By: Sarah Chaisson-Warner
Most writers in Hollywood will tell you how essential it is to work with a manager and/or an agent to get your foot in the door. Representation is not only the key to being read, but agents and managers can be valuable partners in navigating the landscape and building your career.
But most writers in Hollywood will also tell you it’s pretty hard to get signed by an agent or manager. While there are several paths towards securing representation, each one requires a solid feature script that gets their attention, serves as your calling card, and shows them what you can do.
AGENT VS. MANAGER
Before we get into the different paths for gaining representation with your feature script, let’s get clear on the differences between agents and managers. These are not the same thing, but they are often confused because they have some overlapping responsibilities.
An agent is the person who will broker deals for you – they will be the ones looking to place you in writing jobs or trying to sell your spec script. Agents require licensure, and the largest percentage of agents are licensed in California. According to California state law, they work for a talent agency “or corporation who engages in the occupation of procuring, offering, promising, or attempting to procure employment for an artist or artists.” Agents are paid through a commission – typically 10% of what the writer makes.
An agent attempts to sell individual, specific works by the writer and supports contract negotiations. Agents, though, are less likely to have a role in shaping and developing a writer’s career. That’s where a manager comes in.
A manager is usually focused more on developing and building your career goals and managing your career and business trajectory. A manager will help you get your feature script ready to be shopped around, but they can’t legally negotiate contracts on your behalf like an agent can (although some still do). Managers, unlike agents, are not required to be licensed with any given state and some writers employ family members or friends as their manager. They can either take a commission (typically 10%) or a salary from the company they work for rather than a commission.
Every agent and manager operates differently, depending on their approach, the client, the client’s particular needs and potential, and the market environment. But the above should give you a relatively clear sense of the difference between the two.
HOW TO GET THEIR ATTENTION
Now that we’re clear on the difference between the roles of an agent vs a manager, let’s talk about getting their attention. The most critical part of getting representation is having a great script. There are no two ways about it – if your script doesn’t have a solid premise, a compelling plot, intriguing characters, worthy dialogue, and an authentic voice, it is going to have a difficult time getting their attention.
If your script is ready for industry eyes, there are a few potential paths:
Through a warm referral: Most entertainment professionals rely on referrals to help them identify new clients. While this might be frustrating for writers who don’t have a lot of existing industry connections, look at it from their point of view: there are thousands of feature writers looking for representation, and frankly, many of them simply aren’t ready yet to do this work professionally. Agents and managers don’t have the time to waste reading material from writers who aren’t ready to be signed, so they rely heavily on referrals from others in the industry.
Through a cold query process: Some agents and managers sign new clients through a query process. Queries are letters typically sent via email that introduce you as a writer, your script, and why you might make for a worthy client. The agent or manager will often request to read a script that piques their interest and, if the script is solid and marketable, will then discuss with the writer potential representation. Before you cold query, be sure to confirm whether the agent or manager accepts query letters.
Through a hot reputable contest: Winning or placing in a top-notch contest can help open doors and connect your feature script to potential representation. Select contest professionals can share your feature script with members of their industry roster on your behalf. These trusted connections are often more effective than cold queries in facilitating emerging relationships between people seeking representation and agents and managers.
Notice, though, how above I didn’t just say – win a contest. I said, win or place in a top-notch, reputable contest. A lot of contests promise they will open industry doors for the winners, but not all of them have the relationships or the know-how to actually do so.
HOW THE SHORE SCRIPTS FEATURE CONTEST IS DIFFERENT
Enter Shore Scripts. For fifteen years, Shore Scripts has helped over 100 writers kickstart their careers by gaining representation, optioning, and/or selling their screenplays. We’ve built an unparalleled network of industry relationships, resulting in millions of dollars in spec sales, hundreds of writers signed and introduced to representation, and multiple films produced.
As the only feature contest with a dedicated Writer Development Manager, we provide ongoing, structured support while connecting our writers to a network of 300+ industry professionals. We focus on providing writers with career support and direct access to industry professionals.
Why is a Writer Development Manager important? Even feature scripts that win or place in top-notch contests are often in need of further development and edits before they’re really ready to send to industry professionals. Having an industry insider who knows what agents and managers are looking for cast his keen eye on your script can help take it to the next level.
Our Writer Development Manager, Brandon Lauriero, knows this industry inside and out. Brandon is a film and television executive who helped start Jonah Hill’s Strong Baby Productions and Paramount Players, a production label within Paramount Pictures. His credits include “Overcompensating” (Amazon/A24), “The Mortician” (HBO), “Y2K” (A24), and “Stutz” (Netflix). He’s also worked in production and development at Lionsgate, DreamWorks Animation, and Fox. Brandon has taught at various institutions including New York University and the University of California, Los Angeles.
How does the Writer Development Program work? Unlike most other contests where a writer’s experience ends with the email announcing placement, Brandon works directly with our winners and finalists to help prepare them and their work before connecting them to our exclusive industry roster of agents, managers, producers, and directors.
Once your script is ready, we position it for maximum impact in the marketplace. Your work is actively shared with our trusted industry roster, including agents and managers, producers, and production companies. Through this curated approach, Shore Scripts gets your script in front of the right people at the right moment to increase your chances of success.
TAKE THE NEXT STEP
Is your feature script ready to help you land your dream representation? Enter the Shore Scripts Feature Contest! Our 15th annual contest seeks emerging feature screenwriting talent across all genres. With industry mentorship, cash prizes, participation in the Writer Development Program, and more there is no other contest better positioned in this industry to help you succeed. Enter today – Final Deadline is August 28th!
Sarah Chaisson-Warner is the former Founder and Editor in Chief of Athena Magazine for Girls. Sarah is an award-winning screenwriter. She writes across genres – her feature scripts and television pilots range from LGBTQ period pieces to grounded sci-fis to mysteries. She has spent the last 20+ years working in state and national politics, allowing her to seamlessly intertwine themes of political intrigue into her scripts. Sarah enjoys spending time with her spouse and children, playing tennis, and traveling.
