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QUERY LETTER THREAD: This is the topic I get asked about the most, so I wanted to put all the various advice I have about it into a singular thread for your ease of reading. (And for mine, so when I& #39;m asked about it next, I can point back to here.) 1/
First off, be sure to check out Bellevue client @Balance510& #39;s article on query letters linked below, as Saeed says succinctly in his article what& #39;s going to take me a whole tweet thread to lay out. So check his article out first! 2/ https://bit.ly/3hunytc ">https://bit.ly/3hunytc&q...
To start off, here are a few things NOT that are NOT queries and should not be sent: Asking if we accept query letters (this happens 5 times a day); asking if I can give general career advice; asking if we can grab a coffee and chat; demanding to schedule a meeting ASAP. 3/
Someone asked about hard "Don& #39;t Do Its." Those would be showing up in person to pitch your script (has happened a few times and was a bit scary), calling my office or personal line to pitch it (annoying), or physically mailing your query/script (automatically trashed.) 4/
One more hard "Don& #39;t Do It" and this is the one that happens hourly to me -- DO NOT ATTACH FILES TO YOUR QUERY. If there is a file attached, I automatically delete the email. Just like you would, if you got an email from someone you didn& #39;t know with a file attached. 5/
Next question is: WHO should you be querying? This is where it& #39;s important to focus on querying individuals whom you& #39;ll have the highest rate of success in getting a response from. This requires a fair amount of research on your part, but is worth it. 6/
Focus on reps who have represented writers who have written similar scripts to yours. The annual Black List lists reps, so do trade articles about scripts that are sold. There& #39;s also IMDBPro, etc. Find reps that have had success with scripts similar to yours. 7/
Personally, I would recommend NOT focusing on high-level reps who only rep A-List writers. They& #39;re unlikely to read a query or want to rep up & coming writers. It& #39;s possible, but unlikely. And this is about focusing on the best rate of success. 8/
A lot of reps (particularly managers) guest on podcasts, are on twitter, or do interviews. Usually, we indicate if we& #39;re open to queries, and so on. So do your research and find someone who seems a good fit for you AND is open to queries. 9/
On to the query letter. What should be in the subject line? Do a description of the project AND, if you have a unique or relevant backstory, a description of you. As in, "Sci Fi Thriller written by Former Navy Sniper" or "90s Music Biopic written by a former pop star." 10/
Address the email to the person whom you think is the best fit at a company. Even if it& #39;s sent to a general email box for the company. That shows you did some research (which is a sign of drive/seriousness, which reps like) and makes the rep feel targeted 11/
Then put in a line about why you think they& #39;re right for this project. Have they sold or had on the Black List a project similar to your script? Tell them. Again, this shows you did your research on them, which is a nice sign of someone taking their craft seriously. 12/
Then it& #39;s a line or two about who you are. Where you& #39;re from, what you do, and if you have a unique life experience, especially if it& #39;s relevant to the script. That& #39;s not a requirement, but it& #39;s always intriguing to hear about and can help sell the script (and you.) 13/
Then, the logline for the project. This is THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE QUERY. People always ask what made me request a script. It is ALWAYS the logline. Not contest wins, not a cool backstory. None of that matters if the script sounds boring or derivative. 14/
Contest wins (esp. prominent contests) and/or cool backstory may tip the balance if a logline sounds somewhat interesting but not undeniable. But I& #39;ve never seen a boring logline and then requested the script because they won a contest. 15/
For better or worse, execs at studio & prodcos DO NOT CARE about contest wins. They only care about the concept for a script -- can they get it made? They get a dozen scripts a week, so they have to WANT to read this one above those others. Hence, concept is king. 16/
As well, ONLY SEND ONE LOGLINE. That& #39;s it. Focus on your most relevant project for this rep. But your best foot forward. We don& #39;t want to read five different loglines. Just the one that you really want us to consider. Sending more makes you look unprofessional and indecisive. 17/
After the logline, you can put any relevant contests wins or attachments (if any.) But if you don& #39;t have any, it& #39;s not a big issue whatsoever. Again, the logline is the largest determining factor in whether I want to request to read a script. 18/
Overall, I would focus on brevity and clarity. Don& #39;t put in any info that isn& #39;t necessary. Don& #39;t put in your entire life story or paragraphs of plot description. And close it with a polite thank you for consideration and your name. You& #39;re good to send. 19/
Now, a question that comes up a lot is how and when to follow up on queries you& #39;ve sent to reps that weren& #39;t responded to. And, honestly, the answer is... don& #39;t. 20/
Please don& #39;t email weekly, monthly, etc. with the same query. Don& #39;t & #39;check in& #39; over and over. I have a producer friend who& #39;s been emailed THE SAME QUERY LETTER every Wednesday for two years. If you didn& #39;t get a response, you already have your answer, unfortunately. 21/
If you do get a response requesting your script, it& #39;s standard to have you sign a release form before we can read the script. That& #39;s the legal norm and something you should be prepared for. 22/
After it& #39;s been sent, feel free to check-in respectfully after 2 weeks. I try to read requested material within that time frame. That said, we all have lots going on and need to focus on our existing clients, so don& #39;t be discouraged or insulted if it takes longer than that. 23/
If there is a situation that creates a time crunch, say another rep wants to sign you, feel free to email and note that, so the rep can prioritize the read. But unless it& #39;s a situation like that, I& #39;d err on the side of letting them take their time (within reason.) 24/
I& #39;m sure I must have inadvertently left out some aspect of queries, so feel free to ask on the thread below. Otherwise, hopefully, this info is helpful and now I can just reply back with this thread when I next get asked for query advice... END
