proof in court, if it ever comes to that.
@@rickshaw9219 fasho, i agree, and thank you. but the only problem with that is with getting feedback and doing another draft to fix things you didn’t see. which was another point of something like blcklist discussed in the video so i guess another question is how far do copyrights extend to future revised editions?
@@terrywitzu7874 I don't believe Canada has an equivalent of the LoC (unless you account for LAC as the equivalent). Just a simple copyright office (CIPO).
The key to being a successful screen writer is get out your wallet. Seriously though you could argue that if your writing is at a certain stage this would be a worthwhile investment. People would easily spend £100 on garbage. Certainly sorts out the serious from the tire kickers
When a reader, usually someone working for the development arm of a studio, rates and analyses a script. They will typically write a report summarising the plot of the script, its strengths, weaknesses and commercial viability, along with a recommendation to acquire - or not - the script. (Usually not.) You can also buy coverage from readers not working for a studio, the Blacklist being one example of this.
Coverage is essential. Basically, if a script somehow ends up on a Hollywood producers desk…it actually doesn’t. Producers are pretty much too busy to read all scripts they get sent. It’ll actually be read by a ‘lower ranking’ member of the team who will then write an summary appraisal of the piece. This is coverage. It’s intention is to be informative. It’s not meant to be entertaining (like the initial pitching documents, whether that’s the query or the one-sheet, and the synopsis submitted by the writer). All those pieces plus the script are intended not primarily for an audience to enjoy, but for THIS reader reading you work. They are the gatekeeper. They write to inform the producer. They read what you’ve sent then writer their coverage which is basically a summary of the story, characters and importantly the tone and possible audience (which should be clear from the writer). They then tell the producer in their coverage whether this is something they ought to pick up. Scripts can be produced (and often are) without the producers ever having read them, just based on the coverage writers cliffnotes and recommendation. The Blacklist offers essentially paid coverage for no particular production company. So you could get a fair bit of coverage BUT it doesn’t mean the production company will always hold it in the same regard as the in-house person doing their coverage. So it’s got pros and cons. If you want to know all this and get series about screenwriting I totally recommend The Screenwriters Bible. And Save the Cat is always good
My screenplay would be their only highest rating beyond 100. I’m Walter White in this Writing Game. But of course, the price... the program preys on the rich to make them rich.
How to "break in" anywhere is pretty simple. 1. Be really good. 2. Have something really good ready to show (and more than just one project). The videos are about how to improve craft or mindset to help with 1 and 2.
Here's my Blacklist experience: The first feature I ever wrote and submitted got a 7/10 back in 2018. Nothing moved the needle. Submitted a different feature just a couple of weeks ago and got an 8 out of 10. So far, I've had over 25 industry downloads and I've engaged with 3 Managers, having sent them my screenplay. Now, the waiting game. I'm praying for all to win! God bless you all!
Congrats to you Robert! Let us know how it goes. Im genuinely curious.
@@tishgarcia2833 Thank you so much! So far, it's resulted in several downloads of the screenplay by Industry insiders from the site and I've also engaged with a few Managers, but then the strike. Lbvs! I haven't heard anything back, yet!
I know this was a while ago. Any word on your progress?
If you don't win, does that mean that prayer doesn't work, or there isn't actually a God? Just curious.
@@David-mg1yj Just means it's not His will. His will. Not mine. At any rate, I'm going to be content in every circumstance and will STILL praise and honor God even IF things don't work out according to my plans because, as The Bible says, "In their hearts, humans plan their course, but God establishes their steps." God knows best. 😊
I just checked The Black List and the fee for a paid evaluation is $100 USD, not $75.
Yes. It is now $100. They raised the price. Also, in addition to $100 per read, you have to host the script there, which is $30 a month, but you don't have to leave it there for more than one month.
Submitted a screenplay to Blklst. One reader gave it a 7. Another gave it a 5.
I made the suggested changes, that I agreed with and didn’t help the score at all.
It all comes down to someone’s opinion and having it land in the right hands at the right time . And it’s expensive.
And yet, you kinda have to play this game if you want to be read. I know it can be frustrating, but it's like Christian said: baptism by fire. Jump in and keep rowing my friend, a 7 is a good start. Just don't chase those notes I guess. You'll know when something's not quite right with your script.
@@Mrs_Puffington with all the ways an independent writer can publish, honestly, do we need to play this game? Black list is becoming a relic of the past.
@@mattt2277 Probably not. If your goal is to publish a book that is. But if you just can't stop writing these specular scripts and don't live near an industry that could make a movie out of it, I think the black list is still a great opportunity.
a writer who writes for himself is a writer with an audience of one. don't ignore the crticisms you don't like.
Another site making shitloads out of people's hope.
There is no justification for fees of that value.
“You neeeeeeed to get negative feedback at some point!” Someone is not going to like what you write somewhere. What you need to know is WHY?”
Anyone can criticize: helpful people offer CONSTRUCTIVE criticism.
Their readers are ignorant about what producers actually are looking for. They're theorists. Save some $ and read Save the Cat yourself.
I submitted my script to blacklist and was given a 7. The reader noted the scene with the moving train would be expensive to shoot, problem is, my script has no trains. There were several errors made by the reader that I pointed out, so they gave me another reader, but the new reader gave my script a 4. I'm convinced the blacklist process is just another scam... My advice is don't waste your money, find another avenue to get your script read.
hilarious. Yeah submitting anything online is a bad idea LOL
The Black List is so expensive that it's effectively a class-gate to being discovered.
Yeah it seems to be pushing one to get repped first and have to pay all these fees to those reps and managers before anyone will take you seriously. Sad really.
True, but life is all about calulated risks, plus like the comment below says it shows people you're "serious" enough to invest in yourself.
Guys. Make writer Friends. Share Scripts. Learn by reading film Scripts that got made and are good. By reading other Scripts you get better! Make friends, read each others work.
My experience: unrepresented writer: gotten about four or five reviews ranging from 5-7; never heard from any industry professionals, but understandably my scores weren’t 8-10. Think your Better off getting coverage from a script service if your scripts not going to be getting at least an 8. Most feedback from black list reviewers is brief and not terribly helpful. I’ve been more of a Proponent of covefly where placing in competitions has a quantifiable effect on your scripts exposure. Same script that was 5-7 on black list is in top14% on coverfly because of placing in Page international. Hope this is helpful to someone out there; keep battling and writing
I agree. I have something from Coverfly placing me in the top 8% AND they let you know exactly how many scripts that includes which is a lot easier and more meaningful to gauge considering they go off contest results where your script, if placing that high, has typically been vetted by multiple contests, multiple rounds of each which = multiple readers.
Does coverfly get films produced? I’m genuinely asking. Cause I know writers with similar complaints as yours about the blacklist but movies get produced every year from the site.
I rather get a realistic score and try to improve rather than have a ego boost and the film never gets made.
Good call. Blacklist readers vary greatly in quality. Put a script on, got an 8, same script again- a 4.
Result- my average is a 6.
Total waste of time and money. Coverfly and comps way better imho
Wish I could afford to be on it, but sadly that pricing is not realistic for people from/within a poorer background.
The program is for the rich to make the program rich.
So what you're saying Jon....is that you're poor?!?
@@davidaston5773 - That's being 'blacklisted', meaning that your reputation is so poor that nobody wants to work with you. A 'Blacklist' is a list of potential items worth looking into. Just like being 'In the black' means your company made a profit, while 'black comedy' is a very dark sense of humor.
@@rickshaw9219 Ah fuck it my ego says I'm right so there 😂🤳
@@rickshaw9219 I gotta say, it threw me off the bat too. Even if blacklist has been a positive long before the term blacklisted, I think it's a poor choice for a domain name/place to submit spec/scripts.
I submitted 3 scripts to Blacklist, none of which were ever reviewed. I couldn’t afford to pay the monthly fee of $90.00 and had to delete my account. I wanted to enter into the upcoming Cassian Elwes screenplay fellowship but can’t afford to pay the ongoing monthly fee. I really wish there was genuine opportunities for screenplay writers to get a chance. I stepped away from my nursing career to pursue something I feel so strongly about but As time goes on, I feel disappointed and discouraged. I will continue regardless.
Jamie, I understand as I am on the same path. Sometimes it feels like there's now way to win. I had my scripts there and had to cancel as well. What has worked for me is to get coverage and feedback from my writers' group, wescreenplay, and contests. But of course, then you end up with a REALLY good script and no one else to read it.
I'm studying Blender Grease Pencil animation to make my scripts into cartoons.
But my assumption is that, if people avoid reading my scripts, they're not yet up to par.
But I keep on trucking. Like Dr. Who and the Shepard's boy.
Jamie, do persevere. Realizing your dreams is ALWAYS worth it. I've adopted as my mantra the following line from the musical Evita: "It's hard to keep momentum when it's you that you are following." I agree why you cancelled your Black List account and I'm glad you did so. I haven't heard many good things about it. You're going to need to spend money to break into this industry. The trick is to spend that money judiciously. Trust your gut and, as Casey Kasem used to say, "Never stop reaching for the stars."
Keep it simple. Ask God to help you and keep writing. A door will open trust me.
Try the Nicholls Fellowship.
I bought 3 evaluations up front and the first two scored high enough to get on the "top lists" section. Magically the third scored just the right amount to bump me off that top list and they offered me a lesser fee to pay for a 4th evaluation because it was way lower than the first two. It could be a coincidence, but I don't think I'll be going back to the website. It seems like they are carrot danglers.
Exactly! I have not heard too many good things about the Black List.
Did you copyright your work before? Maybe a stupid question but I‘m from a different country and copyright laws are sooo different over here.
@@cadenadelreino1442 yes I always copyright
@@adoublemedia1178 Thank you ✌🏻
@@adoublemedia1178 Just some rando giving you his two cents, but did you put the copyright notice anywhere in the script? If so, don't do that any more if you plan to resubmit anywhere. They will look at that as a rank amateur move and they'll pretty much reject your work on sight without ever reading anything. You can copyright your work and it's recommended, yes, but there's no need to show people "Hey, by the way, this is copyright protected". They know that. As soon as you publish it, it's copyright protected (even if you never did so officially). Official copyright only offers you an extra layer of certainty but just know that it's 100% not needed to maintain your copyright.
I've spent years doing research on publishing and submitting screenplays and the general consensus seems to be "If you put a copyright notice on your screenplay it will be ignored and they'll move to the next one."
Mixed but I've noticed a steep decline in quality over the years. Leonard seems overly sensitive about criticism and the readers aren't consistent; a 8/10 from one reader can get a 4/10 from another. If I'm paying $100 a pop I want to know it's helping my script and not just dicking me about.
Yeah inconsistent readers can kill a screenplay. It is all so subjective. I was a reader for a British production company once a few years ago and they sent me all these awful scripts that had placed in contests! I thought they were terrible but someone else thought they were great. Then the shoe was on the other foot. I was lucky enough to get two scripts to a major studio through connections with a producer friend and both were killed by the readers. Even though my producer friend, a director who wanted to make the movies, and a few others thought they were fine, the studio readers slammed the door in my face.
Unfortunately the disparity between readers is not a flaw of the platform, the readers or the website.
It all comes down to personal taste, and it’s also the reason why a project might get picket up by a studio or network, simply because it ended up in the hands of someone who loved the project and championed it. That same script might have passed through numerous readers who disliked it, and passed on it.
A reader might give a script an 8/10 and another script will get 4/10. A different reader might give those same scripts a 4/10 and an 8/10, cause that’s just how they interpreted the material.
At the end of the day, it’s not an exact science and it’s not scientific, because it’s all personal interpretations of an art form.
@@albertstock85 this nobody will be honest the fact that this industry is much based on personal taste and I would add political and social views play into personal taste. Black List scripts that are championed fall under a progressive indie socially relevant or the writer fits what Leonard and co want to support which is racially and lgbtq diverse.
@@NA86737 literally all of hollywood is beholden to the modern milleu of progressive politics. did you watch the oscars? even the people who aren't in lockstep with such sentiments would be too afraid to speak against it, unless they're firmly established (and even then, people routinely finding themselves stepping in poo). It's not just the blcklist.
If you're concerned about adherence to progressive politics/social issues, you're better off finding an entirely different industry.
@@baphometic8767 there is a difference between the liberalism and the progressivism. The liberals in the industry will support works by Peter Berg and Taylor Sheridan that still are entertainment while having a message while the Black list supports message over entertainment.
Don't submit your script to the BL until you've received a "CONSIDER" from an industry reader. It'll save you time and money.
Where can you get that from?
How do you go about getting that
@@LilMikester100 Buy an eval from WeScreenplay. It's $79.
Explain more big bro, please!
@@LilMikester100 We screenplay
I briefly joined it but concluded it was another money-making scheme, and not for the screenwriters. No one reads the stuff on there.
On the Blacklist, I got a '6' on my script and it never got read... Onto the next script!
How were rated a 6 and not 'read'? Please elaborate.
@@ewandric the reviewer read the script and gave it a 6. It then sat there never to be read again (by a producer or anybody) for a full month.
@@SomervilleBob so it was read by a reader that it was given to when you submitted for evaluation but it wasn't read by a producer or agent ?
@@Salaarkhan829 Correct.
Seems like a money grab. What's stopping them from just giving sevens to everyone?
Amazon used to do this for free, before bezos went full dr evil.
Wouldn't it be great if there was a production company that just took TV concepts, and funded pilot episodes. Film them, all professional, and put it up to stream as a proof of concept? Let the viewers pick which ones they want to see more episodes of
They used to do this in British TV back in the 70s. Took a well known star and shot four or five 30 minutes pilots, aired them all on BBC or ITV, and then the ones that did the best and got the best response from the audience went to full series, which in British TV meant 6 episodes back then. The one example I can think of is Ronnie Barker from Two Ronnies fame. He did a bunch of pilots and the best one was picked to become the prison comedy series called Porridge. Awesome show that lasted four seasons and got a TV movie.
That’s how tv used to work. There was the yearly “pilot season” when networks would put out their new shows and the ones that got the views were kept
@@hardattackdj I wish we could turn the calendar back to the 90s, sometimes.
When you make a T.V. show about the numbers the art is lost. There's a reason why the 8th season of Game of Thrones tanked.
@@Brometheus426 I'd argue the collapse of GOT was multi variant. Dumb and dumber were not good writers, and let their egos get ahead of themselves. Just two of the reasons, imho
For a group who believes in diversity they don't think about those who can't pay the fees to post. Typical bourgeois gangstas
Yeah. My thought when he stated the cost, right after saying "any one can join". A monthly membership fee, or vetting is understandable. But 30 a month, and 70 bucks every time some one critiques your script? That is gate keeping, disguised as an open community.
However I do understand that a professionals time, and quality feedback, has value. Also the cost can help weed out true riff raff on many variety. Ponying up the cost means your are serious.
@@dirus3142 I can understand paying for coverage but the hosting should be free.
It all boils down to this: don’t give a penny to these scammers. Screenplay competitions are scams. Plain and simple. No one should PAY anyone to read your script. Actors don’t pay to audition (JRP was a huge scam and still is). If a producer finds your logline interesting he/she will read it free of charge because he/she would possibly profit off a movie based on it. But paying ISA, AFF, Script Pipeline and all these competitions is messed up.
Making money off people’s dreams. Shame on them.
I've wasted thousands of dollars on the Blacklist. I would recommend only if you want feedback on your first draft. It's too opinionated. I literally got four 7's the first three submissions for the same screenplay, one was nearly an 8. The last submission I got a 5. How do you go from 7's and nearly a 8 to a 5.
screenplays are very subjected. also it's a who knows you to give you a higher score. I sometimes wish that our field was like a sport where we can just show our skills with no fan bias.
Black List Evaluation:
Premise 3
Plot 3
Character 3
Dialogue 3
Setting 5
Overall 4
Logline: After an instrument gets stolen that holds extreme sentimental value, a famous musician struggles to get it back as he battles a police force that is out to get him, con artists in their 80’s and a ticking clock counting down to his next concert.
Era: Present day
Locations: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Budget: High
Genre: Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense
Pages: 144
Title: My Cello Is Missing
The strengths and weaknesses were helpful. I paid just for the evaluation and did not leave the script on the sight. Scores to low.
This is a “rough draft” and not a “first draft.”
My humble advice, and I don't mean to disrespect (as I am a new screenwriter as well), is to start with Drama, first.
As much as I, too, would like to write Sci-Fi/Action/Adventure right off the bat, you have to keep your expectations low, specially in the beginning. Besides, most famous writers and directors started with Drama, first. Not with Action/Adventure right away.
Keep your script handy, though. Don't trash it.
Another advice: don't pay to get your script read. Copyright it, and signup to a community like ScriptRevolution or WriteToReel, where you can talk and share your works with other fellow screenwriters.
Bro this premise is absolutely terrible.
@@sqirrelboy no it’s not.
@@echoingamy It’s a “rough” idea to turn into a “rough” draft. Thanks for your feedback.
Page count is deemed way too high. Also big productions in the view of studio (telecom conglomerates, now) aren't "bankable" unless from a verifiable (hit) IP. This info came from 3 competition judges in my spring/summer Page & Script Pipeline submission of one of my 3rd draft scripts. Just sayin', 85-105 pgs max is advised😎
Notice how Christian babbles and squirms when asked how he ranks as a writer.
He moves like Ray Charles playing his keys 🎹 lol
He actually mentions Ray Charles and Thelonious Monk in this full interview.
How do you keep your work from being stolen off of Blacklist?
After submitting to competitions and nevery hearing back or sharing it with reps and having a company say that say "Love it, just already have something similar in the development"...it's so nice to get feedback. Sometimes you can feel that they person didn't read it that deeply but that's okay because that's coverage (I used to do coverage earlier in my career and it is such a difficult job to distill it down). But to get honest feedback and then get back in the kitchen to keep cooking is amazing.
Not everyone goes to see a single movie even the most popular ones. If you get negative feedback and are able to incorporate it into the script you might be able to widen your audience and make the script more sellable.
That would depend on the critique being offered. If they're suggesting downsizing a particular scene or element because it would be "too costly to film" or "not practical" then yeah, do the work. If they're saying things like "Not diverse enough" or "Add more 'color'" then ignore it because they're trying to woke up your script. Stick to your guns as much as possible.
I tried it too. It’s okay but I received much more in depth feedback from readers at contests. Maybe use contest readers first then rewrite it and post it on the blacklist.
You need to be careful with stuff like that though, because some submission sites state rather clearly that your work submitted cannot have been submitted elsewhere past or present or it will be disqualified. Not sure if the Blacklist has that, but I know of a couple contests that have that provision. You can't have submitted it elsewhere before submitting it there.
Some of these comments are just pure comedy.
Submitting anything online is never a good idea.
we live in 2020s no it's not lol
This was a really helpful interview!
Has your experience with 'The Black List' been mostly positive?
I didn’t know if they were legit or not after my experience.
I responded to an email and was directed to purchase the book, Story. Only after I’d purchased it through them, would I be granted access to speak to someone who could help with my script.
It seemed off.
I uploaded a script a week ago and paid $30 to have it go active and still no one has read my script or downloaded it. I am now wondering if anyone will ever read it. I am thinking about paying the $100 for a paid evaluation but will wait a bit more before deciding.
Franklin Leonard is a con artist bourgeois gangsta
It’s been mostly expensive.
Making suggested changes doesn’t matter if the revision lands in the hands of a reader who just isn’t feeling it.
Coverage, no matter where it comes from, is subjective.
No.
To start with, there is no mention of getting your script Copy Written before submission, even if good or bad. No producer or production company wants to be sued for plagiarism. Next, Readers are writers, and they are always looking for ideas to incorporate in their scripts, so keep that in mind, so maybe it's better to circulate your script among just people who are willing to read it, sort of like a general audience. Last, you wouldn't send a "slasher script" to Disney as a possible kid's cartoon show, so up your odds by getting to those who do. All criticism is subjective, but if you keep hearing the same thing from most, you might want to take a good look at it.
First thing I thought of was that it sounds like a great way for someone to steal your original idea.
I can only imagine the amount of hacks trolling the site for ideas under the guise that they are “evaluators.”
More than likely that's what's going on. When I lived & worked in LA my roommate was a "wannabe screenwriter and ran an ad in the trades saying he was a producer looking for scripts. He only rand the ad once and got close to 25-scripts, which he went through hoping to find something he could use. By the way, all of them were pretty poor (in my opinion). He never ran the ad again. I worked for a short time as a reader for a small production company, where everything I wrote coverage on, there was my female counterpart doing the same.
I completely agree with everything that was said here. Great thoughts.
I thought he was going to talk about either a list to banish writers (the usual meaning of "blacklist"),
or a list of black writers to be pulled up to high society with sold scripts and big earnings
The anticlimax was so underwhelming, I'm going to change the channel
😆😆😆
The Blacklist is a famous hollywood element - it refers to a list that used to be compiled every year of the best scripts that didn't get purchased.
In other words, it's a thing that already exists, and has for decades. You didn't have to guess at its meaning.
Austin has significantly gone down in quality
One thing that the blacklist could do to improve, in my opinion, is allow you to remove any negative reviews and only keep your good ones.
Now this might initially seem silly, but from my experience, any negative reviews I’ve received have been from people who just clearly didn’t vibe with the theme or the topics I was writing about. It wasn’t because I hadn’t written it properly, or effectively conveyed the themes, or told the story in an entertaining way with interesting characters, it was purely because they wouldn’t normally like that type of movie, so obviously didn’t enjoy reading it either.
By keeping only the good reviews, you’re really just proving that for people who like these types of films, this one is a good one.
I feel like this would fix a lot of the issues people have with the site, but I doubt it’ll ever happen
"By keeping only the good reviews, you’re really just proving that for people who like these types of films, this one is a good one."
Wouldn't it be better if Blacklist read a summary of the screenplay and gave the script to readers who like that type of film? Then the writer can keep all the reviews.
Don't move the camera when the speaker moves (unless it causes an egregious cropping).
When he moves it's for dramatic effect. When you move the camera to keep him centered you take away from his affect by reminding us we're watching an interview.
If he moves out of frame slightly that's ok, it's more raw and therefore visceral.
When you move the camera I'm only reminded of the format by which his message is being transmitted to myself.
I was really absorbed in what he was saying until the camera jerk which was NOT fluid at all... If you're going to pan at least do it slowly
Also the nature of his gesture is one of tension. He's moving in that manner to convey urgency to his point. You undermine that tension by moving the camera.
Just hold it still next time, let him express the gesture then return to his normal positioning. If he returns to a slightly off position then do a minor correction.
All you did was break my focus, remind me this isn't a real conversation I'm having and undermine his gesture and it's meaning.
Also by the time you got the camera back into focus, he was already back in his original position.
Dont move the camera. Stay focused and wait it out.
Great interview otherwise, honest massage with good advice.
Thanks!
I never noticed any of that lol I think it was fine
backlist (paid service) has some of the worst, if not the worst, 'readers/evaluators.' people on average get a 7-8 and then a 2-4 on their scripts. and usually repeated on next the submissions. so many (including industry players who have no ties to such competitions/paid services) have complained this built-in inconsistency is a scam and hustle to get people to keep paying, etc., which in turn just degrades the whole landscape for creators/honest talent and the industry itself. their service cannot be said to be any more valuable or resourceful or meaningful than the other so-called top or even low-tier scriptwriting competitions. nicholl's evaluation process is also quite ridiculous, with their 'expert readers' giving wildly opposing or conflicting (and wholly confusing) notes on any given script (current competition's or subsequent submission's feedback notes), not to mention the notes frequently clue you in on how amateurish or calculating the evaluators are and their unnatural tendency to reward/opt for dramas with inconsequential themes/content (even with sloppy writing) over those with more important ones or with taboo or really rarely-seen subject matter (despite the better writing). but blacklist could be even worse. (which makes me think their annual blacklist list is also suspect - and having read some of those listed scripts, i am not wrong. they range from plain awful to seriously gimmicky. same with many of the nicholl's winners and semi-finalists. nicholl could have maybe one really really good quality script but only out of fifty thousand entries for say, ten years. blacklist, not even that lucky. and the scripts they cull to get made, they are not even worth 1.99 bucks at the dvd sale bin. it's that bad, folks, let's not be coy about the reality of it all. if the scripts are all garbage, man, the readers are not that better.) naturally, there is a degree of subjectivity with readers/evaluators.... but come on. (it's interesting to note that while so many do experience the above, their same work gets more consistent evalatuations from overseas industry experts/resources.)
You need to go socialize at industry events. Make friends. The online road is a dead end.
My problem with all this is that we have all seen movies where the script was obviously garbage. Most movies have garbage scripts, hell there are some GREAT movies that if you know what you are looking for ..were obviously garbage on paper. How good your script is really only determines how close you will get to an oscar. Quality doesnt determine wether you will make it to production or not. In every corner of the entertainment industry music, tv, film etc there is a second industry designed to get money from those trying to get in. And blacklist is the film equivalent of the many "get your music heard" services that musicians are spammed with daily. The only realistic way to look at it in my opinion is that there are only so many people with access to 15 mill to throw at a movie at any given time, and its all bout getting that idea to that person the minute they have decided to throw 15 mill at an idea similar to yours. Your idea could be GREAT but if its a drama and they want to blow 50 mill at a horror that week. It goes in the box never to be seen again. Either you meet that person the minute they are ready to meet you, or you dont. We are all writing 120 page lottery tickets. Thats all there really is to it.
You're kinda right. If you want to win the lottery you gotta punch your own ticket and make the film yourself that's what I'm trying to do atm
Am I to understand that the scripts will be read without paying for evaluation? Or do you have to pay for the hosting ($30) and evaulation ($100)?
I've never tried Blacklist (and I don't think I'm going to). I'm too afraid of plagiarism.
Register your script with the guild or the copyright office that way it technically can't be plagiarized.
Very informative. More info on the blacklist and fellowships please.
The black list is for bourgeois writers, well off writers, not working-class writers.
It's hard to evaluate the feedback when the reader is unknown. The feedback I got was not useful in helping me improve my script. I felt that I could have gotten similar feedback for free on a writing website. I remain curious as to whether readers are assigned based on favored genres. This was several years ago - I have not returned to the website as it feels like a shot in the dark.
If you guys are going submit your scripts to the blacklist or script contests, make sure your scripts are very good or great before sending them out. So you guys don’t waste any money. The reason way they charge because they are so many bad scripts. They are taking advantage of them. Don’t be the 90 percent of scripts out that are bad.
Need this for novel manuscripts.
Should I get my Scripts copyrighted first? It seems like if it’s out there for everyone to read it could be stolen easily!
Yes, immediately, send to yourself and submit to the Writer's Guild
It's not a bad idea as an official copyright will carry a mark and a degree more of actual protection, but truth of the matter is that the moment you publish your work it's copyright protected as your work. Don't be fooled that you have no copyright unless it's done formally. That is a 100% inaccuracy. Even the copyright office/WGA would tell you same.
It pays to spend the money for the formality, but it is 100% not "needed" to protect your work. Formal copyright only helps you through the court system a little quicker if needed, that's about it.
These Rock!
I just had a very negative experience with the Blklst. I paid for an evaluation and got very negative evaluation scores. To a certain extent this is fair enough. But the written comments were extremely flattering and the scores were so low as to be outside of the realm of possibility.
Also this script has gotten other paid evaluations and all of those have been within a normal range.
Again, the scores my script received were so ridiculously low that they made zero sense and were not reconcilable with the evaluators own comments. The saving grace is that I can take the script off the site. Which I would have done even if the scores were doubled. But the, random, weird nature of the scores leaves me a little skeptical.
K
when should a writer pull the trigger on copyrighting their script?
Before you send it to anyone. You own the copyright as soon as the work is finished. You register with LoC (Library of Congress) to provide proof in court, if it ever comes to that.
@@rickshaw9219 Thank You.
Wait, what's that CAD for Library of Congress?
@@rickshaw9219 fasho, i agree, and thank you. but the only problem with that is with getting feedback and doing another draft to fix things you didn’t see. which was another point of something like blcklist discussed in the video
so i guess another question is how far do copyrights extend to future revised editions?
@@therunawayrascal - LoC registration covers spelling errors and minor corrections. A major rewrite has to be re-registered.
@@terrywitzu7874 I don't believe Canada has an equivalent of the LoC (unless you account for LAC as the equivalent). Just a simple copyright office (CIPO).
The key to being a successful screen writer is get out your wallet. Seriously though you could argue that if your writing is at a certain stage this would be a worthwhile investment. People would easily spend £100 on garbage. Certainly sorts out the serious from the tire kickers
I should get my script copyrighted before I upload it right
Always
Yes at first thought the fees are high, but what that does is it makes people put more thought into their work.
This is an awesome and informative interview. It has 841 views. 800 were from me alone. 😀
Bahahaha
i need someone to tell me my story is good about as much as hank williams needed someone to tell him he had a good song
Exactly, I completely agree with this sentiment here.
What is coverage?
When a reader, usually someone working for the development arm of a studio, rates and analyses a script. They will typically write a report summarising the plot of the script, its strengths, weaknesses and commercial viability, along with a recommendation to acquire - or not - the script. (Usually not.) You can also buy coverage from readers not working for a studio, the Blacklist being one example of this.
Coverage is essential. Basically, if a script somehow ends up on a Hollywood producers desk…it actually doesn’t. Producers are pretty much too busy to read all scripts they get sent. It’ll actually be read by a ‘lower ranking’ member of the team who will then write an summary appraisal of the piece. This is coverage. It’s intention is to be informative. It’s not meant to be entertaining (like the initial pitching documents, whether that’s the query or the one-sheet, and the synopsis submitted by the writer). All those pieces plus the script are intended not primarily for an audience to enjoy, but for THIS reader reading you work. They are the gatekeeper. They write to inform the producer. They read what you’ve sent then writer their coverage which is basically a summary of the story, characters and importantly the tone and possible audience (which should be clear from the writer). They then tell the producer in their coverage whether this is something they ought to pick up. Scripts can be produced (and often are) without the producers ever having read them, just based on the coverage writers cliffnotes and recommendation. The Blacklist offers essentially paid coverage for no particular production company. So you could get a fair bit of coverage BUT it doesn’t mean the production company will always hold it in the same regard as the in-house person doing their coverage. So it’s got pros and cons. If you want to know all this and get series about screenwriting I totally recommend The Screenwriters Bible. And Save the Cat is always good
My screenplay would be their only highest rating beyond 100. I’m Walter White in this Writing Game. But of course, the price... the program preys on the rich to make them rich.
Post a video about how to break into Hollywood
That’s what all of their videos are about..
@@RyanAnthonyDigitalMedia then why they haven't broke into Hollywood yet
@@abdulsameeh_666 cuz not everyone is good enough to have their work sold in Hollywood. Also, who’s “they” you’re referring to?
@@abdulsameeh_666 they literally talk to people who are working in Hollywood (ie people who broke in)
How to "break in" anywhere is pretty simple. 1. Be really good. 2. Have something really good ready to show (and more than just one project).
The videos are about how to improve craft or mindset to help with 1 and 2.