Screenwriting : Zero Gravity: anyone else? by William P. Johnson

I also got a request for my screenplay from them. And I agree, its always good to get a request. It means you're on the right track. Its a long process/ journey for new screenwriters and persistence is the key. Best of luck.

Did they ever respond? Curious what their response time is like, if they did.

They have yet to respond and its been months. I figured that if they wanted the script, they would have responded by now. Anyways, another manager requested the full screenplay. I try not to worry about hearing back from them and continue to build my content and network throughout various social media outlets.

I got a request from them years ago but never heard back.

Figured that was the thing. Just keep going, hustling. It's a nice shot in the arm to say the least.

They made a request to me close to 2 months ago. Didn't hear back either

I just looked back through my e-mail archive to remind myself. They've read three scripts of mine, and I only heard back once (a pass, natch). It took 10 days to receive that pass, which appeared personal. So that was nice. :)

I take a bit of pleasure in knowing that shortly after that pass I'd option the script, and it's now in casting/pre-production. So what do they know?

http://deadline.com/2018/04/ksenia-solo-sweet-harmony-movie-lost-girl-12...

Got a request from a director Clay Helton for a full read. DIDN’T HEAR ANYTHING FOR 2-3 MONTHS SO I FOLLOWED UP. HE SAID I M,ADE THE INITIAL SCREENING WIOTH 2 or 3 others. They were searching for funding - he’d get back. After another 2-3 months I followed up again - this time he didn’t return my emails. Got a request for a read 7 months ago - just got a reply saying it wasn’t what they were looking for. GUess it’s just the business. They are the big dogs and we are the runts scavenging for a bone.

Sounds like querying is less a zero sum game and more a quantity thing. I bet plenty of management agencies request material and never respond, so either way... I'll celebrate the request but keep sending those emails and trying to make connections whenever possible.

I appreciate all that Stanley, but the idea is to gain representation and hopefully get assignments through my writing samples, not to produce my own film. I don't know the first thing about directing/producing and feel my strength lies in writing. So that's sort of the lane I'm staying in at the moment and it's why I'm pitching managers/agents. If I get experience on set and learn about directing, and am able to squirrel away some money, well that is a different story, isn't it?

Hey William! Congrats on the response from Zero Gravity. I have had a similar experience from them. Sent them my script about a month ago. And like you, awaiting a response. I think patience then a nice follow up or two is key. All the best!

Congrats Kerry Douglas Dye , well done.

William - How long did it take for them to respond to your query?

Pretty fast, like the next day. That why I was curious about them.

I've pitched twice to Zero Gravity; one time they requested the script, and the second time they were not interested. Just a couple of weeks ago I got a response from another producer who requested a script, saying it wasn't quite what he was looking for... and that took 8 months from the time I sent it. I had still another that took 8 months, and another that took 4 months to read and get a response. I still have 3 producers I'm waiting to hear back from, including Walt Disney Studios who requested a script 6 months ago. I figure that it takes a long time for readers to get through the many screenplays they get... so I just keep plugging away.

A few years back I got a request from Zero Gravity within a half-hour of sending the query but never heard back. But I've never hear back on many script requests. I'd estimate probably about 70 percent. However, not hearing back is your answer that the person who requested the script is not interested.

William - Did you present your pitch as a possible project for a specific ZGM client?

No, but I do list current clients that are similar to the kind of material I write, so its not totally out of left field.

William - I pitched a project today to ZGM specifically for Katherine Heigl. I'm hoping that getting the interest of one of their clients might help my prospects. I'll have to wait until next week to see how it does.

I'm 0 for 1 with Zero Gravity but they did get back.

What was their response time? Care to share your pitch and their response to it?

They do request pretty much every time from what I understand. I've pitched them 3 times and received the same generic email every time. I never get any response.

That is disappointing to hear, then again, maybe they will get back, and - how many management agencies, generally speaking, request something and never get back to you? Sounds like it's sort of a frustrating part of the process, pitching into thin air. Will keep querying until I run out of names.

The logline/query is strong, I think. For the moment, it's all I got. Not quitting anytime soon, but being in Philadelphia means I've gotta try cold pitches or get a referral. If circumstances are different and I'm socializing with film makers, then I'll have projects ready to pitch. Patience is the mother of all virtues here. Just gonna keep hustling.

I find when I’ve written off most request that I sent the script to. I get a reply out of the blue 6-8 months later.

I expect that to happen as well. When I had pitched a novel to agents, I sometimes got responses a YEAR later and would often forget having even pitched them. It's a pretty dismissive business. I feel like you have to really be madly in love with this to want to keep doing it, cause god damn is there some abuse along the way.

Just got a reply from as submitted script back in december

I've had two script requests from them over the past two years, from two different managers, and have never heard back. Both via VPF. Last time was in January, 2018. Thanks for the post, William. I live in Paris, so was unaware of the gossip , and have been wondering, naturally what's up with all that. Would love to hear from someone who's even interned there. Do they shred them? Stockpile them, in case of changing trends? Ever read them? Or just try to look busy? Very odd, but not unusual anymore, sadly.

I sent ZG a script called ESCAPE FROM KINGSTOWN. They passed. Writing wasn't strong enough. Now that I look back I can't believe I sent them that sorry ass script. :) Live and learn, right. I might try them again with my new sh@@.

I also wanna ask. IS it a problem to send my script to other managers/agents even after I signed the release forum.?!

I got request from them as well. But didnt send my script as yet. They asked me to sign a form. It has a clause saying that they might have identical material to mine. If they use it i will not claim for anything. I dont remember exact words. But dont like this clause

they requested one of my scripts 2 years ago. Never heard back. Did some polite follow up at 8 week and 16 week mark but never got an answer. Found out person who requested my script left not long after I submitted so who knows where my script ended up. Prob, propping up someone's desk.