Thank you all for giving great insight into my last post. I have heard the blacklist is a great place to get your script read by professionals who can give good feedback. However, I also hear that the site is pretty harsh on superhero scripts, which my first script is based upon. Any thoughts from those that have used the site? Thank you again scribes.
Screenwriting : The Blacklist and Superhero scripts by Lamont Tyson
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Interesting... I'm also writing a superhero script, but my best amateur advice would be to always strive to be better than the competition in some way.
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I used the Blacklist once, Lamont Tyson, but I wasn't on there long. I didn't get a chance to use the feedback service. I haven't heard anything about the site being harsh on superhero scripts.
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Hi Lamont, did you know that Stage 32 has industry professionals ready to give you advice on your superhero script? I would recommend Michael F, if you haven't spoken to him yet: https://www.stage32.com/scriptservices/coverage/buy?id=29&exec=1662&genr...
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Lamont, I sent a networking request. Please continue to share what you learn about marketing superhero scripts. I'm new to Stage32 and until your post I hadn't heard about The Blacklist.
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Sam, thank you and i will reach out to him.
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The BlackList was originally a list sent around by Franklin Lenard of the best unproduced screenplays he had read. He would send this list to other readers. Over the years it became something important.
He then made a service. It may have slightly more credibility than others. But I have never heard of a screenplay being purchased after someone read it, or because of a BlackLIst score. I could be wrong. It may work wonderfully. If it does I will put things on it. The point I am making, is don’t use a paid service to judge the worth of your work.
It may give you insights. It may educate you. But if these services worked the way we hoped. Agents would have disappeared.
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Craig, that is a great point and a very sound diagnosis. You are right, the world is still full of many agents.
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I've not heard negative inclinations towards superhero scripts either. Just one thing to mention and, I'm not sure if this will help in any way, but I'm offering it on the off chance that it does. First, be sure your script is in as good a shape that YOU think it can be before you seek any help for hire (feel free to shop your friends/family/co-workers first) but paid for advice (as in the link provided by Sam Mannetti) is extremely helpful. It's not a place to start. B) Once you have that feedback, implement it C) Enter in reputable screenwriting contests D) IF your script is polished and ready to go, and you don't have representation, and you haven't heard much from the script contests, then do a script breakdown structure (google/youtube it). This will take a lot of time, but will yield a rough idea on how much your script will cost to produce. Sometimes, it isn't the story, but rather the budget that kills a screenplay. E.g., CGI costs $$$$ and explosions and green-screen planets and all that jazz. Of course, there's the number of locations, the number of extras, making it wet (raining when it's sunny outside), catching things on fire (meteor that singes a forest), etc. all that = $$$$ So...having an idea how much your screenplay might cost to produce will help keep things in perspective. Example: the 2010 movie, "Super," directed by James Gunn (of Guardians of the Galaxy fame) had a reasonably low budget and still made its superhero point. See if you can tell YOUR story in a unique way that isn't as expensive to produce. This will widen the pool of companies who could work with you on it. Not sure this helps. But best of luck, my good man!
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check this guy...reviews black list entries with potential...see which genres mingle the best...
http://scriptshadow.net/
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I met a writer who sold his sci-fi action spec screenplay to a studio. his script was on the paid BL website, got 8 and 9's score and a manager downloaded his script, read it and signed him, and with an agency (CAA), they sold script for 4x over scale. he joined the WGA guild with deal, and he is a full time screenwriter now living in Los Angeles.
Black List website was a big thing when it launched. Owner Franklin Leonard reinvented & crushed script service competitors.
As for pros vs cons- do a google search and read, and decide for yourselves.
Personally, I would not use BL for notes/feedbacks. Their coverage is called, "evaluations."
But I would use BL for a final draft, after you got feedbacks elsewhere. Basically upload a final draft spec to BL website as your sample audition for employers & reps to read.
I have written four that are a continuation of the previous but could be independent. The difference is that the Super Heroes are not white (except for the military super heroes. An experiment goes awry. A black war hero gone bad, A teenage Korean girl and a Chinese assassin who turns to good, a Hispanic who turns evil. The bad guys are elite white soldiers who turn evil except for one, a Cajun who turns to good.
The scripts are in sequence but could be stand alone and set in New Orleans. lead would be Lee Byung Hun. The scripts are The Saint, Shadow, Spectre and Intrepid