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This company requested a copy of my script but what I am hearing about them is that they tend to ask for a lot of scripts but never make a deal. I posted a question about them on the screenwriters BB and those were some of the responses that i received.

Have any of you had a similar experience with them? Some seem to think that I should just save myself the postage and time. What do you think?

I've been wondering the exact same thing. Although I only sent synopses, etc. Not scripts.

I did, however, send a screenplay to Vision in Bozeman, MT (of all places), mainly because a shoot in MT would be perfect for that property.

No contact thereafter.

Exactly what calibre of alleged producer, agent, manager is surfing the bed and yanking the chains of folks like us is a question of moment for me.

I know it is for many others. I suppose we have to get smarter and evaluate who's making the call for properties. Each of us has to establish criteria to which we subject every "opportunity". There are so few real opps. and an ever-expanding universe of mirages.

It's like sales calls in reverse. If 3% of cold calls deliver a new client to a salesperson, then perhaps 3% of Web-inhabiting property-solicitors are genuine players of ANY description. Much chaff, little wheat.

To me this is the Web paradox or conundrum for all scriptwriters shopping their wares in the cybermarket. We're all rank outsiders (more or less), and the only dates we can get are with other rank outsiders. The blind taking the blind on a date to a drive-in movie -- sounds great but where are the visuals?

stu woolley Kingston, ON

You are making the right noises in that post Stu. Online Writers do need to seriously evaluate both the opportunity presented and the odds of something favorable occurring. A sale on the one script, however, should not be your only criteria, otherwise you will find yourself a nervous wreck! A worth- while relationship, that means IF this person likes your script, they will read others. & IF they love a script, do they have the wherewithall & contacts to pay an option/purchase it or get financing and the film made?

Some of these folks asking for scripts online are stockpiling them, makes em feel as though they are big-Time Producers. They, themselves have NO CREDITS, NO FINANCING, NO DEALS and little knowledge of how this industry works. They only really know how to produce promises.

I've read some posts that make me cyber-SCREAM! But no one hears me because the novice writers are so anxious to get going somewhere! And fast.

One must seriously weigh the possible benefit of such an association. The Net has offered many screenwriters aching to break into the business something akin to spinning one's wheels in the sand. You know you're working awful hard, but it doesn't get you to the Promised Land any faster, or at all.--D

Thank you Virginia and Stu for your comments. I too, e-mailed them, and they both requested my script. In my eagerness and excitement, I almost sent my script to them. But when Bo Zenga (Boz Productions) responded favorably to my e-mail query, I decided to send it to him first and hold off on the others, especially since I couldn't find too much about them. I'm hoping to secure an agent, and if that happens, I hope this agent can steer me in the right direction in regards to producers.

Steven,

Is Bo Zenga's company still located at this address?

301 N. Canon Dr., Ste. 207 Beverly Hills, CA 90210

I was thinking of sending a query but wasn't sure how receptive he was to new writers.

Rich

Richard:

Bo Zenga's company address is:

Boz Productions 7612 Fountain Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90046-4008

His e-mail address is Boz51@aol.com

He responded to my e-mail query, so you might want to save yourself some postage and just e-mail him.

Hope this helps.

well ladies and gents, i have to join in the chorus; i sent numenorean some material, as requested and heard nothing back; i don't put much importance in that fact by itself. i'm new at this, expect rejections and am neither offended nor discouraged by them. i have been guilty of getting too excited by notes of interest, however and after a few of these dead end relationships i have started to take it more in stride. i'm not sure what the game is out there. maybe there are novie producers etc. who, like many naive writers believe, they are going to make a find; they are going to uncover a strad in somebody's attic and pay $150 for it and become rich and famous over night. those stories appear in the news of the world every week. i am getting a little more selective. i've had people repeatedly ask for things then say nothing at all. I even got a message from one so called indie film company saying we're very interested in your script, if you are interested in selling reply to this email. Weeks and millions of emails later i have yet to hear back and have started to realize that they are not going to call me back. boo hoo boo hoo. I guess when you are eager, it shows; when it shows, you are not as desirable. it's the same old game as everything else. i am not certain that getting too cynical about it, however, is of any use. why not just send anything anyone wants to read? what does it hurt?

I have nothing but positive things to say about Cary Solomon and Numenorean Films. He responded quickly to my query, after a few bumps in email format were ironed out. His reaction was very positive and he seems genuine. I had my doubts at first so I did some digging and found that he is very well connected as a producer and the fact that he was a writer before switching hats makes it easy to talk to him about the material and he has a healthy respect for serious writers. (boy that was a long scentence) I think not getting a reply is part of the business and is not a reflection on the producer but on the volume of material everyone in the business recieves for aspiring writers like us. Try not to take it personal. If you really want a reply, submit it again and again until you get one. I have also noticed a negative attitude toward producers here and think you need to understand producers are your best ally in getting your script produced and the producer writer relationship is a very neccessary one. They want the same thing you do, to make your script into a movie. As far as Numenorean goes, try checking www.dejanews.com and search Numenorean or look on the wordplay letters forum. You could try the HCD or contact the writers guild but don't just limit your search for information to this board. It's your career. Good luck. Jay.

is it hard to keep in step with your nose stuck so far up a dark tunnel?

OUCH!

FROM NUMENOREAN FILMS:

Apologies to anyone who's submitted a spec screenplay and has yet to receive an answer. Unlike most production companies, which refuse to consider submissions from unrepresented writers, we have and will continue to maintain an open-door policy for scripts where we've seen a logline or synopsis that sounds promising. Historically, we've been able to keep response time down to about 30 days, but recent activity (particularly response to our open invitation in MovieBytes) have resulted in several hundreds of unread submissions.

Each of these scripts must be read by a reader who's opinion we can rely upon, a rare and precious commodity in a town where most professional readers are actually frustrated writers who take great delight in passing (often unfairly) on other writer's material.

We have taken on additional readers, but their first duty is and must remain to provide coverage on agency-provided scripts which we receive and must respond to within a very limited timeframe in order to maintain our professional relationships. Add to this our normal production workload, plus the network and off-network butying season, which is now in full (read: frantic) swing and will remain so until about October 15, after which the window closes until next year.

In short, it may take us another ninety days to go through all of this material properly. If anyone is upset by this, email my assistant Montana (numenor@pacificnet.net) with your name and the title of your material and it will be returned immediately, unread.

Regards,

Chuck Konzelman Numenorean Films

Well, Chuck---

What you just said and what you are experiencing is exactly why many producers will not consider anything unless it is submitted by an agent. And--- why many agents aren't open to new writers or anyone without a referral.

Sometimes in this business you are damned if you do and damned if you don't. Then another door closes for writers.

and another sob sister bats her eyelids, hoping to ...what? wimpy b.s. boys and girls. cut the whinin' afore I puke up my possum and grits.

Mr. Greenberg:

You've stopped taking your meds again. I can tell -- it's those cleverly, incoherent postings that make such a contribution to the discussion.

Renew your RX, then try again.

s.e.w. lakeside

I sent Numenorean one of my scripts, which they politely turned downed via e-mail. They, however, continue to ask for ideas. I personally would not give them or anyone a good script idea until after you write and copyright the screenplay for your own protection.

I too have mailed mumorean a logline. I have learned never to waste my postage on some of these people out here, until the yprove themseleves legit.

I wanted to compliment Numenorean Films. They have always responded quickly and professionally to my queries. Cary Solomon was kind enough to respond with a handwritten letter (not a form letter) to me regarding my script. I have found it a pleasure to work with them.

tz

It appears that there's enough anecdotal support for this prodco. -- or perhaps for Cary Solomon personally -- to close the file.

My experience of Numenorean does not encourage me to recommend them as professionally up-to-snuff, and as demonstrated, others feel likewise in varying degrees. After all, what's a realistic yes-or-no time on a few synopses? A few days? A few weeks -- maybe. More than that? Makes you wonder -- especially in a business where perception truly is reality.

On the other hand, assuming they're not Numenorean "plants" on the board, the company's supporters seem to report a similar level of satisfaction with the process. Their reportage is our evidence. So...

Tie goes to the runner.

In defence of Cary Solomon, it may be that anyone trolling the Net catches too many fish, most of which are of unfavourable species. Swamping the gunwales is a common result, and that may be what's creating the negative impression and engendering bad press.

Between the thread-the-eye-of-this-needle-if-you-can m.o. of most major agencies and prodcos. and the open-door-policy of the Cyber-property Surfers, there has to be an acceptable midpoint. And I suppose that's what Numenorean's management group is starting to re-think. They'll have to narrowcast their business message from here on.

stu woolley Kingston, ON

Steven Lee,

Thanks for Bo Zenga info. Much appreciated. Sorry it took so long to respond to you.

Stu,

I've sent two email queries to Cary Solomon. Rejected both, but very politely responded to both within about fifteen minutes.

Rich

Numenorean asked me to send a copy of my script. I sent it via UPS but they are returning it because they said the company moved. I emailed them and asked for the correct address but so far no response. Anyone know their new address?

Things that make you go hmmmm....

Pulled out my Fade In screenwriting awards semi-finalist notification and noticed two familiar names on the list with mine:

Cary Solomon and Chuck Konzelman.

I'm not saying anything here. I'll just let the paranoia take hold and see where it takes us...

Okay, I lied about not saying anything. If these 'well connected' producers are so connected why the hell are they entering screenplay contests so they can win a computer and free entry to a pitching seminar? Just wondering.

Not saying anything though,

Rich

Hmmmm is right. I've seen the same thing happen with other self-proclaimed or 'well-connected' producers.

Not that I'm saying anything either.

Another thing I won't say anything about is the fact that some 'producers' seem to have an awful lot of free time on their hands. They post to bulletin boards, yuk it up, engage in arguments with other posters, etc.

If I *were* saying something, it would be that 'producers' who claim to have all sorts of projects in the works should be too busy to spend time surfing the Net for newbie bulletin boards just to chat on.

But remember, I'm not saying anything.

Here's a copy of an e-mail recently sent to Cary. Subject: Numenorean is looking for writers . . . to ignore? Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1998 10:33:13 -0800 From: David Duane Fortner To: numenor@pacificnet.net

Dear Cary: On October 5th, I sent you a query on an idea I had for a screenplay. Two days later you requested I send it to you. Within a week I mailed you the first ten pages of Mosiah's Moon. Now, after almost a month, I still haven't heard if you even like the premise or not. I don't know if you are backed logged, understaffed, sick or just plain rude, but I suggest you go take a look at the comments the writers are making concerning your company on the Movie Bytes bulletin board. You are fast building a reputation as a flake. It takes talent to write and talent to come up with ideas; I imagine that's why you're looking for writers. Like you, writers like to get on with their lives. If you can e-mail a request within a few days, then you can respond likewise to a proposed idea, within a few weeks. In this age of electronic communication, writers have little respect for producers that waste their time. Timely manners, Cary, they do go a long way.

DDF

David's message is tart. He's not happy and he has every right to express that unhappiness in a forthright manner.

As I said in previous post, my experience with Solomon is quite different, but that doesn't neutralize David's pique.

I would just say this. Cary tells me he's repped by Wm. Morris. I presume that's as writer-producer. No one stays on the roster of a heavy hitter like Wm. Morris by being a slug.

David has every right to question Numenorean's business procedures and politesse. It takes time to learn to run a business; a new business is a sequence of bear-traps. If Numenorean is failing people on the business side of the equation, the public dissing is justified and can have a "cleansing" effect.

The personal edge is probably misplaced, however. All I would say to David is that what I perceive as a personal swipe at Solomon is probably not justified and doesn't help resolve a business beef.

In my business life -- confession time -- I collect money. I'm an executive, but the bottom line is I hound, harrass, rag, reddog and take companies to court. But through it all, I try not to let things get personal, because once they do, there's a new, unproductive layer of shit to work through to remedy the business problem.

From my dealings with Cary, I think he's aware of the failings inherent in casting a wide, webworld net. Criticize the corporate entity by all means, but don't make the rancor personal.

Well Stu, Apparently Cary doesn't agree with you. Subject: Re: Numenorean is looking for writers . . . to ignore? Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1998 13:25:56 -0800 From: Numenorean Films To: David Duane Fortner References: 1



You do not understand the way the biz works. I would suggest that you not send e-mails like this to anyone else in the industry as it will hurt your chances at ever becoming successful. Hollywood moves slowly. To give you a basic understanding, most companies take appx 2-4 maybe 6 months to respond if ever. As a production company we answer appx 100-200 e-mails a day. Receive 50-75 scripts a week. Receive 100 or so query letters every couple of days. Add to that meetings, appointments, agents,other production company biz and the rest of the biz that we do and you should be able to see that we are doing the best that we can. However if you want a answer immediately then it is a pass for us. As for the moviebytes site, there is no way you can make all the people happy all the time and while I think the site itself is probably the best I've seen, most of the writers on that site however good hearted, don't understand that they do more bad to themselves then good.

I hope this has helped explain the why,

regards and best of luck in your writing

Cary Solomon

Stu: How is it that Cary can answer e-mails that criticize immediately, but he cannot respond to business calls? I can find no listing of Numenorean in the Hollywood Directory nor can I find a listing of movies they've done. He's not a signatory to the Writers Guild. I could care less who he's represented by. You seem to know him. Is he a producer, a writer, a director, or what? It's not about his casting a wide net. It's about his fishing or cutting bait. Go ahead, tell me all the movies Numenorean has done. Make me blush, I dare you. DDF

P.S. David Greenberg, you are a man after my own heart. Very funny and exactly on the mark. More honesty and less asskissing will get writers will get the respect they deserve. DDF

I've known Cary Solomon and Chuck Konzelman for six (seven?) years. I'm a professional scriptwriter, an article was written about me in the Hollywood Reporter (Spelling Hops to Epsilon Skip). Here's the straight skinny on Numenorean:

1) Both of them are guild members.

2) They are represented by the biggest agent in town as writers over at WMA. I'd tell you his name but all you idiots would deluge the office "checking up" on them.

3) They make over 300k a year as writers. Maybe more now -- don't quote me.

4) They do have movies out that they've written -- none of which survived intact to the screen, none of which they are particularly proud of.

5) Understandably they f---g hate being writers and want to move into producing.

6) They found a guy over the net with a great script, gave him money UP FRONT and a percentage if it sold. They rewrote it together and sold it to TNT for 200k. It's already wrapped and will be the pilot of a TNT series. I believe they have already started another project with the writer.

7) They are getting HUGE in TV. I think they have sold two (three?) ideas that will be shot as pilots. If the series goes, they'll need writers -- BAD.

8) Chuck K. is a serious, intelligent man of great sincerity, depth and morality. Get on Chuck's good side.

9) Cary is a little rough around the edges. I think he grew up in some war zone in Brooklyn. He is a creative genius and a great guy but his temper pisses me off to no end. I think we've not been on speaking terms at least three times. But I gotta say I love the guy like a brother. He introduced me to pastrami and shrimp salad bagels. No man of the shrimp salad can be all bad.

10) Scriptwriting for the studios is work. Its a job. Its no fun. Its watching idiots destroy your art and working twelve hours a day rewriting a script into ways you don't agree with -- its not all its cracked up to be. Cary and Chuck like dealing with writers and helping people more than they like to write. And they really know their stuff. They constantly impress me with their knowledge of craft but I'm not sure I could write the kind of stuff they do without putting a gun in my mouth. But they do it. I'm not sure how, but they do.

11) Their lobby is FILLED with scripts. Unfortunately, on several occasions, even Hunter has been impressed into reading scripts. They are everywhere. Cary and Chuck are of the opinion that the pile of scripts in their lobby is a "gold mine". They look forward to the pile disappearing and finding people they can work with. I think they are insane. 1999 out of 2000 scripts you read by non-represented writers are trash. I'm not criticizing, its just the truth. If you were reading these scripts you'd say the same thing.

12) These guys are real people whom I respect and if you get on their good side, they will help you out forever. Right now, they are simply not Bruckheimer or Silver -- but some day they will be, and what they've done already ain't too shabby.

13) You have about as much chance of being a professional scriptwriter as you do of stepping on the moon. Coming from somebody who's done it -- its all luck, timing and contacts. Hard work, talent, craft and absolute focus just get you on the playing field. Cary and Chuck have the ability to let you in the game -- you have NO idea how valuable that is.

14) Cary's assistant always shows him internet postings about himself or the company. He tends to carry a grudge.

15) Hollywood is a really small town.