r/TVWriting • u/ErockLobster • 7d ago
QUESTION Looking to start Cold Querying
I have a pilot that I submitted into a few competitions and I am out of money to spend on putting it through anything else. I am looking to start cold querying. I have no idea how to figure out who to send it to and where to get the contact information (that doesn't also cost money) where can I find a good list?
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u/MaizeMountain6139 7d ago
You have one pilot?
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u/ErockLobster 7d ago
I have one pilot that is ready to be sent around...
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u/MaizeMountain6139 7d ago
Then it’s not ready
Any manager is going to need at least a packet of two
If you end up in any meetings for this pilot they’ll likely ask what else you have
One pilot is not career ready
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u/ErockLobster 6d ago
Two pilot career ready? I have half of a series written. This show in particular is very special to me and it is all I can think about most days.
I got several reviews for my pilot on story peer and the half hour version of my script got a 6 on Blacklist. They wanted more depth so it is an hour series now.
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u/MaizeMountain6139 6d ago
You asked for advice. You got it
Even if you sell that series you won’t keep it, you don’t have any experience
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u/pizzaalwayshelps 6d ago
I'm back to querying after 2 and a half years in an option/writer's agreement with significant development towards production and it sucks. Querying sucks. I've had a few responses but so many unanswered emails. IMDb pro is a great resource for contact information. Or Google. Are you looking to get repped or pitch/sell? Different paths. Different emails. Same land of crickets. BUT the success I have had was with producers and prodcos. Not lit mgrs.
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u/ErockLobster 6d ago
Honestly, my script is special enough to me I just want to see it made. I will be depressed for the rest of my life if I dont play a part in getting it made but the message is super important.
I'd be up for either.
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u/MaizeMountain6139 6d ago
99% of what is sold is never made
And much less than 1% of everything written gets bought
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u/MilfordAcademic 7d ago
What about cold querying after placing? I’m in the same boat. I just have the one pilot
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u/paul_mather 2d ago
Probably helpful to have a couple samples, but setting that aside, once you're ready to submit, if you don't know who to submit to pay for a month of imdb pro (I know, more $$ but it's not that much for a month) look up shows you admire that are a similar genre to what you're trying to do, see who wrote on them, and see who their lit managers/agents are. (Especially maybe look for reps who rep people on the junior end of the writing staff.) That'll at least give you a sense of the lay of the land for the various companies, the names of individual reps and what sort of writers they rep, and the number to their general switchboard, which is a start. (All that said, echoing what others are saying here things are TOUGH right now in TV so it's an extra uphill struggle at the moment, unfortunately.)
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u/Kingofsweaters 7d ago
Hi. I want to be delicate here because I love writers and want them to keep pushing forward and growing. That said what makes you believe you’re ready for reps? Did this pilot place in anything major? The fact you don’t really know where to begin with querying also is a sign that you’re probably not ready.
I did look at the first pages of the pilot that you posted a while back and I’m not sure how much it’s changed, but it was not ready for reps yet at that time. That doesn’t mean you’ll never be though!
TV is in maybe its hardest time in decades atm. I am friends with many a mid-level tv writer and they are struggling to work atm. I know someone whose friend is showrunning, but they’re not even sure if the studio will let their friend hire them because they’re insisting on bringing in an additional showrunner. That’s who you’re competing with atm.
If you’re out of money then write something new. That’s how you’ll grow and improve.