Screenwriting : How to Interpret a Pass - Perspective from a Hollywood Pro by Regina Lee

Thank you so much for posting this, Regina! It's so easy to take it personally when someone passes on your "baby" without giving an adequate explanation. It's strangely comforting to equate an executive's decision to pass on my work to simply deciding not to buy a pair of pants! I wish I had thought of it this way years ago ;)

Hi Rebecca, that's one of the major differences I've noticed between "pros" and amateurs. For some amateurs, that project is their baby. The majority of time in the pros, a project is just another piece of business. There are some projects that are very personal to us, that we love more than others, but if you're a pro managing projects for a living, you must have a diverse slate of projects, and the majority are business, not babies.

Hi Oliver, thanks for your post. I'm glad to know that people on S32 are well aware of the protocol.

Great insight. In the end it is a business. Take whatever feedback you get, understand it, then move on.

Amen, Regina!!

Thanks, everyone. Selling projects really is like dating. Sometimes it's not the right fit, the right time, the same taste, etc. Sometimes there's a better alternative out there to spend your finite time, money, and energy on. And sometimes, it's a match!!

Holy sh*t, are pitch fests the equivalent of speed dating? I bet there are 10 blogs on this very topic.

Regina strikes again! Thank you for an informative post from the other side of the fence.

Thanks Regina, appreciate you taking the time to share your insights and wisdom. All the best to you!

A good one manager? You hit on the nail with that one, Regina. Now, finding one this is another two page post or maybe not so difficult if one gets the chance to pitch to one when one stops by S32. How good these managers are? We have to trust Joey on this one. Thanks for taking the the time, Regina.

Question, while on the subject of PASS/Request. Getting a request for a screenplay, doesn't guaranteed the screenwriter, that your screenplay is going to be made or green light, which is the term used in Hollywood? Am I wrong. I ask this question,because last week I GOT A REQUEST by a Producer through INKTIP and I send him the script via email and now I'm just waiting. Does anyone here know, JOEY, how long or if the Producer even has to respond with a final PASS, thanks but no thanks. Any thoughts? I will address this question to RB and his guest on Wednesday as well.

I pitched a script The Deviant once to an exec. at Dick Clark Productions some years ago and was told after they shopped it around to all the major networks in order to find something to compete with The X Files that it was too over the top, and worked better as an indie flick. One round and out, the way it works.

I don't wanna start posting, SUCCESS STORY! If a request is just that and it ends right there, with a thanks, but no thanks. Anyone has had this happen to them after a request??? Please share, thank you ALL.

Hi Jorge, based on my experience, for a new writer, I think you should expect to wait a minimum of 3 weeks for a response and a maximum of ... well, never. The reader may never reply with a firm answer. I think if you haven't heard back in a few months, you should consider it a pass and move on. If you hear from them 9 months later, great, but don't hold your breath.

Thanks, Regina! This is not the first time it happens and yes, the first time was about a year ago with a different script. So, a request after a pitch here or at a Pitch festival, doesn't really mean much? It's best to not even advertise it? Ie: A success story? You get what I'm getting at? Thanks, for the quick response.

Thanks, Ronnie.

Jorge, it is really up to you how much you like to share in a public forum. Some people prefer to post a lot of details. Others prefer to keep their personal information off the public boards.

Hey Regina, yes there's been many many articled on how pitchfests are like speed dating. I've written at least 2 of them lol. And Jorge, getting a request is a great first step, but realistically that's all it is. its a small victory full of potential, but its not really a success story in the grand scheme of things. wait til they get back and LOVE your script - then its a success story!

Whatever you write -- however brilliant you think you are - not every studio will want to put $$$ behind this particular script. Best thing: get over it, move on. And keep many irons in the fire.

Once again I feel very fortunate to have access to the insight Regina provides. It's so refreshing to have somebody genuinely on the inside reaching out to build bridges. For me the big take home point in all this was the one about the relationship. We always have to consider the dynamic of the sale, it all comes down to investment. By default us, as aspiring screenwriters, tend to have a tremendous level of investment on our side. Each read request is a fleeting opportunity that feels like it may be our big break. Whereas on the other side, it's yet another script from yet another unknown writer. It gets more apparent the bigger the power balance shifts too, the more we admire those we approach, the more we feel emotionally invested in the opportunity without necessarily considering how it looks the other way around. Something else I feel is prudent to point out is that a pass is only ever down to one thing. Our script wasn't right for that reader. That suggests two possible issues; the script not being good enough for any reader (product) or a lack of alignment between script and reader (product and target market). This is the danger zone we all face when it can be all too easy to start desperately sweetening and souring our porridge to suit every bit of feedback we receive. Passes are part of the logical process. For me it took dozens of passes before I stopped feeling something was wrong and waiting for the alignment to be right. Of course this is all subject to one's own feelings about artistic integrity, passion for the project, etc, etc. But it's always essential we learn to separate invested feedback from clarified feedback. Therefore we should treasure any objective feedback that comes from a professional source and respect the person is likely going above and beyond to invest in us, perhaps because, while they are passing, they do see potential. We also have to think hard about how we can help give people a reason to invest in us, a way of warming up that relationship, not in the creepy stalker way some recommend, but by building a profile people take seriously - easier said than done of course, but certainly not impossible.

I totally agree with what you say, CJ. Especially when you say "therefore we should treasure any objective feedback that comes from a professional source..." Now, I wonder, if that professional gives you a pass, s/he is not obligated (unless you paid) to give you a reason /s for the pass? Except is not what we're looking for, which what I get a lot, not on screenplay request submission (I never hear back on those) but on loglines and synopsis, it's always the same generic response I sited above. I'm grateful to everyone here for your response and I cherish this WEBSITE , for is the only of it's kind and without this community I would never get an answer to my questions and concerns. So, thank you ALL and thanks RICHARD BOTTO , JOEY, REGINA and the great team that comprise this great platform. For now, I'll just keep writing as I have been doing since age 12, when writing was the only friend I had and trusted.

Yep, I agree with Jorge and CJs comments above. This site is a World Beater!

Regina, this is hugely informative -- thanks for creating this thread! I never thought about it, but it makes so much sense. Why would someone who's passing spend a lot of time on feedback? They're busy. They have other scripts to read. It always comes back to addressing/incorporating the feedback that really resonates.

Hi Shari, it's about not wasting precious time on formulating constructive feedback. It's also about not wanting to hurt someone's feelings when there's no reason to hurt them. And it's about not wanting to upset a writer and BURN A BRIDGE - who knows if the writer you pass on today will mature into a great writer with whom you want to share a relationship in the future? Oftentimes, you're just better off giving rather generalized feedback that can't be easily debated, that can't easily offend - rather than potentially burning a bridge by offering feedback that, for any number of reasons, ticks off the writer and creates an enemy. Typically, the more professional you become, the more the feedback you receive will come across as all-business, nothing personal, nothing to feel hurt by. So I'm more inclined to give "real," non-generic feedback to writers who are totally accustomed to hearing feedback, because those writers know it's not personal. They won't think I'm saying their "baby" is ugly, etc. It's just easier to communicate freely when you're speaking the same language.

Thanks for this, Regina. You always have great insights, and I understand what you're saying here. It's always good to hear perspectives.

Regina – after almost four decades in the business – I get it. Generally, I submit two (mol) spec scripts a year – most receive a pass, some a consider, a few recommend and a few have gone on to production (I’ve been hired and fired for rewrites many times.) As far as I’m concerned, a swing and a miss puts me one step closer to a hit.

Great post Regina. I've had many passes, many requests, passes on the requests, and the next step forward after that - Jorge, sometimes you hear from the execs with a pass on a script they've requested and the general reason why, sometimes you hear nothing. I take that as a pass. For me, it's subjective, either the concept connects with someone or it doesn't. There's always a tinge of disappointment when it doesn't, but I've learnt to move on and accept it for what it is. I also like to celebrate not only my own successes, big and small, but also other writers because it's a reminder that we're all striving for the same thing and when you're having a bad day, the support and encouragement of your peers and friends is what will pull you through. Above all, I completely agree, Regina, courtesy goes a long way no matter what side of the table you're sitting on.

Thanks for this. What I'm taking away is that whatever you get with your pass leave it there. If it contains why - great! If not move on. However before attempting having your work looked at try to build up a relationship first (if possible). Cheers.

Regina, I think you bring up a point that transcends just the script pass. That is no one owes you anything. As a professional in another field, that fact is commonly accepted. No matter how good I am at what I do, no matter how talented and awe inspiring, no one owes me. The other concept that you hit on the head that goes beyond, is that of we don't know what is going on in the life of the other person. From the President of the USA down to the guy begging for food, we are all just people with any number of issues, fears, thoughts, hurts, and experiences that others do not know about. Rock on. I always appreciate your posts!

Thanks Regina. It's critical for aspiring outsiders to remember that people who work in the industry are WORKING. They owe no favors to strangers. We, as the strangers, must remember our manners and not ask for more than we would give. We must remember that they are absolutely INUNDATED!!! with strangers seeking favors EVERY SINGLE DAY. When we take the time to make that connection first, maybe we seem like less of a stranger...a little.

Great post. Great thread. I know I just learned a few things. Thank you, Regina and crew.

I recently got a pass on a script passed on through S32. The rejection part itself doesn't bug me (it happens & odds always favor rejection) but the main suggestion the reader made - to this moment, I have absolutely no clue what they are talking about & other people I ask in the biz who maybe could shed some light are just as clueless. Maybe I will come across a good crystal ball in the flea market this weekend that will help me read their mind.

Thanks, EMMA. Jett, I relate. The same happened to me years ago with a professional (or maybe not so professional) script coverage. Like "RB" said yesterday we must invest in a good script coverage. I need suggestions on who is the best script coverage from some of you here. JOEY, REGINA, anyone??? Thanks.

You know, Jorge, I was thinking the same thing yesterday. It would be great to have a reference page of recommended script coverage you can get. I almost getting close to the point of getting that for one of my scripts but I have no idea who are the good ones, so having something to reference would help.

Great insights for all. Thanks, Regina.

Brian, I do know that Michael Hauge at www.storymastery.com provides one on one story coaching. He has a lot of advice on YouTube . Now, I'm sure he is very expensive, depending on the package that you buy, they range from $1000 plus to as little as $350 for a PITCH COACH and other services for the same $350. Michael has over 30 years of experience in coaching screenwriters, so his prices are justified, I guess. Now, here with JOEY's advice you can probably do better. Email Joey@stage32.com he is very busy, but he does get back to you, I know this by experience. Hope, this helped you a bit. in the meantime, KEEP WRITING and READING GOOD SCRIPTS online.

Hi Brian and Jorge, I don't perform simple script coverage (coverage is not the same as notes for further development), but I do script consulting on the side, as does S32er Danny Manus and several others on S32. If you are looking for simple coverage, I can recommend a friend who is also a WGA writer. Here's another thread that might be helpful to you. https://www.stage32.com/lounge/screenwriting/Script-consultant-or-script...

REGINA, JOEY, thank you BOTH. There's nothing like having a one stop shop and that's our very own Stage 32. I personally need notes on improving my ACTION, what's too much? This is one of my weakness, I feel. There could be others, like typos that I keep missing no matter how many times I proofread a screenplay. Do we have someone who can help me with this or a proofreader is a service totally separate? Thanks again for your quick response, guys.

Thanks, JOEY. Please do, I hope you understand what I need??? Or the executive for that matter????

I'm currently reading Lawrence Block's THE CRIME OF OUR LIVES book, which has a great segment about his trial by fire reading slushpile manuscripts for an agent. The instructions were always to write a polite and encouraging rejection (well, unless he kicked it upstairs)... but he says that most of the time what he really wanted to say was go to trade school and become a plumber. And that's one of the things about this biz, 99% you will get no feedback on a pass, simply because of the reason Regina gives about that salesman at the mall. Basically your query is junk mail, and you don't write to the junk mail companies and explain why you aren't buying their product, you just throw the junk mail away. If they read your script and it isn't what they want, that's the end of it. In that 1% of the time when you might get some reason or response, it may be that encouraging stuff that Block had to write, so don't pop the champagne cork. Just like your screenplay characters, actions speak louder than words. Just like your screenplay characters, what they say is usually not true or has a huge amount of "spin" on it... but what they do tells you what's true. If they say "we love this but it's not for us", that has no meaning at all. If they ask to read another screenplay, that means something. If they ask to meet with you, that means something. You go to an auto dealership and test drive a car, what you tell the car salesman doesn't matter as much as what you do next. One of the most important things you need to develop is the ability to know what is wrong and how to fix it. You need to be able to get your screenplays to a professional level before you show them to that person who says "no". That isn't some instant thing that happens, it takes time and a big stack of screenplays to figure out. One of the things I always advise is to find 3 recent successful films with stories like your screenplay... but then compare your screenplay to those films. You might also want to "time" those films: watch them and write down each scene and the time it starts in the movie. That gives you a great handle on pacing (so many new writer's screenplays are poorly paced... just not enough stuff happens in them). Read screenplays. Read your 4 favorite screenplays and then read yours... does it belong with those others? If not, why not?

Great pointers, William. Thanks.

Interesting post by Mr. Martell. Sometimes I like to read a successful film's screenplay first, then rent the film. Very interesting the differing emotions both illicit. Example, Good Will Hunting came off almost identical to the film with the same potency. Some of the best screenplays I've read, Happiness, Henry Fool and Tarantino's Jackie Brown, didn't. In the reverse, The Talented Mr. Ripley and Unforgiven almost put me to sleep, however, the films were a great ride. What's that mean?

William – well spoke. At one time, I was one of those “readers” but now I’m pretty much retired (my efforts are directed toward local production only.) Historically, I passed on the vast majority of submissions but learned early on not to communicate directly with the writer as to why. Many were upset that I “passed” on their little darling. Lots just wanted to argue that I “just don’t understand the story” or that I “had it out” for them. Some wanted a complete script analysis, some wanted help rewriting and some even wanted me to rewrite the script for them. I got the same 24 hours in a day that you have. Not everybody is supposed to be a screenwriter. There’s no shame in becoming an accountant, dentist, pilot, or even an attorney (maybe some shame there.)

The screenplays that are available tend to be shooting scripts, so they are very much like the finished films. The reason why shooting scripts are available is that there are lots of copies made for the cast and crew and everyone else. Even when it comes to PDFs, screenplays usually only go to agent and to producers until that point where they have been rewritten and changed and that's when the PDFs are sent to more people because they are going to be made... so they leak. The GOOD WILL HUNTING screenplay is interesting because the version that sold was a big action screenplay... and it was rewritten into the drama version you read. http://www.bostonmagazine.com/2013/01/good-will-hunting-oral-history/

Long reign Queen Regina! Another outstanding and very helpful post. Thanks! Two comments and then a question. To Jorge: Whatever achievement, minor or hugely significant, if you want to shout it from the rooftops, do it! Some people never even get crumbs in this business, and we all want to share in your enthusiasm and excitement.Second comment: In the theater, I once had a lit manager in California send me a form rejection letter. Later, he met up with a lit manager as far away as England, who was a friend of mine, and she said she mentioned my name and the two of them talked at length about how much they each admired my work. Who knew? The same play in New York got what can at best be described as a "mixed review" from one critic, but when my director met up with her at a party a few weeks later, she said "Oh my God, I LOVED that play." You could have fooled us. You just never know. My question, Regina, is: How useful is it to follow up if you've had no answer? I've never had a lot of luck doing this, and I sometimes think that no answer really is the answer. On the other hand, I've had major players tell me my nudging got the script read, and they were glad they read it.

Hi Richard, my advice is to follow up once after about 3-4 weekends have passed. If you don't care enough to follow up, why should they care? If you get a "please back check in"-type response where the door feels open, then follow up a 2nd time at their invitation. If you get nothing on either your 1st or 2nd attempts, there's your answer. They are either passing, or their interest has waned or other projects have taken priority, and it's no longer a priority for them to make time to read the material. Usually, if a reader is not replying to your follow up, it's because he hasn't read the material or doesn't have an answer yet from the Powers That Be, and he doesn't want to admit that.

That doesn't mean that you can't email them again in the future when you have a new script to show. "Hey, you were nice enough to request my previous script XXX. I have a new script XXX...."

Good advice, Regina. Thanks!

So, follow up? Wow, thanks Regina.

Just try to treat everyone in the same way that you want to be treated.

Regina, the above doesn't apply to my little corner of the world, but your post, how very interesting. Yes, I could see some people not accepting "a pass" and trying to argue or convince the buyer that they are wrong and should reconsider.

Hey JD, I've passed once to a Virtual Pitch Fest person by saying, "Given my own personal buyer relationships, I don't think I can sell this project to the network execs whom I know. Therefore, I have to pass." And the submitter debated, "I disagree..." How can he disagree with MY personal relationships and my personal strategy? There's no basis for his argument. I'm not saying that NO ONE will be able to sell his script; I'm only saying that I can't see a sales route via my own relationships. By the way, you don't want me to partner up if I don't have a sales strategy. That serves no one. This guy needed to find a different person, with a different personal network, with a different personal strategy.

Thanks Regina for your honesty. It's refreshing. I know I feel bad when I receive a pass. But, I know I can't stop and the next script might be the one.

Hey Regina - lots of common-sense info in your post, very helpful from the standpoint of de-mystifying a process that (for all the reasons you explain) isn't necessarily very transparent or easy to figure out intuitively. Thanks!

Regina, funny how they were about to try to convince you that you opinion was incorrect. The take away is that while it wasn't right for you and your connections, it might be right for someone else. They needed to knock on a different door, but their narrow focus prevent the, from seeing that. By the same logic, I guess that's why you would "shop around" your pilot episode or teaser, trying to find the right buyer instead of just "throwing in the towel" after the first rejection.

And that’s the advantage of having an agent who knows your work (a long term relationship) and who’s looking for what. If your script has substance, a good agent will take it wide and you’ll get less passes.

The best way to accept a 'pass' is to realize it's a subjective analysis. It's not science. It's not statistics. So the person 'passing' has no more validity than him or herself and judgement. The search goes on. It's not over because somebody or several entities passed. The best response I've heard to a pass was suggested by an Agent when given the bad news: "No problem. Thanks for taking the time. We'll see you at the opening..."...

@BIll Taub: I couldn't agree more.

Hey S32ers, I'd like to "re-activate" this thread. Not because of my own post really. But because a lot of others brought great perspective to the topic. New users might find value above. Thanks.

Hi Regina, I've had four script requests in 2015 and now I'm waiting to hear back, even if it's just a no, but I want to know why? It's not a pitch rejection, it's a script request and I'm wandering what they're doing with it. Back when I used to write for TV series, execs replied within a reasonable amount of time (within four to six weeks). If ever they'd forgotten about me my agent would call them after three months. That's how I kept a relationship with them. I'm glad that they're busy and that their time is valuable, well so is mine! Back in those days writers were cherished because THEY were and still are the backbone of entertainment. Without them, there are no features or TV series. Granted competition is ferocious these days but along with it courtesy to writers seems to have flown out the window, unless you're already inside; then you can write just about anything you can dish out and get greenlighted. If I wrote any script that's on TV nowadays I'd be turned down flat. Frustrated? No. Just disappointed. I've been writing for over 30 years. I'm not a chip off the old block who's just decided one day to quit her job and start writing. I've got experience under my belt but lately I realize Movies and TV need a serious shake up. Let's work together poeple and not against each other!

I can understand that, Helen. Best of luck with your 4!