Quite a while back I asked readers if they had any experience with InkTip. I didn't get many responses then, but recently a reader named Anne wrote in with her experience. It seems she wasn't terribly satisfied with them. I've heard anecdotially that other people have had better luck, so I'm not putting this in as a general "InkTip is a scam" post, but rather, to encourage others to post their feedback regarding the site.
Take it away, Anne...
The following is written without prejudice, based on my experiences with InkTip. I am not saying I am a great writer but some of my scripts were Quarter Finalists and few received Consider status. So this is just an educated opinion and not sour grapes.
I stayed with InkTip for almost four years. I had a lot of activity but no substance and definitely no results. Over the years, I had better results from one shot e-mail queries from Script Express and others. No kidding. Their producers are a bunch of young wannabees , or unemployed actors looking for a new gig. Some of them are not even listed on Imdb. There is no background info on them, anywhere. I seriously question their connections to the industry. I found InkTip's vetting process extremely lax, sloppy and irresponsible. They don't even bother to check for references. Name dropping is enough for them. Some of their "Industry professionals" wrote back to me after accessing the script on InkTip, telling me they liked my style of writing, etc. and requested the script with a release form. Afterward, either I heard nothing again or they wrote back to sell their services to me for script consulting. One even requested $10,000 to re-write the script without telling me what was wrong with it. When I informed InkTip of this, I was told that they were aware of it and the person was asked to leave and no longer was associated with them, although they were listing the services of the same person on their database. Go figure.
I drew the line when LA Film School (including scriptwriting) student posed as a producer and asked me how much I would demand for the production rights of my script. Upon checking, I noticed that she accessed the script many times over, on the site, and further queries indicated that she was indeed a student. When I asked for an explanation, InkTip treated me like an idiot, trying to convince me that they were producers as well as a film school. Further queries indicated that, although they did student productions, it was mostly for the work of their scriptwriting students. InkTip kept defending their actions, refusing to see the seriousness of the situation. That did it! Consequently, I cancelled all five of my scripts and subscription of the preferred newsletter and parted company. Thanks but no thanks. It was obvious I could not trust them anymore.
The whole thing in my experience was a bust. It's a useless money pit, only benefiting Jerrol and company and never the writer. I also witnessed that their loyalty is directed to industry members on their database and not to the writers, who pay dearly for their services. One is better off going to MovieBytes and subscribing to "Who is Buying What" and then pitching directly to those producers.
Lately, I have been getting a lot of e-mails from all over, advertising forthcoming InkTip Pitch festival. If we're dealing with the same calibre of producers, I'll say save your money. It's not worth it.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
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I gave up my job to learn and write. I bought the program, did the work, did the printing of letters and scripts, bough the URL and designed the site, etc....now they want me to pay to shop my wares???
ReplyDeleteThese sites and con artists trying to rip off writers trying to make it are just damned criminal! It's like guitar center ripping off musicians who mach chump change for a full nights efforts.
Charging lawyers a lot for a new briefcase I can see....but bending artists over the prison workhorse? Man, it makes my blood boil.
Yeah...when I get pissed my spelling, grammar, and attention to detail go straight to hell....
ReplyDeleteI used to get the InkTip emails at my first assistant job. Every once in a while there would be a logline with some potential, but for the most part they were obviously very amateurish/just plain bad. It quickly became clear that despite the fact that there might be a diamond in the rough, it wasn't worth my time to even read through the emails, let alone request any of the scripts. Pretty much everyone else I've spoken with about it agrees. Save your money for drinks meetings with people, it'll help you more in the long run.
ReplyDeleteWell, I've had some luck with InkTip. I sold a short through them to a director I still work with. I was considering the Pitch Summit but the one script I have that matched a request was said to be not what they ere looking for.
ReplyDeleteI may do the FadeIn Online in November.
I didn't have any luck with INKTIP. I paid, and submitted my script and "They said"...I got a lot of people interested....but nothing EVER came of it. Its like I paid INKTIP for nothing. I later sold the script myself.
ReplyDeleteI paid them, and ended up doing everything myself... I'm a black writer, so my script was a drama about black people...so I guess inktip is not for black writers.
I have two scripts on Inktip and not a logline view on either in over 3 weeks. I was told by Chris that perhaps I need to fix my logline. Companies looking enter keywords and I was told by them that my loglines looked fine. When I question why the response is so poor, he always comes back with the standard response. Hollywood not looking for such and such or the logline needs work with a link to how to fix the logline.
ReplyDeleteI signed up for their preferred newsletter and found ONLY 4 companies to submit to of which two never responded. When I checked the views I did have, most did not even have a website.
Inktip seems to cater to nobodies with ONE DOLLAR budgets.
Inktip is a waste of money.
Another one to avoid is SELLASCRIPT run by a Paul Harvey. His site has a negative Better Business Bureau rating. He takes your money and does NOT CARE. Avoid his ridiculous contest -- Access. He pockets the money and creates imaginary winners.
Sadscrap:
ReplyDeleteI have been with InkTip for years and sold nothing. The best, and only, advice I've had from them is how to construct a Logline. Never had any interest from anyone reading further than that. And I have more than 40 produced TV scripts to my credit plus one short film. I don't think anyone even reads your c.v.
I've been with InkTip for years but no more. The best, and only, advice I've ever received from them is how to write an effective Logline. Not effective. No-one has ever read beyond that point. I've bought the magazine entry, the lot. Nothing. I've had many scripts produced plus a short film but I don't think the so-called producers even read your c.v. Save your money, guys.
ReplyDeleteI've been with Inktip a long while and made some great contacts through them. I noticed that they have changed their program and you can now see details about the producers listed. They also check their references. Perhaps they received many letters of concern from subscribers. I have not had any problems with the site and know fellow screenwriters who have been optioned, so I will continue to list my screenplays there. For those who were worried about security, changes have been made.
ReplyDeleteI have been with inktip almost five years and made some wonderful contacts. No sales myself yet, but two screenwriter friends have been optioned and/or been hired for writing assignments. They have changed their policy on producers and now check references as well as list their credentials, movies produced, etc. Perhaps they had many letters of concern in that area and took steps to make changes, which is the sign of a good website. I think if writers visit the site again they will quickly see improvements.
ReplyDeleteI've been with Inktip for over five years and have been very satisfied, including making a great contact and later friendship with two successful producers and gaining employment on a few screenplay treatment jobs. They admit they always are improving and now their vetting process is much more in depth. I also know other screenwriters who have had scripts optioned, so they are definitely not a scam. Probably just not the right fit for everyone. Chrissy K.
ReplyDeleteIs it odd to anyone else that some of the "respondents" are repeat writers, meaning there are more than one responses from them? Could they be students of Inktip? Suspicious.
ReplyDeleteI have been with InkTip and had four producers download one of my five scripts in several years.
ReplyDeleteThe scripts have had Considers with CoverageInk but not one of those producers bothered to reply to my follow-up letters. I won't be relisting my scripts.
I too have worked with Inktip and have not had any luck with them. It is very possible my screenplays are not any good. I can admit to that. I could be mistaken, but I wonder if one issue is that thousands of writers use the site, and a screenplay has limited visibility. I have had screenplays that would go weeks with no activity. I also signed up for their preferred newsletter and have noticed that the majority of the companies listed have not produced films. It does a disclaimer that basically says as much, but then goes on to say the producers show promise and that every company has to start somewhere. I don't believe Inktip is a scam, but I do believe it just doesn't work for most writers. Unfortunately, I live in Missouri, not California, and I have come to the conclusion that since I have no plans to move, I am not likely to become a screenwriter who gets optioned.
ReplyDelete