Screenwriting : Noqueryletter.com takes unsolicited script submissions by Anthony Catino

I've not heard of them before, are they legit?

A buddy of mine just got optioned by them. He's a former writer for Disney and has a manager. It's near impossible to find prodcos that take unsolicited material. All the risk is on the producer side, so I get it.

Anthony, thanks so DOGGONE much for shouting out about https://noqueryletter.com!

This past weekend, I submitted "Got Any More Bullets, Sister?" Looking forward to turning in a second script of mine (looks like "Jingle Belles")...but I want to wait another week.

It's like turning a kid loose in a candy store...that's how great noqueryletter.com is.

My buddy John said it was his script My Samurai that got the deal. They're slapping a quote from him on the website. It's a tiered option that leads to back end points which writers never get. I love it. Now I'm going to get polishing...

Thanks Anthony for this useful information. I appreciate it & will definitely PAY IT FORWARD... we need all the assistance we can get.

Thank you.

Great idea, but read the agreement carefully. It's fairly standard but there are several landmines for writers. Forewarned is forearmed.

The Section 1542 waiver means you’re giving up the right to sue even if you later discover they lifted specific story elements. It’s a total release, not just for now but for the future.

If they select your material, you’re agreeing in advance that any further work might be considered theirs from the outset. You’d need a separate deal to retain credit or residuals.

Further, they can use any part of your material that’s “similar to or identical to” something they’re already developing or that someone else independently creates without payment to the writer. That’s common, but extra wide here. It lets them say “we already had something like that” and you have no recourse.

As a writer, you're waiving almost every right tied to idea protection. Submitting in hopes they’ll option or develop it is not advisable.

Sounds too good to be true. I'm wondering if they need scripts to test out their software on?

That crossed my mind as well. Particularly with the nature of the agreement's boilerplate.

Another reason to pass.

Run

I keep getting notices about comments on my post. I never thought a heads up would create a stir so I'll share a little of my story and dispense a little advice that appears to be very sorely needed.

A tiny bit about me since I don't have a bio here: I'm a produced screenwriter and a producer. I wrote a film for Anil Kapoor, titled THAR, it's on Netflix. You can find me on IMDB, LinkedIn, and my writing website. When I was an emerging writer, I held the same belief as Ms. Langley in that some shady producer will lift something so extraordinary from my work and make a fortune and I'd be screwed out of my retirement funds. I laugh at myself that I even thought that. Well, that's a terrible fallacy that has held writers back for far, far too long for 2 big reasons.

One, I have my entertainment lawyer look at everything. I had him look at the noqueryletter agreement and here's what he said, I quote, "No producer is going to take any copyrighted material and produce it, there is no financial benefit. Litigation would eat up any gain." Note what he said, "copyrighted material." I like that noqueryletter said upfront they strongly recommend getting your work copyrighted. It took my fear away and why I submitted my script. Every one of my scripts is copyrighted. This is something every writer should do to protect themselves anyway. If your work isn't copyrighted, you're SOL with every producer you send your script to. Take my advice, this is the first thing you must do - get your work copyrighted. When I abandoned the small mindedness, I put my work in front of anyone that would actually read it and that's how I got the THAR gig.

Two, every emerging writer thinks they wrote something sooooo original and ground breaking that it'll print them money. Well, that's another very sad fallacy that is the result of inexperience. I discovered that myself. Years ago I passed on opportunities with producers like noqueryletter because of fear. Honestly, it was my inexperience and advise from people with little more experience than me that kept me from submitting to producers who accepted unsolicited material. My lawyer told me producers who accept unsolicited material are very far and few between because they take all the risk and must protect themselves from emerging writers because writers think what they wrote is so original, perfect and 4 quadrant appealing. Not the case.

Now, if you want to be really afraid, think about all the screenplay contests you've submitted to... including Stage 32... and ask yourself these questions: where is my script, who's got it, on what server, who has access to it, did they delete it after reading (not likely), where is the legal info that protects me from the contest and so on and so on. Only a copyright protects you. Submitting to a contest is no different than submitting to a producer.

You see, I'm on both sides of the fence and see it both ways now. I have writers send me unsolicited scripts on LinkedIn because they see producer and independent filmmaker. I don't want to see their script, I don't want the liability, so I delete whatever is sent. 99% of the producers on IMDB have contact information - email address, mailing address, phone numbers - and all of them don't accept unsolicited materials.

To conclude this much too long post, and my main point, my advice to every emerging writer - get your work copyrighted before you send it to anyone including and especially contests. It's the only way to protect yourself and move forward without fear because it's fear holding you back. Cheers...

Oh, I don't think they'll steal my work, I just think they're crap.

Too late. I gave up a long time ago.

Anthony, thank you for the details information. I know that any opportunity to potentially get your work read can a positive or negative experience. It took 10 years to get one of my scripts optioned after many queries. It sounds like you are leaning towards keeping an open mind on this. I looked at the site and there was no mention of them asking for money for any stage of the process. I like to think that creative people would rather help to bring people up and hopefully benefit themselves rather that figure everyone is out to cut you off at the knees. I feel it is worth trying but am going to wait to see how my writing partner feels as we are equals on our projects. Thanks again.

The lady doth protest too much, methinks.

E Langley, thank you for your insights.

Always read the Terms and Conditions - a great pastime if you want heart failure. Bwahahaha.

Thanks, Scott Weisenfeld.

Read E Langley's comments. And who are they? No names, no track record. No thanks.

Seems they are using AI to rapidly screen scripts to find the needles in the giant haystack that we are writing. Nothing wrong with that if they have the money to back it up. I find it interesting that none of the films listed in the FAQ's meet their highest threshold of scores 95/9 in spite of all six being nominees or winners in last year's Oscars.

Thanks, Ronnie Mackintosh. It helps that I'm not an obvious shill for this highly questionable venture.

I read that if you use AI for something - - e.g. review - - then it owns then intellectual property. Always read the Terms and Conditions. More heart failure.

And do keep in mind that many of the decision-makers, directors, actors, writers, and companies are distinctly anti-AI. Remember the strikes? So far, it looks like staying away from AI, especially in writing, is a better way to go on so many fronts. Good luck to you all with your own ideas, your own creativity and craft!