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Lesson 3
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TIM BARLEY’S PRODUCER/MANAGER MEETINGS
Producer:
Serious writer with an exciting, fast-paced, well-written project that fits the previous projects they have produced in the past, containing fantastic roles and would be easily shot with minimal locations and little need for special effects.
Manager:
Eager writer looking to build a great relationship with a lead-off marketable project that can be well received by studies, streamers and talent.
What I learned from doing this assignment is that I want to act this out with friends, family and others to rehearse this to make it better and better.
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Elizabeth Dickinson’s Producer/Manager Meetings
(I thought of this as an actual meeting where I’d have 5 minutes to introduce myself, or something I might write to them in advance, rather than a 1 sentence description I could pitch in an elevator, the way Timothy did…)
Lesson 3: What Do Managers and Producers Need?
1. How will you present yourself and your project to the producer?
2. How will you present yourself and your project to the manager?
3. Answer the question “What I learned today is…?”
Producer
“No Angels Need Apply” builds on the popular interest in metaverses generated by both indie films like “Everything Everywhere All At Once” and Marvel.
Additionally, it offers the opportunity to integrate lesser known history in a compelling blend of fact/fiction/fantasy as in “Vikings” (89 episodes), “The Last Kingdom” (46 episodes), “Black Sails” (38 episodes), and “Rome” (22 episodes).
It offers international appeal both for distribution and for funding sources like the History Channel and the BBC, because it’s set outside the United States. It also offers large doses of danger to the main characters, which also makes it attractive to streamers (Hulu, Starz) unafraid of more graphic sex and violence.
Yet there are also deeper themes because the danger is not to titillate, but because it arises from the characters’ attempts to express love, to belong to community, to find their purpose, especially when the cultural and religious precepts prohibit them from learning and being themselves.
Themes include: the role of colonialism in absorbing culture (Rome in Britain), how religion affected gladiators, how animals were viewed as violent entertainment, medieval female empowerment in nunneries, and how torture was viewed by those with and without power.
As a series, the concept is flexible and expandable because it deals with a soul who’s investigating past lives to purge regrets so it can become an angel. The past lives can be related to interesting but less known historical eras. Each past life is a season in itself and is currently designed for 5 seasons, 5 lives, but depending on interest, it could be shortened or expanded indefinitely.
Finally, it’s an attractive vehicle for busy national and international A-list talent because each season has a different lead, so it doesn’t have to be a long-term commitment. The lives in question have inherent appeal. The gladiator of the first season offers dramatic opportunities to a young male star for both romance and learning to fight. The nun of the second season offers similar opportunities to both a younger and older actress to explore how love and personal agency could be expressed in medieval times.
Manager pitch
My marketability stems from an ability to straddle genres of history/drama/comedy. As a writer of both feature length movies, shorts, tv series, as well as novels and plays which I have adapted into movies and series, I have won multiple semi-final placements in national competitions (Scriptapalooza, Page, Cinequest, etc.) I am unafraid to rewrite and receive critiques from mentors, teachers and peers, and over 20 years have received outstanding feedback on my ability to integrate others’ pertinent feedback into my writing. I’ve also received unsolicited commentary from my peers about my incisive comments on their work, and ability to make suggestions that elevate their work and enhance their vision. My fondest wish would be to work in writer’s room on a long-running series at least loosely based on history.
My ability to create compelling stories out of history ranges from using source material such as the diaries and letters of Sophia and Nathaniel Hawthorne, Emily Dickinson; to using the court documents of two female pirates sentenced to hang.
However, I’ve also writing contemporary dramedies based on a middle-aged female accountant empowered by learning to ballroom dance, an elderly social butterfly who upends a widower’s life, to a contemporary girl who uses the power of animal mythology to transcend being bullied.
Most recently I’ve developed a tv series based on the journey of a soul to purge the regrets of its past lives as a gladiator, an abbess, a torturer, a freedom fighter, and a writer which allows me to integrate history and spirituality reminiscent of “Everything Everywhere All At Once”.
From my own past life as an actor/improvisor, one of my strengths lies in my dialogue, and ability to show conflict and character in a contained way, that generates enthusiasm from actors.
What else can I share with you that you would need to know?
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What I learned from doing this assignment is that I feel reasonably confident about my abilities.
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Good point!
I think you’re right. I may recreate this as BOTH, and add an actual “sit down for 5 minutes” version as well.
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My feedback to your short pitch is that it could describe almost anyone, so be sure to include at least a couple of unique-to-you compelling details that would suck in a producer/manager…🙂
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Avi Kapurala’s Producer/Manager Meetings
1. How will you present yourself and your project to the producer?
A: I have a marketable thriller script that has successful comparable shows such as You, Billions and Dexter and I’m willing to work on any notes that the producer offers me to increase the marketability of the script.
2. How will you present yourself and your project to the manager?
I am a writer who has a pipeline of marketable scripts and is willing to take feedback and implement it. I have a good work ethic and will keep turning out viable scripts for them to take to the market.
3. Answer the question “What I learned today is…?”
Approaching conversations with managers and producers keeping their concerns in mind, rather than thinking solely with my writer’s hat or ego, is the way to sell and establish myself in the market.
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P.G. Sundling Producer/Manager
1. How will you present yourself and your project to the producer?
None of the Above implies being unconventional. This series integrates the dysfunctional politics, rise of AI, and escalating cold war of our current zeitgeist and takes us into a dangerous and intriguing future.
While I have a detailed vision for my unconventional science fiction epic, I’m also a collaborator well versed in making continual improvements based on feedback. I’ll do anything required to get a project completed.
2. How will you present yourself and your project to the manager?
An award-winning writer with a small fan base looks for a manager who guide further development towards executing on larger projects and paid writing assignments.
While my main focus is on the series None of the Above, I have many other projects across a variety of genres to select for further development.
3. Answer the question “What I learned today is…?”
It’s not about what I want, but fulfilling a need.
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Assignment 3
Wendy Weising’s Producer/Manager
What I learned today is I love writing in all genres.
1. How will you present yourself and your project to the producer?
My script, pitch bible, and pitch are the best they can be and ready to read.
There is a strong market for leading female roles. I have several in my series as can be seen in the script of my pilot.
The first season mostly takes place in one location, thus cutting down on the cost of filming.
All ages love sci-fi. Teens and young adults eat them up. Older adults who have already watched fantastic sci-fi movies and series are always looking for more.
2. How will you present yourself and your project to the manager?
My script, pitch bible, and pitch are ready, but I am willing to make changes whenever they are needed. I have written several scripts in different genres, some are movie length, and some are a series. I’m versatile and love writing in all genres. I am teachable and willing to work and learn from you.
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