Screenwriting : Looking for Managers open to new screenplays by Ted Gurich

Hello Guys, What exactly is Stage 32 Happy writers? I'm new to this site and haven't found anything about that yet. Thanks.

1) Make a list of screenplays like yours which recently went out wide... and the managers who rep them. 2) Query them. 3) Keep doing this with new screenplays until someone says yes.

Not for nothing, but 90% of the best managers in the business right now are under 40.

Thanks, guys. Reason I prefer older Manager or Agent is my scripts are written for the over 35 crowd. Not good at Dumb and Dumber or anything with Will Farrell. Just a preference. Will try younger managers and agents but recently I used Some like It Hot as a like project. The young manager had never heard of it. Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. And Dan, you mentioned all the scripts you sent out. How did you even get anyone to agree to read them, let alone send them out? Could you share for everyone's benefit? We'd appreciate it. In your experience what's the best way to make contact...query letters, phone calls, script blasting services? Again, thanks for responding.

Ted, I think your mindset that people under 40 only want Dumb and Dumber and Will Ferrell comedies is horribly Incorrect. that's like me saying everyone over 40 just wants Bridges of Madison County. by the way, Dumb and Dumber is pretty brilliant and made a ton of money. But bigger point is, you look at the Spec Market report card and at least 90% of those managers are under 40.

You got it right, Danny. I loved Dumb and Dummer (can't say the same about Anchorman).. But that's just me. My kids love Will Farrell. It's been my experience though that younger managers, agents, etc. don't seem to be interested in the huge market potential of the over 40 going-to-movies audience. Most of my friends (called the middle aged) have a difficult time finding a movie to go to in the multiplexes. And since 90% of the movies today cater to the younger demographic, my interest lies in the 10%. I realize it's my hangup, but I'm not interested in sitting across from a 25 year old, who rips my script to pieces. I don't have the same problem with someone who has lived life's experiences. I realize this is limiting my options. It's just my preference. Thanks for responding, Danny. And to the rest, thank you so much for taking time to respond.

Thanks, Dan. Appreciate the advise. Will give phone calls a try. Query letters were like spitting in the wind. The next couple of weeks I'll go on a phone campaign. Contest wins will hopefully open doors. I'll post the results here.

Thanks, Dan.

Ted, It sounds like you're a serious writer, which is good. And it sounds like your writing isn't bad, although the only competition you listed that I think most managers/agents would care about is PAGE. If you're querying managers and not getting any read requests, it usually means your query or logline are bad. Simple as that. Reps are almost always looking for new clients/material. If they say they aren't looking, it usually means they didn't respond to your query/logline/material/you and they're being polite. Even an agent/manager with a full roster of clients would take on one more if they thought the writer was brilliant and they truly believed he/she had screenplays that are amazing and marketable. Since your writing seems to have done well, it sounds like the problem may lie with your query and/or logline. Nearly every single manager I've spoken to says they read every query they get - and they get a lot. That being said, they only respond and request a handful of scripts to read. Your query should be VERY short and to the point and your logline has to be really compelling. My advice comes from my own experience and a dozen plus interviews with agents/managers that I've conducted. If you're interested, you can read/listen to them here: http://www.scriptsandscribes.com/agentsmanagers/ So, my suggestion, is tighten up your query and logline, and start submitting to those managers.

Thanks Kevin: When you don't hear anything from hundreds of queries it's like they disappear into a black hole, never to be heard from. The fact that they ARE read does give the new writer some hope. You're saying the KEY is the log line (contest wins not so much). It's good to know. Thanks for taking time out to respond with your experiences.

Definitely sign up for one of Stage 32 The Happy Writers pitches that focuses on managers with your genre in mind. If the scripts are as good as they sound then you will have no problem getting a read. Connect with Joey Tuccio on here and he will point you in the right direction.

@Ted - Yes, the logline is key. Some managers say they will only even read the query if they really like the logline first, so it needs to be very compelling. And regarding competitions, I believe both George Heller (Apostle) and Jake Wagner (Benderspink) mention in those interviews that unless it's the Nicholl or the Black List (not the submission site, the industry voted upon list), it doesn't really matter to them as those are really the only ones that help them sell you to producers and execs. If you want an almost guaranteed read request (at a legit management company), Zero Gravity has a form on their site that you can submit to and I hear they request almost everything. Now, getting a positive response (or any response) and an offer of representation after you send your screenplay over... that's a different story. But maybe you can break your streak of unanswered queries at least. Good luck!

The fabulous Joey Tuccio who posted above me is the guy that hooked me up with my manager. He's is the man! :)

Write a great script. Network. Query. If your script is REALLY great, a manager will find you.