Your Reps Didn’t Respond to your New Sample. Now What?

I hate when this happens! Recently, one of my writer clients came to me with a dilemma that most writers will face at some point in their career. She had finished a new drama pilot sample that she was proud of – she poured her heart into writing it and making it as personal and specific as possible, got notes from fellow writer friends, revised it multiple times, got positive feedback, etc. It was a really good script. Then she finally sent it off to her reps…excited to hear what they think and hoping this new sample would elevate her portfolio and career.

They read it and responded with a one-line email: “This is interesting but we’re not sure what we can do with it.” That’s it. Nothing more. They didn’t want to send it out. She was disappointed. Was it totally dead in the water? Did she just waste the past few months writing something for nothing? I told her that there are steps she can take so we put together an action plan for how she could salvage this sample. And she did.

The reality is that your reps are the first gatekeeper. If they don’t respond to your new sample, they will not send it out to their contacts in the industry. They are judged on their taste and the material they push so if they don’t believe in it, they won’t risk asking an exec who they have a good relationship with (or one they are trying to build a relationship with) to spend their limited time reading it. So, what do you now?

1. Do everything you can to make your sample undeniable.

I know it’s an overused word but here’s what it means: high concept material that you get what it is in one logline/sentence and people can’t wait to read it. Your reps have made it clear that they don’t think it’s there yet. So how can you make it undeniable? Ask your reps to provide more specific feedback. What makes them hesitant to send it out? What’s not working? Is it not commercial enough? Too low concept? Not enough of a hook? Characters who are flat and uncompelling? Is there potential in the premise but the execution is not quite there? Ask for detailed notes and then spend time revising it accordingly.

2. Do one of the reps on your team believe in the sample? Then you can ask that they send it out for you even if your other reps won’t.

One of my clients wrote a half hour pilot that her manager liked – but her agent didn’t. The agent wanted her to write an hourlong version instead so she did and he was happy with that version. In the end, her manager sent out the half hour version for more comedy-focused general meetings and staffing opportunities while her agent sent out the hourlong version. She had a number of staffing meetings from both versions and ultimately got staffed. Nothing has to go to waste.

But what if your reps don’t want you to spend time reworking it and would rather you scrap it completely and work on something else? There are many reasons for this. One client was told by their reps that religious cults are a little “touchy” right now and the industry does not want to produce features or shows on this subject matter. Another client who wrote a pilot about stand-up comics was told that nobody wants to read about the industry – unless it’s a famous creator or performer pitching/taking out the project. Yet another client was told that half hour dramedies are out right now – everyone wants “hard” comedy.

However, if you’re still passionate about your script and don’t want to change the script to something completely different to suit the needs of your reps/the market, then accept that they will not send it out themselves but know that you can send it out in the following ways:

3. Submit it to reputable writing contests.

Placing in a contest like Austin Film Festival, Final Draft, PAGE, Sundance Episodic Lab, SeriesFest TV Writing Lab, or others can get you additional exposure and attention which will be an encouraging sign to your reps that your script may be better received than they expected.

4. Mine your own industry contacts.

At this point in your career, you’ve probably had your fair share of meetings and know of a few execs who may respond to this new script. This is a great opportunity to follow up with the execs you really clicked with to tell them about your new sample. Ultimately, you want to build as many direct relationships with the execs that your reps have set up meetings with as possible anyway, so a new sample that you are proud of is an organic way to reconnect with them. You can email them with the logline and ask if they would like to read it. In the email, you can also praise a show or feature that the exec and/or their production company worked on to show that you are informed and following their current projects. It’s always good to get back on their radar and remind them that you are a prolific writer who consistently produces new material.

As a way to avoid the situation, in the future, of you loving your script and your reps hating it, you can always check in with your reps early in the process so you don’t spend too much time writing something that they will never send out. Your reps will appreciate it if you send them a few ideas or loglines that you are considering writing before diving in. They will tell you which ones seem most promising/commercial/compelling based on their experience and what they are seeing in the marketplace at the moment.

That said, it also makes sense if you felt a burning desire to write this script. In the end, you have to write what you want – write something just for you because you need to get it out. Even if your reps don’t love it. Obviously, be smart about your time and prioritize the passion projects behind the ones that have a better chance of paying. But at the end of the day, you are a writer and it’s important to write material that calls to you and your soul and shows your unique voice…that distinctive, fresh unique voice is exactly what buyers are looking for.

Which leads to another question: has your rep ever sent out a sample you wrote? Are they always telling you to work on something else? If your reps are always saying no to your scripts and your ideas, then maybe it’s time to find a new rep (more on that in future blog).

No matter what, every script you finish teaches you something and ultimately makes you a better writer. And you always have it in your portfolio ready to go. If you really believe in it, as you climb the ranks and become more experienced in your career, you may be able to dust it off again when the time is right. Some writers waited almost 10 years to get their show made from a spec script they loved and stayed obsessed with…think Mad Men and, more recently, Widow’s Bay. Who knows? Maybe one day you’ll be revisiting that script and it becomes the next hit show or movie.

What are your tips for handling an unresponsive rep? Let me know at @kirschner.carole on Threads or on LinkedIn!"

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Want help figuring out what script you should write that might be the one to move the needle? That’s what I work on with my coaching clients all the time. If you're interested in finding out more about my one-on-one coaching, go to: carolekirschner.com/coaching

And for more industry info and tips check out these additional resources:

To learn how to create a good impression on anyone in the industry, read my free e-book, Tell Your Story in 60 Seconds.

And you can find my book, Hollywood Game Plan on Amazon or at Michael Wiese Productions (MWP).