Describe your most common daily activities over the past week

Reading, writing notes, meeting with writers and producers, then more reading.

Where are your most common sources of new material?

Agents and managers still rule. We receive plenty of material from producers as well, but most commonly we get incoming material from reps.

Is IP still the most dominant source for new content?

Not necessarily. IP (intellectual property) is certainly helpful when selling to buyers, especially on the television side, but it matters less when looking to independently finance a project. There is plenty of room for original content, especially if the concept is fresh and the writing quality is excellent.

At what stage of a project should writers engage with you?

Whenever they are ready. I’m always happy to meet with a writer at any point, even just for a general meeting to start a relationship. Having a completed script is certainly a plus, and attachments, financing and distribution are icing on the cake, but I would never discourage a writer from reaching out with an amazing pitch.

What should a writer have in their wheelhouse before approaching you?

A clear voice and vision for their project(s). That’s all they really need.

Michael Ewing

What are the most common misconceptions writers have when a producer shows interest in their work?

That this means the project is going to get made. Making a film or TV show is extremely hard. I’ve seen excellent scripts with incredible, A-list attachments and financing in place fall apart weeks before production. A producer’s interest in your work is a big step, and it’s important to celebrate the little wins, but it’s crucial to stay patient and realistic. The business is a numbers game.

What are some of biggest points of conflict between you and writers in terms of notes you give them?

Well, I’m not doing my job well if there is too much conflict giving notes to writers. It’s my responsibility to give intelligent notes and to build trust with the screenwriter so they know my note is coming from an honest, constructive place. If you made me pick one area, I’d say writers always seem resistant to cutting scenes and characters, which is understandable given it’s their creation, but sometimes they just really aren’t necessary for the story engine.

How do you characterize the current state of the industry?

Nervous, yet optimistic. It’s a tough question to answer given the uncertainties coming out of the pandemic, but hopefully we’ll see a boom in production and more distributors willing to take a chance on original material. With the shattering of the traditional theatrical release window and more projects going straight to streaming, the hope is that more studios and streamers will take a gamble on that lower or mid-budget, original concept.

Are there any genres that are particularly popular right now?

I keep hearing that people want to see more uplifting, fun material. Which makes sense given what we’ve all been through. That said, action and horror always seem to work.

If you were given a $1 billion for a production slate, how would you spend it?

I would make 200 Get Out-type films. If only 10 of them worked, I’d be in profit. Just kidding. A billion dollars is a ridiculous amount of money, so I’m not sure honestly. Ask me again if I ever make it to studio head.

What are some of the most common problems you see in script submissions?

You’d be surprise how often we receive scripts that have simple formatting and grammatical errors. They are easy to overlook if the script is amazing, but if I’m on the fence about a project, simple things like lack of proofreading and professionalism can definitely count against it.

How much do screenwriters need to know about the marketplace?

Understanding the current marketplace is very important. Writers should pay attention to what is working and what isn’t. Of course, the first priority should always be to write a compelling script with rich characters, but the next step after writing is selling it. To do that properly, a writer should have a sense of the current landscape and what buyers are looking for.

Where do you see more opportunities for screenwriters in the current market – film or TV?

That’s a tough question. When it comes to actually getting your specific project made, I would say there are more opportunities in film given the many different ways to finance and produce independently. That said, TV shows employ more writers than films do, so there’s many opportunities out there for writers to get staffed on shows, especially with the explosion of streaming and digital platforms.