Getting a break in Hollywood is a super-human task, best sought by those with unnaturally thick skin, insane perseverance and palpable talent. If you’re an aspiring screenwriter, you will also want to harness the power of “the crowd” to move your script up the chain and get it read by the right people.
According to The New York Times, by using an algorithm similar to the one Netflix uses to recommend movies, Blcklst.com, will give industry gatekeepers the ability to locate screenplays that fit their personal preferences and to view the recommendations of others in the industry. A screening process will determine who qualifies to become a member, and there will be a $20-a-month fee.
“It’s a response to the question you always hear of, ‘Have you read anything good lately?’ ” said Black List’s founder, Franklin Leonard, a vice president of creative affairs at the actor Will Smith’s production company. “You hear it at lunch, every breakfast, every premiere.”
Originally, the Black List was distributed as an e-mailed PDF, giving it a clubby, underground feel.
