Screenwriting : Production Companies, Finance and Management by Nicole Miller

I'd say it's better, because if they like your material then they already have access to funding to put it in production, while a mgmt co will still have to shop you around. Hope this works out :)

Thank you, Steve! I hope it works out too.

Thanks, Paul! I am new to this whole side of the film industry. I have worked on both the crew and cast side, but never the selling/marketing and producing end.

You are talking about two different things so I wouldn’t say one is any better than the other. When I was trying to break in as a screenwriter I sent out hundreds of screenplays to both production companies and agents. I never sent one to a manager. Good luck!

Wow! That's awesome Nicole Miller! Congratulations! Either is great to hear from!

Thanks, Dustin!

Very exciting, Nicole Miller! I second Dan in that they are two different things altogether, but good luck! Rooting for you!

Yes. A producer as always better.

Thanks, David and Craig! I appreciate the info and support.

Hi Nicole - I agree with the community here. The ultimate goal is to get your material into the hands of a financier or production company that can move your project forward and in a real way. That is one of the things that managers do (not the only thing but their ultimate goal as well). One thing to keep in mind is that it’s easier to sign with rep when you have a project in play so if you do get an offer from the production company that’s a great time to reach out to managers or agents and ask for help with the deal. Then you’re on their radar as a potential client who brought an active piece of business in the door. Ideally it all works together in the ecosystem and you can try to play on offer from a real company into that position. Great work getting to this point!

Thank you, Sam. It has only been about 5 days since I sent them the requested material, about how long should I wait before contacting the company to see if they have read the script? I was once told 4-6 weeks is an appropriate time. Thoughts anyone?

My rule is 3 weeks just to check in Nicole. Something along the lines of "I know you're likely busy, but I wanted to circle back."

Thank you, Richard! It's very nerve-wracking waiting for a response, but if this business teaches you anything, it's patience.

Patience, positivity and perseverance, Nicole. Keep putting lines in the water and making those connections. Always fantastic to get that read, but don't sit back and wait for the response, go get some more!

Absolutely! I've sent out A TON of queries. I've only had 3 requests in the last year, but that's better than nothing. Right now I am not a member of IMDb Pro, but that was a great asset for contacts.