Getting Read

I've finished my spec.  How do I get it read by important people?

First of all, thank you for referring to those of us in the industry as "important people."  We're not, but we'll take the compliment.

Do you have any connections?  If so, ask them if they are willing to read your spec.  You can also ask if they are willing to pass it along to their connections (i.e., agent or manager) but be prepared for them to say no.  And don't take it personally.  It doesn't mean that they think your script is bad.  Perhaps they're uncomfortable asking for favors or perhaps they've already asked their agent to read a number of scripts this year and simply aren't comfortable asking them to read more.  It's also possible that their agent, like many agents these days, isn't reading new writers.  The current economy is taking a toll on the industry.  Experienced writers have quotes, meaning that when they are hired, a show must pay them a minimum amount per episode.  If a show can't afford that amount, the job goes to a less experienced writer whose quote is lower.  But right now, jobs are so hard to come by that experienced writers are lowering their quotes, leaving fewer jobs for less experienced writers.  Many agents are refusing sign or even read new writers right now because they are impossible to staff.  Agents don't want to sign you when they know they can't get you a job.

So if I don't have any connections and agents are refusing to read new writers, how do I get people to read my script?

There are two different approaches you can take simultaneously.  The first is to make connections.  Internships and entry level jobs are the best way to make contacts in the industry.  If you work as an assistant on a show, you'll get to know the writers and producers, and once you establish a relationship with them, you can ask them to read your script.  While agents are vital in getting writers their second job (and almost every job after that) new writers often land their first jobs themselves.  It seems backwards, but it happens all the time.  An aspiring writer will serve as a writers' assistant or a showrunner's assistant, and the showrunner will hire that person as a staff writer for the following season.  For instance, my boss hired me as a writer on In Plain Sight after I served as his assistant for a season.  So I got a job before I got an agent.  Luckily, I had connections to an agent, who agreed to represent me.  If you don't have a connection, your bosses and coworkers will often refer you to their agents, who will jump at the chance to meet any writer who already has a job.

People are often frustrated or discouraged when I tell them they should break in as an assistant.  Please understand that I'm not recommending this path because I think everyone needs to "pay their dues" or because it's a rite of passage or because I was an assistant and that means everyone should be an assistant.  I recommend it because these days, it's the most direct path to being hired as a writer. 
 
The second thing you can do is to get your script read is reach out to managers.  Managers accept query letters and unsolicited materials, where most agents do not.   Done Deal Pro is a wonderful resource that was referred to me by manager A.B. Fischer.  The site provides manager listings (for a fee) as well as an example of a query letter (for free).  The Hollywood Creative Directory is another good resource, though it's more expensive.  You have absolutely nothing to lose by submitting your materials to a manger, and it's something you can do even before you relocate.

What does a manager do?

A manager helps you develop your spec.  In Creative Screenwriting's article "Manager's HOT Sheet" by Jim Cirile, Energy Entertainment's Jack Wagner explains, "An agent will read a script once and make a decision if they can sell it or not, boom, one and done.  Managers will go through eight drafts."  ManDown Pictures' Pouya Shahbazian adds, "As a manager, I can take a flier on a young client who needs development work or wants more attention so I can get them to the place where their career will launch or we can place them with an agent."

Once your manager feels your material is ready to be submitted, they call their connections  (producers, writers, executives, agents, etc.) and ask them to read you.  They serve as your networking source.  And collect 10% of your earnings.

So if I have a manager, do I also need an agent?

Yes.  Because managers can't legally negotiate your deals once you are hired.

(Future posts on managers, agents, and lawyers to come.)