WORKING ON AGENT X

If indeed Agent X read “40 to 50” scripts each week that he receives (Outtakes, July 20), how does that agent survive!

Allowing a conservative 1 1/2 hours reading per script, the minimum effort required to understand the 100+ pages you’re reading, and allowing for work, sleep, eating, etc., we have:

SCRIPTS 45 x 1 1/2 hrs. = 67.5

OFFICE 5 days x 4 hrs. = 20.0

SLEEP 7 days x 6 hrs. = 42.0

3 MEALS 7 days x 1 1/2 hrs. = 10.5

COMMUTE 5 days x 1 hr. rndtrp. = 5.0

MISC. 7 days x 2 hrs. = 14.0

TOTAL: 159 hours

As we all know, in a 7-day week there are 168 hours, leaving Agent X with 9 extra hours a week, or 77 minutes per day. If he sleeps more, or takes more time eating, or more at the office, or more traveling. . . .

You tell me where Agent X is cutting the corner. Who is kidding whom?

MARKOS PAPAS

Van Nuys

“Of course, I don’t read 50 scripts from Page 1 to Page 100,” says Agent X. “You don’t need to.” He does read at least 30 pages of every script, which is more than the 10 or 15 a producer will read, he says. Agent X says he works 6 days a week, lives only 5 minutes from his office and so far has optioned one script for every 72 he’s read.