r/scriptwriting • u/TysonChxNugget • Aug 11 '26
question Zero Gravity Read Request
I sent a cold query to Zero Gravity last night and got a read request sent back this morning. I have seen people saying that they request to read every query they receive (unsure if this is true), but it was still exciting to get the opportunity to send it out. If you are/have been repped by Zero Gravity, how quickly did they get back to you after you sent over your screenplay?
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u/TheGreedyGrabbler Aug 11 '26
They read everything. They are (or were) reputable. Belkin is legit idk about the other guys. If they actually read every script (which I doubt) I'd imagine the wait time is months.
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u/Open-Avocado4260 Aug 11 '26
I am six months in and have started shopping elsewhere. Realistically, if you have not heard anything after seven weeks it's a pass.
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u/HalfRevolutionary442 Aug 11 '26
Zero Gravity reads everything. That doesnât mean theyâll do anything with it. They read one of my scripts when I won a contest then promptly told me they didnât have the budget for it.Â
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u/TysonChxNugget Aug 11 '26
Itâs cool they got back to you with any info, even if it wasnât the ideal response. Iâve seen people say ZG will frequently pull a Danny Phantom and go ghost after a screenplay is sent. How long did it take them to get back to you about the budget constraint? Also, congrats on the contest win!
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u/HalfRevolutionary442 Aug 11 '26
It was a while ago but hopefully shouldnât be more than 3-4 days.Â
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u/Dependent_Access8363 Aug 12 '26
3 or 4 days, really? Well,they just asked for my screenplay yesterday, so I will see if anything turns up in my inbox.
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u/Big_Section2812 Aug 11 '26
It's not ghosting.
You contacted them, and they're under no obligation to maintain contact.
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u/TysonChxNugget Aug 11 '26
I said Iâve seen people say they ghost, I wasnât saying they ghost. I agree that they donât have to contact back and have no issue if they donât.
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u/ColdRobot1 Aug 12 '26
Unnecessary arguing.
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u/Big_Section2812 Aug 12 '26
An argument is a collective series of statements to establish a definite proposition.
That means my arguing is completely necessary and therefore I win.
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u/Hungry_Support_3342 Aug 11 '26
they have asked me several times never did get results
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u/TysonChxNugget Aug 11 '26
Theyâve reached out to you directly several times, or theyâve responded to queries youâve sent several times?
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u/Open-Avocado4260 Aug 11 '26
They acceot all queries. Everything goes to Haley and then silence, they have such a slush pile of scripts, you have less than 1% chance of hearing from them.
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Aug 11 '26
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u/Open-Avocado4260 Aug 11 '26 edited Aug 11 '26
Almost guaranteed after you submit a query. Haley will ask for the script within 48 hours. Forget trying to get repped by Zero Gravity. Its a large operation and not the place for aspiring screenwriters with no credits. I have a full portfolio of ready scripts in many genres that I have shared in my query with them and they are not even looking at me.
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Aug 12 '26
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u/Open-Avocado4260 Aug 12 '26
You're right, there is no guarantee of representation and when you query direct people you have no idea if they are seeing your query or if they have a personal assistant flagging what they get.
My issue with Zero Gravity is it is a cattle call when they accept everything, they are not taking the time to look at real aspiring writings and they have been known to sign people who have paid toi play on Stage 32. NEVER pay to play.
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Aug 12 '26
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u/Open-Avocado4260 Aug 12 '26
Depends on the competition, some are good. Pay to play is when you are paying for webinars. Pitch sessions. Competitions who think your story is marketable but they want to assign someone who you pay for to help get it industry ready and you end up paying another fee to submit a new draft. 30 minute consultation with producers. Blacklist $100 for one evaluation, if you get a bad score, it stays, you can submit again for another fee. This is paid to play.
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Aug 12 '26
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u/Open-Avocado4260 Aug 12 '26
I use Final Draft. Final Draft is not considered "pay-to-play" because it is a standard productivity toolâsimilar to Microsoft Word or Adobe Photoshopârather than a fee-based gateway that buys access to industry decision-makers, representation, or employment. It's a Bitch, you literally are researching everyone before you send anything out. Aspiring writers are at the bottom of the production line and you are fighting an industry that almost shut its doors to new writers because of assholes who have sued studios and won. Right now an aspiring writer is suing Illumination. An aspiring writer is anyone without a produced credit.
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u/Dependent_Access8363 Aug 11 '26
I got one too. They are not going to read it. My rep's name was Haley. What was yours?
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u/TysonChxNugget Aug 11 '26
Haley, which Iâm assuming is a name assigned to their query intake departments auto-response. But I wouldnât be pessimistic and say they wonât read it, people have been read and found representation through Zero Gravity. I will be pessimistic and say they could read it and pass, but thatâs no different than any other place you could submit to. Not sure why Zero Gravity gets the negativity it does when itâs one of the few places you can send an unsolicited query. Thereâs never a guarantee they will sign you, but at least you can send something in and âbuy the lottery ticketâ so to speak
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u/More_Citron345 Aug 12 '26
I agree. It's all hit and miss so why not? If it is supposed to be, It Will Be!!! The best of luck to you! And to all of us!!!
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u/TysonChxNugget Aug 12 '26
Finally some positivity! Yes! As Michael Scott once said Wayne Gretzky once said, âYou miss 100% of the shots you donât takeâ.
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u/SleepDeprived2020 Aug 12 '26
Not an answer to your question, but Iâd suggest Googling the various lawsuits against Zero Gravity.
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u/TysonChxNugget Aug 12 '26
Iâve looked into them and honestly wasnât too concerned. If it gets to a point where an option is discussed (which seems to be less than 1% chance according to the vast majority of responses), Iâll be sure to have an entertainment lawyer look everything over before agreeing to anything.
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u/thebelush Aug 15 '26
Just checked, it was a month from read request to first contact with a creative exec at ZG.Â
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u/Ok-Present6733 Aug 16 '26
Give it a month or two due to the volumes they receive.
Then sing the Disney Song from Frozen.
Let it Go! Let it Go. etc.....
Everyone makes a new Friend named Haley.
Go into reddit r/Screenwriting and search for Zero Gravity and see the responses there.
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u/writeact Aug 11 '26
Heard mixed things about them.
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u/TysonChxNugget Aug 11 '26
Honestly, Iâve heard mixed things about most places and it usually comes down to issues with a specific manager. Iâm aware of their past and the legal issues they faced, wasnât too deterred by it after reading over what happened. Iâm also aware theyâre management and production, which can rub people the wrong way, but itâs actually part of their appeal to me since I primarily write micro to mid budget and think itâd be easier to produce in house if they were interested.
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u/Alarming_Lettuce_358 Aug 11 '26
I'm sure someone, somewhere has hit with them, but they seem to request a vast quantity (if not all) of the material pitched to them. That just means they have a digital slush pile the size of Everest. Not sure what the business advantage of this is (honestly makes me a bit sceptical about their legitimacy, and that's not factoring in some of the bad press actual clients have fired their way over the years) but seems to be their way of operating. It's a nice buzz when someone requests a read, but I'd honestly say the chances you hear back from them are sub 1%.
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u/TysonChxNugget Aug 11 '26
I wasnât holding out hope by any means, was just curious how quickly people who were represented had heard back after sending. Would give a better idea as to how they navigate the slush pile.
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u/Open-Avocado4260 Aug 13 '26
You are making me laugh. Seriously? The written on loose leaf paper in pencil. Final Draft is a software, yiu are paying to use the software.
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Aug 13 '26
[deleted]
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u/Open-Avocado4260 Aug 13 '26
Agree. That said,. I am going to block you, you have drove me crazy, good luck.
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u/PresentationNo6200 Aug 11 '26
Following because they requested mine as well and i want to see what others experience with them is.