Everybody- I posted earlier that I had a fantastic pitch with a producer on Sunday and by all indications, I knocked it out of the park. This producer expressed love and joy and said (and I quote)- I want to read the script! Do you have anything else to go with it?! When I said I also had a great pitch bible, the producer said that they wanted to see that as well. I humble-bragged all over social media , felt happy for two lovely days and then this morning, I got the feedback report, opened it up with a big grin on my face, read the notes, glanced down to the bottoom- PASS.
Shocked. From their response on Sunday to this today made me wonder if I should get my hearing checked! I had the wind knocked out of me and it made me doubt myself. I will continue and I will take the notes into consideration and I will move forward. But just for today, please understand that I want to crawl back in bed and hug my dog, Thank you for your support here.
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Happens all the time to many, many writers.
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Yes, i know. It has happened to me before. But for some reason, this hit me really REALLY hard
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Aw sorry - not fun! Been there myself - you are among friends here! Take a day ( no more) then get back out there and kick it some more! You've got this! That is my lame pep talk.
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No, very much appreciated. Thank you
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Like you've said, never count your chickens. Don't take his enthusiasm for granted. Putting out our stories our there is always a hard sell.
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It has happened to many of us. It could be for many reasons -- but the most likely one would be that they didn't have the ability to do anything with it no matter how much they loved it. Or that they ran it up the flagpole and was told no, or there was something similar in the pipeline. That said, the pitch times are so short, there is never time for someone to say something honest even if it's just great concept and pitch but it's just not for me at this time.
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Feeling you. Decades ago I was living in Victoria, British Columbia and someone from a major Vancouver theater company contacted me (I can't for the life of me remember how they heard of me) and the gist of our conversation was that I lied and said I had a musical stage play that I would send them "when I get back from my two-week vacation." I was living in a studio apartment, managing a health spa and was not going anywhere for two weeks, but I hoped that two weeks would be enough time for me to write a full-length stage play, never having written one before. I did, foolishly sent it in, and the company director himself called me and said it was the next "Rocky Horror Picture Show" and that he was going to send me a bunch of changes to make and that he would then discuss with me not just putting the show up, but touring with it. He flattered and flattened me with his effusive praise. I received the changes, and made every one without protest or hesitation. I followed their lead to the letter, and sent the revised script back. They called a few days later and said that I had ruined the script and they were no longer interested in it. Stunned, I offered to go back to the original and redo their changes but they were done. So... it's the way the ball bounces and sometimes it bounces you right into the nearest rubber room!!! Don't worry, you came close, you'll do even better next time.
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Sorry that happened, D A Stenard. It's a gut punch. Hope you feel better soon. And hope you get a recommend or double recommend next time!
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One time my partners and I got a verbal agreement, $500,000 from a NBA basketball player, to fund a movie. We celebrated that night drinking & dancing. Then two days later our accountant told us the player's wife filed for divorce and he cant give us any $ now. The movie never got made and we went back to our day jobs. that's show biz.
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Dan, you are right about that. I knw what this business was like before I ever got in it.
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Like you I learned you can never guess what their decision will be. I've had pitches I thought sucked that ended up in a request and, like you, ones I felt were winners that got passed. Only goes to show you to just keep hitting.
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D A Stenard Go lay in bed !! hug your dog !! than get yoourrr butttt upppp go touch some grass make you some good tea because you got this D , there not the artist we are !!! if someone already said they like it than its good (: who cares about what they say we keep fighting ... period
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You know, you pay to go to live pitch sessions. t least these I can do at home (wiht my dog) and when it's over, I can step right out in my garden. Pitching your "darlings" is never going to be easy. But I hope that I will find that person who says I LOVE THIS and thwn I will go from there.
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Sending a hug. I had someone tell me my script was 'nearly perfect'. He couldn't think of one thing to change. He then offered to share it with other LA industry people. Never heard another word. Moving on!
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Ohh Jan, that is cold. But yes, we move onward and upward. Thank you for tell ingme your story
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Bullshit is the currency of Hollywood.
Thanks, Mike
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I'm sorry this happened to you. I do believe that every script we write has a home somewhere. You continue pitching and one day your story will find the right person that will want it.
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Pick yourself up keep going, don’t give up and prove them wrong. You’ll thank them later (sarc)
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95% (I think I’m being generous lol) of people are going to pass on your script unless it’s packaged with a director/actors or has financing already.
If I may speak candidly. I strongly believe that people ask for things to read that they already know they’re going to pass on for job security lol.
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I only pitch to those who currently are working/employed with a literary agency or production company. When I see the word "formerly" I steer clear.
Thank you, that is a good tip
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I know, it shades our motivation and discipline for a while, but, please, face it and go on with more powerful persistence - there should be a light at the end of tunnel.
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I'm trying! Thank yoiu for your response
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I do, I will and you too! Thank you!
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D A Stenard Rats! very disappointing for sure. BUT (And nearly the same thing happened to me last month) I re-pitched to the same person with another script and am developing a nice connection. Good things: you pitched well and can do it again, they liked the script which means someone else will too, and I guess there was a life lesson on there somewhere (like we need to keep having these lol). I think being a stage director for so long has made me understand the multiple variables of casting and there are so many times where I wished I could cast someone and let them know how well they did but could not in the end. And it still hurts just the same. "Just keep writing" (in the essence of Dory). I hope you can stay focused on the dream, let go of the outcomes, and enjoy the process, even with these clunky setbacks.
True dat
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A big mojo comforter to you D A Stenard. My way of dealing with similar situations is to submit requested script, daydream for a day or two, and then expect to never hear from them again. To hear they contacted you with a pass tells me they hold respect for you and your writing, so there's the silver lining :-)
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Its always a disappointment to get a no. Even if you receive good feedback the project may not fit what that producer or their company are working on at that time. Just remember: Executives don't want to say no to everything they see, and it sometimes only takes one person to say yes to your project to get it made. Getting a pass from a company sucks, but they're not the only company out there.