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Lejen Literary Consultants

chavaden

Does anyone know anything about Lejen Literary Consultants in NYC?
 

IceCreamEmpress

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Google "Lejen". You'll find some interesting examples of scripts to which they've given positive coverage in their function as screenplay consultants.

I find it hard to imagine that their literary insight is any more discriminating.

The page at Inktip.com, though it does note Mr. Levinson's personal production experiences (which are certainly impressive), doesn't really inspire me with confidence in his work as an agent, manager, or consultant.
 
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NYCDOMINIC

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Lejen Consultants

I am a client of Lejen Consultants. An Agent has requested my script (hopefully being picked up) since I took Lee's suggestion in using SCRIPTBLASTER.

Lee has changed my approach to writing. He explained the industry and the steps that I personally needed to be marketable.

After the completion of his services, he is still attached to my project, providing invaluable information when requested.

I would strongly recommend Lejen Consultants to all aspiring writers. I am also very excited about working with Lejen Consultants on my new script.

Dominic

Pls send me an e-mail if you want to discuss this matter further.
 

ToddWBush

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Although I have no experience with this company, I would tend to agree with Ice. Also, someone who is a new member, and the only post they've put up is in support of someone they are affiliated with...

Well, use your own judgment there.
 

NYCDOMINIC

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Lejen

It is true that I am new to this forum and also new to this profession. What is also true is that I have sent a script out to an agent on 3/1/08, per their request (still praying).

Toddwbush, you have no experience with Lejen and neither does Ice, but you are quick to dismiss someone who has had a very positive experience with Lejen.

Very interesting.
 

IceCreamEmpress

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Toddwbush, you have no experience with Lejen and neither does Ice, but you are quick to dismiss someone who has had a very positive experience with Lejen.

Very interesting.

Have you Googled for other scripts they were "positive" about? One of them was featured on Query Letters I Love.

You may be right, and they may be great.

Or I may be right, and they may be very enthusiastic about scripts that don't have a snowball's chance of being produced.

I hope for your sake that you're the one who's right. But only time will tell, I guess.
 
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NYCDOMINIC

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Lejen

No I haven’t, but is that going to change the fact that I have submitted a script to an agent (still praying), with Lee’s help?

All I’m saying is that, Lee’s suggestions work well for me. He is professional and knows the industry and understands
1- How to get your script in a marketable form.
2- How to market your script.

But most importantly, He is still attached to my project, allowing me to submit questions and to keep him updated on my progress.

I am new to this industry, and I understand that selling a script is a numbers game, not everyone will appreciate your script. So the key in my opinion is:
1- submit your best possible work.
2- submit your work in a marketable form.
3- submit your work to as many people as possible.
4- And finally, PRAY, PRAY and (wait for it) PRAY!

Dominic
 

victoriastrauss

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I am a client of Lejen Consultants. An Agent has requested my script (hopefully being picked up) since I took Lee's suggestion in using SCRIPTBLASTER

I would be very concerned about anyone who suggested that a client use a spam submission service.

- Victoria
 

NYCDOMINIC

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Lejen

Spam is e-mail that is not requested by a recipient.

Scriptblaster sends out your query letter, on your behalf, to 1,000 production companies and agents that allow query submissions.

Is everyone on this forum negative?
 

victoriastrauss

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Automated query services like Scriptblaster are indeed regarded as spam by many agents.

It's not that we're negative here, though I understand that if you're new to the forum, it may seem this way. We're just concerned to warn writers away from dubious services that cost money and aren't very helpful.

- Victoria
 

DaveKuzminski

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Spam is e-mail that is not requested by a recipient.

Scriptblaster sends out your query letter, on your behalf, to 1,000 production companies and agents that allow query submissions.

Is everyone on this forum negative?

I maintain contact with a number of literary agents, editors, and publishers. Though many now permit electronic queries and submissions, all of those I've encountered do not like spam generated queries because those tend to be off target and lack the kind of detail that they're interested in receiving. In fact, some are so vehement about spam generating services that they're likely to not only delete the email, but some remember the name of the author so as to not be involved with anyone who would stoop to using spam. They simply don't want the next email spam from that writer also including their names. I won't name them as much of my information is given in confidence, but that has been said to me by some of them. I try very hard not to disappoint my sources by compromising their identities.
 

Mac H.

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G'day Dominic,

Good luck with your writing.

What ever you do, please research all the agents carefully who request your script. It is well documented that SCRIPTBLASTER will spam your script to many sources .. including unethical 'agents' who will request your script and ask for money later.

I'm not saying that is what happened. In fact, even if your script is wonderful the scam agents will still request it - so having a scam agent request it isn't anything to be ashamed of.

I understand the joy of sending a lot of email out, but if you want a film to be made, why send money to Anne & Jane at an Australian company (Entline Pty Ltd) who seems to have never been involved with making a film? (Ref: Check here) One with no physical address? A company who isn't even listed in the Australian phonebook?

I know that everyone sounds like they are being negative here - but there are plenty of positive threads as well. The critiques here are particularly good.

Have a great day,

Mac
 
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NYCDOMINIC

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SCRIPTBLASTER

Scriptblaster is a means to an end. The service provides a mass e-mailing, to production companies and agents, that allow query submissions. There are production companies and agents that will delete the e-mail but so what.

My objective is to submit as many e-mails as possible in hope of having one interested party, request my script. It’s that simple.

I totally agree that all services should be looked at for a cost/ benefit function, and that companies that rip off writers should be shot! But I also believe that in today’s market you should use whatever services are available to submit your work!

Not all writer’s services are scams. Many of them provide tools and services that are useful in today’s market.

Dominic
 

Mac H.

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>But I also believe that in today’s market you should use whatever services are available to submit your work!
Agreed. As long as the services are effective !

The only difference of opinion is simply one of information - everyone I've spoken to who buys scripts or hires writers feels that services like Scriptblaster are a waste of effort.

Dave & Victoria have had similar feedback.

I'm unsure why someone who boasts that "I have direct access to the decision makers at the major studios, television Broadcast and Pay Cable networks as well as investment consortium groups in the U.S. and abroad" would recommend that you pay Scriptblaster to bulk spam for requests instead of using his own contacts. It certainly doesn't sound like a compliment.

Good luck,

Mac
(PS: I realise that you may not agree with describing the service as 'spam' - however since it is an Australian company I'm using the definition as per the Australian Anti-spam act. By that definition, it is certainly spam)
 
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DaveKuzminski

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Tell you what. How about posting how many responses you get from your Scriptblaster effort? If you want, tell one of us the names of any responders in private. We'll let you know if you hooked a real agency or not. Then you can decide if it was really worth what you paid.
 

jamiehall

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Scriptblaster is a means to an end. The service provides a mass e-mailing, to production companies and agents, that allow query submissions. There are production companies and agents that will delete the e-mail but so what.

My objective is to submit as many e-mails as possible in hope of having one interested party, request my script. It’s that simple.

Yes, but you can send queries through email individually yourself. Even if all of them are just form letters, you'll still face less of the stigma that comes with using a query blasting service. Furthermore, you'll have better control over the process, and will be less likely to end up caught in spam filters and ignored. Querying is not a numbers game.

Good luck with your search! :Thumbs:
 

NYCDOMINIC

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SCRIPTBLASTER

SCRIPTBLASTER
This is the last posting I will make on this subject.

9/07 I purchased Hollywood Distribution Directory on a temp basis and created a data base of 300 e-mails that allowed e-mail submissions (query letters). I received seven rejections.

2/08 I signed up with Scriptblaster. They submitted a list of there 800 e-mail contacts without the addresses. I checked their list with mine and most of my database was on there list. I received eight responses:
One agent requested my script (still praying). The agent is from CA and I checked the company’s web site. I checked your forum and I google his company. I found no negative reporting.
Two production companies found my Query letter interesting but passed on the project.
Five rejections.

3/08 sent out 300 query letters on my original data base, received three rejections.

Again it is all a numbers game, trying to find the one company to show some interest in your script.

Would I use scriptblaster again? I am presently rewriting my new script and upon finalizing it, if I do not find representation, upon completion, I will again use their services and also my database.

Dominic
 

Stacia Kane

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NYCDominic, all Dave is saying is that your response rate was very low--shockingly low, in fact--and it probably would have been higher if you'd written and sent your own personalized queries to each agent.

In other words, you could have gotten a better reception had you saved your money. That actually is positive input--he's trying to help you save money (in addition to giving you good advice about querying in smaller batches, so you can see if your query needs fine-tuning before sending it to more, rather thn sending what might not be the best introduction to your work to hundreds and thus making it difficult to query them again for that project).

You should visit the query letters section of the Share Your Work forum, too. Lots of us are happy to help you polish your query.
 

NYCDOMINIC

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Again, I have shared my process, which I am very satisfied with (an CA agent requested my script-still praying.) Please, someone else share their process, don’t Be afraid no one on this forum will knock it (please use your imagination here).

I am very satisfied with my query letter.

Decemberquinn, you didn’t read my posting I did send out 300 personal query letters at two different dates. Decemberquinn, did you submit any query letters? How many? How many positive responses?

Please, anyone instead of knocking my process, share yours. I am always interested in positive information.
 

Toothpaste

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Have you considered posting this question in the Screenwriting section of this forum?

If you are interested in success stories (but general success stories not just about screenplays, everything from short stories, to novels, to cover art etc), there is an entire section devoted to that here as well. It is called "Goals and Accomplishments". There is also another section called "Announcements, Events and Self-Promotion" and in fact one author has just recently posted news of selling the film rights to her book.

Plenty of good news on this board. You just have to spend some time exploring it.
 

Stacia Kane

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Decemberquinn, you didn’t read my posting I did send out 300 personal query letters at two different dates. Decemberquinn, did you submit any query letters? How many? How many positive responses?

Please, anyone instead of knocking my process, share yours. I am always interested in positive information.

I did actually read your post; by "smaller batches over a period of time" I meant less than a hundred or several hundred at once.

Okay, sure, I'm happy to share my process. I sent out about 20 queries altogether, over a period of time, judging whether or not the query needed fine tuning. Each one was personally tailored to the agent in question, with their name on it and, if I was a fan of one of their authors, a mention of that.

My response rate was about 70%; of those responses the request rate was about 80%, with most of those being for the full manuscript rather than a partial.

Last Monday I sent out a query. Three hours later I got a request for the full, and two days later that agent called me to offer representation.


Oh, and I didn't have to pay anyone for anything.
 
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NYCDOMINIC

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Decemberquinn

Decemberquinn, thank you, that is great news, congratulations! May I ask you where did you get your contact information to these agents?

After purchasing "Formating and Submitting Your Manuscript' they suggested your format.

Good advice!
 

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NYCDOMINIC, regarding how to find agent information, here are a few links you might find useful.

The first is a post on the Writer Beware blog that is a good place to start. Like the Bewares & Background Checks here, Writer Beware is a mine of information about what's good and bad out there for us writers, and how to tell the good and bad apart.

Next you can browse the Ask an Agent forum here, which is a great place if you have specific questions about what to do with a query and what you do if an agent expresses interest, and so forth.

As for specific agent information, you can go to AgentQuery.com and QueryTracker.net. Before you do that, though, you might make a list of screenplays you admire and that you think are similar to the kind you write. Find out the writers' names and you can search online to see who reps those writers. That way you have a list of agents who might be interested in your style and genre of writing. This is the sort of tailored approach that works best, and which the query services don't provide. It takes time and effort, but of course your writing is worth it.

I hope the query service works out for you, but I must agree with everyone else here and say that I've not heard anything good about that kind of service. Agents tend to find them annoying and unhelpful, and you really don't want to annoy an agent before he/she even looks at your query, right? Anyway, best of luck!
 

NYCDOMINIC

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SAANEN

Saanen

Thank you for the information, it should be very useful.

I still disagree with you on Scriptblaster. Let me ask you a question. If my script, that I sent to an agent (still praying) from Scriptblaster’s mass e- mailing decides to represent me, will that change your position?

Again thanks
 

Stacia Kane

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I can't really add much to what Saanen said. Finding an agent and picking agents to query takes some time and research.

Speaking for myself, no, it wouldn't change my opinion (although of course I wish you luck.) Because you could have queried CAA (that's who you mean by CA, right?) without Scriptblaster, for free.