Many beginner screenwriters wonder how to get an agent or manager to represent them.
Agents are a little trickier to get at the early stages, so it’s advisable for a beginner screenwriter to shoot for a manager first: most managers are open to reading spec scripts and developing talent. Managers are generally viewed as “a filtering system” in the screenplay marketplace, so a screenplaywriter with a manager — especially one with a good track record — will be taken more seriously and agents are more likely to take on a writer client with a manager than one without (although there are some exceptions).
If you think you have a marketable script or a decent writing sample and you’re ready to take that next step, here are 5 ways a screenwriter can find a manager:
Search the internet for recent sales of other scripts in your genre. News stories regularly appear in industry trades and entertainment news websites like Variety and Hollywood Reporter. If your script is similar to a film that was made a couple years ago, likewise work the internet and try to find news stories from when this project was first announced and/or a deal was made: in addition to the talent attached, the reps might likewise be mentioned in these articles.
There are also numerous message boards that are sources for industry information. One of the most visited is The Tracking Board (which, over the years, has transformed from a bare bones message board to a full-fledged industry news website). The Tracking Board still remains one of the best places to learn about a new spec sale and the genre, logline and the name of the reps are usually included in these posts. Once again, if the script sounds similar to yours, take note of the manager and use the below methods to contact them…
Continue to work the internet and try to find more information on similar film projects via industry databases. The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is the most visited movie website and it includes various details about produced features, TV shows and films in development: cast, crew, etc. The IMDb site also includes an industry news section where you can search through to find out more about certain film projects. However, you won’t always discover which manager reps which writer via a news story and further digging might be required.
For a fee, you can subscribe to IMDbPro, which provides you with industry information not available on the free version of the site, including the names of the managers that represent working screenwriters. And if things are financially tight for you, ask around: you might have a friend with IMDbPro (the chances of this are pretty high if you live in LA or work in the film industry).
Once you know the name of the manager you want to contact, try emailing or submitting to them directly. Many management companies have websites with a submissions page and/or guidelines. Follow the guidelines and submit accordingly.
If you’ve acquired an email address to a specific manager, send them an email query in which you include a logline and describe your script. It’s best to keep your description as tight and concise as possible. Managers are constantly getting scripts pitched and submitted to them and most will have little patience for a long email that doesn’t get straight to the point. In general, concepts that are shorter and less complicated are better received by industry professionals.
Don’t attach your script to your email query (this is likely to turn off many managers). Per your logline and description, if your script sounds like something they’d be interested in, the manager will ask you to email it to them. That’s when your script has been officially solicited and it’s appropriate to send it.
In most cases, if the manager sees potential in your script and in you as a client, they’ll contact you after reading it. They’ll likely have notes and they might want to develop the script further with you. If you have a good working relationship with them and they decide to “go out” with your script, you have a manager.
Another way to find a manager is to enter your script into a screenwriting contest. Some of these contests, like Final Draft’s Big Break Screenwriting Contest, include a meeting with top managers as a prize for winners (and there are various award categories). Sometimes if they’re friends or an associate of a manager, a reader might even recommend the script to their contact (regardless if it placed in the contest or not). Because of this, screenwriting contests are great for networking and for getting more eyes on your script.
Before entering the contest, carefully read the rules and make sure you’re submitting your script into the right category. The better prepared you are, the better your chances. This is an opportunity for your script to be read by industry professionals and it should be taken as seriously as any other submission. There have been numerous success stories from these contests and they have led to writers from every corner of the world getting managers.
There are also many screenwriting platforms that offer script coverage for a fee and they’re sometimes used by managers to connect with writers. Coverfly, WeScreenplay and The Black List are some of the top sites for script coverage and scriptwriters can create profiles, including loglines for their submitted material. If a manager comes across a highly ranked screenplay with an appealing logline, they might contact the writer and ask to read their script.
As with the bigger screenwriting contests, many of the readers for the above coverage services are industry professionals (e.g., readers for movie studios or production companies, other screenwriters, etc.). Likewise, they might read a script they think is marketable and recommend it to a manager they know.
In general, it’s good to have your script read by as many industry professionals as possible.
And maybe one of them will be your future manager.