Screenwriting manager list
The first concrete step in any screenwriter’s career these days tends to be signing with a manager. It used to be signing with an agent, but most agents today aren’t looking at unrepresented writers. One usually has to get a manager first, to land an agent.
What’s the difference? Managers have fewer clients, and are more hands on. They will work with you on your ideas, outlines and scripts, giving notes over multiple rewrites. Agents tend to not have the time for that, and are more about selling something that is already “there” — and are in a better position to do the selling (and negotiating of deals for you).
Managers also help you market your work, more informally, and sometimes will produce it, as well, which agents can’t do. Mostly, they will help you get your work to a place where it has its best chance to sell or get you hired as a writer on a project. (It’s similar to the service consultants like me offer, to writers who don’t yet have a manager.)
So how does one land a manager?
The good news is that many of them accept queries via e-mail, and if they like an idea you send them, they might ask to read the script. It doesn’t hurt if you’ve also placed very highly in major screenwriting contests, or have other extremely relevant information that sets you apart, which you can briefly mention.
But how does one know which managers to send to, that are worth one’s time? There are a lot of “managers” out there who might not be.
Good news: I have figured all that out for you, and created a free list that you can get by clicking the button below. (It’s a sortable Excel spreadsheet.)
I compiled it by selecting only companies whose clients recently sold scripts or got them listed on the prestigious annual Black List or the newer Next List. There are 65 companies in all. I also provided phone numbers that were listed on IMDBPro, website addresses if easily found, and query policies and where to send them if they’re accepted.
What should you put in a query?
I give some guidance on that here. I also give writers personal feedback on their queries (which should include a logline and a synopsis of up to a page) in my online community and in private consultations.
It’s also not a bad idea to research who you’re sending to, and if you can mention things you know about them that created a strong personal interest or connection (like you heard them speak on a panel, or on a podcast, or read an interview), that can’t hurt.
Just know that when you send a query, it’s normal to never hear anything back. Try not to take it personally. It’s possible they didn’t spark to your idea — these people are not easy to impress, and are very busy — but it’s also possible that it didn’t get read. An email follow-up after a few weeks could help. Or it might not.
My single biggest piece of advice is this: know that the power is in your hands, as the quality of your script’s concept and execution matters more than anything else in determining whether it moves forward and is liked by people in a position to help you. The bad news is it’s hard to do that really well, at a level that would make a busy professional want to spend a lot of their time, with no guarantee to ever be paid a cent, to work with and advocate for a new client.
If you focus on coming up with ideas that have a fighting chance before getting into the structure and scene writing work, you’ll be on the right track…
No offense to contest winners, but you have to know they are generally rigged and are much ado about nothing (I’ve finished highly in a few and… nada). Let me illustrate, let’s say 100 people enter a screenwriting competition. How many winners will there be? One. Do you mean to tell me that the other 99 scripts suck? Not even one other script was worthy? I’m guessing 5, 10, 20, or more were just as good as the “winner”.
So what did the winner have that the others didn’t? Who knows. It could be a nefarious reason, or something less conspiratorial. I’m just saying that the movie theaters and TV networks are chock-full of examples that wouldn’t come close to winning any legitimate writing competition. The moral? Don’t let contests demoralize or deify you.
Just get your stuff the best it can be, then send it out there and never give up!
I’m looking for a manger who would be interested in representing my scripts. I have won some highly prestige competitions and awards for a few of my scripts. Please contact me on LinkedIn @www.linkedin.com/in/roccogeary
Thanks, Erik. Even produced, award-winning screenwriters like me, who have earned as much as six figures per year from my writing, need help finding the right representation.
Got two producers interested in my screenplay
Thanks a million, dude.
God bless you.
Thanks again, Erik!
Tony Ferguson
Thank you so much! It’s extraordinarily generous of you to offer this list for free, and it’s deeply appreciated.
Thank you for this information, Eric! You are so generous to share this list with others.
Thank you greatly for your work and generosity, Erik. God bless you!
This is very generous for us, Eric! I’d started making a list myself, so this was a great surprise to receive. How about the tobias agency?
This list was only for management companies (not agencies) who met the criteria that is explained in the methodology. There are probably some that are still legit that don’t fall within that criteria, and plenty of agencies as well, which are a whole other kettle of fish.
Thanks for the clarification…I still need to be clearer about the difference between the two. Don’t agencies read scripts and send them out to producers as well?
Yes and if you have one you don’t necessarily need a manager. But most agents don’t take unsolicited queries these days so you need a manager first and they could help you get an agent.
Wow, this is stunning, Erik! Thanks a million for that!
Incredibly generous! Thanks EriK!
Thank you Erik!
Eric, you are an angel ♥
Thanks. You are generous with your thoughts. I am certain it will come back to you many times over.
In fact, I just realized I mentioned your name and background to three of my associates before I even wrote this.
Very kind and thoughtful of you…thank you
Eric,
Some interesting info to complement/supplement my own research. Much appreciated.
Regards,
Jeff McMahon
Thanks, Erik, This is a very extensive list of managers and will be very helpful when I finish rewrites of 2 of my screenplays and have consulted with you to do a review and polish on them.
Thanks so much!
Thank you Erik!
Thank you, this obviously took a lot of work to put together. Very generous of you, Erik.
Absolutely! This is above and beyond. Thank you, Eric, for sharing all this work and all these insights!