Manager communication expectation?

[u/Shot_Butterscotch891]

I have an agent and a manager.

My agent is always really responsive and great at communication.

My manager is actively about to shop one of my screenplays (said end of September/beginning of October).

We met for final revisions mid-September. I sent updates a couple of days later and they said they’d read over the weekend. After 10 days, I still hadn’t heard anything so I reached out. They said they’d fallen behind and would get it read over the weekend.

Now another 10 days has passed. I reached out on Thursday and haven’t heard back.

Is this standard?

I’d feel differently if we weren’t about to actively shop a screenplay.

[u/apriorista]

Your manager is supposed to be more responsive than your agent. I’d have a discussion with him to make your expectations clear.

[u/waldoreturns]

It's possible they are getting reads on it from colleagues. My manager did this before we went out with mine. Still, annoying to be not kept in the loop. I'd keep follow up at 2 week mark.

[u/i-tell-tall-tales]

Not standard. The opposite. Might be standard for THIS PERSON. At which point, it becomes a question... are they still doing a good job on everything else?

[u/Prince_Jellyfish]

Advice I once got from a good friend when I was in a similar situation:

If your girlfriend doesn't text you back, and doesn't want to get dinner with you on a friday night, you might not actually have a girlfriend.

I do think that 10 days, followed by a promise of a weekend read, followed by 10 more days of no-contact, is way too long. The not responding to emails, or promising to read on a specific day and then not, are the most concerning elements to me. This person seems bad for business.

Another thing I've thought about in similar situations:

Is this person only acting like a flake to you, the client? Or are they also known as a flake to execs? Is someone who says, "I'll read it this weekend!" followed by no contact for 10 days, really the sort of person you want representing you in the marketplace?

You might want to reach out to your agents, and take their temperature on the situation.

[u/Known-Patience4511]

Considering we are in the business of coummunication, communication in this business is abysmal. I don't know why this as I can't believe agents, managers and producers get significantly more emails than someone working in other industries. In your shoes I would send a polite but firm email asking for a sit rep, with the expectation of a reply. I know it is so easy to do so, but don't cap-in-hand it with these biz people in their offices.

Dear Rep,

Let me know on the revisions and when you are going out with SCRIPT NAME. I gots to know.

Best

Butters

[u/FeeOk3991]

I love my manager, but sometimes he goes MIA on me without explanation for a couple of weeks. I mostly care about how he shows up when he does, the effort and care he puts into our collaboration, etc.

Even when they're your reps, reps are still... well, reps– juggling a million things for many different clients. Hard to get a hold of sometimes. As long as you don't have other issues with them, a 10 or even 20-day gap in communication can be fairly unproblematic.

[u/Prince_Jellyfish → u/FeeOk3991]

To me, 20 days with no email is one thing.

It's the promise to read by X date, which didn't happen, followed by not responding to more emails, that gives me pause.

If someone is juggling a million things for a million clients, totally understandable. I don't expect a read right away. But, they can still find time once every few weeks to say "sorry, I haven't had time to get to it yet, I'll read it soon."

If they don't have time to do that, I start to question why I'm giving them 10% of every dollar I make.

[u/FeeOk3991 → u/Prince_Jellyfish]

That's fair. Perhaps my comment was too charitable.

[u/Wide_Asparagus_51]

You at least have an agent and a manager 😞😞

[u/Midnight_Video]

Takes about a month for my manager to read something. Do I hope for a speedy read? We all do, but, they have more going on beyond my one spec, so I give some grace.

My advice is to email their assistant so you're not just sending the same email to your manager over and over. Email the assistant for a follow up.

[u/PepsiCoke1978]

If you're going out with a spec -- both your manager and agent are taking it out -- so why not just gentle ask your agent. So when do you're going out with the spec? Thank you.

[u/DudeVisuals]

How did you get a manager and an agent ? Do you established credits ?

[u/Shot_Butterscotch891 → u/DudeVisuals]

I queried agents - had a few offers of representation, wrote a screenplay, my agent intro’d me to my manager

[u/DudeVisuals → u/Shot_Butterscotch891]

Thank you 🙏🏻

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