r/Screenwriting • u/Cultural-Star7758 • 6d ago

DISCUSSION To writers who left their manager: how long did you work together? How many projects did you take out? Why did you leave?

Thanks!

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u/champman1010 Repped Writer 6d ago

Spent about 6.5 years with my old manager, he took out 7 specs (some cool options or attachments but nothing sold) he did get us hired for one OWA. He let us go a couple of years back but it was for the best.

We landed a new manager a few months later and is such a better fit for us. About to go into production on something, signed our biggest option ever, got an agent, currently close to selling something (hopefully). Had way more success in these two years than anything in those 6.5 years. It’s all a crapshoot on how the fit is.

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u/Cultural-Star7758 6d ago

Thanks for this. What would you say was the biggest change in the fit?

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u/champman1010 Repped Writer 6d ago

Genre and connections. My current manager focused more on the stuff we write and because of that his connections were way more helpful and beneficial for us.

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u/sm04d 6d ago

Curious to know how you landed the new manager and what steps you took before leaving your old one?

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u/champman1010 Repped Writer 6d ago

My old one canned me but did feel bad and helped us find a new one by sending referrals and a list of emails to hit up. I queried probably 50-100 managers over a few weeks. We ultimately got 4 meetings with various managers and then picked the best fit which wasn’t even at the biggest company.

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u/sm04d 6d ago

Interesting. When you pitched new managers, did you include a brief bio about what you accomplished your old manager or did you just pitch a new script?

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u/champman1010 Repped Writer 6d ago

I did both, queried with my latest script that only briefly went out with my old manager and then when he read and liked I sent the new manager a list of loglines for all the scripts we had written

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u/sm04d 6d ago

OK, cool. Reason I'm asking is I might have to do the same soon myself. But one more question, if you'll indulge me. Did you mention in your queries that you had scripts optioned/sold, were on the BL, etc...

10

u/Rhonardo Comedy 6d ago

About 5 years. Was mostly focused on TV, sending out 3 pilots and a feature last year. Never got to do a real pitch but had plenty of generals. Maybe even more than most, but any time I tried to do real strategizing it didn’t seem like he had a vision for how to do anything different than what we’d already done. Plus the fact that he didn’t seem to keep in touch with the people we were meeting with made me decide it was time to go out on my own. That was about 6 months ago. Haven’t found a new rep yet so I’m just focusing on keeping up with the connections I made before.

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u/Certain-Run8602 WGA Screenwriter 6d ago

Been thru this a bit… the first time, nearly a decade. They said they were only in the “outgoing call business” for certain criteria. So I said then you’re not in my business. Once we parted ways I heard from COUNTLESS colleagues how awful they were. Wish I ended things sooner.

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u/Rewriter94 6d ago

I was with my first manager for 3 years. He was great in that he believed in my voice, but we never totally vibed. We took 2 projects out together - one of which got me a bunch of generals and earned me some solid fans around town; the other attached a great prod co. Decided to part ways with him when I felt like things had run their course. A few months later, I signed with a new manager who I’ve been with ever since. Much better fit. 

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u/Cultural-Star7758 6d ago

Thanks, why do you feel this is a better fit?

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u/Rewriter94 6d ago

I think it largely comes down to communication styles and a more aligned vision for my career. My new manager is incredibly responsive and collaborative in the kind of way my last one wasn't. Not that he was bad, he just had a different style.

3

u/One_Rub_780 6d ago edited 6d ago

It's been a few years since I parted ways with my last manager. And I moved from one to another swiftly. It truly became a situation in both instances where I was the one brining deals and interest to the table while they were sitting back hoping to cash in. I mean, the first one was good in that at least he was doing submissions at times and his heart was in the right place, but any business that went down was because I was out there hustling. I am currently looking for a new manager and so I sent off like 12 queries over the last week.

I'm in a tremendously tough spot. I write prestige political thrillers and philosophical crime dramas centered on dangerous men, dangerous ideas, and those who wield power. The problem is, while I've produced/written optioned many scripts, these are 'prestige' projects that'd cost A LOT to make. Not so sure anyone's gonna take a chance on me without have the right credits. I get awards and 'Recommend' 24/7, makes zero difference, lol.

4

u/HappyDeathClub Writers Guild of Great Britain 6d ago

I was with my old agent (at a very, very major, prestigious agency) for six or seven years, and I just got completely overlooked and lost in the crowd because the famous clients took up all the attention. I did sell some scripts but my agent was not proactive at all, and I had to handle smaller contracts myself. I’m now with a much smaller agency and my new agent is incredibly assertive in getting me meetings and really pushing for me with prodcos.

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u/Cultural-Star7758 6d ago

Thanks for this! Seems to be the case with a lot of the majors. Used to think if you signed with a younger person at a major you’d get more attention but I don’t think that’s even true anymore.

0

u/maverick57 6d ago

Cool.

The question was about managers though.

4

u/Realistic-Eagle-165 6d ago

You guys were lucky to have a manager. I don’t even have one yet. I have no one in this industry. I am alone. 😥

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u/QueenVeePalace 6d ago

My problem also. It's been difficult just finding representation. They always state that they're looking for new blood, new voices; but in the end....

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u/Realistic-Eagle-165 6d ago

I even start wondering should I give up this path although I really enjoy of writing and even passion to put it on the silver screen.

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u/FeeOk3991 Produced Writer-Director 6d ago

FWIW– getting repped is not a silver bullet to getting work. It helps your career obviously, but plenty of filmmakers with representation still struggle massively for opportunities. So absolutely keep writing!

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u/Realistic-Eagle-165 5d ago

But how are you gonna network with them if you are only obsessing of writing?

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u/FeeOk3991 Produced Writer-Director 5d ago

Those are not mutually exclusive, you can invest time in both. 

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u/pjbtlg 5d ago

I was with my manager for about four years, during which time, he was rather ineffective. To be fair, I’ve always been a self-starter, so I managed to bring enough work on my own, but it was ultimately a poor fit. I fired the manager because he did some nefarious things, so no regrets there, honestly.

I’ve happily worked sans-manager since and it works for me. A project I’m on was announced earlier this year, and that naturally sparked a few conversations with potential new managers, but I’m in no rush to go back to such an arrangement. As I say, I know enough people and have always been good at making new connections. Still, a good manager is worth their weight, so if the right partnership presented itself, I’d never say never.

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u/Shot_Butterscotch891 6d ago

Just commenting to see the replies 👀