What if my agent doesn’t like my idea?
How much influence should an agent and/or manager have on the specs that you choose to write? I have an idea for my next project that one of my reps is enthusiastic about, but the other doesn’t care for at all. I love the idea and several execs to whom I’ve pitched it seemed to like it as well, but is it foolish of me to write the script anyway despite the knowledge that one of my guys may not be interested in sending it out when I’m finished?
– Jason
Los Angeles
Agents aren’t producers. Or directors. Or studio executives. But they deal with these people constantly, so they tend to have a pretty good idea what everyone’s looking for. If your agent or manager doesn’t care for your idea, it’s worth asking whether he, personally, doesn’t love it, or whether he, professionally, thinks it’s going to be a hard sell. Only the latter opinion actually matters, and perhaps not as much as you’d think.
Remember: Knowing the market isn’t the same thing as taste, and everyone’s taste is different. Nineteen readers can be non-plussed by your “Wuthering Heights on Mars” spec, but if a few key execs at Dreamworks love it, Spielberg will read it this weekend.
When I was writing Go, my agent was unenthusiastic, both about the concept and the chances of selling it. I finished the script and found another agent. In a way, the original agent was right — every studio passed. But it only took one “yes” to get it made. Go became my first produced movie and started my career.
I’m not telling you to dump your agent (or manager), but to keep his advice in perspective. Yes, he wants you have a long and satisfying career, but most immediately wants you to write scripts that will sell. Ideally, scripts that will sell for a lot of money. And his sense of what those scripts are may not jibe with what you’re doing. So listen to him, but don’t feel obligated to take his advice.
Articles
February 8th, 2007 at 9:55 pm
Thanks, John. More good stuff as per usual.
Scribe
February 9th, 2007 at 3:18 am
Quote: “When I was writing Go, my agent was unenthusiastic, both about the concept and the chances of selling it. I finished the script and found another agent.”
How did you go about finding a new rep?
February 9th, 2007 at 9:42 am
Thanks so much for responding to my email. Last night I said to myself, “Ah, screw it,” and started writing the script in question, so I’m really happy that your advice confirmed my gut feeling…
February 9th, 2007 at 12:48 pm
David B. (#2):
I found my new (and to-this-day-) agent by asking friends and colleagues who they thought would be a good fit. Based on their recommendations, I met with two, and picked the one I thought would work best. (The meetings were set up by mutual colleagues.)
It’s much easier to get an agent when you have an agent. By the time I was doing these meetings, I’d already been hired on two different projects. Go would be the first script these agents would be trying to sell.
February 9th, 2007 at 6:28 pm
John, I’d love to hear more on the challenge of getting GO made, especially in light of the studio’s passing on it initially . . . can you elaborate?