Since someone on S32 mentioned Virtual Pitchfest in my previous post, I went and researched it a bit. Figured it couldn't hurt to give it a shot, so I bought the VIP package that included a free query letter edit. I sent them the draft for my query letter and just got my response back. It reads like a form letter...your idea is good, but you should follow this sample letter we have on our website. No comments on the actual content of my query letter, no allusions to anything I wrote. Just "good job, follow our template." Not super impressed, to be honest. Maybe I'm just being cynical...maybe my query letter actually was pretty good and the editor couldn't think of anything else but to send the template along. Or maybe they would've sent me this same response if I'd sent them a cat video embedded in a Word document. S32 gurus, have any of you used VPF before? What has been your experience? Am I being entirely too skeptical here?
Screenwriting : My VPF experience so far by Emily Hu
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Just started a few weeks ago- also got VIP, and the query feedback I received was specific to my story and made sense. Once I made the change, I actually got a request! I DID notice that the s32 query examples and the VPF query examples are different (so now I have two versions for each project)!
Thanks for your replies. I will use my pitches and see what happens...if no good results, then it's on to other things :)
I've been accepting pitches on VPF for about 3 years. I estimate that I have requested the first 10 pages of about 15 scripts. From there, I've sent out a release form and requested the full script only once. I know other producers who have requested scripts. I'm a believer in the platform. I have no experience with their query letter support though.
Thank you for the bit of insight from the other side, Regina. Given other folks' responses, I'm beginning to think that maybe my query letter just didn't require significant edits. Perhaps, in this case, I did get something right. :) Sent off a couple of queries through VPF just now; wish me luck!
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Your pitch has to be short. Many of the professionals on VPF also take pitches on Stage 32. They offer more bang for the buck. But they have no one to help with your written pitch.
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I've been taking queries on VPF for about 7 years - pretty much since they started. Ive requested probably 50 scripts over that time. I've liked about 5. I've developed/optioned 2. But hands down the biggest issue is that most query letters suck. They created a template - which I'm pretty sure they took from my class - that works. you want to make it your own, but they know what execs need to hear in a query. Also, if anyone ever needs help with their query, I literally teach the class on queries & have very affordable query help services at No BullScript!
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Thanks for the feedback, everyone. Joey, I will definitely take advantage of the free help with my next script. Danny, I hope they took the template with your permission! I can see why it works; it seems to hit all the key points I read about in other sample query letters.