Luis Quiroga Screenwriter
posted in Screenwriting Sign in to subscribe
4 years ago
Literary Agents for NETFLIX (or HBO)
Please, where can I find Literary Agents for NETFLIX and show my material? (specifically in Spain)
Christopher Phillips 3
Literary agents for Netflix are if you are selling book rights to Netflix. They have been scooping up rights lately. If you want to get a TV show or original movie on Netflix, you'll have to find a producer that likes your work. If you show or movie is already made, you just need an entertainment lawyer.
Thoko Zulu 1
@Chistopher
Thank you for this information.
Phil Parker 2
If you have a show ready to be streamed, you need the help of an aggregator to get your stuff on Amazon or Netflix. It's not that hard. It just takes time and money, Plus an entertainment lawyer. But like Christopher said, if you only have a book/script then you should look for a producer to help champion your work to places like Netflix.
Thoko Zulu
So how does it work around this place to get producers to like our work as concept creators and screenwriters? Do we go shopping for them to pitch our work or we wait for producers to find us through checking out our profiles and loglines? Or do we request to send them our story bibles and pilots if it's a tv series we want them to pitch to Netflix? What l have noticed is that most producers are screenwriters who could also be trying to sell their own work.
Christopher Phillips 2
Thoko Zulu Netflix is a distribution channel. For a screenwriter, you should focus on creating brilliant stories and getting those stories into the hands of people that can move the needle forward on potentially getting the stories produced. Sure, we should be aware that Netflix is funding development and acquisitions and licensing, but where your stories will land will depend on the strategy developed by your producer.
Netflix is mixing up the market a lot. The path for distribution used to be running through festivals, securing a theatrical release, going through various international markets, rentals, Pay Per View, then premium channels, then network channels. Now, films can potentially go straight to a streaming platform without a theatrical release. That can create some issues because all of the downstream revenues used to hinge on the box office success. With straight to streaming, success potential is difficult to measure.
As a producer, you have to consider the life of your projects as opportunities present themselves. As a screenwriter, you can't worry about where your material will land because the market is evolving too quickly.
Thoko Zulu 3
@Chistopher
Thank you for the detailed feedback, it is indeed appreciated. And yes, l am taking my writing seriously putting in the time developing content that can impress channels like Netflix. I have checked out content Netflix has already commissioned in Southern Africa with South Africa leading the pack.
Cancel Save Delete Are you sure?
Stephen Floyd 1
Netflix is looking for people who have done all the heavy lifting. They don’t want ideas, they want movies/pilots that are already made or are planned well-enough to instill confidence. Amateurs who want to cut their teeth on the big leagues need not apply.
Thoko Zulu 2
Lol! @Stephen
Mr Floyd, sir... you bring a very valid point that cannot be disputed. It's a hard blow under the belly but yeah, some of us are here to cut our teeth and grow them so we can join the big league.
Jeffrey Robertson
Stephen Floyd If I do all the heavy lifting what do I need Netflix for? There is a myriad of different avenues I can distribute my work on. If I do everything I don't need Netflix.
Jeffrey Robertson
Stephen Floyd These network executives can do whatever they want, for whoever they want whenever they want. I was looking at GMA this morning and a kid did a simple TikTok video, and because he got a lot of hits, Michael Eisner of Disney said he is gonna make him a star. He did no heavy lifting, no major production work, and I think it's safe to say he is cutting his teeth, and boom he get the attention of arguably one of the most powerful men in Hollywood.....nah I don't buy that, it's all in time and chance.
Jeffrey Robertson 3
About 90% of the deals that are done in Hollywood fall under three categories; connections, relationships and time and change (dumb luck). We need to demystify Hollywood
CJ Walley 1
I know sales agents who regularly sell to Neflix who are constantly perplexed by what they want. They are a highly organic organisation willing to turn on a dime and switch up their leadership if they have to and that's why they are the most disruptive.
You can absolutely walk ideas in but, like any known entity, they have a very high bar. I know of at least one writer on this forum who's had producers do that for them.
Obviously, it's a lot easier to knock on their door with a completed product but there's other issues there I'm not going to go into.
Craig D Griffiths 1
Jeffrey Robertson or engage with the other cities and towns in the world that make movies.
Emmanuel Chuks Jex
I also want to get my book noticed by Netflix or by an agent who already have relationship with Netflix but I couldn't find any
Arch Gabriell
And when we have a teaser, a complete bible for season 1, 5 seasons written out of 7, and a lawyer specializing in audiovisual, what do we do? How can we make ourselves heard once the dossier has been sent and there has been no response for 2 months?
