Rejection letters

I got this rejection letter today from a script I sent off back in January, and I think as rejections go it's quite encouraging, though I haven't really got much to compare it to. This is the first one I've had from anyone who's actually read the thing beyond page ten.

Dear [ME]

[NAME]
Development Script Editor

So, I guess if I'd have written a story to go with the character and setting, I'd have been greenlit right now. So close. I'm unsure of the final line though; if it's just a general wishing of success if I can develop the idea further (with someone else) or them leaving the door slightly ajar should I want to send it back after a rewrite. Or if it's just a nice way of saying "This is underdeveloped." And is "Thanks for introducing us to your work" just a nice way of ending a rejection letter, or do they now have my name in a rolodex of potential writers for future commissions? How do these things work? Is my dream still alive?!

It's a friendly rejection, with some nice advice. It's not asking you to send a rewritten version in. If they wanted that they would say so. Perhaps they may remember you if you send something else into them. No, they probably won't be keeping your name in mind for future commissions.

I'm afraid that's a thanks but no thanks letter. The script wasn't up to scratch - re-write, get feedback, re-write again, then send it off to another production company.

Quote: JaPi @ 2nd April 2014, 9:27 PM BST

So, I guess if I'd have written a story to go with the character and setting, I'd have been greenlit right now.

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I'd say no, everything should come out in the script. If it needs a story to explain it, something's missing. I'm not saying you have to fill the script with back story but the characters should be fully rounded and their relationships clearly defined, sufficiently to carry the narrative of the episode, whatever that is.

Which is a different thing to saying that you shouldn't know the back story inside out. I was told by a producer that she was about to subject me to a thousand questions about my characters to see how well I knew them. It was less than a thousand but still a hell of a lot.

On the plus side, you found someone who was willing to read it and was kind enough to respond.

It's pretty encouraging - they think you have potential, but not with this script. If you write something else, send it to them with a reminder of this letter.

Quote: JaPi @ 2nd April 2014, 9:27 PM BST

So, I guess if I'd have written a story to go with the character and setting, I'd have been greenlit right now. So close.

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Story is everything.

Also, in the nicest possible way - you posted a script in Critique a few months ago.

We all told you it didn't have a story and wasn't great. You told us all we didn't know what we were talking about. (Including Marc, who actually does know what he is talking about).

I am all for optimism, but I get the impression that your optimism sometimes gets in the way of you being able to accept critique and assess your work with a level of objectivity. Just a thought.

That was me being self-effacing. Like "If only I'd remembered to write a story!"

Quote: Jennie @ 2nd April 2014, 11:15 PM BST

Story is everything.

Also, in the nicest possible way - you posted a script in Critique a few months ago.

We all told you it didn't have a story and wasn't great. You told us all we didn't know what we were talking about. (Including Marc, who actually does know what he is talking about).

I am all for optimism, but I get the impression that your optimism sometimes gets in the way of you being able to accept critique and assess your work with a level of objectivity. Just a thought.

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Six people commented on the script extract I posted, one of those saying they really liked it, and at no point did I say or even allude to anybody not knowing what they were talking about. There was no general consensus that it "wasn't great.", I considered everything that was said, and because of the response I got I did add a new opening scene.

I don't think the problem is with me. If it were I think there'd be a lot more people coming to this site for feedback.

Anyway, thanks people for your grounded interpretations. It seems I'm right to be encouraged (to the extent that I am), and I've not just been taken in by a standard rejection letter. This is good.

Quote: JaPi @ 2nd April 2014, 11:43 PM BST

I don't think the problem is with me.

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I know. You're wrong about that.

I am pretty confident in my own ability. You have to be to devote time and energy to this. But I know I have a lot of learning to do and I know that the problem is ALWAYS with me. I always need to work out what I can do to be better, what I need to change, improve, how I can use the skills and experience of others to improve my work.

I have revisited your thread and my recollection was correct.

Soots, Marc, Matthew Stott and I all told you you had a problem with story. You spent a lot of time and effort telling us you didn't and adding a cosmetic change by adding an opening scene. Now, a production company has confirmed what was said on the BCG. If people don't come here for critique, that proves that they should do. Because the BCG jury is bang on the money.

I'm not trying to say we told you so. I am just suggesting that you stop looking for encouragement from a pretty standard rejection letter and start assessing yourself objectively. Consider possibilities that you don't want to hear. Entertain the thought that the problem is with you. It will make you a better writer.

Quote: Jennie @ 3rd April 2014, 12:47 AM BST

Soots, Marc, Matthew Stott and I all told you you had a problem with story. You spent a lot of time and effort telling us you didn't and adding a cosmetic change by adding an opening scene. Now, a production company has confirmed what was said on the BCG. If people don't come here for critique, that proves that they should do. Because the BCG jury is bang on the money.

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Your logic is astounding. For one thing it's a hung jury. 4-2 does not a conviction make. And there's at least one 'juror' in that lot who I would have objected to before the start of any proceedings, so really it's 3-2 at best. But even if fifty people had told me there was a problem with the story, I'm under no obligation to do anything with your advice. This agreement you seem to think I've entered into whereby you give me your opinion in exchange for editorial control does not exist, so I don't see why I should be called out for reneging on it.

At any rate, I'm not soliciting feedback on my writing (or my ability to take criticism) in this thread. Kindly refrain.

Quote: Jennie @ 3rd April 2014, 12:47 AM BST

I know. You're wrong about that.

I am pretty confident in my own ability. You have to be to devote time and energy to this. But I know I have a lot of learning to do and I know that the problem is ALWAYS with me. I always need to work out what I can do to be better, what I need to change, improve, how I can use the skills and experience of others to improve my work.

I have revisited your thread and my recollection was correct.

Soots, Marc, Matthew Stott and I all told you you had a problem with story. You spent a lot of time and effort telling us you didn't and adding a cosmetic change by adding an opening scene. Now, a production company has confirmed what was said on the BCG. If people don't come here for critique, that proves that they should do. Because the BCG jury is bang on the money.

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And that is how BCG turned into a gang of vigilantes.

You were lucky to even get a rejection letter in this day and age. Was it a company which openly accepts unsolicited scripts?

I had a very nice rejection letter from one of the heads of Pozzitive once, but that's all it was. A rejection. No real demand for anything else.

Quote: Paul Wimsett @ 3rd April 2014, 7:35 AM BST

And that is how BCG turned into a gang of vigilantes.

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Yes, because giving people useful feedback is the very definition of vigilantism.

Moving away from the OP, it always amazes me how few people are prepared to accept constructive criticism in the modern world. Everything has to be framed with a positive and lots of 'there, there, you tried hard." It comes from the chronically fragile self esteem we as a nation seem to have developed.

If you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen. I fear being in a nursing home at 85 still trying to justify my failures to myself. If I failed, I failed. Because of me. Must do better next time.

Quote: Ben @ 3rd April 2014, 7:53 AM BST

You were lucky to even get a rejection letter in this day and age. Was it a company which openly accepts unsolicited scripts?

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Yeah, they promise to read unsolicited scripts in-house. They were the only place I could find that seemed to. Despite that they still managed to respond within the standard 3-4 months.

It was a nice letter, it was dated the day before it arrived, and had a human signature at the bottom.

I was going to stick to my puckish reference to a classic Punch cartoon.
But I thought I'd add, that's a rejection, it's a nice one.
They mostly are.
There's several reasons for this, the industry is full of nutters and it's a good way of avoiding stalkers and flaming bags of shit on the doorstep.
Secondly it's unprofessional to be rude.
Thirdly even professional script readers make mistakes and the rude rejection letter for Fawlty Towers will live on forever.

The second most valuable thing to acceptance is feedback, someone taking the time to analyse your work and tell you why it didn't work. You didn't get this.

Again what going I'm to say is out of kindness and charity.

It's a relatively small industry, don't mess up your reputation with stuff that isn't ready for release.

nb typical BCG all the time in the world to argue the merits of a rejection letter, but not my latest skit.

Quote: Jennie @ 3rd April 2014, 8:56 AM BST

Yes, because giving people useful feedback is the very definition of vigilantism.

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I was part of a mob that chased 3 paedophiles out of our neighbour hood by chanting Trip Adviser reviews on local pizzerias.