Query Letter Email Mayhem

I’ve heard that 200 Query letters out, with 10 replies is pretty good. What have been your experiences?

I seem to have found my script genre, but is it safe to mass email my query letter to everyone in this genre? Is there a point of diminishing returns? Say for example you find your nitch film and you send your query letter to the director’s agent along with the producer’s, lead cinematographer’s, and half the leading actor’s agents as well... Is there a point when people feel less unique for receiving your query letter and more spammed? How much do sheer numbers play into the game?

Thanks…

i dont' like to brag, but i sent out one and got back 200.

vig

huh...

that's impressive, same person contacted you 200 times to request the same script? Wow he/she should invest in a copy machine... any one else please?

mac

this falls in the 'for what it's worth' slot: once emailed icm cold, got request following week, sent script, got read by two assistants within three weeks and one agent three weeks after that. they liked the script. so...whatever that's worth


zilla

It all boils down to what your query (and script) is like rather than quantity of submissions. You could send a mediocre letter with a great hook to ten people and get 10 requests or you could send a great letter with a mediocre plot to a thousand and get one request back. Also, you could send the best darn query to a producer that is looking for a drama and if your query is a comedy, chances are they won't request it.

I personally don't cold send queries to companies without at least getting an idea (either from the trades, boards, etc...) that they would be interested in my piece. If I know that producer A is looking for Script B, then I query that producer with my script B. Chances are he/she will request it because it what they are looking for it the first place.

My last query campaign went to about 25 agents, producers, etc... and I got about a 15 read requests. I sent to those I felt fit my script and since it was a big budget I didn't send to small indy companies only ones with some cash behind them. My manager also follows up with everyone I send to, either query or script and as a result, I developed a relationship with a producer who was looking for a ghost writer to fix one of his optioned projects. I ended up not taking the job but still a good experience and contact.

My hit rate (for the novel, not screenplay) is about 1 in 6...

Thanks

Thanks Joe et al,

Have you sent your query to actors as well producers and why yes or no?

Re: Thanks

mass querying is probably a waste of time, money, and energy. i think you should treat it like you would if you were looking for a job. there are hundreds of jobs advertised in the classified but how many of those would you actually apply for? three or four maybe. it's the same with production companies: there are hundreds looking at the moment but only 3 or 4 of them are looking for the material you have to offer.

going thru the side door with a query to an actor is a good idea if you can get past their agent and directly to them. actors are always looking for material written with them in mind...they're so vain ....a character that is so intriguing that they have to play.
and it's ultimately better if they have their own production company.

Re: Thanks

"there are hundreds of jobs advertised in the classified but how many of those would you actually apply for? three or four maybe. it's the same with production companies: there are hundreds looking at the moment but only 3 or 4 of them are looking for the material you have to offer."

I don't know of anyone who would apply to just three or 4 jobs. I'm from New York, and I'm now in Los Angeles. Coming to either of these big cities, if you expect to get employment chances are you've applied to dozens if not hundreds of jobs. 3 or 4 just doesn't cut it.

You never know who is going to call you back, with either non industry companies or with production companies. Either way, keep chugging away until you get what you want. There's no magic number. Some people it may take only 5. Others it may take 200. Or more. Or less.

Re: Thanks

I don't know of anyone who would apply to just three or 4 jobs.
nope - you don't know me
but those odds are based on my personal winning experience