Reader Question: May I deliver my scripts personally to a literary management company?

Short answer: NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

A question from Nick Oleksiw:

Hey Scott,

I have a couple high concept scripts I plan on submitting to some management companies (that read unsolicited material) for representation.

I am out here in L.A. and was actually thinking of bringing them in person as a way of establishing personal connection rather than a blind query.

Is this a big NO-NO, or if I play my cards right, is this a plausible scenario?

Thank you!

First off, I would never say never when it comes to doing whatever it takes to break into The Biz. I mean I’ve given advice on how to query multiple reps at a single agency for possible representation. A GITS reader once asked me how to approach a screenwriter after they had gotten said writer’s personal email address. I have even provided some words of wisdom on how to act when appearing at a social event where a person was going to meet a well-known writer-producer [First tip: Do not throw up on them]. Nope. I would never say never when it comes to doing what you can to break into the business…

Except for this. Never show up at an agency or management company unannounced. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not no how.

Why?

• To be perfectly blunt, you do not matter. Not at first anyway. What matters is your writing. And the only way for a potential rep to determine the quality of your writing is via your script pages. In other words, your talent and personality have to emerge on the printed page. If they like your writing and contact you about a meeting, then you are on safe ground to show up at their office adorned with all your bells and whistles since you can be pretty sure they will be happy to see you, not freaked out about your sudden appearance.
• Per this latter point: There are a lot of… how shall I put this… crazy people out there. Some of them with no talent who believe they do have talent. And some of them actually (sadly) mentally unbalanced. For whatever reason, Hollywood seems to attract these type of folks in droves. So the default stance at any outfit working in entertainment business is going to be a defensive one toward strangers. Every studio and every agency I’ve ever visited [at least the big ones] have big beefy security people stationed pretty much front and center. Management companies, which tend to be smaller, perhaps not so much. But still I think it’s fair to say they would much prefer to deal with a writer — at first — through their script.
• Except when their script is delivered this way:

At approximately 9:14 a.m., Beverly Hills officers were dispatched to the 400 block of North Camden Drive regarding a suspicious package left in front of an office. The location is a commercial building. An unidentified male dropped off a locked briefcase at the location, apparently with the intent of having someone in that office open the brief case hoping his “script” was reviewed. The unidentified male then left the location. The briefcase was moved out of the building by a security officer and placed in the alley. The police department received information from the caller that the individual’s action was unusual and very suspicious.

Upon arrival, Beverly Hills officers cordoned the area and evacuated adjoining offices and restricted pedestrian activity. The alley was closed off until the arrival of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Bomb Squad at 10:30 a.m. The Bomb Squad detonated the briefcase and rendered it safe at the scene. Investigation revealed the contents contained a lap top computer and several items of paper. The male individual was located, detained at the scene by officers, and released once they determined no crime was committed.

To see the script-in-a-suitcase being escorted via robot to a Beverly Hills alleyway where it was subsequently blown up, go here.

Now I know in posting this, someone is going to say in comments that by hand delivering their spec script to an agency, they not only got repped there and ended up selling the script for a million dollars, they also fell in love with the front desk assistant Layla and are now happily married, have a new baby named Quince, and live in the Hollywood Hills.

So sure, I can be wrong.

But my advice? The standard approach. Query managers via email including a logline. If they request your script, you can be sure someone will read it. If they like it, they will contact you for a meeting. If they don’t, they will pass. Do this about 5,000 times while continuing to write better and better scripts, and you’ve got a chance at succeeding.

Without getting blown up by a robot cop.

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