Not sure what else writers can do. Pitched my crime pilot & received all 5’s & only one 4, and still received a “PASS”. When producers are passing on scripts that receive that kind of recognition, it definitively feels disheartening. It’s like trying to uncover a mystery, wrapped inside of a riddle, wrapped inside of an enigma. Just wish they would say “send me the script & I’ll pass it on”. Forever forward.
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I feel you, I’ve gotten high marks on the components and still got hit with a pass, it’s not a great feeling. You just gotta keep moving forward, see each pass as alignment towards eventual success rather than demoralising. I’ve also had an instance where I got mid scores on my pitch that ended in a script request. There’s really no telling where it can go sometimes so you just gotta push on.
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I've done a lot of pitching here on Stage 32, and one thing I've started to realize is that the scores given don't indicate how good a fit the project is to the person we're pitching, it just reflects the strength of the pitch and concept.
What I mean is I've gotten passes with high scores and requests with low scores, and the same pitch has been loved by some execs and grilled by others for me.
I believe that execs are looking mostly at what is a fit for them specifically, at that moment in time. Without knowing who you pitched, what their feedback was, or what your crime pilot is about (and more importantly, how expensive it would be to produce), my guess is that your exec was very very impressed with your pitch and concept but it isn't something they believe they can sell within their network.
I recommend continuing to look for execs who are looking for pilots in TV, limited series, and procedurals within the crime genre. If your pitch is that strong, it will almost certainly yield a request when it lands in the hands of the right exec.
Good luck!
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It’s happened to me. A head scratcher, for sure.
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I wonder why when they don't want to request it they don't at least recommend it (I believe that's an option) when the score is high. Like everyone on this thread I've seen a lot of that myself.
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Evan Phoenix Yes you pay to pitch - $35. You can pick whichever producer you want. Simple process. Gets expensive when you pitch as often as I do.
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Wade Taylor I would like to my share perspective on this. When I give these scores it means you’ve pitched it clearly, I understand the stakes of the story and the characters are fully developed. It’s in a good place, I enjoyed the pitch and I would like to see this story on screen. However I will only ask for the script if I honestly feel that it’s a story that I can invest my time fully into developing. Development can take years and I will only commit if I think I can passionately talk about the project 5 years down the line even if we haven’t moved forwards. It’s not fair to the writer if I’m not in it for the long haul. Therefore be confident that you are in a place where it’s only a matter time before that committed producer finds the project. The high scores mean you’ve done the work and the pass just means that they are not the right person for your project. Keep going.
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Been there too and it leaves an unsettling feeling. That is until I had one producer send a pass and added that they were involved in a similarly themed project and it may cause a conflict of interest. It’s not you or your project. It usually comes down to timing.
Find encouragement in the 5’s and polish up on the lower numbers.
Keep up the great work!
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Well and honestly said, Mr. Hereford, that I respect.
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Henry Hereford Great insight. I appreciate you taking time to leave a comment. Helps me a lot.
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Just like in the real world/real pitch. You can do everything right. Have an amazing script, great attachments, great concept, and they’ll still pass for whatever reason. Think of it as getting you ready
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Wow, that's tough.
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Wade Taylor Make sure before you pitch to someone that you "vet" them on IMDB and stuff. Was this person really a producer on these movies as advertised? In many cases they were NOT, they were getting coffee for people. You may have gotten a pass because that person simply couldn't do anything with your material.
Also, the TV industry is in shambles since the strike and the trend now is "global appeal". More of the projects, especially from Netflix are coming out of places like Korea because well, they simply make superior movies and tv shows than we do.
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Not all stories can be marketed profitably.
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As stated, Pitches are for educational purposes.
Some do nab requests and occasionally advance to sales.
BTW, thanks for the dialogue lift from "JFK." :)
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It's like baseball. You can fail to hit the ball 7 times out of 10 yet emerge as an All-Star.
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This was a good-timing thread to read as I just started pitching my own project just over a week ago. Sets expectations vs my own desirable expectations.
Replies were solid, too, especially Henry's. Sounds like it's a juggle (and a jungle) of shotgunning it all over the place (multiple platforms) playing the odds with the expense of all that fun stuff.
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Wow, those are great scores, Wade. You’re clearly in the right track. Now it’s about finding the right match and getting it in front of the right people. Keep pushing!
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Brett Wickman Thanks! I appreciate it.
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Wade, I know the frustration. Even though I have four projects that have all made it to the finals in screenwriting contests. I can't even get past Stage 32's gatekeepers to submit to producers' requests. It's very aggravating. What genre is your script? jim
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Jim Ramsay It’s a crime pilot.
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Eric Lavelle Absolutely. I have pitched through this platform & Virtual Pitch Fest which is cheaper, but still gives you a chance to select your producer based on what they want or have previously done. I actually had a producer on there ask me for my crime pilot script. I’m going to pitch it a few more times since I received such a glowing review from this last pitch.
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Wade Taylor First of all -- congrats on getting 5's and 4's. Not everyone gets that. Scores tell you your writing is strong and that matters more than any single pass. A pass rarely means the script isn't good. It means it wasn't the right fit for that executive's slate, budget, mandate, or timing. Those variables have nothing to do with your talent.
A writer who consistently scores fives is exactly who executives come back to or refer to someone who is looking for what they have. Keep going. And if you need help with the matchmaking, email me and the team at success@stage32.com; we can tell you who's looking for what.
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Russell Hoffman I think that might be true. The landscape for television has dramatically changed over the last few years. I have a producer with his own production company currently reading my script, so I’m curious to hear his thoughts.
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Geoffroy Faugerolas I appreciate your wisdom & I can use all the help I can get. Apparently the crime genre isn’t on the top of many people’s list at the moment.
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Wade Taylor Crime is one of those ever-green genres. It's about finding the right exec who will spark to the tone, the characters...if it's too dark, it can be tough to sell these days but a great character will attract A-list talent and therefore buyers etc. Shoot the team and I an email and we'll help you out.
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I was once told "somebody has to fall in love with the project', so have never considered it could/should be about scores.
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Hi Wade,
I completely understand the frustration—and you’re right, on the surface it feels contradictory. But in practice, strong scores and a “pass” are often evaluating two different things.
Coverage scores tend to reflect craft quality—structure, dialogue, pacing, character work.
A “pass,” on the other hand, is usually about fit, positioning, and perceived risk.
From a script doctor’s perspective, I see this gap quite often:
a script can be well-executed and still not be immediately actionable for a buyer.
A few factors that often sit behind that decision:
Clarity of the series engine: beyond the pilot, is it obvious how this generates multiple episodes/seasons in a way that feels both sustainable and distinct?
Antagonistic architecture: in a crime pilot especially, buyers look for a system of opposition that can evolve and escalate, not just resolve case-to-case.
Market positioning: where does this live right now? Not just genre—but tone, audience, and comparable lane. If that’s not instantly legible, hesitation increases.
Hook density: how quickly does the pilot communicate its identity and urgency within the first 10–15 pages?
One way I often reframe it is this:
high scores mean “this works on the page.”
A pass often means “we’re not yet sure how this works in the marketplace.”
That doesn’t diminish the quality—it just highlights a different layer of development.
If anything, you’re likely closer than it feels. At this stage, it’s less about “writing better” and more about sharpening the signal—making the concept, engine, and positioning unmistakable from the outset.
And once that alignment clicks, the same script that gets a pass can very quickly become a yes.
Keep going forward—you’re operating in the right zone.
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Do you love the story or don't you? Is the script in a good condition? If yes to both, can you be bothered because you have 100 others to read. Et cetera.
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From my perspective, writing isn’t mathematical, it can’t really be broken down into fixed pieces or formulas. Any evaluation is inherently subjective and doesn’t truly reflect the real value of what’s been written.
That said, I do understand how you’re feeling. It simply sounds like this wasn’t the right person for your work, not a reflection of any lack on your part.
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Good news! Since I received such high scores, I decided to pitch my script to 5 more producers on Virtual Pitch Fest & this morning I received my second “YES” request to read my script!
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That's great Wade Taylor ! Congratulations!
Another one.
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Congrats, Wade! Any advice on pitching to vpf?
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Shahin K.taher Yes. Look up each individual producer & see what they are currently looking for. VPF is a query format, so you will include everything for a regular 2-page pitch, condense it down into around 4 paragraphs. They tend to focus more on the characters, specifically ones that are unique & not cliche.
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This is the best possible follow-up to that earlier post. Two YESes from the same script the first room passed on — proof it was always working. You just needed the right desk on the right day. Congrats, Wade!
Your 5s always meant the work was landing — the right exec on the right day was just a separate fight. The Pass usually isn't about craft; it's mandate, slate, budget tier, who they bought last month, whether someone in the room would champion it internally. All stuff you can't see and can't pitch around.
Thanks for the VPF breakdown above — genuinely useful. Any other formats you've found worth the effort?