How to get a screenwriting manager
This is not the way, just a way
In February 2020, I — an emerging screenwriter who knew nothing about how to gain representation or how to attain any semblance of access in the opaqueness of Hollywood — signed with my manager Zack Zucker at Bellevue.
Since then, I have gone write projects that were workshopped at a Sundance Episodic Lab, voted to the 2021 Black List, and, most recently, got me accepted into the NBCU TV Writers Program.
Shortly after signing with Bellevue, I wrote a popular Twitter thread that laid out my manager search process step by step so that others might be able to find the right representatives for themselves. I’ve had friends and other screenwriters tell me that they’ve used this methodology to find their own reps, so posting it on Medium so it’s available to all.
Traditional Hollywood advice often involves finding a screenwriter friend who can refer you to their manager, placing in a screenwriting contest in the hopes that a manager will pluck you from the weeds, or meeting potential managers at a film festival or networking event. These tactics are largely based on who you know or waiting until lightning strikes.
I had also heard horror stories from writers who signed with the first manager that batted their eyelashes at them, only for their interactinos to turn into bad relationships where the manager didn’t understand their voice, never spoke with their clients, or gave them bad career advice. But the writer felt they had to stick with this toxic rep because a bad rep is better than no rep, right? (For the record, the answer should be NO, IT’S NOT.)
But having pivoted from an advertising career, I had no network, no writer friends who’d refer me, and though I had a script that placed in a few competitions, no managers were knocking on my door. Maybe I’m cynical, but I just didn’t believe that I was going to get plucked from the weeds. I needed to take the process into my own hands.
So, I treated the rep-finding journey like I was college senior conducting a job search. I researched, organized, queried, assessed, and decided. In doing so, I was able to be thoughtful about my needs and vet potential managers based on how they could help me set up a long, sustainable screenwriting career.
To be clear: This is not the way, just a way that worked for me. Even if you don’t use these steps, I hope that they spark some thoughts that can give you agency and clarity as you seek your own manager.
First off, I am assuming that you already have a script you’ve written and are excited about. If you don’t, get to writing! Also, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you steel yourself for a long journey filled with NOs. Also, organization and tracking of information is KEY. You’ll see why.
RESOURCES THAT I WILL REFER TO: IMDBpro, Google Sheets, Kanban Flow, Script Reader Pro, Screenwriting Competitions (Screencraft, Script Pipeline, the Black List platform), Industry friends Writer friends, Producer friends, Script lab friends, Repped/Non-repped friends, Non-Industry friends.
My process unfolded in 5 Stages: 1. Research 2. Organize 3. Query 4. Assess 5. Decide.
Stage 1: Research
Goal: Review the manager landscape and see what’s out there.
IMDbPro was the primary tool I used to identify management companies/potential managers. I knew the big names but wanted to go deeper, given my level of experience and the type of script I had.
I searched writers whose work I admired and identified who they were represented by. For example, I love Stefani Robinson’s work on FX’s Atlanta, so I scoured her profile for representation details. I did this many many times with many many writers.
I tracked the company, the manager, and any other managers who worked at the shop (particularly those who seemed more junior or had fewer clients). Additionally, I’d source the relevant contact information from there or turn to Google. Reminder: THIS IS A SLOG. Be patient.
After I ran out of writers, I asked friends about shops they knew of. My script GOOD BOY is a multicultural story, so I wanted a manager who’d appreciate diverse stories. I also downloaded Script Reader Pro’s FREE MANAGER LIST. Then repeated the process.
Alright! So now ideally we’ve got a MASSIVE pool of potential managers and management companies that we want to reach out to. But how to sort through the mess?
Stage 2: Organize
Goal: Neatly store all the collected contact information, prioritize who to contact, and track query progress. (TBH, this probably was my most favorite step. Because it means that I get to make SPREADSHEEEEEEEETS. Shout out Google Sheets for making my life easier.)
Here’s a screencap of my Manager Workbook. If you click in, should be pretty self-explanatory. You probably don’t need all the columns, but you should have enough where you track all the essential information you’ve sourced from IMDBpro, your friends, and any internet stalking.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you keep the Status and Notes columns. For Status: I color code the keywords (Red for Open, Yellow for Pending, Green for Accepted, Grey for Rejected). For Notes: I track dates so I know how long it’s been since I followed up.
Still with me? YOU’RE AWESOME!
Before Stage 3, I want to mention Kanban Flow, a FREE project management tool. As a PM in a past life, I find it’s a simple way to keep you accountable. See below for an example board. You can read more about it here.
Stage 3: Query
Goal: Spark industry curiosity in my project and generate script requests.
The industry won’t know if I have something offer if I don’t peek my head out. The key is to be brief and polite, but to also intrigue. Now is not the time to be humble!
See below for an early query letter I would send out for GOOD BOY. Quick hits, people are busy! So remember: 1. Hi! 2. Logline 3. I am special and cool 4. You down? 5. Bye!
After you’ve shot your shot into the ether, it’s WAITING TIME!!! Again, stay patient. Start working on your next project. Read a book. Go watch something. FaceTime your family. Celebrate the fact that you’ve put yourself out there and value the process more than the result.
I waited ~2–4 weeks before following up. Frankly, it all depended on the seniority of the person. More senior = more wait time. I sent a VERY brief email inquiring about their interest. If I didn’t hear back, I assumed that was it. Sometimes, they just needed a reminder.
PERSPECTIVE via some numbers. I probably sent out ~70 queries. Of the 70, I got 12 script requests, 1 hard no. So that’s a ~17% hit rate, which, from what I’ve heard from other writer friends, is on the higher side. And that’s just to *read* the damn thing! So keep on!
Stage 4: Assess
Goal: Understand my needs as a young, emerging screenwriter; Identify managers that could fulfill those needs.
Advice I got from friends often stopped at, “Find someone who is passionate about you” or “Who are their clients?” All valid tips. But these seemed very surface level. Also, they all revolved around the manager. I decided to start with a simple question: What do I need?
I thought about my experience in the ad land and the Q I ask my mentees: What skills do I want to develop now? What matters most to me is *becoming a better writer*. Getting better at research, outlining, punching up loglines, breaking story, incorporating feedback, rewriting.
At this point, selling something is NOT my main priority. Yes, I would LOVE it if someone wants to buy/make a project I’ve written. But I am confident that the money, the accolades, the recognitions, will come as long as I take care of STEP ONE: Being the best writer I can be.
How do I like to work? I like one-on-one, IRL meetings. I prefer hard conversation as long as it is thoughtful and backed up by reason. I don’t like being late. I LOVE white-boarding.
I want teammates that are as ambitious as I am and want to improve at a similar rates. I like collaborators who are more “Yes, and…” and “Why not?” I want to take for granted that we’re all smart and prepared. I don’t want to wonder whether you’ve actually read the material.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, I want creative partners who want to make *smart creative*. From my bg as a strategist, I FIRMLY BELIEVE that randomly throwing 100 darts (scripts) at the board (buyers) is an inefficient use of resources. I’d rather throw 5 very very very precise darts.
I like to over-communicate (within reason). I’d rather overshare and be as transparent as possible than have back-channel conversations. You never know where something can go in this industry and how you can supplement an opportunity with another influential voice.
LASTLY, work-life balance is important to me. I usually try to keep my writing within regular work hours. This doesn’t always (or ever) work. But creativity comes from everywhere, so I want time to go to museums, read non-script things, see friends who are doing cool(er) things.
So a manager has asked to meet you! Awesome. Now that you know what you need, try mapping those values to questions that you can ask in the room. Here are some of mine. The conversation will wander. That’s ok. Remember, you’re also there to see if they’re a good fit for you!
A great question I often get: How do you navigate the “dating aspect” of manager meetings (ie. Keeping the door open while you decide)? In general, I recommend being honest. They’ll probably assume you’re taking meetings. Thank them for their time and tell them you will keep in touch.
That said, this is also when I put my “job search” hat on. Because if you can/want to leverage an offer from Manager 1 to motivate Manager 2, you should! And Manager 2 won’t know that they should push you to the top of the list if you don’t tell them. Just be tactful!
For me, I only spoke with smaller shops and received my offers around the same time. However, a meeting, coordinated by a screenwriting competition I had placed in, came in at the 11th hour, so I had to re-calibrate a little bit. But ultimately, there wasn’t a situation I felt that I had to leverage.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TIP: Ask to speak with a client of your potential manager. Brought this with me from my ad life. Yes, it is awkward to ask. It may drag out the process longer. Scheduling is tough. But this is your career. You need to know who you’re signing up with. Ask.
The Assess stage is definitely when you have to do the most reflection. Be sure to speak with experienced writer friends and those that you trust to help you determine your biggest priorities in your career!
Stage 5: Decide
Goal: Have confidence in your decision and express gratitude to those involved in the process
I hope that by the end of the process, you will know what is your NORTH STAR. Your most pressing need. I hope that you now feel like you know who can best fulfill that need. All the shiny things about your manager matter, but it is YOU who have to live with the decision. Own it.
I won’t share the email I sent to my manager. It went along the lines of “Yay! Excited to dive in!” Then I messaged my family group chat and we all FREAKED OUT.
To those I had been speaking with, I emailed them and thanked them for taking the time, wished them the best, and told them I’d support them and their clients as best I could (which I do mean!) I had a really great time getting to know them. And in this town, who knows…
AND THAT’S IT! Reiterating that this isn’t the only way to get a manager, just the path I took. Take or leave what works for you!
I’d love to know what other questions about the screenwriting journey you might have. What topics do you wish had more clarity? Or what other parts of the emerging screenwriting journey do you feel are unnecessarily opaque?
If you have any questions, please leave a comment or feel free to reach out to me directly on Twitter here. You can also get it in touch with me at my website here.
Thanks so much for reading!
