Silent Pass

Lack of response...

I hate to say it, but you really need a thicker skin about all this. If this minor stumbling block is getting you down, you’ll be suicidal if you get lucky enough to start selling/optioning your material, cuz trust me, things get even crazier once you really get into the thick of it.

You can’t pin all your hopes on this one prodco. Based on their lack of response, I have to ask: Are they even a legit company that has actually made a movie? In any case, you’ve e-mailed them and they’re not responding. Take that as a pass on your material. Maybe they’ll get back to you at some point, but in the meantime you gotta move forward. Onward and upward.

Good luck!

Hobbledehoy said:

I've been e-mailing this prod co and asking them about the status of my screenplay , but to no avail. Last time I e-mailed, I received no response. I just e-mailed again and we'll see if they respond. The only response I got was about two months back when they said they had not made a decision yet.

But I was so excited when I sent them my screenplay and it is sorely depressing that they won't even tell me no. It's been nearly seven months now. This is a bad first experience and I'll try not to let it get me down. It's just so amazing to imagine how much your life could change if you somehow could get a yes, you know? Though I still try to be a realist, but I at least would like some closure.

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I recently read "Good in a Room" by Stephanie Palmer (which I actually think was based on a recommendation from somewhere here, whom I'd credit if I could remember who suggested it).

One of the really smart things that she said in this book is that a lot of people get hung up in dealing with potential buyers because they want respect and they get annoyed and frustrated and angry because they feel that the people they're trying to sell to aren't respecting them (she points out that this is especially true for writers).

And she makes the point -- your purpose -- whether it's submitting a script or taking a meeting or networking or pitching or closing -- isn't to get respect.

It's to achieve success.

In terms of submissions, you can pretty much count of the majority of them being passes. It's a volume game. Most successes will be preceded by a large number of passes. So the way you have to look at it is that the more submissions you make -- the greater your chances are of achieving success. If someone provides you with a pass but with some sort of feedback -- great. Additional information. That puts you further along the way toward success.

But even if you never hear back -- it's still another submission. It's still a volume game. It's still another step toward ultimate success.

Unless you get hung up on the whole "respect" thing and start getting bothered that this person or this company hasn't "respected you" by replying to you about your script.

Who cares? You aren't on a quest for respect. You are on quest for success. That quest is not advanced by pursuing a more emotionally satisfying rejection.

Don't get sidetracked on your main road -- the road toward getting your script read, getting the right person interested in it and you, getting it sold.

Is getting "closure" at this place going to help you achieve that? Is this place that's ignored your script for seven months going to help you achieve that? If not -- forget about them.

NMS

I disagree with nms on respect a little, but in a different way.

The thing is, you don't want to be chasing after them, you want them to chase after you. Because if you beg and bother and they eventually listen, they won't respect you. If you want them to respect you and your opinion, that you can't look so desperate. The desperation is a turn off, and will cause them to respect you and your work less.

You need to function as if you are already a professional. Always act professionally. If you already sold 3 screenplays how would you act toward this company? That's how you should act, because it's what they want to see. Because when hiring people they are looking not only for talent, but also for people they can work with. If they think doing re-writes with you is going to be a pain, then they'll just find another writer.

They'll contact you if they want to. Any additional emails you send will just be read and giggled at by assistants. It will not cause anyone who hasn't read your screenplay to read it.

If you are really set on this prod co, then maybe try submitting to agents. Then your agent can submit it and it'll have a much better chance. Certainly a better chance of getting responded to.

Good luck!

i've never had much faith in the email process. it's too easy to do nothing which is just what happened to you. i don't do a lot of marketing... yet. but in the past i've always used to phone to check the status of my script. it works because they have to answer the phone and they're usually very polite about these calls.

call - be direct with you name and why you're calling... the status of your script submission. they'll either tell you they're still reading it or they passed on it. if they're still reading ask them the best time to call back. if they passed on it then ask them why. they will tell you why because the notes will be on your script.

7 months is a long time though so i wouldn't put much faith in that company. keep submitting and also do what you can to make 100% sure your stuff is ready to submit. most people query way too early.

Seven months? Forget it. Odds are good that person who requested and read your script is long gone. They've seen a hundred query letters and a dozen scripts a day since then. Here's how it works:

1. Mail script.
2. Forget it.
3. Repeat.

The surprises are when you ever hear anything back at all.