Producing : AMA 7/15 to 7/16 (UK Time)- Ask Me Anything About Receiving and Applying Executive Feedback on Your Material by Henry Hereford

Hi Henry Hereford , thank you for doing this AMA.

I actually pitched to you very early in my filmmaking journey, and looking back, I can honestly say I wasn't ready. Since then, I've spent the last few years developing my craft through professional coverage, pitch sessions, script development, and working closely with writers in the Stage 32 community. It's been amazing to see how much I've grown, and one thing I've learned is that the best feedback often points to something deeper than the note itself.

My question is this:

As a producer, is there a moment when you stop thinking, "This script still needs work," and start thinking, "This is a project I want to help build"? What usually creates that shift for you?

Thank you!

Hi Henry Hereford - hope you're doing well. Thanks a ton for hosting this AMA and spending your time with us. QUESTION: What are some of the must-have elements that should be included in a pitch? Thanks in advance!

Hi Henry,

Thanks for taking the time to do this. I'm new to Stage 32, and thanks to the platform I discovered the HollyShorts Screenplay Competition, where my screenplay recently became a Quarterfinalist.

I've been writing professionally for quite a while, but I'm looking forward to hearing your perspective as a producer. See you tomorrow!

Hi Henry, thanks so much for doing this AMA!

I'm an indie writer-director from India — my last film hit 54K organic views on YouTube with a ₹5 lakh budget, all newcomer cast. A few questions I'd love your perspective on:

What qualities make you trust a writer enough to develop their next project, beyond just the script itself? And when you're evaluating a new writer's work, what are you actually looking for — versus what convinces you to say yes to developing it further?

More broadly, how do you think about a project in terms of target audience and genre — is there a type of story or audience you gravitate toward, and does that shape what gets you excited to option something?

Really appreciate you taking the time to do this.

Hi Henry,

Thank you for taking the time to do this AMA.

One question I’ve been thinking about while rewriting several of my own screenplays is this:

When you read a script that has a strong concept but doesn’t fully connect emotionally, what are the first signs you notice? How do you determine whether the real issue is the story’s structure, the characters, or simply that the emotional journey isn’t landing?

As a writer, I sometimes find that executive notes point to a symptom rather than the underlying problem. I’d love to hear how you identify the root issue before suggesting changes.

Thank you—I’m looking forward to learning from your insights.

I have many ideas for Disney. Is there a way to help pitch them to Disney.

Hello Henry. My first pilot (and Pitch Deck, Synopsis, One Sheet) currently are in the hands of a high level executive producer/showrunner/TV executive (in my Canadian city). I’m assured feedback: she is a personal friend. That said, as I work on a new script, how do I build the list of those to whom I pitch (next) unless first-time magic happens! Genre? Similar shows produced? Open to new, undiscovered writers? What might be a sound hierarchy of choices when the options are boggling? Thank you in advance for any advice to me personally….and for what I’ll learn from others’. Cheers!

Welcome, Henry, and thanks for taking the time. As someone who wants to build a production company rather than just sell scripts, how can a writer-producer use general meetings to demonstrate they're a long-term creative partner instead of someone pitching a single project?

Thank you Henry Hereford for this opportunity - I'm in Australia and I keep being told to think globally when trying to make the dream happen. Can you expand on this for a writer who hasn't had anything produced yet? Clearly I can't be on set but how much involvement can the writer have abroad? Thank you so much!

Hi Henry,

Thank you for hosting this AMA.

I have a completed feature screenplay that has been selected as a finalist in a screenplay competition, along with a professional pitch package. The project was developed with franchise potential in mind, and I'm currently approaching producers and literary managers.

When you receive a strong screenplay that also has franchise potential, what makes you think, "I'd like to help build this into a long-term property," instead of simply considering it as a single film?

Thank you for your time.

I can honestly say from working with Henry Hereford in the past, he is a tremendous sounding board with incredible insights on story, navigating notes/feedback, how to pitch, refining loglines & decks, and much much more. I encourage everyone to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. You won't regret it!

Hello Henry,

Thank you for taking the time to do this AMA and share your experience with the Stage 32 community.

I recently received feedback on a screenplay that described the world as "very authentic and lived in," but also suggested it was better suited to a truly micro-budget production than the traditional Hollywood path. As a producer, how do you decide when to encourage a filmmaker to protect that unique voice and make the film independently versus suggesting changes that might make it more commercially viable? Have you seen filmmakers successfully make that transition without losing what made their work special?

Thank you again for your time and insights. I appreciate you sharing your experience with all of us.

Best,

John

Hi Henry. Thank you for this wonderful opportunity. So is it possible that you receive strong feedbacks on your script but it still isn't getting the attention it needs? What could be the reason?

I wrote a script with American characters but the settings was in Korea. I received a feedback that the overall script was amazing but it would be better fitted as a kdrama. How much does the setting affect the script?

@Sandra Isobel Firstly, the only way you can get ready for pitching is by pitching and learning from each one, so it's important to get out there, which is what you did.

Secondly, I love the question, and honestly, it's very case by case. It's hard to pinpoint the exact moment "I like this, but it needs work" tips into "I'm prepared to invest in that work." Generally, if I'm responding to the core story but feel that specific elements, usually stakes or conflict, need strengthening, that's when I'll put my hat in the ring. I'll tell the writer: I really like this story, but I think it needs changes to heighten the tension and make it even more compelling. I'm not talking about changing the core of the story, just making it work harder. And I'll be upfront that I'm happy to develop it with them, but only if they're open to that process. If not, I'm probably not the right person for it.

It's worth saying I can be fully on board with a project from the pitch alone, before I've even read the script. A strong enough pitch is what gets me to read it in the first place. From there, there are usually things that need doing, sometimes simply cutting the script back if it's overlong. But with something I really love, my instinct is often to attach a director before making those calls, because I think the filmmaker should be part of shaping the script from early on, not just me. So even if I can see something that maybe doesn't need to be there, I'll often hold off until there's a filmmaker attached to work through it with.

Ultimately, if I'm pulled in by the story and I can see a path to raising the stakes, I'll get involved. But if I feel the story fundamentally can't get to where it needs to go, and fixing it would mean changing too much of what isn't mine to change, then it needs work. Just not from me.

It's worth remembering there will almost always be work to be done on a script once other voices come on board, be they a director or a producer. Writers need to be honest with themselves, before they send material out, about what their parameters on changes are. You can be as inflexible or flexible as you want. Just own your line in the sand.

Henry Hereford Good Day, to you, sir. Thank you for this opportunity - I presently have a screenwriter adapting my first novel (serialised now in 4 books), into a TV drama series. The same book has been pitched for TV to an executive in May, but as yet I haven’t heard back. It’s the fourth time I’ve pitched this novel, and I’m hoping the character arcs are much improved - at least as much as I could in the space of 2 pages. It has received great reviews, 5* from readers, and the latest reaction from one friend to another, was - “Oh, my God, you have to read this book!”. It’s a part-bio story and is proving difficult to translate into a script that gives the actors what they deserve. However, my question to you is, what is the most important detail needed in a pitch, that would tip the scales into a ‘double recommend’. My story has already gripped the readers who are itching to read part II. I just need that final golden step to break into TV and the story with do the rest.

One more thing - the next two books are due out this summer, and they have more tension and suspense than the first. Do I wait for the result of my first book pitch - and is it likely an executive would want access to the whole series, rather than pitch again for book two, or book three?

Amazon are about to publish book three, and have said they rate it on the same level as The Hunger Games. They will add it to their Top 10 books for sale. I have discussed a potential production opportunity with them already, and they will make sure executives from Disney and Paramount etc. are given the chance to purchase the whole series (having just sold one lady’s series for an eye-watering sum).

I’m also in the UK.

@charmane It’s hard to pin down exactly, because ultimately the story has to resonate with me as a whole. But the first signs are usually structural: if nothing happens beyond conversation, or we sit in the same emotional place for the first twenty pages, it’s hard to for me to stay engaged. Characters are the other big signal if I can’t visualise them, if they blend into one another rather than feeling distinct, I start to disconnect.

But honestly, the clearest tell is simpler than any of that: if I put the script down and let myself get distracted by other things, I’m not invested. Sometimes I can’t fully diagnose why, it might be structure, character, or just not knowing what the project is actually about.

So rather than chasing the symptom, ask readers the underlying questions: Do you understand what this is about? Are you clear on who my characters are and what the script is trying to do? If the answer is yes across the board, then a lack of connection is probably just taste and that’s fine, you can’t win everyone over. But if people say they’re not clear what’s going on, that’s something to attend to, especially if it’s coming from multiple readers rather than one. The same goes for character development: if several people flag that the characters aren’t landing, that’s a strong sign people aren’t connecting the way you need them to, not just a matter of taste.

What keeps me in, ultimately, is simple: significant things happening, scenes that move the story forward, and characters developed enough in three dimensions that I care about them and want to know more.

Thank you, Henry.

I really appreciate the thoughtful response. Your point about asking readers the underlying questions rather than chasing individual symptoms really stood out to me. That’s a perspective I’ll definitely take into future rewrites.

Thanks again for sharing your experience.

Thank you so much, Henry Hereford. This is incredibly helpful and exactly the kind of producer perspective I was hoping to understand.

What really stayed with me is your point about responding to the core story and then working collaboratively to strengthen the stakes rather than changing the heart of the project. I also found your comments about attaching a director early in the development process fascinating, as that's very much how I hope to approach my own feature.

Thank you again for taking the time to share such a thoughtful answer.

@Leonardo this differs for everyone, but for me it depends first on whether it's a verbal or written pitch.

For a verbal pitch, where you might only have six minutes, I want to know what the story is about and not the backstory of how you came up with it. If it's based on a true story, just say so and move on. Tell me who the main characters are, what their names are, and the overall arc of the story, so there's time left for me to ask follow-up questions before I ask for the script.

A written pitch gives you more scope. You lose the chance for me to hear your passion for it directly, but you gain the ability to use visuals showing tone, location, environment, even reference images for characters or actors. That gives me an immediate sense of your vision. But either way, what I need most is a detailed synopsis and clear characters. A logline draws me in, but the synopsis is what actually tells me what the story is.

Ultimately, the pitch is your calling card, much like a showreel or a headshot for an actor, or a trailer for a film. Its job is to get me to want to read the script. So find the key elements, make it succinct, and use it to bring me there.

@Kevin why does it need to be Disney specifically? The reality is for the most part Disney doesn't accept unsolicited pitches directly, so restricting yourself to that one target makes things harder than they need to be.

It's worth asking yourself what you mean by "Disney" are you thinking animation, or a live-action fairy tale retelling? Disney makes such a broad range of things now, across genres and platforms, that the label alone doesn't narrow much down. Rather than aiming at Disney itself, look for producers with a track record in similar projects and people who have relationships and could potentially pitch into Disney or one of the production companies that makes content for them.

You might have ideas that feel very Disney, and they may well end up there, but the priority is finding people who can develop them properly and get them in front of the right buyers, whoever that turns out to be. Put the story out there, build interest, and see where it goes. Maybe it lands at Disney, maybe somewhere else, so what matters is getting it made so people can actually experience it.

@Hillary Firstly congratulations, that's incredible feedback to receive! To give you a proper answer, I need a bit more context.

Who did you submit it to, and was it just one person or one production company? That matters, because if it was a single response, I'd try a few more people before reading too much into it because you might get a completely different reaction elsewhere.

I'd also want to understand the story itself a bit more. Is it set in Korea because it's a Korean story and the setting and characters are essential to it or is it set there by choice, and the same core emotional plot could work anywhere? You don't need to give me the details of what it's about, but it'd help to know whether the setting is vital to the story or interchangeable. That distinction will shape how to respond to the "better fitted as a K-drama" note.

Thanks for the great info Henry Hereford and a great analogy! Equating the pitch to an actor's headshot is a great way to look at a written pitch. Thanks for that!

@Lauren that's a general note to receive and I'm not sure what it was in response to and who is giving this. Ultimately, you want to write the story you're passionate about, not try to fit into a box.

From a sales point of you, you want a global story purely because you want everyone in the world to be able to relate to and enjoy the themes but stories set anywhere can do that.

Are you writing an Australian story at its core, or could the same story be set anywhere? Even if it is Australian, that doesn't mean you shouldn't write it but it's worth knowing which one it is, because it affects how flexible you can be if a production company later says e.g. "we love the story but could we set it in another country there are great tax breaks here."

I don't think being a new writer in one country limits how involved you can be in a project made elsewhere. I'm based in the UK, and I'm working on two projects with new writers based in the US ,with one four years in development, one three and we've never met in person. All our conversations with production companies and directors happen remotely. Geography hasn't been a barrier.

In my opinion there's no truth to the idea that a new writer can't be part of the process just because they're not in the same country as the production company. And with a platform like Stage 32 giving you reach to producers and production companies worldwide, that shouldn't be a restriction at all.

@Heidi Congrats on getting your project into good, capable hands, it sounds like solid feedback either way.

Even if this one moves forward, your next project might be a different genre or need a different home, so you’re always going to be pitching. Worth keeping a running list of producers/agents and what they’re each looking for.

A few things that might help:

• Check track record: have they worked in the space you’re writing in (e.g. TV, that genre)?

• Don’t let “undiscovered writer” hold you back - if you’re on your 4th or 5th draft, taking it seriously, you’re experienced, even without credits yet. Most producers (myself included) will read a good script regardless of who wrote it.

• Match your pitch to what someone’s explicitly looking for, so if they want a strong female lead and that’s your story, you’re in a good spot. If it’s a mismatch, you might get useful feedback but they probably won’t pursue it.

• That said, a genuinely good story can still land even outside someone’s stated wish-list, it happens all the time.

• Beyond taste and track record, think about whether you’d enjoy working with this person. Projects can take years (I’ve got one in its sixth year) and getting on well with your producer/collaborator makes the long haul far more enjoyable.

@MB Stevens Really good question. Lots of people are multifaceted these days, and being a writer-producer can be great, because it gives you a lot more control over what you’re doing.

For general meetings, I’d always have a one-sheet covering everything on your slate, just a short outline of each project, where it’s at, any attachments, potential investment, etc. You can send this in advance so whoever you’re meeting can flag which project interests them and ask for more.

That said, you’ll usually end up focusing on one project per person. My projects are all very different, so I’m often targeting someone specifically because I know a particular project sits in their space, so I don’t want to dilute the pitch by throwing multiple projects at them at once. Time with a creative partner, sales agent, or distributor is short, so use it wisely and be specific about the one thing you’re asking for.

Still, it’s worth letting people know you have a slate. I was recently pitching one project to someone, and when they felt the budget was too low for them, they asked what else I had and that opened the door to a different project, which they’re now reading with real interest.

So: lead with one specific project per meeting as that’s what most people will expect anyway, since nine times out of ten they’re each looking for something different, but make sure people know there’s a slate behind

@Basha Firstly congratulations on your project's success.

Worth noting upfront: I’ve never actually asked a writer to write something for me from scratch, so my answer is really about what draws me to a project someone brings to me.

What I look for: ultimately it’s the story that I have to be drawn to it, to the characters, and it has to genuinely move me. That’s personal, and something I love might leave someone else cold, even if they’d still happily produce it. The real test for me: can I honestly picture still championing this project in five years, even if we haven’t moved forward an inch? If yes, that’s what convinces me.

Working relationship: there has to be a personal connection and openness to collaborate with the writer and this is something you can only really feel out once you’ve read the script, want to get involved, and start talking. It matters because you’ll likely be working together for a long time.

Target audience: as a producer you do have to think commercially, so there needs to be a significant audience, because you’re asking people to invest and they need to believe in a return. But I don’t gravitate to one genre or audience specifically, it’s instinct. A psychological drama or a cat-and-mouse spy story tends to grab me as a baseline, and I like a good twist, but ultimately it’s the writing and story that win me over, even on subjects I’d never normally think about.

Flexibility: this one matters a lot going forward. I need a writer who can make changes when needed - not that I’ll demand you rewrite your story, but there will be input from various people along the way, and I need to know there’s room to adapt. If you’re not open to that, that’s completely fine as there are plenty of producers who work differently, but it probably means we’re not the right fit, since too much rigidity tends to create problems down the line.

@Hamid Honestly, I’ve never been pitched a film that made me think “franchise potential” in the moment and I don’t think that’s the right lens for a first read anyway. Whatever’s pitched needs to work as a single film first, because that’s what has to last. Budgets change, people fall away, and a potential franchise may simply never happen, so everything has to stand on its own as one complete film.

That said, a few things can hint at “more” without it being the point:

• Short films that feel like they could expand into something bigger are genuinely enticing to get on board with.

• Book options help too. I recently optioned one where I knew two more in the series existed, which makes it much easier to sell once it’s developed into a pilot, because there’s a clear runway of future seasons.

So franchise potential can live in the back of your mind as a bonus, but the film still has to work as a single film regardless.

The exception is when the IP already exists at scale and it is something clearly built to be split into multiple parts from the start. But for most writers at the early stage, seeking investment and trying to get a first project made, that’s not the priority.

My answer, in short: a strong screenplay is a strong screenplay. That’s what I’d be thinking about first, and I haven’t been in a situation where franchise potential changed that unless the IP already existed going in.

Hi Henry Hereford - thank you for your time and insight, I appreciate it. My wife and I have been traveling the world since 2024 and spent 5+ months in England last year. We LOVED it!

Do you think the U.K. offers the same, more or less of a chance to an American based writer trying to break in as a new creative? I have wondered if applying focus to U.K. producers would be a wise strategic move and if you think it is would the project/material need to be created with a U.K. audience specifically in mind or can U.S. based stories and perspectives attract attention from U.K. Producers?

Thank you, Henry. That makes a lot of sense. My follow-up is less about reducing production costs and more about career strategy. If a script's identity is deeply rooted in a specific community, tone, and voice, do you think it's generally better for an emerging filmmaker to embrace that and build a reputation from it, or would you ever advise reshaping it into something more broadly commercial to increase its chances of being produced?

Hi Henry! Thanks for joining us, I'd love to know how the UK entertainment industry is differing from the US. When presenting a project, is the industry looking to uncover beginnings of an idea or full-fledged developed and packaged projects?

Henry Hereford, so much of this conversation has been about how to get in the room and receive notes well. But I'd love to flip the question: when a writer has been through several rounds of notes with you on a project, and you're deep in the development trenches together, what's the ONE thing you wish they'd remember to keep doing that most writers stop doing once the initial 'polish' of a new relationship wears off? What separates the writers who stay great collaborators long-term from those who become harder to work with over time?

And for everyone else in this conversation, if you haven't read Henry's blog from Monday yet and jumped into this week's 3 JFC challenges, make sure you do so today! Henry shares so many amazing insights in the blog as well:

https://www.stage32.com/blog/july-filmmakers-club-week-3-book-the-room-n...

Hi Henry, I'm Kent/London based!

• I feel like I'm not good at pitching - I've tried with friends/family, but because of health/brain fog, I struggle to remember silly little things. So I mostly write things down so I don't forget - do you find that if someone in my position read their logline from a notepad, would that put you off?

• From the pitches that I've bought through here, I've never had anything that's actionable, just "I like/love it, but..." scenarios - usually info such as "prison dramas are great right now, why is yours different?" etc...

• I don't know what I should use, honestly, as it's contradictory to each other and their personal opinions, mostly. Nothing given that's industry worth noting.

• Honesly, not too sure about what's actually a note, it's mostly been passive,

• Oh, someone who woild deliver the pitch on my behalf... that would help massively haha!

Why is everything being made across the board forcing political messages? What happened to entertaining?

Hy Henry thanks for joining us

I am the creator of “SHALIMAR: THE FORBIDDEN TUNNEL,” an original sci-fi horror series inspired by Pakistani history, folklore, and global storytelling. My goal is to create unique stories that combine strong characters, suspense, and cinematic worlds for international audiences.

I am currently developing my writing portfolio and looking for opportunities to connect with producers, writers, and industry professionals who are interested in original genre-based storytelling.

Good afternoon, and thank you very much for taking the time to do this consultation.

I'd like to ask one question. In your experience, what does it take to build a long-term relationship with a producer? What makes a producer trust a writer and want to keep working with them over the years? In other words, how can a writer build a strong, lasting professional partnership that grows into a successful business relationship?

Thank you in advance for your insight.

Hi Henry Hereford. Thanks for your time. Ii recently had a pitch for television show and completely bombed. I totally read from a sheet of paper. I forgot everything I knew about television pitching. My question: How do you properly prepare for a pitch to give a comprehensive and emotional experience.

Khurram Asghar welcome and thanks for jumping in! Your genre focus sounds really compelling, and I have no doubt you'll find great producers, writers, and industry professionals here on Stage 32 to connect with over time!

Just a friendly reminder for you and everyone reading, Henry's AMA is a Q&A event, not a space for pitching or introductions. Henry is generously giving 24 hours of his time to answer questions from the community, so please make sure you're taking advantage of that opportunity! If there's something you'd love his perspective on, whether it's about your genre space, how to build relationships with producers, how to prepare a strong portfolio, how to navigate international pitching, or anything else related to receiving and applying executive feedback, that's the kind of question this AMA is designed for.

Khurram, if you'd like to share more about your work and connect with the community for potential collaboration, the Introduce Yourself Lounge (https://www.stage32.com/lounge/introduce_yourself) is the perfect place for that (and it also counts toward one of this week's JFC challenges). And the Your Stage Lounge (https://www.stage32.com/lounge/promotion) is a great space to share about your specific project, SHALIMAR sounds fascinating and I'd love to hear more about it there!

Looking forward to seeing your question for Henry and to hearing more about your work in the right spaces!

When a producer requests additional material beyond the pilot, such as Episode 2, what are they typically looking for? Is it mainly consistency of writing, confidence that the series can sustain itself, or something else?

Hello, Henry Hereford

I do not know if this is an appropriate question to ask you, but it is related to feedback.

When should you seek out a Writing Manager?

I have heavily relied on Feedback to improve my writing abilities. I took a tip from a professional writer when I was younger. He said I should submit my script for a 10-page read to an exec. If they read more than 10 pages, you've got something. Well, three different execs read the entire thing and told me the project had legs. I only needed to "hone my craft".

Since that feedback, this script has been my main focus for the last 3 years.

January this year, I paid for three script coverages, and they were all the same. I paid for 3 to 5 pages, and I typically get back 10 pages or more, with 50% of it being compliments, and 20% of it being ideas I feel they are pitching me. (lol)

So, in February, I entered five contests and paid for feedback. In one of them, I placed as a Semi-Finalist in a writing competition, and instead of the 3 pages of feedback I paid for, I got 15 pages of notes. Again, the feedback was 50% compliments/praise. I am waiting on the results of the other four.

I am currently taking a year to self-reflect, wait on the results of the competitions, and get started on a new script.

That all being said, what do you think? Am I ready to start looking for a Writing Manager? Should I wait? Should I finish a second script first? -- Frankly, I could really use a writing job about now. lol.

Thanks for your time, sir!

James Hooker

Hi Henry,

I've really appreciated the time you take to help other creatives here on Stage 32. Whether it's offering thoughtful feedback or taking the time to evaluate projects that may not even be the right fit for you, that kind of generosity doesn't go unnoticed. I believe it not only helps individual filmmakers grow, but also raises the overall standard of professionalism and storytelling within the industry.

I'm a film composer based in Portugal, focused on story-driven scoring, and I'm always interested in learning from experienced producers and development executives.

I simply wanted to introduce myself and connect. I hope our paths cross in the future, and I wish you all the best with your current projects.

Best wishes,

João David Moreira

Hi Henry Hereford thanks for doing this

Question: As a producer, what would make you trust a new digital premiere platform enough to release your finished film there? What would you need to see before saying yes?

What is it gets you hooked on a idea from a written pitch?

I have a question how do I send you QUERY- PITCH as a screenwriter without representation. Do you accept YA Romantic Comedies?

Hello, Mr. Hereford

Thank you for this AMA.

My question is in regard to book adaptations. What is a general rule or expectation when it comes to pitching to executives?

Praise Otito, if you're interested in connecting with Henry for a Pitch Session, please email our Success Team at Success@Stage32.com to let them know. They will help coordinate a time for you to meet with Henry when he's next available.

Hi Henry - thanks for your educated replies. I had a producer on Stage 32 give me a perfect score on a first 10 page read of my pilot script. At the bottom of these reports, I always hear that no one is making big budget period pieces!! Yet, true WWII stories keep coming out on film. My true story takes place in the UK and the U.S. and Disney has IP on both sides of the pond! How can I get in the right door to see this 30 year in development limited series move forward?

Hi, Henry - many thanks for your time and insights.

1. Synthesizing multiple feedbacks: I have received multiple feedback from Stage 32 Full Reads that have been very, very positive (above average plot and exceptional dialogue) with suggestions (that I took to heart and applied). But then I received an Average score from BlackList paid reviewer on the identical script. Feedback was poor plot and dialogue, hence the low score.

2. Multiple viewpoints on best delivery vehicle: Similar to above, I have had some executive feedback suggest the script (same as above) is better as a multi-part limited streamer. And then others say "no, this should be a prestige drama".

3. Period Piece: Almost universally the feedback on one of my scripts (based on 1960s events) is "Period pieces are dead. It does not matter how interesting or important the subject matter. The audience is not there and the production costs are too high. Do something else." Would you recommend foregoing anything not current/modern?

4. Intellectual Property: I have had some feedback that since a script is based on true events Hollywood is only interested in something based on IP (such as a book). None exist, so one suggestion was to start by writing a book. The other told me to keep looking.

Thank you again!

Hello Henry Hereford,

Thank you for your time.

My question is...

Does submitting independent movie scripts to festivals and contests actually help with trying to break into the business?

I have submitted a couple of scripts that have been "officially selected" to multiple festivals, but I haven't found that to be helpful in getting any closer to be seen by the "right" people.

Thank you again.

Regards,

Mauricio "Mo" Topete

Hi, Henry!

I'm curious about what happens after a producer requests a script, if he/she feels that the idea is great, but the script isn't there yet. Is that just a pass? Or, could the producer contact the writer and ask for changes? Would the producer ever say "Yes, I want this script, but I'm going to bring in another writer"...? Are there options for a script other than a simple yes or no?

I just thought of something that may not be exactly on point to your question. There are so many people claiming they are "Producers" including yours Truly, but how do you know that they can actually perform the promises that they give you about being able to finance and develop your screenplay or movie idea???? If you sign up with a Producer, you are committing yourself to that Producer, what if he or she just sits on the project for whatever reason and you cannot sell it to someone else because you are tied up with the current BOZO. That is why if you a creative and you commit yourself to a producer you must include in the contracts that are signed by said Producer and time period in which the Producer has to do certain specific things with respect to his obligations on the Project and if he or she fails to do what he or she promised then the entire rights whatever they are revert back to YOU, and you are now a Free Agent who can sign up with any other Producer you can make a deal with. Really good idea to include the forgoing in your deals with any Producer.

I have a film getting positive attention in the Oakland, CA area. I have changed from a theatrical release due to marketing analysis. The pitch deck offers the show as episodic or vertical because of the shift with producers like Taye Diggs, Ryan Coogler and James Black and entire studios. Budgets for Microfilms are much smaller. Should I submit my theatrical pitch deck and budget, or should I submit a vertical with the proper budget for a vertical?

Mr. Hereford, thank you for affording us your time and experience. It is a very generous gift. My screenwriting partner and I have completed (subject to final review) the first three episodic one-hour scripts of a ten episode television series. Our series bible is 90% complete. Our LookBook and Pitch Deck are some 25% complete but forging ahead. The true story is of a failed fun-loving student from a prestigious English boarding school but a gift with languages and the bass guitar. Does not graduate but speaks French, German and Greek fluently at age 18. Does few short crummy jobs, then becomes a roadie for The Who. At end of said tour, squires a fair number of foreign traveling young ladies around London who pay for everything and provide companionship. Realizing his life is going nowhere, he enlists in the British Army Intelligence Corps, becoming an undercover agent for 18 years, putting his life literally on the line a number of close times. We will shortly form a Limited Liability Company in the names of my screenwriting partner, myself and the individual whose memoirs are the base of the story. My question is to say the least, vague! This will not be a penny production, either in the US or elsewhere. What next three or four steps would you expect for us to take? Or are there more than that you recommend? Should you wish to learn more about me, you may find my website with my name JimFrance.com. Thank you for your patience in reading this. I look forward to your comments.

Hi Henry Hereford , thanks for taking the time and sharing your insights with us.

As a writer/director of 10+ years who just finished a feature, I’ve had my fair share of feedback. I’ve noticed that the most confusing notes usually come from people trying to project their own taste and ideas onto my story, rather than taking in the story on its own terms. Over the years, I've had to develop a strong filter that helps me sift through the feedback.

This also ties into pitching, which is where things often get tricky for me. When I'm in a room as a director collaborating with a client on how to execute a creative vision, I feel entirely in my element as a creative partner. But when it comes to pitching a screenplay, it suddenly feels like a transaction, like a cold "sales pitch" where I'm a fish out of water. If that connection isn't there from the start and is not directly based on pitching, it's incredibly tough to accomplish anything.

My questions for you are:

1. When you are giving feedback, how do you distinguish between a note that genuinely serves the writer's core vision versus a note that is just your own personal projection of what you would do or want to make?

2. How can a director-minded creative shift the energy of a pitch meeting so it feels less like a sales transaction and more like a collaborative, creative partnership where we can actually do something?

3. Also how does a writer/director at this stage of my career start building relationships with producers that I could work with in the future?

Thanks again!

Henry, thank you so much for your time and knowledge. What elements do you consider make a script a four quadrant contender?

Do I need to include my name and contact information on my written pitches that I submit to people here?

HI Henry, thanks for your time. I've been pitching two feature scripts. I've created a repository for both scripts and the package. My question is I have scripts, songs for each film, pitch decks, investor deck, storyboard, Lookbook, Chain of Title and Preliminary budgets all laid out in this password protected repository I call the package. What do you consider the "Package" am I missing other key components that would make the package more inline with producer expectations? Many Thanks, Ray

Hi Henry,

Thank you for sharing your time and wisdom with me and my colleagues on Script32. You are preceded by Producer Katrina Wolfe who did an amazing job conducting an “Ask Me Anything” a few weeks back. Katrina blew me away with the depth and speed of her responses. So much so that I signed up to have her read my screenplay followed by an immensely productive Zoom discussion yesterday.

My screenplay is called Confessions of a Sony Adman. It’s inspired by a true story that makes you smile while it pulls at your heart.

Think Blackberry meets Air, but with a high concept hook that’s deeply personal to me. My infant daughter who suffered from the same condition that took Stevie Wonder’s vision. That’s what separates this story from every other “underdog closes the impossible deal” pitch.

Logline: When an ambitious Sony adman battles to secure Stevie Wonder for the national campaign of the CD player, he’s torn between a career-defining triumph and a desperate need to be present for his daughter’s experimental surgery to save her eyesight.

The theme is Scott’s realization that technology comes and goes, but a person's legacy is defined by the lives they've touched, the people they've loved and the moments they've shared. That's what lasts forever. And, that’s the essence of my story.

Given this limited background, pls let me know:

1. How I may secure representation? As an older writer with a singular project, Managers are reluctant to engage. As a result, I’ve begun to target Production Co’s with a track record in the True Story/Biopic genre.

2. My strategy is to work with a production company to package this project with a Director and key Talent for a presentation to SPE. If Sony is not interested do you think another studio might step up?

3. Given Sony’s worldwide brand appeal, do you think a European production company might have interest?

4. As a Producer working from England what have been the challenges interacting with Directors/Talent and Financing based in America?

5. As the Protagonist in this story how can I avoid the perception that this is a vanity project rather than an important film chronicling the birth of the digital music age and the power of family to survive adversity?

Henry—I eagerly await your answers and thank you again!

Best,

Scott Westover

www.admanrevelations.com

Hi Henry Hereford - thanks for sharing of your time and insights! Curious if having a (great) acting background has shaped how and the type of notes you give on a script? thx and cheers

Danetto Zi, as I explained earlier in this thread, this AMA is not a space for pitching yourself or your project to Henry as a producer. Henry is here to answer members' questions and provide professional advice and insight you can apply to your own projects and processes. Your original comment was a direct pitch asking him to produce your project, which isn't appropriate for this format, so it was removed.Additionally, your follow-up comment using an expletive was also removed, as that language is not aligned with the professional standard we hold across the Stage 32 community.If you have a genuine question for Henry that fits the scope of this AMA (receiving and applying executive feedback on your material, building relationships with producers, navigating the notes process, or anything else related to his expertise), you're welcome to jump back in with a question that fits that scope.

What should be included in the character arc in my pitch how far do i push it out

Hi Henry,

Thank you for taking the time to do this AMA. I'm new to Stage 32, and I'd also like to thank the Stage 32 team for creating opportunities like this for aspiring filmmakers to learn directly from industry professionals.

I have a couple of questions:

1. When considering an emerging filmmaker, how do you balance the strength of the project against the director's track record? What qualities in a director give you the confidence to invest in them, even if they don't have many credits?

2. Do you consider scripts from international filmmakers, particularly from India? If so, are there any genres or types of stories that you find especially compelling or are more inclined to produce?

Thank you again for your time.

Regards

Srinivas Bommali

(Actor & Director)

Hi, Henry!

I'd like to ask if you could offer any advice on a very specific situation I find myself in.

My film project is so ambitious and complex that, from the very beginning of work on it, it was obvious to me that I should first engage the director and the cast (whom I have already chosen), and only then look for producers and investors.

Recently, I received information from a major Hollywood production company that it is indeed a very ambitious project, but it could only be realistically evaluated with the prior involvement of the director and the cast – so they confirmed exactly what I knew from the very beginning.

The person working with the particular director I have in mind wrote to me that he is currently unable to contact me due to his very busy schedule – which doesn't surprise me at all, considering what he's doing at the moment.

So, this situation is a kind of vicious circle. Because to find producers and investors, I first have to engage the director and the cast. And the chance of getting a director and the cast on board without producers and investors seems almost impossible. And it loops like this.

Do you have any advice on what I should do in this situation? Thank you in advance for your help.

Hi Henry Hereford - thanks for sharing your time and insights! Over the past eight years, I've received feedback from dozens of producers and script reviewers. Given my background in science and statistics, I've always found quantitative evaluations more useful than ambiguous comments.

For example, WeScreenplay once rated one of my scripts in the top 2% overall, with individual scores placing the concept and dialogue in the top 1%, Overall Impression in the top 2%, and a "RECOMMEND" Summary Rating in the top 2%. Those rankings gave me valuable context for interpreting the feedback.

I later submitted the same script to another highly reputable coverage service and received thoughtful but largely qualitative notes along with a "Pass." While the comments were constructive, there was no way to gauge how the script compared with others or how consistently it had been evaluated. Without any quantitative benchmarks, I found the assessment much harder to interpret.

I fully recognize that script coverage is inherently subjective and that no two readers will respond the same way. Even so, I wonder whether adding a standardized quantitative component, even if readers' scores differed, would improve the credibility, transparency, and repeatability of the review process. I realize that could add to a reader's workload, but I'm curious whether you think some degree of standardization would ultimately benefit both writers and reviewers.

Hi Henry, thank you so much for hosting this AMA!

I am currently developing a drama, action, and suspense film with a strong cultural identity and local roots (set in Venezuela and its mystique). However, my absolute goal from day one is to take it to a global stage and ensure it resonates with international audiences.

When working on projects with this level of global ambition coming from emerging markets, international executives or co-producers often give notes suggesting to "soften," "neutralize," or "Westernize" the local cultural elements and music to make it "more commercially viable."

From your experience as an international producer, how can a writer process and apply those development notes to make the project appealing to the global market, without diluting or losing the unique soul and authenticity that made it special in the first place? How do you strike that balance at the negotiation table?

Thank you again for your time!

Best regards,

Emilio Briceño

I received this feedback recently, yet they didn’t request it. So that has me confused. “The pitch for The Girl They Didn't See is exceptionally well organized and presents a compelling feature film concept with clarity and professionalism. Its greatest strength is the unique narrative angle, shifting the focus from uncovering abuse to confronting institutional accountability after the truth has already been proven. The polished structure, effective comparable films, and clear articulation of the story's themes make the pitch engaging and memorable. The concept is timely, emotionally resonant, and presents its protagonist with authenticity and restraint rather than relying on familiar survivor-story tropes. While the themes are powerful, the pitch could benefit from highlighting one or two additional cinematic moments from the latter half of the story to better illustrate how the emotional and dramatic tension escalates on screen. Overall, this is a strong and distinctive concept with meaningful social relevance, commercial potential, and a pitch that would likely encourage industry professionals to request the screenplay.” why do you think they didn’t?

While westerns are enjoying a renaissance on streaming platforms, do you think westerns could get financed as feature films? I am writing one. Thanks.

Hello! Thanks for being here. I do like your posed question - "If you get feedback from multiple people that contradicts itself, how do you work out what to actually use?" and also, when you give feedback - are there scripts that you plan to get back to the writer? Or would ones you like be no feedback but an offer to develop with that writer? Hope that makes sense!

You have many questions to answer and your input has much insight, so I'll be brief. I've written a duality story that focuses as much on the abducted girls held captive as the investigation to find them. In order to get a valid talent to gain distribution, should the story change to more of a procedural which loses some of the human part of the project, but could help to get the film funded?

Hallo Henry! Thank You for opening this conversation. Your perspective as both a producer and someone who reads so many projects makes your insight especially valuable! I'd love to hear your thoughts on these questions:

1 As a producer, would you ever consider licensing or commissioning just one original piece from a composer for a film, rather than the entire score?

2 As a contemporary composer and concert pianist with an international portfolio, what is the single most effective step to get the attention of British producers and music supervisors today?

3 What makes a composer stand out when you are looking for new music for films or television?

Kindly, Saida!

Hello Henry,

How should a writer interpret conflicting feedback from different readers, and what’s the best way to decide which notes to implement first?

Pradeep Krishna Rao and @Xochi the best approach is to look at your feedback as a whole rather than in isolation. Does the note make sense to you? Is it something you've already been thinking about? Everyone will have different opinions when feedback conflicts, so go with what resonates most and does it improve clarity, raise the stakes, push something further you've already got? Or does it push your story toward something that doesn't feel right to you? That's usually a sign the feedback isn't useful, and you can disregard it.

It's a personal judgment call, but implement the feedback that makes sense to you and that will genuinely help the story first. If a note doesn't make sense and only comes up once, it's probably not that valuable, you can acknowledge it, but you don't need to act on it. If you get something that seems logical but conflicts with other notes, prioritise the ones about structure, or about pushing further with something you already have and start there first.

Saida Kalykova I'll answer your three questions together, since they're connected.

As a producer, my role is bringing people together. I usually start by bringing the filmmaker or writer-director on board, and when it comes to composers, that's a decision I'd defer to the director considerably because if I'm honest music isn't my specialty. Budget plays a big role too: if we love one piece from a composer but can't afford a full score at that level, we'd rather try to stretch the budget to get that same composer to score the whole piece than patch together work from several different composers. But that really depends on what's financially possible and how the budget can be allocated.

On reaching British producers and music supervisors, the internet has made this far less about geography. It's less about "finding British" specifically and more about connecting with agencies and filmmakers in different countries, however you can reach them, and putting your portfolio in front of them. Look at directors or producers whose work you admire and find a way to get your music to them directly.

As for knowing when music is right for a piece that's a hard thing to articulate, and again honestly not my specialty. It's really about fit: does it serve the scene, does it serve the story. That's why I'd lean on my director, or whoever on the team has strong connections in the music industry, and treat it as a collaborative decision rather than one I'd make alone.

Diane Sismour If the story is great, it will attract the right talent and it's important not to start changing things to chase what you think the market wants. As producers, we're constantly told that a certain name will make a difference to financing, and yes, you always aim high when you put material out there. When we pitch a project to attract talent, we try to get as big a name as possible, and the material has to stand up to support that.

But I don't believe it's the right approach to force a name into the project just to get it off the ground if they're not right for the role. You never want to lose the heart of your story just because you think a change might help get it funded and importantly that human part is what makes it special, and it's what ultimately moves an audience and draws them in.

Always remember who your audience is and that's what should guide which talent you target. Look for people who've championed stories in this genre or space before; that's how you get them genuinely interested, rather than trying to reshape your story to fit them. There may be smaller adjustments that make a project more attractive to bigger talent, but compromising the parts of the story that move people is different, and it stops being the story you set out to tell.

Xochi Blymyer Your first question I answered with Pradeep but I want to answer your second one separately.

Short answer: yes, I'll almost always give some feedback. When you start working with someone, there will always be things that need attention on the script often minor, maybe stakes that need raising, or small changes here and there. Nothing is ever truly finished until you're on set shooting from a shooting script, so there's always something worth flagging.

If I want to develop a project, the conversation starts with "I'm really interested in developing this," and then we get into what needs attending to and how we'd work together because, as I've said before, this is a long road, and we need to know we can work together and build a shorthand.

It's similar even when I don't want to develop a script myself. I still want to come from a positive place and give feedback that helps that writer get their script into the hands of someone who will develop it. So yes some form of feedback, regardless of whether I'm taking the project on myself.

@Paul Yes, of course they can get financed. A genre is just a container and at the heart of it, there still has to be a story with an audience for it. Even within a western, there's a whole range of different stories that will connect with different people. The right producer or production company for it will find it. So the short answer is yes and if you're writing one you love, keep writing it.

@Lisa firstly, congratulations, that feedback is fantastic, and that's what you should be focusing on, not the fact that they didn't request the script. Not everything is going to be for everyone.

What matters is that you've done pretty much everything right: the person who saw your pitch understood it clearly, liked it, and felt it could do really well. Hold on to that. I might read something and have the same reaction think it's a project I'd genuinely like to see made one day but if it doesn't grab me enough to put my heart and soul into it, I'm not going to take it on and waste your time. Maybe I don't have the bandwidth, or it's just not a genre I feel I can do the best job with.

Take some power from that too, as a writer because you don't want a producer taking on your project if they can't commit to the long haul, only to drop off halfway through. That would waste far more of your time than holding out for someone who's fully committed and will give your script the attention it needs to actually get made.

I understand it's confusing to get such positive feedback and still have someone pass. But focus on the feedback itself, take comfort in knowing you're doing everything right, and keep pitching and the right person will find it. That's what matters most.

@Emilio I don't believe you should compromise by softening, neutralising, or westernising your story. That takes away its heart. I think what's really needed here is to unpick what people actually mean when they say "more commercially viable." Ask those questions, be curious, and probe the note rather than take it at face value.

Ultimately, whatever you write has to reach an audience and that's true for anything people take on and sell across markets. But that doesn't mean the story needs to lose its cultural identity to be relatable. A story can be set anywhere, with a strong cultural identity, in a place most of the audience has never been and knows nothing about really doesn't matter. What matters is the core of the story: relationships and emotions people can connect to. Cultural identity itself is universal everyone has one, you're just writing from a particular one. So I don't see why a story would need westernising to become relatable.

Without reading your script, I can't know exactly what they meant by that note which is exactly why you should push back and ask them to be specific. Anyone giving a note like that should be able to back it up with what they actually mean. If it just comes down to wanting your story to be about western culture instead of your own, I'm not sure that's a useful note at all. A story set anywhere can work, as long as an audience can connect to it.

So don't dilute or lose your unique, authentic voice because that's what's driving you to write the story in the first place. That's the most important thing to protect. Probe the notes, and find out what's really underneath them.

@Tom I don't think comparing a script to another script really helps you as a writer because feedback is completely subjective, and two people will read the same script differently. It's like judging acting, or any art form: even being told you're in the top two percent doesn't necessarily tell you anything about whether the project will actually get made.

What's more useful is knowing what's working and what isn't for that specific reader, then looking at all your feedback together. If seven people flag the same issue and two don't, that's worth examining, whether it's structural, character-related, or something you can push further without changing the story itself, just to make it land more. If you feel that the feedback is ambiguous then probe further to get specifics.

I'm not convinced knowing how your script rates against another script, evaluated in the same subjective way, actually helps get it into the right hands. My advice would be to look at your feedback as a whole, gather it from various sources, and work from there and a percentile ranking on its own doesn't tell you much about the next step.

Grzegorz Białas It's hard to know exactly what you mean by "ambitious and complex" without knowing the project but I understand the loop you're describing. My advice: as the writer, focus on pitching your project and getting it to as many producers as possible. Attaching a director and building a cast isn't your job to solve first, that's the producer's.

Once you find the right producer, you'd discuss what kind of director you're both thinking about, and it becomes their job to reach out and make that connection, then build the cast from there. That said, there's no single right way to get a film made and different people will tell you different formulas, and it's often an organic process that happens differently each time.

If you're finding it a loop trying to attach a director yourself, that's a sign you're taking on a job that isn't really yours to do. It's a big ask for a writer to attach a director alone. Put your energy into pitching to producers who work in that space and have access to the directors you'd want and let that be their responsibility to make happen.

Srinivas Bommali With an emerging filmmaker, it usually starts with the script they've come to me with. I'm working with a couple of first-time feature directors right now I might look at some shorts they've done, but if they've written the story and want to direct it, and I truly believe in it, and I've seen enough of their work to trust their vision, that's the most important thing.

I'd have an early conversation with the director about whether they're open to stepping aside should a more established director be needed to secure talent because I want to know those parameters upfront. If they're firmly not open to that, that's fine too, we just work forward from there. On one project, we've also talked about doing a proof of concept to showcase the director to cast or investors who don't know their work yet.

It's very case by case, and budget plays into it. On a lower budget, a director with few credits but real talent and a great story is absolutely fine. The higher the budget climbs, the more that becomes a bigger conversation. But liking someone as a person and believing in their vision still matters enormously. Where experience is thin, a phrase I heard recently stuck with me was "scaffolding"the rest of the team around them, bringing in experienced heads of department who can support the director and make the process smoother.

And yes, I consider scripts from anywhere, and I'm not genre specific. If I like the story, I like the story and that's ultimately a taste thing I can't fully quantify, but I stay open to stories from everywhere.

@Sebastian Smeureanu What a great question, and thank you for the "great" in brackets! I've never been asked this before, and it's hard to quantify exactly how it's helped, but yes, absolutely, it has.

I think I come at characters from my experience as an actor, and it probably shapes how I give feedback too. I tend to work from what's already there and build on it, in the same way a director gives notes to an actor, pushing you to dig deeper into stakes and obstacles. That's something you hear constantly as an actor, and I think it's carried directly into how I read and respond to scripts.

It's probably also why I've always loved reading scripts and have such a love for story in the first place.

Scott Westover Firstly, don't think of yourself in limiting terms when it comes to representation. Age and whether you've won a prior project shouldn't matter. Put yourself out there, approach managers and agents, and lead with the story because that's what gets them interested enough to open the door and read it. From there, it's about finding the person who genuinely connects with your writing.

On attaching a director: I'd focus on finding producers or production companies first, rather than approaching directors directly as it's hard to reach directors cold without someone making those calls or emails on your behalf. So again, it's about outreach and getting the story out, building a solid pitch deck, generating interest, and then asking for the script to follow up.

On European or international interest; there really are no borders in how this works anymore. You can reach directors, talent, and financing anywhere; it's simply a case of emailing people and getting on their radar. So many people are based in different places now, and being based somewhere yourself doesn't get in the way of getting things off the ground. That said, if your story is specifically tied to a place, that's often a good starting point because people from that region may have a more immediate interest.

And on the vanity project worry don't. It's your story, told from your perspective, and the most compelling stories often come from truth and personal experience. Don't let that concern hold you back.

It sounds like you're already making great progress, with strong conversations underway with people like Katrina Wolf, so keep going.

@Rob z Lindsay t's genuinely hard to hit every quadrant, and trying to make something that fits all four is the wrong way to approach it, in my view. What matters most is knowing what part of the quadrant your script sits in and making sure it has a clear audience within that. Your audience might be smaller than another project's, but that doesn't mean it can't travel, get made, and be successful.

Without knowing exactly where this question is coming from and whether it's feedback you've received or something else makes my answer quite general but that's the general principle I'd apply.

@Vital You're absolutely right that it's important to distinguish that kind of feedback and so often it comes from a place of wanting to change the story into what the reader wants it to be, rather than what it is. When I give feedback, I look for clarity: are there points in the project that aren't clear to me, and is there a way to help the writer sharpen them? I also look at whether a character's action creates the most tension and stakes, or whether something else might serve the story better. It's important to ask the person giving you feedback what they actually mean so that you can dig into where it's coming from and whether it's genuinely useful to you.

On pitches I would go back to why you wrote the story. You don't have to state that explicitly in the pitch, but staying connected to what matters to you will drive it. It makes the pitch more personal, less like a sales transaction, and it opens the door for the person you're pitching to join you in it. That passion is what draws people in and hearing how excited a writer is about what they've written.

On building relationships as a writer-director: it comes down to outreach, so getting your material out there, pitching to people, reaching out to producers, sending a pitch deck of your work. Be specific about targeting people who work in your genre or have experience in that space, and go from there.

@Sheryl Dolley I'd suggest creating pitch decks for both formats, then choosing which one to use depending on who you're pitching to. If you're pitching someone known for success in the vertical space, that's the deck you send them.

More broadly, it's worth having several versions of your pitch deck and adjusting them slightly depending on who you're submitting to. For example, if you're pitching an agency to attach an actor, you'd want that actor's face featured in the deck. Think about exactly who you're pitching to, and tailor the deck to make it feel more personal to them.

@Elena Schumann Good question. I think what you're really asking is how to protect yourself when committing to a producer, since you never quite know upfront how it will go.

What I'd suggest is getting to know the producer over several meetings before putting anything in writing. If you do want something in writing, keep it to a nine-month term, so you have a clear point to evaluate progress e.g. have they made calls, is the project moving forward? If there's been little visible progress but you have a good rapport and feel they're genuinely pushing your project, it's fine to keep going but this is very much a case-by-case call.

As a writer, you shouldn't feel locked into committing to the unknown indefinitely. Putting something in writing with a timeline gives you an easy way to move on if it's not working. Equally, if nothing's in writing, you can just see how it goes and decide as you go. But if you're not getting what you need, or progress isn't happening the way you want, don't hesitate to move on and talk to other producers because ultimately, you want to get your script made.

@Beverly Firstly congrats on getting your books picked up for adaptation.

A few things would help me understand where you’re at: Has the screenwriter taken an option on the book? Are they optioning it with a plan to submit to a broadcaster, and do they have connections in that space? Have they adapted before, or made TV before? What was your reasoning for choosing them, given the reviews your books are getting?

Having multiple books definitely helps here as it makes it much easier for whoever’s taking this to a broadcaster to pitch longevity (e.g. “this can run five seasons”). If your novels serialize across four books, that could map to four seasons. And if you’re looking at someone like Disney or Paramount, whoever buys the series will likely want the option themselves so it’d help to know clearly whether someone already holds the option, since that could preclude a bigger buyer from taking it on.

But stepping back, the most important thing for me in any pitch is the story itself. The synopsis needs to be strong and clear on a first read: who the main characters are, what it’s about, and for TV specifically, I need to see it can sustain at least three seasons.

What I’d actually want in hand: a detailed, succinct pilot synopsis, clear on the main roles, plus a paragraph per episode and character breakdowns and no more than one to two pages total. Something I could read tomorrow and immediately understand.

Henry Hereford Hi Henry, thanks for doing this AMA. As an independent filmmaker, I've completed a feature screenplay and a professional pitch deck, and I'm actively looking for producers while remaining attached as the director. My question is: when you receive a project from a first-time writer/director, what convinces you that they're ready to direct their own feature? Is it the screenplay itself, the pitch, previous work, visual materials, or something else? I'd love to understand what gives producers confidence in a new director.

Abhijeet Aade Ultimately, if I like the material, what convinces me is seeing that you've directed something, even a short film, a couple of shorts, or a commercial. That shows me what you're capable of, and it won't put me off if the material itself is something I can get behind.

That said, I'd have an early, honest conversation with you about the reality that it's often harder to bring cast and financing on board with a first-time director. I'd always ask: if a director became available who loved the material and could bring on higher-level cast, or get the project financed much faster, would you be willing to step aside to let that happen? It's completely fine if the answer is no, but I need to know that from the start, so if the opportunity does arise, I know whether it's on the table.

But ultimately, if I can see you can direct, that everyone has to direct their first film at some point, it won't put me off and not if there's something in the script and story I can genuinely get passionate about.

@Ray Fontenault I think in this context, you have a bible with everything laid out but "packaging" more generally refers to putting together everyone who'll be involved in a project: actors, director, crew, financiers, executive producers. You start with the material you have, take it to a producer or production company who responds well to it and wants to get involved, and they begin building the package by adding those pieces one by one.

As more elements get added, more people come on board with money, because the package starts to demonstrate real potential to make money back whether through sales agents, broadcasters, or distribution, depending on whether it's TV or film. Ultimately, that growing package is what becomes attractive to people looking to invest in a project

@Jim France I don't know that there are fixed specific steps, but I'd start by considering whether to get an agent or manager. Setting up your own company is a good move too and from there, it's about reaching out to broadcasters, development executives, and networks, whether in the US or UK, and trying to get meetings and engagement with the project.

Lead with your pitch deck and outline first because that's what gets people to a point where they ask for the script. As a writer, you need to protect yourself and be careful about what you send out; most people won't accept unsolicited material. So the first step is identifying development contacts at networks whose remit fits your material, even if they haven't produced something exactly like it recently, as long as it's within the kind of work they do.

@Michael Brandt If I read a script and feel really strongly about it, and I think a few changes could heighten the stakes and bring it more to life, I'll say that directly to the writer. I'd tell them I'd love to work with them, but I have notes that might mean real work on their end, because I think the story can go further. Naturally, I have to connect with their writing and style first and the notes are more about clarity and tightening than reshaping.

If they're not open to that, that's completely fine, it's their story, their project but I'd probably not be the right person to continue with them. If they are open to it, we'll work together: I'll do a full script pass, we'll discuss it, and they'll go away and make changes. It's never "this is what I want, just do it", it's a conversation, more like "I'm thinking this, what do you think?" I've worked with someone recently in exactly that way, and they came back with all sorts of ideas of their own and it becomes genuinely collaborative.

When I pass on something after reading it, it's rarely because I think the writing itself is bad and I honestly can't think of a case where that's been the reason. It's usually that, however much I liked the pitch or the idea, the script hasn't taken me to a place where I can fully immerse myself and commit to the long haul. There's just not quite enough there yet for me to come on board.

@mauricio There's no single right way to do this. If you feel putting scripts into festivals could get you good feedback and help you meet people, then why not? Getting officially selected is a great way to network and build relationships and you never know where that leads. It might mean writing for someone whose project gets made first, opening a door to push yours forward down the line.

Don't fixate on immediate outcomes. Things often happen organically and the more you put yourself and your material out there, the more likely it is to find its home, and the more likely you are to find the people you want to work with. So yes, it's worth it if that's what you feel drawn to do. The "right people" could be any number of people and you won't always know in advance who that turns out to be.

@Michael Grice On feedback: look at what makes the most sense to you, and dig for specifics. Is it the dialogue, the plot? Try to find out what's actually beneath the note. People will give you different opinions, and that's normal but the useful thing is to notice what comes up multiple times across different readers, rather than treating a single opinion as gospel. If someone says it reads as a prestige drama versus a limited series, ask them why they see it that way and that question itself will tell you a lot.

On period pieces, it's tough, they're expensive, and a lot of people won't go down that road because it's a long, hard process. But if you've got a great story and you're passionate about it, keep going. Think about ways to develop and incubate the project that build interest without needing the full budget upfront, perhaps a podcast, a short film first, or building an audience directly online, the way some projects have grown through platforms like YouTube or TikTok. Also think about whether there are ways to shift the approach that could lower the cost on the page, without changing the period itself.

There's no single right way to do this and if there were, there'd be a book everyone follows and that would be that. So listen to advice widely, but take only what's genuinely useful to you.

@Deborah Jennings I'm not sure if you mean Disney owns the IP for your specific project, or IP more generally but I understand the frustration either way. Period pieces are expensive, and you typically need a studio or a financier with very deep pockets to make them happen, which is exactly what a company like Disney has. That's usually the influence behind what does and doesn't get made.

That doesn't mean your project can't get made too. It's hard to say without knowing the specifics of your script and its period, but think about whether there are ways to reduce the budget without changing the period itself. Alternatively, could you establish the IP another way first perhaps a podcast, for instance, to incubate the story, which is something I'm doing myself right now as a route to build interest before pursuing the bigger version?

@Parker J Cole On adaptations, I'm in the middle of one myself and about to start another. If you're pitching an adaptation, the most important thing is that it's all above board: if you've adapted a book or a podcast, do you actually have the rights? Is that legally secured, with the paperwork to prove it, so you can move forward and bring producers and others on board to get it made into a TV show or film?

That's what I'd want to know before anything else, because if the rights aren't secured and you've simply gone ahead and adapted something, it will cause real problems down the line. Most producers will want that confirmed and locked down before moving forward with anything else.

@Nick Paul Good question, and this one's specific to written pitches. I personally love visuals because they help set the tone, the environment, the world you're building. But ultimately, what I need is a strong log line followed by a detailed, concise synopsis: what is the story about, who are the main characters, what are they up against, and why should I care about them?

Characters need to be clearly named, with a character description for each because I need to understand who they are and their point of view. It doesn't need to be long, just concise and clear. Visuals help here too, giving me a picture of who you imagine them as, and how they relate to one another.

Whether it's visual or written, the goal is the same: I need to know what this is about and be hooked. It might not be a project I end up wanting to make myself, but if I fully understand it, I can still give solid, useful feedback. The key thing with a written pitch especially is that no one should walk away unclear on what it's about because you're not there in person to explain it, so it has to be unmistakably clear on the page.

@Muhammad Muhammad I'd start by getting as much industry information as I could from people who know the platform, and do my research from there. I'd want to see whether it's putting out work I'd be proud for my project to sit alongside as that's really the key thing I'd look for.

@James Hooker You've got plenty of feedback, plenty of notes, so absolutely, you're ready to start looking for a manager. You've got material that's getting good responses, so start there. At the same time, start approaching producers to see if there's interest in making it. Don't wait for one thing to happen before starting the next and while you're doing that, you can be writing your second script.

Keep pushing the current script forward too, now that you've had feedback and done the rewrites. And when someone gives you a vague note like "hone your craft," push back and ask what that actually means for them, is it structure, character, plot? Getting specifics like that will help you far more than a general note. So: start researching, and start building your list of people to approach.

@Joao David Moreira Thank you

@Joyce Sharon Isaacson That they're asking is a good sign because it shows interest. There could be a few reasons behind it. It might be about seeing consistency in the writing, or whether the characters and story can sustain more than one episode. Usually when you pitch a series, you'll have outlined the episodes for the first season in paragraph form, and that's often what people ask to see as most writers have really only written the pilot itself at that stage, so episode two often isn't fully written yet.

Ultimately, it's likely they want to see if the story can go beyond that first episode, or they simply like your writing and want to read more of it. Either way, them asking for more is a positive sign although the exact reason will depend on the person asking.

@Anthony Jason McBride These things happen, and honestly, it probably wasn't as bad as you thought. You can read from paper, that's fine but know your material in and out. Go back to why you wrote it. What is it about the story that drives you, and let that passion come through.

Practice is what prepares you. Do it for friends, do it for family, do it in the mirror rehearse it the way an actor would.They never walk into an audition without having worked on the material. This is your material. Pitch it to friends, and really listen to their responses: what's unclear, what do they need to know more about to follow what you're telling them? The more you do it, the better you'll get.

Don't dwell on it because you'll get many more chances to pitch. Just keep coming back to: what is this about, and what are you trying to tell me your story is?

@Aleksandr It's a personal relationship, really, like any other built on trust, communication, and collaboration. It's about listening to each other. I work with writers where I might suggest something, and they might come back with a different perspective that we go with instead. So it's much like any relationship: it needs trust, communication, and the willingness to stay in it for the long haul.

@Emilia-Maria Don't be too hard on yourself because pitching isn't easy, it takes time and practice, and it gets easier the more you do it. Reading from a notepad wouldn't put me off at all. What matters is letting your passion and voice come through. You don't need to explain where the idea came from as there's often not time for that in a pitch but remember what's driving you: your passion, why you want people to hear this story, what makes you love it. If that comes through, even from notes, that's what I'm listening for, because it's what lets me access the story.

On feedback: take what's useful. If someone says "prison dramas are everywhere right now, why is yours different?" can you actually answer that? Dig into what's different about yours. Maybe it's not really about the prison at all, but the relationship between the characters within it and if that's not coming through in your pitch, that's worth addressing directly: make sure people know what it's actually about, not just where it's set.

Sometimes you do have to dig through brief feedback to find what's actually being asked. If you're getting the same note from seven different people in a pitch session, that's worth paying attention to Is it something concrete you can act on, or is it more of a taste thing from someone who just doesn't connect with the project? If it's the latter, it's probably not that useful. It's fine to ask for more detail too "can you tell me a bit more about what you mean by that?"

And yes, if you find someone as passionate about your script as you are, you can always have someone else pitch on your behalf. But ultimately, it's always stronger if you allow yourself to tell us why you wrote it and what it means to you. That's what will find it its home

Ashley Renée Smith That's an interesting question. I don't think there's one single thing but I'd say it's mostly about keeping faith through the process. There will be real peaks and troughs: people show interest, then fall away, and that's normal. It's worth being prepared for more notes once a director comes on board, and understanding that polishing the script often continues right up until shooting, not just in that initial pass.

Trust your producer if you've got a good one who's genuinely working for you. Often that producer is putting in the work without being paid at that stage, simply because they believe in your project and are in it for the long haul. Every writer I work with, I have a strong relationship and real understanding with and I think that mutual trust is what carries a project through. So honestly, the best advice I can give is: keep the faith.

@Samantha Rivera Thanks for the question, Sam. The UK entertainment industry very much works alongside the US people operate across both regions. Filming is a bit different, since there are strong incentives to shoot in the UK, and even though we're running low on studio space, more are popping up all the time.

As for process: producers like myself typically start with a script, and if I want to take it further, I take it to sales agents, distributors, or financiers as my job is to build it out first, attaching a director and cast, so I'm bringing something concrete that gives them a reason to believe it can be financed and sold.

I don't think geography changes that process much. You might have a very British story that can access bodies like the BFI for funding, but otherwise, the fundamentals are the same wherever you're based. There are so many co-productions now spanning multiple countries with different territories handling different parts of the puzzle. You might secure post-production in Germany, for instance, which also gives you access to German tax credits, letting you go to financiers with some funding already in place. So the process is genuinely global. It mostly comes down to whether you're making something specific to the British market, or whether you're a production company that takes on packaged projects versus an independent producer building up from the script itself.

@John Martinez Hulsey Following on from your second question, It doesn't matter where the story is set, you should just write the story you want to write. If it's rooted in a specific community or tone of voice, that's exactly what you should do, because a story doesn't need to abandon its roots to resonate with a global audience. It doesn't matter where a story is set or where it comes from culturally audiences everywhere can still relate to it, because so many stories are fundamentally relatable regardless of setting.

If you start moving toward what you think is more "commercial," you risk losing the identity and voice that drove you to write the story in the first place and that authentic voice is the most important thing you have. Know who your audience is, and let that guide who you build your team with. The story will find its place in the marketplace on its own terms.

One of my ideas is getting written into a script: Black Dragon by Demian Melcher. It's incomplete but it's good. I guarantee it.

@Darrell A Pennington that's an interesting question. Producers work across regions, and it's worth remembering the UK audience alone is very small in the grand scheme of things. Sales agents, distributors, and financiers are generally looking at a global audience to get into multiple territories and a UK audience alone rarely gets something made unless the funding comes from within the UK, say through the BFI, in which case the story really does need to be UK-centric.

So if your story is specifically British, then yes, it makes sense to connect with British producers who have access to bodies like the BFI or the British Film Institute's funding routes. But if it's a British story with global appeal, you can work with producers from anywhere. I'm a British producer myself, but I'm working with two writers in the US on very American stories, and I'm also adapting a novel with an American producer on a story set in the UK, so it really depends on where the story's roots are, not where the writer or producer is based.

Henry Hereford , thank you for replying to my questions and all of the others. I feel like I learned a lot thanks to you and this AMA. Props to you and Stage32 for arranging this.

Thanks, Henry Hereford ! That’s really good advice.

Turning a confusing note into a diagnostic conversation and asking the feedback-giver what they actually meant to find the root of the issue is a good way to filter out personal projection. I’ve already been trying to do that for a while now and it seems to work well.

Also, anchoring the pitch in the "why" of the story makes sense. It shifts the dynamic from selling a product to sharing a creative conversation, which is a space that feels much more like home base to me. Of course, if the other person is open to that connection in the first place, it’s a much more natural way to collaborate. I'll definitely try this with my future pitching.

If you don't mind one quick follow-up, as a filmmaker who has spent years in production and just finished a feature, how do you suggest someone in my position should approach that initial outreach? Since producer’s inboxes may be crowded, what would be the best way for a serious filmmaker to cut through the noise and build an authentic relationship rather than just adding to the cold-query pile?

Really appreciate you taking the time to share your insights!

Thank you for the AMA Henry Hereford! I enjoyed reading through all your answers, and the questions from everyone have been great!

1. Is there a best time of year to pitch, or a timing window where executives are generally most receptive?

2. Should I mention in my pitch that the story and material are open to changes based on executive notes?

3. If I want the project to be sold outright versus optioned, should I state that explicitly in the pitch?

4. What can I add to a written pitch that’s especially helpful for a buyer when reviewing scripts and development material?

5. When you’re receiving written pitches, do you have a preference for a specific pitch template or format over others?

Thank you, Henry. This perspective really helps me understand how to prioritize notes. I appreciate your clarity on how to evaluate conflicting feedback.

Hi Henry,

Have you ever been intrigued by a series based on the title alone? If so, what do you think of Carnival Town Murders?

If the title piques your interest, I'd be happy to send you the pitch. Let me know—I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks,

Kazie Kane

One question I’ve been thinking about is adaptation. The biggest mistake writers make when adapting a novel is trying to keep everything. A novel and a screenplay are completely different languages. What works beautifully on the page, internal thoughts, long descriptions, and backstory can slow a film down. The goal isn’t to translate the book scene by scene, but to uncover the cinematic story hidden inside it. From your experience as a producer, what’s the biggest mistake you see writers make when adapting their own work, and what usually surprises them most during that process?

Sorry I missed this! As a former British soldier, many of my stories are more geared for a British audience than an American one. I've been wondering who to pitch them to in the UK...

Henry Hereford Hey, thanks for the feedback - that's good to know. That's put some things at ease and I don't think I'll be too hard on myself! Much appreciated!

Interesting... Mr. Hereford, may I ask how you are using podcasts "to incubate the story... as a route to build interest before pursuing the bigger version?"

Thanks for the feedback, Henry. Thanks for taking the time.

Thank you Henry Hereford i appreciate it

What margins should a written pitch not go past

Henry Hereford Thank you, Henry. I really appreciate your honest and practical answer. It makes a lot of sense that producers need confidence not only in the screenplay but also in the director's ability to execute it. I'm currently attached as both the writer and director of my feature, and I'm committed to building that confidence by continuing to direct and develop my work. I also appreciate your point about having that conversation early clarity and honesty are important for everyone involved. Thanks again for sharing your perspective.

thank you Henry Hereford - "I tend to work from what's already there and build on it, in the same way a director gives notes to an actor,..." I think that approach likely allows the writer to connect your notes to their script/scene/line of dialogue with a good degree of applicability rather than having to spend a few weeks decoding the 'riddle' within the note :) appreciate the rest of the insight you've shared with us in this AMA as well. cheers

Henry Hereford Thank you. I chose the screenwriter after several discussions with real screenwriters - and a few fakes. She responded to my request for details about Fiverr and how it works. The security of my money is paramount. The lady is in the UK which also made me feel more secure. She sounded promising, but it not taking any options on the script or my series. She is just the screenwriter.

Book one, is Forgetting Lorna Rose. I was disappointed with the lady's work at first, and began conversations with a range of other ladies who are all working in the US. They agreed that 2 chapters at a time gives me chance to see if the complexity of the characters in my crime romance novel leap off the screen - or not. At first, my characters were coming out bland. However, now that I've worked on four chapters of book one with her, she is getting better at this, and I am happy to pay as I go.

One helpful chap from a movie company (8 films?) wanted thousands of dollars up-front to read my novel and recommend how to move forward, and then thousands more to script it. When I explained I am just a retired person on low income, he insisted I check out his You Tube video about screenwriters being unfit to bring characters to life. It taught me a lot, and I am using his mantra to build a powerful story from page to screen.

My story is part-bio and was easy to write with passion. It has developed into something much deeper and sometimes darker, and as yet I'm not 100% about the screenwriter's ability... but I trust her. That's worth a lot.

So are you available for two pages of my pitch, please?

Pegasus Publishing own the rights to my first two novels. Amazon has the third and will have the fourth one when my final edits are complete. Then - I shall begin the fifth book.

Sorry I missed this. It looks valuable...