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Tip 9. It’s Not Rejection…Just Friendly Hollywood Feedback.
- February 10, 2011
- Posted by: jennamilly
- Category: Interviews


Typically, when a production company or agency "passes" on your script (says "no"), they don't usually give feedback. You simply get a, "Sorry, it's not for us" response. That's the bad news.
The rest of this philosophy tip is the good news.
Apply Your Philosophy
How you interpret a "pass" and what you do with it is totally up to you. Before we look at some possible interpretations, let's discuss how previous tips can apply to a pass.
You could realize that every single A-list screenwriter has experienced this multiple times (Tip 2) and therefore you are getting some valuable experience. Or you could choose to empower yourself at this exact moment (Tip 4) and deepen your commitment to succeed. Maybe you could think of times you've turned someone down when you didn't mean any harm (Tip 7) and realize no real harm has come to you, either.
You might even use this experience to practice constant improvement (Tip 8 ) and focus on highlighting the diamonds (Tip 3) in your script.
You may already have discovered that this philosophy is designed to get you through the ups and downs of the movie business. The more you apply it, the easier success will come to you.
But What About the Pass?
In reality, production companies pass on most of the scripts that come to them. They are all looking for the diamond (Tip 3) that will be the next big hit in their market. So they're not rejecting you. In fact, they are usually very friendly when they pass. But let's look at how the response is delivered to see what interpretations we can make.
- Query letter or pitch with few requests: Problem with concept or query letter. Improve it.
- Script passed without comments: Concept is good. Improve the writing.
- Script passed, but they ask what else you have: Writing is good, but the script is not right for them.
- Script passed, but they ask you to do writing assignment: Writing is great. Take the deal.
When you apply these interpretations, please don't add any negative connotations. Even top writers get these responses. Strangely enough, this is a business in which you can have 30 production companies turn your script down and the 31st will make it into a blockbuster.
So never give up!
Getting Coverage Before Going to Agents and Production Companies
This is a smart idea. What if you could know how a reader might respond to your script before you send it to production companies and agents? Well, you can. There are companies like Scriptapalooza that provide professional coverage from Industry readers.
Their readers will give you a rating (pass, consider, or recommend) and notes on how to improve your script. If the script comes back with a "pass," consider the notes and improve the script…NOW. If it comes back with a "recommend," you've got a winner.
A Few More Words About Feedback
If you are getting feedback from other writers, the best advice I can give you is to make it clear exactly what you need. That means you should think about what you truly need and then express it clearly BEFORE they look at your script.
Mismatches happen often when a writer asks their feedback partner to "Be as critical as you can." Then, when they get lambasted on tiny issues, they are left dazed and confused. Rather than suffering through that experience, be very clear on what you need. You may be on a second draft and need structure and character feedback, not a lecture on tiny details and why the other writer thinks you'll never succeed.
Before you hire a script consultant, ask the consultant what he or she does best. Most script consultants have an area of speciality. That is where they focus most of their attention. So take thirty seconds and ask them. Then have a conversation about what you need and get the consultant's commitment to focus on that.
One Last Thing…
Whether you are getting feedback from a friend, a script consultant, or Scriptapalooza, take one more look at the feedback to interpret what it might imply about what you need to learn next.
Often, the "problems" they identify in your script are really learning opportunities. Issues with your lead character could mean that you need to learn more about how to create characters. Just assume that all feedback is about improving your writing and you'll soon become a great screenwriter.
And remember, it's never rejection…just friendly Hollywood feedback.
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ACTION: Look back over your previous feedback and see what it implies about the direction you could take in your learning or in the marketing of your script. QUESTION: How can you turn feedback into an improvement in your screenwriting career? |
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