Agents & Managers, Part 2

Class notes

Panel - Wednesday, January 27, 2010

USC School of Cinematic Arts/Writing Division

Course: The Business

Professor Frank Wuliger

Panel: Managers

Seth Jaret, Jaret Entertainment, CEO/executive producer

Jennifer Levine, Untitled Entertainment, agent/producer

Class notes

When reviewing a new screenwriter's work, what they like to see:

• SJ: The screenplay reads like a story; he doesn't have to labor to get through it.
• The characters' names are memorable/interesting
• The characters have an edge.
• JL: Looks for an unique turn of phrase; can even be seen in a brief email message from a writer.
• SJ: Action blocks in the screenplay should not be more than three lines long.
• Each scene should create tension.
• All elements in the screenplay should be true to the world the writer has created.
• A screenplay that has been constructed as something to sell is a turnoff.

FW: when he reads an amazing screenplay he has a physical reaction, his hands begin to sweat, he laughs, he is completely involved.

JL: It is extremely helpful to read the dialogue out loud and to hear it read out loud.

SJ: It's easy to tell if a funny scene or line will work; if it's funny the person reading the screenplay will laugh.

How to decide what story to tell:

• Always look for projects that speak to your talents; try to find something you and your manager and agent are excited about.
• Be daring; great writing comes when a writer gains the courage to express their own style & ideas and doesn't copy.

FW: The connective tissue must be present--the writer's unique voice/the stories he or she tells and how they're told/ how he or she is in a room. Everything is connected and interrelated and should work together when it does, it is powerful.

After the screenplay is finished and sent out, the screenwriter will be sent on a series of meetings. The agent and manager will not be present. Almost all meetings will progress with these steps:

• Your story/who you are and where you came from; why you're a screenwriter.
• Small talk (could be about current features or maybe about the screenwriter's favorite films)
• The project: The writer must be able to express good ideas. This is critical; FW tells clients who are not comfortable giving presentations to take an acting class.

Meeting etiquette & guidelines

• Do your research--read Variety or Hollywood Reporter and do research on IMDB Pro to learn what the person who you will be meeting with has done and who their clients are.
• If there is a coaster, use it. You may wear a suit if you're comfortable in one, however casual is fine, too.
• After the meeting, send a handwritten thank-you note. Emails are not the best--they aren't personal and will arrive with hundreds of other emails; FW receives as many as 900 emails every day.

General notes:

If you're talking to your agent or manager over the phone listen for the sound of typing to start; it's a good indicator that their focus is somewhere else

Features are democratic--the best writers are able to work with many people involved in the project who are passionate about it and who may be in disagreement; each has a different point of view. A screenwriter who can identify each person's point of view and bring them together will be in strong demand.

The writer shouldn't make every change suggested in notes they've been given; they might not work. The writer should use their talent/instinct as they work on new drafts.

If there are specific notes, that's good and the writer will work on the screenplay and not receive extra pay; however if the notes say: make it tenser, or make it funnier these notes are harder to define and will take time to implement; if the notes are vague FW will ask that the screenwriter be paid for the rewrite.

Signs of a bad manager:

• You know more people in the industry than they do.
• The first words out of their mouth are "I want to produce your screenplay."
• They love everything you write. A great manager will provide criticism and will be able to articulate why they do or do not like the screenplay.

Note: I'm adding this to Agents & Managers, Part I: Agents work with clients who are 50-ish; managers have many clients who are 20-ish. All of the people on the panel agree to represent screenwriters with a handshake, no paperwork/contract. They must fire clients sometimes and it is one of the hardest parts about their job. The screenwriter must continue to write and complete new projects, arrows for the agent/managers' quiver--something for them to exploit & sell.