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[Display Site] House of Scribes

jsouders

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I'm not sure what this is, but I just received an email asking me about one of my projects from these people.

http://www.houseofscribes.com/

I'm thinking it's probably a scam since I didn't ever query them (in fact, I've never heard of them, but maybe I'm just an idiot and they're big in the film industry). But I'd like the word of the experts before I toss it in file thirteen. Thanks.
 
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CaoPaux

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How It Works in FOUR Steps

1. Writers from top film schools or universities are given priority.

House of Scribes is about finding the best voices out there; writers that can deliver a strong narrative with recognizable commercial potential.

2. Selected writers are offered management representation.

You're now part of the community where you can upload your scripts to be read, rated and recommended by your peers, industry professionals and frequent moviegoers.

3. The top scripts to emerge each month are presented to the industry.

Standing out in this talented field will mean something. Your script(s) are delivered to participating producers, agents and buyers for consideration.

4. One or more of the most recommended scripts sell.

House of Scribes delivers on its promise to give the next generation of storytellers direct access to Hollywood - potentially bringing their commercial scripts to the big screen.
I'm confused...they talk about offering representation, but the setup sounds like a display site. Or is this one of those spam-everyone-on-IMDB "services" like ScriptBlaster?
 

victoriastrauss

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Sounds to me like the peer-critique/peer-rated display sites such as YouWriteOn. Supposedly, highly-rated scripts will be more desirable, and will be more likely to get attention from the industry. There's no evidence this is true, but the idea keeps re-occurring.

That said, display sites seem to work better for screenwriters than for book writers (for whom they really don't work at all, except, where there's a critique component, as a way to get feedback).

I doubt it's a scam--just another iteration of a not-very-revolutionary idea.

- Victoria
 

ChristineR

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They have a long list of industry heavyweights on their site (click on "industry") without explaining what their relationship to these people is. I think it would qualify as scam if these people didn't give permission for their names to be used.
 

victoriastrauss

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But they don't specifically claim any sort of relationship with those names. Obviously you're intended to think there's a relationship--but if challenged, they could say that it's simply a list of places where they might submit writers' work. That's a not-unusual ploy with display sites.

- Victoria
 

JerseyGirl1962

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YADS = Yet Another Display Site (courtesy of Uncle Jim). When will people learn that this kind of stuff just doesn't work?

jsouders, looks like you can file that email in file thirteen.

~Nancy
 

bullzman23

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Seth El / House of Scribes

Saw the thread about HOS earlier, but it seemed like there was nothing but just a bunch of speculation from people. Has anyone had any direct contact with them yet?

They've requested to read two of my scripts and now would like to speak. They seem perfectly professional, but I'd still like to hear about anyone's personal experience with El/HOS.

Thanks!
 

James D. Macdonald

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What exactly is a display site?

A display site is one that displays an author's work, in the hope that some agent or editor will drop by and be so dazzled by its brilliance that he or she will offer on it.

The plan has been tried repeatedly over the past twenty years, with a remarkable lack of success.
 

CaoPaux

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And it's gone. Footnote: Seth El is Seth Lockhart of Cinematic Instinct, which is also gone.