Scott, can you add a thought or two about the value of a new writer trying to build a relationship with a particular buyer or studio as a long-term strategy by giving them first/exclusive option on a script? That is, if a script is strong enough to justify going wide, but writer & reps believe that the writer's future projects will also be good fits for a specific buyer or studio, then offer the script to them exclusively in the hopes of building goodwill and better chances of a follow-up buy on future projects. Seems like the writer may give up some fraction of a larger payout that a competitive bidding would generate, but might enhance the writer's prospects of actually making a career out of writing screenplays by building a relationship for future sales.

That scenario can happen and for a whole host of reasons. Studio A may have a stable management regime while Stable B may be in wobbly shape. Perhaps best to go for Studio A where script has best shot at getting made, rather than getting caught up in development hell if new head of production takes over, then deep sixes many previous regime projects. Or a studio may be thin in terms of a specific genre in their development slate, so the sale of your script there may position you to pitch them more projects in that vein. Or there may be several troubled projects in a genre at a studio, so if you funnel your script there and do well with rewrites, perhaps that positions you well for those other projects. Or a new head of production has taken over and wants to make a splash by plunking down a lot of money on a spec to make a statement to the town and especially sellers to bring them projects first, and your script may be a perfect way to make that statement. Certain studios have reputations for how much or little they respect writers insofar as how they handle script development, so that may influence the decision. And especially relevant one nowadays is the choice between going the major studio route vs. financiers: Whereas a writer may make more money upfront money from a studio, a financier may be more likely to actually MAKE a movie instead of acquire and develop a script to death. Plus when production bonus kicks in, the total may approximate the deal with a major studio. As I say multiple permutations. This is where you have to have a minimum level of understanding of the business, but really need to rely on your manager and agents to read the tea leaves, and recommend how to go about handling your script's move into the marketplace.