Example of a query letter/email that got a positive response?...

I briefly checked into www.publishersagentsfilms.com and wasn't impressed. Yeah, it seems like another email blast company. "We help writers and filmmakers find publishers, agents, and film industry contacts." Okay, but it looks like the cheapest package is $175, and there isn't a lot of information. I think I'd pass.

Lance: Thanks for the updates with Screenwriting Staffing and the info on requests for pitch decks and budgets. Oh boy. I could probably throw together a basic pitch deck, but a budget proposal? I'd have no idea.

If you're interested in budgets, there are templates and resources on the nofilmschool site:

https://nofilmschool.com/film-budget-template

https://nofilmschool.com/realist-breakdown-for-indie-film-budget

Kaye: Thanks for the links. Good start, but I'd still hate to have to try and figure it out! Guesses, guesses...

Screenwriting Staffing Query Letter service UPDATE: Have had a few more script requests since my query email blast was sent out on Nov. 7th. Anyway, I was approached today by an agency (at least I think they're an agency). Haven't had a chance to check them out yet. Here is their webpage:  www.publishersagentsfilms.com  Anyone know anything about them?

Man, that is a real WTF for me and really undermines the credibility of the query site - they sent your query to a business that charges you for doing queries!!???? What kind of business practice is that?? They are essentially the same thing is Screenwriting Staffing. It does not bode well for how well they curate their lists. 

Andrea: I feel the same way about pitch decks and budget proposals... However, I should clarify, only one of the three companies asked for a pitch deck, then a budget proposal. In the end they accepted the script. Another asked for a treatment, that I didn't have, and still accepted the script. The last requested to read the script with no other requests. So I wouldn't worry too much about pitch decks and budget proposal (although they're good to have). I think if your query interests them, they will reach out.

Lily: Thanks for the pitch deck tips! Saves me from searching the threads for the info.

Lily & Andrea: Thanks for checking into that company. I'll pass on them.

David: I was thinking the same thing. However, I did get three decent leads from them. Will anything come from them? Hell if I know. But it is nice to have some interest. Is that interest worth what they charge? The jury's still out. Will update if anything comes from it.

When I first started exploring this wild and wacky thing called screenwriting four years ago, I have no idea of budget, location, any of the nitty gritty details. I've since learned, and honestly, it doesn't take much.

There's not a lot of info out there for budgets higher than independent film. Why? I honestly don't know. The best thing to do is read, talk to people, get to know the industry.

Some script coverage services can give you a good budget estimate, but, as always, due diligence.

One quick and easy way is to look up the budgets of movies similar to your scripts, and just provide that number as an estimate. I've yet to see anything that says screenwriters need to know the exact dollar and cents of a budget. All anyone seems to want is an estimate: low, medium, high.

However, I don't get the impression that anyone is interested in high budget scripts on Screenwriting Staffing.

Look forward to the updates, Lance. Rooting for success.

Okay - I've given Screewriting Staffing a whack.

I decided to let them generate the query letter (you have an option of crafting your own or supplying them with the info and having them generate the standard one). I went with the latter approach under the assumption that most of their subscribers (e.g., producers, etc) are already familiar with their format. 

For what it is worth, I have copied and pasted it at the end of this email so those of you who are thinking about using their format can get a sense of what  - this is what the query looked like: There was one typo they created (ENNA) rather than JENNA and the version is not in italics - for some reason when I posted it here it all came out in italics. 

Moving on: The Query was send on 11-30-22. So far, 12 positive responses. 

Of those, 2 were really just selling script or branding services.

None were what you consider big players. The IMDB rankings ranged from 16,000 to 11 million.  They all pretty much look liked folks trying to launch production companies with most of the credits being in the Short Film produced or a low-budget feature somewhere in the development phase.

The Genre match was actually pretty good - I was getting responses from folks who have worked in Comedy, Rom-Com, etc. so it looks like they do a pretty good job of matching your genre to the genre that the producer is interested in.

Anyway - not enough yet to pass judgement on the value of this yet - but thought it might be helpful to share my experience so far with others.

=================================================================

On Nov 30, 2022, at 9:59 AM, David Lambertson <query@screenwritingstaffing.com> wrote:


Good Morning!

I would like to submit my romantic-comedy feature, BAGGAGE, for your consideration. BAGGAGE is in the vein of 'Notting Hill' and 'You’ve Got Mail'. The script has placed well in a dozen contests, including a PAGE 2021 Screenwriting Competition Finalist. It currently is in Coverfly's top one-percent.

LOGLINE: An emotionally unbalanced Hollywood producer ends up in a life-changing romantic tangle with a small-town, wannabe writer after she posts a blog story about the very private personal items she found in his lost luggage.

SYNOPSIS: Professionally, BILLY BUNKER (45) is at the top of his game - a wealthy, Hollywood Producer. Emotionally, he’s a trainwreck - riddled with an impulse control disorder, anger management issues, fear of aging, and foolishly in love with HEATHER, a starlet half his age. Billy’s knocked out by a falling maintenance ladder just before boarding a flight to propose to Heather. He spends the next ninety days in a coma at a Los Angeles hospital. While there, his suitcase is carted off to the Unclaimed Baggage Center in small-town Scottsboro, Alabama where all unclaimed airline baggage in the United States is sent.

ENNA (35), a widowed, salt of the earth, wannabe writer works at that store. She processes lost baggage during the day and crafts romantic tales based on the contents of that luggage at night. She posts these tales on her blog: BAGGAGE STORIES. One night, she posts a story about the personal items she found in Billy’s lost suitcase. When Billy finally awakens from his coma, he’s greeted with the news that Heather has dumped him, he’s on the hook to produce a new series for Netflix and his precious luggage is long gone. While Googling for a replacement for his suitcase, he inadvertently runs across Jenna’s blog story on his lost luggage. Billy, driven by impulse and anger, storms off to Alabama to confront Jenna and reclaim what is his.

Of course, that doesn’t go well. Billy ends up in the local jail after totally losing it once he learns that his items have been sold off. Jenna, feeling somewhat responsible for his plight, bails him out and, that day they get to know each other and just a bit of a spark is lit. As a bonus, Billy’s certain that Jenna’s Baggage Stories blog would be perfect for a new Netflix series. One problem – Jenna writes romance and Netflix wants horror and thriller stories. Billy spends the next several weeks with Jenna to help her re-draft her romantic stories into horror and thriller scripts. They clash but also grow closer as they spend time together. The spark that was lit when they first met starts to become a flame. A flame that flickers out when Jenna mistakenly believes that Billy is intent on rekindling his romance with Heather.

As a result, she breaks off all contact with Billy. Billy reluctantly leaves but ultimately returns to Alabama in one last-ditch effort to convince Jenna that his feelings for her are genuine. To boot, he’s told Netflix no dice. He’s going to produce the Baggage Stories series himself. But this time, based on the stories Jenna loved and crafted. Romance stories that now include their own.

CLOSING: I have written several award-winning and produced short films as well as significant success in screenwriting contests. If you require any further info, or would like to read the screenplay, please let me know. For more on me: www.imdb.com/name/nm7714522

Sincerely,
David Lambertson             
dlambertson@hotmail.com  

Their version just seems too long.

Their version just seems too long.

I agree, Peter - when I have done synopsis in queries (I generally don't) I have always attached them on a second page - if you remove the synopsis from the query - it is relatively brief. Like I said - I went their way assuming that their clients were used to getting it in the body of the query. 

David, thank you so much for sharing. I'll be curious to hear if any "big players" ever respond. I've considered trying this service after the holiday shutdown, but your results so far have me leaning against it. I'm also surprised at the length of the query, but if that's the normal format for this company, it's reasonable to keep it consistent. Please keep us updated!

My pleasure, Andrea.

And yes - I have/would not write this long of a query. But again - it is  3/4ths synopsis, which I generally never include in the body of a query and rarely include it as an attachment.  

Will keep you updated. 

I found my Screenwriter Staffing letter from last year. And yes, lots of interest, but nothing substantial. Maybe made a couple of contacts that I could revisit - like "hey, we spoke last year... are you in the market for anything in particular" or something like that. Anyhow, here it is: https://us8.campaign-archive.com/?u=028d42e532d41ba903ac0f54f&id=5358189e6c

I think in the future, I would only do 1 script per letter. Yes it's "less bang for your buck" so to speak, however, I think it would be more effective.

One thing, be sure to proof read.......My script Stuck in Funk was typoed "Stuck in Fu*k" <---yes the Fword! But I caught it before he blasted it out. 

I hope this helps!

An IMDb StarMeter rating of 16,000 is impressive for anyone outside of acting or directing. It's a tricky one. I know of development heads with next to no credits because they don't care about taking them.

CJ - I don't disagree - it was just a way of slicing the data - maybe a more informative way is this:

1 had a ranking of 1000

2 had a ranking of 10,000 to 20,000

2 had a ranking of 20,000 to 30,000

5 had a ranking of over 300,000

That's probably better info for folks to get a sense

That's not too bad then. I'd take anyone with a ranking under 50K seriously. 

Screenwriting Staffing Query Letter Service Update: Well, the read requests dried up awhile ago and I haven't heard back from anyone that requested a read.

Conclusion: My scripts are big budget. The producers and production companies that my screenplay was sent to do low to mid size budgets. So, I wouldn't do it again because it's just not a good fit for me. That said, if you have a low to mid size budget script I think it may be a good fit for you. Hope that helps. 

Thanks, Lance! I'm sorry it didn't fit for you, but your experience helps me a lot. It just so happens I do have two low-budget feature scripts that don't have a home yet, which is why I was considering this service. So thank you for the confirmation.

No problemo, Lilly. Hope it works out for you!

As I said in an earlier post, "Well, the read requests dried up awhile ago and I haven't heard back from anyone that requested a read."

I don't think anything is going to come from them, but you never know.

My questions are: Is it ok to send a follow up email or should I let sleeping dogs lie? If it is ok to send a follow up, how long after?

My questions are: Is it ok to send a follow up email or should I let sleeping dogs lie? If it is ok to send a follow up, how long after?

It's perfectly okay to send a follow-up email. In fact, many encourage a follow-up. Keep in mind, on the other side of things, people are fielding hundreds of emails a day, working on pre-production, preparing for filming, not to mention a whole host of other things that need to be done behind the scenes. So, there are many who appreciate a reminder.

Personally, and this is my choice, I don't like to send more than one follow-up. If they're busy or not interested anymore, that's just how it sometimes goes, and I move on.

Yes, following up is ok. My publicist says 3 days, but I'm too bashful for that and give it a week. Good luck!

Lance:

First, my experience was very similar to yours. A lot of buzz out of the gate and then crickets.

Second - IMO - yes - follow-up is appropriate. It can be something as simple as “Just wanted to confirm you received my screenplay and, if so, is there any other information you needed…".  - something like that.

My publicist says 3 days, but I'm too bashful for that and give it a week.

Aw, Cannon, you're the sweetest.

The amount of time varies SO much. I've seen and heard everything from two days to two months. The size of staff, I find, is the deciding factor. Tiny production company that has a staff of five people? Yeah, it's gonna take them more time. Bigger company with more dedicated staff? It might take them less time to decide anything.

Of course, this is all dependent on whether they've decided to continue. Worst case scenario, they decide to pass, and they try to be nice about it with a variant of, don't call us, we'll call you...if you don't get radio silence.

One follow-up email never hurts. Go for it!

Thanks, Lily, Cannon and Dave! I'll be following up tomorrow. Hopefully no crickets.

Last add on this - I sent follow-ups to all who expressed interest a while back - nada - this query is dead. So, for me - didn't work out.