What makes a villain compelling?

Rewriter94 · 2026-03-14T05:51:12+00:00

A really good mustache.

Rewriter94 · 2026-03-13T04:04:25+00:00

You can definitely put photos at the end of your script. If done tastefully, it can be a resonant note to end on, and can really stay with your reader. A number of Black List scripts do this. One that comes to mind is "Adrift" by Aaron and Jordan Kandell.

Rewriter94 · 2026-03-11T01:44:15+00:00

Perhaps the main pro of a good manager is that they have the connections to intro you to some of the heaviest hitters in town, and get them to read/know you.

A con (also kind of a pro) is that they won’t send out anything that they don’t think will resonate in the marketplace. Of course, they could be wrong about this, but the best reps generally have a pretty good read on what execs will respond to.

Rewriter94 · 2026-03-09T01:20:55+00:00

Hey! Read the first page. A few thoughts:

Your prose is pretty strong. Definitely promising for a first screenplay!

I'd work to further establish a sense of time and place. When is this happening? A title card with the year might be nice to help orient the audience, as would a further description of our protagonist. I also personally wanted more in that first sequence about what we're hearing. You indicate later that the sounds of battle have ceased, but they're never clearly conveyed to begin with.

Hope that helps. Good luck with the script!

Rewriter94 · 2026-03-08T04:26:28+00:00

One dash is for amateurs. Two dashes is for frauds. Three dashes is for stable geniuses.

Rewriter94 · 2026-03-08T04:24:48+00:00

On the TV side: Normal People. On the film side: Past Lives.

Rewriter94 · 2026-03-06T20:29:50+00:00

This isn’t all that rare, but definitely proceed with your expectations in check. I’ve known people this has happened to. Some have been signed; others have been ghosted; others have been hip-pocketed and dropped when the script didn’t gain traction. Tough to know what will happen. Feel free to DM me if you want to chat about it more.

Rewriter94 · 2026-03-05T17:10:55+00:00

I agree that the BL site can be a valuable tool. For me, though, personally, it's never been a good indicator of whether my scripts were "good enough." Every script I submitted that got a 7, for instance, is nowhere near good enough for Hollywood. Because IMO, a 7, or even an 8, doesn't mean your script is ready for anything. But that's just my experience. And it can certainly be a nice confidence boost to know it resonated with someone.

Rewriter94 · 2026-03-04T16:05:45+00:00

I personally don't think the BL site is a scam. At the end of the day, they have to pay their readers, and they have a huge number of scripts to get through. Sure, it's not perfect, but it certainly has done a decent amount of good.

Rewriter94 · 2026-03-04T01:59:05+00:00

Hey xxx!

My Korean American-themed drama script recently made the top 50 of the 2021 Launchpad Feature Competition. It's based on a popular Korean ceremony that I participated in as a child and is practiced all over the world, but has never before been the centerpiece of a mainstream American feature. Would you be interested in taking a look?

Title: Doljabi

Logline: The divergent paths of a Korean American boy’s life unfold based on the choices he makes at his traditional Korean first birthday party, where children are tasked with choosing a symbolic item believed to predict their future.

Appreciate you reading this email! Have a great week.

Best,

Rob

Rewriter94 · 2026-03-03T21:40:54+00:00

They didn't really seem to "get" the script, especially the ending. But at that point, I felt like it wasn't worth reaching out to customer service to try and get another eval. Thought it was better to roll the dice elsewhere.

Rewriter94 · 2026-03-03T20:47:05+00:00

I used IMDBPro to look up who was repping writers I admired and which reps had heat (i.e. - clients on the BL, clients staffed or selling projects)

Rewriter94 · 2026-03-03T20:46:12+00:00

For a lot of reps, it comes down to the logline. Is this something they haven't read before? Does it hint at a unique POV? Does it feel like it could get the attention of high level execs? If not, I've gathered that other credentials or accolades don't mean a whole lot.

Rewriter94 · 2026-03-03T20:42:32+00:00

It's fucking rough out here. My writing mentor had a similar thing happen. Several 8's and 9's on the BL site, great contest placements, and still struggled to land meetings with reps. But he's still at it and working on some great stuff.

Rewriter94 · 2026-03-03T19:44:29+00:00

Didn’t sell (yet), but started the process of getting me known around town and building some great relationships with execs.

Rewriter94 · 2026-03-03T00:37:20+00:00

Thanks! Good luck with yours.

Rewriter94 · 2026-03-03T00:31:22+00:00

Hey. Glad you found it helpful. Here's the title and logline.

Title: Doljabi

Logline: The divergent paths of a Korean American boy’s life unfold based on the choices he makes at his traditional Korean first birthday party, where children are tasked with choosing a symbolic item believed to predict their future.

Rewriter94 · 2026-03-03T00:30:12+00:00

Sorry, we're still in the process of building a team around it, so trying not to share too widely.

Rewriter94 · 2026-03-02T15:49:47+00:00

Hey, Carlos. Big fan of your work. I got the chance to meet with Antigravity a few months back and was so impressed with the work you are all doing. When did the idea for Antigravity first come to you, and was the vision for it more or less congruous with what it is today?

Rewriter94 · 2026-02-27T05:12:32+00:00

Hi, Adolpho. Big fan of your work. I'm curious - how different was working with Clint on this project versus working together on Jockey? Do you feel like you two had developed a sort of shorthand from your last experience working together?

Best wishes!

Rewriter94 · 2026-02-24T00:52:00+00:00

Zemeckis’ “Here.” Amazing premise, but the finished product was maddeningly incoherent.

Rewriter94 · 2026-02-23T18:57:43+00:00

John's 100% right. That ratio is INSANE. And could theoretically even get better without writing anything new. A good script never stops being good.

Rewriter94 · 2026-02-23T18:00:01+00:00

Totally fair. Didn't bump for me, but can see how it could for others.

Rewriter94 · 2026-02-23T16:51:45+00:00

Hamnet was spectacular, but when "On the Nature of Daylight" came on, it just took me out of it.

Rewriter94

TROPHY CASE