Comments on: How to handle a phone meeting

By: colleen

colleen — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 07:42:03 +0000

Some advice I got (I believe from Max Adams) was to type out all your loglines and brief pitches and tape them up near the phone. It’s a crutch in case your brain goes completely blank. Just make sure you sound natural when you refer to them. No one wants to rep a robot.

By: dianejwright

dianejwright — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 03:58:04 +0000

And for goodness sake, have the logline for your story down pat as well as those of any other projects fit to discuss. To gratuitously plug some useful info, get your logline in shape here:

http://www.the-story-spot.com/2008/09/logline-your-new-best-friend.html

(OR http://www.tinyurl.com/logline if that’s easier to remember)

Good luck with those meetings. And, as someone once uttered at our first, nerve-wracking major festival, “Whatever you do, don’t take that 3-picture deal.” On those particular 2-cents, I may beg to differ. /diane

By: Andy

Andy — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 21:08:57 +0000

Congrats, Alexander. If I remember the Nicholls schedule right, you'll be hearing about whether you made the semifinalist cut soon.

One point someone wiser than I made: Rather than wait for reps/producers to call you, call the ones you think are a good match and pitch your Nicholl script now, while it's still a contender (if indeed you get that happy news).

Because the Nicholl-generated phone calls won't start until the winners (and all the also-rans) are announced (in Oct.?). If your script is still alive now, you can dangle its potential finalist-ness and maybe catch some reads at places you've picked.

Just a thought. Good luck!

By: Nate

Nate — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 12:31:52 +0000

I agree about switching off the computer monitor for a phone interview to avoid distraction, but I'm also amazed at how often the act of looking something up online comes up during a phone conversation. So staying close to a computer may be a good idea. That said, I'm not in the industry, and maybe industry phone calls don't have people asking for people to look at things on their websites and what-not.

-nm

By: Mike Rinaldi

Mike Rinaldi — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 08:46:58 +0000

Pick up Stephanie Palmer’s book GOOD IN A ROOM. A former MGM exec, now consultant, tells how to succeed in a meeting, on the phone, how to prepare… pretty much everything. It’s absolutely brilliant.

By: Synthian

Synthian — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 08:29:37 +0000

ME: You’re not Mr. Weinstein!!! Mr. Weinstein wears a top-hat and carries a magical lollipop! I been talkin to im for months!

By: Aaron

Aaron — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 05:09:54 +0000

Wooooosta screenwriters represent.

I <3 Main South.

By: Nas Ahmed

Nas Ahmed — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 22:02:31 +0000

Haha, I don’t know why, but when you said imagine who you’re talking to, I couldn’t get the image of Larry David out of my head. Now if I’m ever in this position I’m just gonna be thinking of Larry David, I hope I don’t crack up!

By: Alex

Alex — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 19:53:55 +0000

It sounds so simple when you say it, Scott! The problem is they always call so early in the morning - I'm still sleaping. I'll have to write that down and hide the note in my pillow case:)

Seriously though, I think it talks to the point that is being made over and over again in this thread: don't be afraid to ask questions. It makes you seem more interested AND more interesting.

By: Kristan

Kristan — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 18:01:40 +0000

LOL I love comments #1 and 2.

Thanks for the post, John. I think, taken generally, this is good advice for any kind of phone interview.

By: Scott

Scott — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 17:48:57 +0000

Alex (#5) The shorter the better. Say exactly what you just said… “that depends on a million different factors” and turn it back to them with, “why, what do YOU have in mind for my next couple of months?”