Jack Scagnetti Talent Agency

Did you contact him directly, or through Andy Rodman or Bonnie Sanders of Screenbrokers and/or their 20/20 Screenwriting Contest?

- Victoria

Query sent.

Jack Scagnetti Agency

A writing partner and myself have a Sci-Fi TV Series proposal under review at his agency at this time. They have three studios they plan to approach with it. Hopefully, we'll see some action on it in the next few months.

See this discussion of Jack Scagnetti, and also this one. They aren't encouraging.

Jack Scagnetti used to have a website (it appears to be gone now), which showed legitimate credits as a nonfiction author and an editor of specialty magazines. But I can't find any information about any scripts he has actually sold. I can't find any track record of commercial book sales for him either.

Moreover, information I've received suggests that the Scagnetti Agency may not actually be run by Scagnetti, but by a pair of dubiously qualified individuals who own a service called Screenbrokers, which offers script evaluations for a fee and runs a contest/evaluation fee scheme that guarantees agency representation for the winners. Guess which agency?

- Victoria

Jack Scagnetti was a villain in the movie, Natural Born Killers. Coincidence? Probably, but the name on the thread still made me giggle. I love that movie.

Jack Scagnetti Agency 2011

It's a compliment when the haiters/trolls attack you.
This just shows how well known the Jack Scagnetti Agency is.

For starters the licence and bond are valid and current.

Obviously to stay in business over 30 + years, sales are being made.

The Scagnetti Agency only accepts the cream of the crop to submit.
all scripts are reviewed by credited readers with 20+ years experience.

Jack is still the CEO,

The Agency is accepting quries.
Send them to 5118 Vineland Ave, #106 North Hollywood, ca 91601
make sure to include a self addressed stamped envelope.

Since you seem very familiar with the Scagnetti agency, Dedicated, can you share with us some of its recent sales? Thanks.

- Victoria

I'm a little familiar with Mr. Scagnetti. He is my cousin's agent. I wrote a screenplay he agreed to look at. I send it in and to their surprise they liked it and asked for a rewrite. I send that in and for some reason the same reader wasn't going to read the rewrite. It gets lost in the shuffle. I wait some time and he gives the ok to send it again to the original reader. But again, it's lost in the shuffle. I understand the difficulties in the business but to ignore a rewrite that you asked for is odd. My cousin now says he's not in good health. I don't know if he's recovered or not but that's the deal as of December 2010.

victoriastrauss said:

Since you seem very familiar with the Scagnetti agency, Dedicated, can you share with us some of its recent sales? Thanks.

Click to expand...

Crickets....

- Victoria

An update about the Scagnetti Agency:
After reading this thread, I queried back in January 2011, to the literary side. I received a reply today letting me know they'd read my script (I sent a query for a novel, not a script) for a fee. Fee amount not outlined in letter. But the agency has what they call "authorized readers". Of course, their disclaimer states that paying for a reading, doesn't guarantee an 'A' rating, or representation. Interesting to note that one of the "readers", a Mr. Dave Gist, says in his cover letter that he was "...a reader at a WGA signatory agency for 10 years..."

Maddie, could you please contact me at beware [at] sfwa.org? Thanks.

- Victoria

victoriastrauss said:

Maddie, could you please contact me at beware [at] sfwa.org? Thanks.

- Victoria

Click to expand...

Yes, I have emailed you from my actual personal email address.

-"Maddie"

Not sure if you guys got your answers by now, but I sold a screenplay in 96 or 97 to Roger Corman that was produced straight to video. At the time Jack was repping me. I was never charged anything and he rejected my first screenplay after reading and then decided to rep me after another couple I wrote got small options (mostly interests) from other low budget producers prior to my Corman sale.

The big thing is if he is still WGA signatory, you can submit to the major studios that otherwise won't normally look at your work. You still have to do most of the work as you will with most of the small agencies (and big ones too I've heard) unless they take a special interest in you which usually comes after a sale.

I'm pretty sure Jack makes most of his money off of commercial actors (or at least he did back then), but I don't remember him ever charging a fee. I do remember him working with a couple groups that tried to get me to sign up for courses and stuff like that, but when I didn't he still repped me and a lot of places gave me access

Please excuse errors. I wrote this quickly as I'm scanning the web for other info but stumbled across this and thought I'd try and help out

Mr. Scagnetti may be an actual person (and was also the name of a character in Natural Born Killers), but the current agency set up (at least by all indication of their mailed inserts in response to queries) is being used by several people who have foisted Mr. Scagnetti's name and/or reputation to make money the old-fashioned way - by scamming.

The Jack Scagnetti Agency

Hi guys. I have been a client/friend of Jacks for many years. His office has been up and running for the 20 years I have known him. His son Craig helps with the day to day. They are currently looking for "formula" scripts to rep. Tell them Big Bruce said hello.
Bruce Comtois

I got a FB message from Craig Scagnetti a couple of months ago accusing me of "slander," attributing my comments to "your own personal failuers [sic]", and threatening me with legal action if I didn't cease my "negitive" activities.

- Victoria

Can Craig explain who the individuals are who are charging reading fees, under the auspices of the Jack Scagnetti Agency? Are these individuals actual employees or independent contractors of the Jack Scagnetti Agency?

One, if they don't know who is misrepresenting their agency with a reading scam, they should attempt to learn, and quickly. This can't help their reputation, even in Hollywood.

Two, if ANYONE from a major agency had typos like that in a business email, I wouldn't bother querying them. This comes across more like a car salesman than a script or literary agent. At the very least, it looks like someone who wrote an email in anger, and didn't cool off to consider it before sending it.

The reflexive use of legal threats was a fine touch, too.

Interesting. I just came across this thread. I read scripts for Jack Scagnetti back in the mid-80's. Today, for the first time, it crossed my mind to do a google search and see if the agency still existed. At that time he had a small, cramped office that I think, if I remember correctly, was located in Burbank. I read a bunch of manuscripts for him, mostly screenplays but also some novels, and I know that at that time he was also a talent agent. I can't say anything more about the agency or what its status may be today.

I financed Jack Scagnetti in 1980 for the studio breakdowns of what kind of actor the studio’s were looking for that day, back when there were only about 100 talent agencies in Hollywood, due to the fact that their were no digital cameras therefore everyone had to rent the exclusive studio ones, which created a bit of a monopoly. I started a meet and greet, acting workshop with him out of his office lobby that brought in a casting director to critique. I did this for about a year and a half and then turned it over to some other actors he had signed both SAG and non-sag. He originally started out as a writer of ‘how to’ paperbacks that he co-wrote with semi-famous people. He continued to review scripts and books while trying to build up the talent agency. One of his beginning actresses was Micol Mecurio, a very talented legal professional who attended many, expensive workshops and then later moved on past Jack’s beginning agency. She was the ‘Mother’ in the original ‘Flashdance’. Jack was always very professional and super polite. You couldn't have found a more proper fellow. I hope it was someone else that gave you a non-professional answer. I always knew Jack with a smile on his face during even the tough times. I got my SAG through his submission to a studio, and I already had an AFTRA radio commercial which qualified me back then, for admission. I noticed he's way over 90 now, and that the agency has a recording, (even for casting directors), so that part of the business is not legitimate or running properly, as a talent agency, as no one in the business ever told a casting director to leave a message and we'll get back to you! I have heard reports one of his family is still working with scripts, but it is tied into a payment fee for reading. Of course if you've got a dynamic story, it will eventually get out there one way or another but I would advise having quite a few ordinary people reading it; and if they think its great and you have the money, the people who are taking over his agency have the contacts of over 30 years. I would be interested in hearing from any actors and actresses that were in our original acting workshop. Author of 'Are There Christian Cops in Austin Texas'