THREAD: I had a couple of calls last week with recent USC grads as part of their General Meeting program. They got me thinking about how underrated general meetings are, as well as what's worked best for my clients going on them. So wanted to do a thread discussing them. 1/

So as to avoid the Sturm und Drang of the last thread, I'm gonna post up a Parental Advisory going forward: These are simply my opinions; Your Mileage May Vary; This advice is freely given and may be freely ignored; As @jelenawoehr puts it: "if it don't apply let if fly." 2/

First, want to clarify what a general meeting for a writer is. It's a meeting with someone (usually an exec at a studio, network, or production company) after they've read your material. The exec liked your material and now wants to get to know you. 3/

Sometimes showrunners will do generals with writers, as will actors or directors. But those are rarer as showrunners tend to read for staffing their show, and actors and directors tend to read for potential projects. They're simply too busy to do generals very often. 4/

So the good news about a general is you're coming into a "warm" room. They're already a fan of your writing. You don't need to spend your time selling them on your talent. They already like your writing, that's why they're meeting you. 5/

One of the questions a student had for me was about how to "sell yourself." And honestly, the best way to sell yourself is to BE yourself. That said, it should be the best version of yourself. The version of yourself that you present on first dates. 6/

The exec is already a fan of your writing. Now they're trying to decide if they're a fan of you. To figure out if you're someone they can see themselves working with on a project for years. And if so, what sort of projects those might be. 7/

Execs probably take at least half a dozen writer generals a week. So it's about them finding the writer they really connect with, the person they HAVE to find a project with. The writer they truly sync up with and want to work with over and over. 8/

And to be clear, the opposite is also true. For writers, generals are a great way to find out who you want to work with. Before I was a manager, I met @IanShorr and @acidinyourmouth via generals and started working with them as a producer. Now I work with them as a manager. 9/

Generals are also an excellent way to find out who you do NOT want to work with. Who is the person that you don't click with, the person you don't share a vision with? The next time you have a spec script, it'll be good to know who would NOT be the right partner on it. 10/

In terms of the actual meeting, as I mentioned, you're looking to be yourself, albeit the most presentable version of yourself. Be clear about what you're passionate about, what got you excited about being a writer, and what sort of projects you'd like to write in the future. 11/

I advise clients to prep a list of 10 films and 10 TV shows from the last decade that they feel they could have written (as opposed to simply being a fan of.) You're looking to give execs a baseline for the kind of projects that excite you. Specifically, ones that get made. 12/

Ideally, the next time that exec reads a book or article that's up your alley, they say, "This would be perfect for that writer I met with!" And they then bring it to you to adapt. 13/

It's better to be more targeted (ie. "I love conspiracy thrillers!") than generic (ie. "I love thrillers!") That way, there's a clear guideline for what excites you and what you could do a great job at. Obviously, this should be in sync with what you've written. 14/

All that said, I've often told clients that the best general meetings are ones where no work was directly discussed at all. Where you talk about your favorite restaurants or dating or board games. At the end of the day, it's about making a connection with the exec. 15/

You shouldn't feel the need to pitch a dozen projects or list your favorite films. Prep all that, but take your cues from the tone of the meeting. If you're having a fun time talking about CLASS ACTION PARK, there's no need to awkwardly pivot to pitching your next script. 16/

Ideally, they come away a big fan of yours. "We could have kept talking for hours!" is what reps love to hear. And then, when your next script or idea is ready, those execs are excited to read it. Because they like you and want to work with you. 17/

A quick word about answering "What are you working on next?" I've advised clients that the less you say, the better. Don't launch into a full-blown pitch. Simply say, "It's a supernatural twist on THE USUAL SUSPECTS" or so on. Be mysterious! 18/

I know this sounds absurd, but the fewer details you give, the more intrigued they'll be! They'll try to get more info, but just say something a la "I'm still working on it." If you have reps, blame your reps. "They want me to keep it quiet." 19/

See, the goal of a general meeting for an exec is 1) Get to know the writer; 2) Find out what they're working on next and try to get dibs on it as early as possible.

But that second goal may not be what's best for your project. So you want to proceed carefully here. 20/

If you have reps, the execs will follow up with them and ask to see your new project ASAP. Preferably before anyone else. If you don't have reps, they'll probably email you directly about it. And they may follow up constantly in the weeks and months to come. 21/

That passion is great, but make sure that 1) You only show material when it's ready. Don't get rushed. 2) You operate in terms of what's best for your project. You don't owe that exec anything for taking a meeting. If they're the right fit, great. If not, that's okay too. 22/

Just because execs are super excited to read your new script doesn't necessarily mean they'll engage on it. They may just want to get a first look before anyone else, so they can tell their boss "Yeah, I saw it early, but it was a pass." Proceed carefully. 23/

You want to allow yourself all the options by not committing to anything in the room or afterward. Take your time. It's your project, your hard work, and your shot. Do it in consultation with reps, if you have them. Work out a strategy that makes sense for the project. 24/

Sometimes amazing relationships and projects can arise from generals. I've had that happen for me and seen it happen for clients. Most often, they don't result in anything tangible. At least, initially. 25/

But the more you do them, the better you'll get. And that IS something tangible. You may take 10 generals that result in nothing, but they'll make you better at number 11, which does turn out to be incredibly useful. And it might not have gone that way if it was your first. 26/

And a general that seemed pointless at the time may lead to a great opportunity years later when the exec is at a new company that's a better fit for what you write. Or tells a studio exec friend who's looking for a writer on their project about you. You'll never quite know. 27/

As always, hope all that information is helpful. Let me know if you have any questions or there are areas that I neglected to cover in this thread! END