To Spec, or not to spec...

??

To spec or not spec what? In what context?

Your team?

Me confused.

-Derek
My web page - Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror - published fiction and WIPs.
Take the critiques you get with a grain of salt. Invariably, some of the critics will be kooks, bitter curmudgeons, or complete fools. ~odocoileus

TwoKeys said:

Apologies if this has been beaten to death.

Most of the things I read say you absolutely MUST send a spec in order to have any chance of getting representation.

My team and I were totally set to go down that road.

But then I stumbled across another writing forum, this one run by a working screenwriter, and he said no, it is NOT necessary in today's market.

What do you guys think?

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Do you mean send out a spec script to an agent?

I'd say that's still pretty standard if you're looking for representation.

Some years ago, I targeted specific producers with a spec script, then got a call back from one to express an interest in the writing, but not in that particular script. She then introduced me to an agent. I stayed with him for a couple of years, but also still plugged away on my own and gained a few in-house commissions by cold calling bigger companies. I then moved on to another agent, a move made a lot easier as I already had representation. She's much better. We get on great, and she introduced me to the large independent company I now mainly collaborate with. They like to think of themselves as writer-driven, and that ensures that one has a lot more freedom when developing the script/story.

TwoKeys said:

Most of the things I read say you absolutely MUST send a spec in order to have any chance of getting representation.

... But then I stumbled across another writing forum, this one run by a working screenwriter, and he said no, it is NOT necessary in today's market.

Click to expand...

Think about it from the Agent's point of view. This person is going to put their reputation on the line and get you work writing scripts. If you are incompetent, then they'll look bad.

If you are a total unknown, then why would the agent risk their reputation without a single writing sample ??

Sure, the working screenwriter is right. They don't need a spec. They've got other samples, or a history of (presumably satisfied) employers.

You and I, on the other hand ...

Mac.
(PS: There is another aspect. If you DON'T have a spec script of good quality to show to the agent - what makes you convinced that you could do the job?)

You've got to have

SOMETHING to show people. Something that says 'Hey, I'm a writer. This is what I can do. This is what I know."

That's a spec.
How else are you supposed to break in?

Not having a writing sample is like telling people you are a skilled roofer and then showing up at the site with out your own work boots and hammer. Nobody will believe you know jack.




I want names and a link.
Maybe the writer wasn't really saying what you think you read?
Just a thought.

TV is different then Film

I don't know that much about the TV industry so maybe getting jobs there works a tad bit different.
TV shows run each week and so you've got tons of storylines that can be developed whereas film is one complete story.

So, you can pitch a concept/idea for a TV show and get some interest.
But in film you've got to have the whole story laid out fully in order to determine if it's marketable or not. It's one tight package.

Then there is the protection side of it.
You can't protect ideas. So, if you've got a really cool concept and rocking ideas and you just go and share them with a studio you have no control over what happens to that idea.
BUT if you have a hard copy spec, copyrighted, then the studio has to work around that script and you are protected.