Screenwriting : Job Offers by Elisabeth Meier

Either inundated by applications or they are unprofessional. To be honest, when i apply for any kind of job i never hear back. Just move on. Their loss.

Sometimes it's because they don't want to have to say what people don't want to hear, and sometimes it's because they don't want to close the door.

Well, it's also that some of these offers are open since half a year or longer. One should think they would delete the offer when they have found their crew, I guess Cherie is right. Just move on, their loss - and they are really unprofessional.

I agree with CJ. The business is too small to burn any bridges, and nobody knows who's hot in two years. My experience (not from the job listings here specifically, but in general) is that a producer will prefer to go silent rather than give negative feedback. Then they can at any time pick up the contact and say "Hey, what happened with this? Let's do something together!" :) Frustrating, I know, but I understand their strategy. /e

Agree with CJ Walley – most people cannot handle constructive feedback I personally don’t believe producers or directors turn their noses up at professionally-presented well-crafted stories. If they feel a writer has potential then, as E Badhwar states, they wouldn’t burn a potential bridge, but would at least acknowledge a submission for future possible collaboration. But I think a simple “Thank you for you interest but the vacancy has been filled,” type of response is just basic courtesy.

I think a lot of the reason for no response is just sheer numbers they receive... it would certainly be better and more professional to get a response like Leona has suggested but in my experience this only happens in approx 10% of enquiries... sad but true.

@Lenna Exactly. By this you don't turn bridges, because you reply in a polite way, the writer knows what he needs to know and even more: keeps the producer or director in good memory for being polite which keeps the writer's door open. Should one of the other producers who think they don't turn bridges come back I would think about whether my door is still open for them or not. So, how stupid of them. Their loss.

'turn bridges'? do you mean 'burn bridges'?

lol. sure.

I have filled out job applications for day jobs... and they don't call you back or tell you why they didn't hire you. Why should writing be any different?

@William - I know, but I meant the job offers here on stage32. I thought here in our network people who offers jobs were more serious and smarter, because we all meet will again for one or another project one day.

Look, I don't like it when I don't get any response either and I certainly remember who fails to do so. I also respond to 99.9% of people who reach out to myself and sometimes it's really hard, because some people are crazy. It's normal to be met with indifference throughout the industry, for many of the reasons stated. Cherish those who do take the time to respond.

I will CJ, just thought it was different here.

@ Elizabeth. It's the producer or director who decides whether to open their door to you. If someone isn't interested enough in your writing to even bother to acknowledging you contacting them, then they certainly aren't going to be knocking on your door begging you to give them a chance. When someone doesn't want something, they're not losing anything. A lack of interest doesn't warrant someone being labelled stupid.

Leona: LOL

Elisabeth, I'm not sure what you meant by "just thought it was different here." (???) The "Jobs" section is open for our 400,000+ members to post jobs independently -- like classified ads. These posted jobs are not affiliated with Stage 32. A job poster's individual conduct is their own and not that of Stage 32. As everyone else has already said, the lack of "follow-through" or response is quite typical of not only our industry but of all industries everywhere. :)

That is kinda what I initially heard, Dan. It is not who you know, it is who you know. I don't mind paying some dues and continuing to re write to sell. When I first sat down to write a screenplay in 2010, my friend, who had made a living in Hollywood in the 90's ,told me she wouldn't ever write a spec script again, but would teach me basics. Starting out, "Gimme 10 pages a week minimum, no excuses, no grammatical errors, no cliches " My expectations had to go up a little from there.

Yes, exactly folks. This is right my point. People are rude and disrespectful with the applicants simply by not answering. When someone applied for something I was looking for then I gave a short answer. By this the applicant knows where you stand with him. He won't wait and hope any longer and this is the thing. If he/she then doesn't accept and writes again to ask why and what etc- then I never reply anymore either. You all mentioned that it is rude as if this was normal and a thing to accept. I was asking because I think it is time for a change and not to accept this rude attitude anymore. We all should respect each other. No matter where we come from, how old we are, on which level we are or what ever. I learned to value everyone, especially creative fellows and even if I don't like them and don't want to work with them. RESPECT. @Beth I know the offers are in the responsibility of those who posted them and never blamed stage32 for this. I only thought the fact we all are in this network might be a reason for them to value others and be respectful, because the chances to meet here again are pretty high. @Mary - is your post meant for this question?

Tread very carefully with publically saying that people are rude, unprofessional, and disrespectful. Yes there are a lot of self serving people in this industry. Sometimes there are some real facepalm moments. You reach out to compliment a producer on their project and they hit you back with their crowdfund campaign. You follow an actor on Twitter and rather than follow you back they ask you to follow their fan page on Twitter. You connect with someone on LinkedIn and they immediately hit you with a message telling you to go check out their website. It only gets worse too. In my short experience I've had two directors option scripts and then disappear. I get a ton of lengthy and very friendly written collaboration requests which I reply to with a warm and considered message of thanks but no thanks only to find myself sent to Coventry. I think I've only ever applied to one job posting but it was indeed met with indifference. You kind of get used to it. But you learn to never assume the worst. Because the thing is, people can just suddenly come back out the blue. Sometimes they are massively overwhelmed, sometimes they just have a very slow process. Plus stuff like this happens: http://www.chrisjonesblog.com/2014/04/producers-submit-script.html And this: http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2009/09/i_will_not_read.php

CJ, Oh boy, I see it can be understood as you said, but it was meant more generally, because all comments to my question tell that the business is rude, people are rude, it is their loss if they don't answer and so on. I simply don't want to accept this and if producers may complain about what and how writers and directors send them offers or directors complain etc. Why then not we as screenwriters? I never attached a screenplay, but always waited for their request. So, I did not make this mistake, but if no one answers how will anyone know what mistake he made? See, this is an endless discussion and each side is right as far as I see it, all have good arguments. On the other side, we all have to do a lot and life would be so much nicer and easier if we would treat each other with more respect - and I mean this generally. This initiated posting this question. So, please no one should feel insulted, I never wanted to do that and am sorry, if anyone should feel so. I only speak my mind mostly very openly.

Yes It's indeed a two sided argument. I believe in karma so I totally agree with putting out nice vibes.

I know CJ.

@Elizabeth- yes it was intended for same question and also responding to what Dan had written. Evidently the dues paying involves getting crapped on sometimes.

Thanks for explaining, Mary!