From around the country, college students flock to California to attend film school and break into the film industry, but Zach Tann did the opposite, leaving the state of California to study economics and business at Kalamazoo College in Michigan. In 1999, he graduated and moved to L.A., where he accepted a position at Zide/Perry Entertainment ("American Pie" movies) to start up a Web site for screenwriters. Long before it was common practice in the industry, Tann broke new ground in setting up online script submissions, which gave writers a direct online funnel to the management division at Zide/Perry. Tann also provided Internet content for the Web site and implemented a system where writers could check up on the status of their scripts. That position afforded Tann the opportunity to get his feet wet reading scripts; to learn what he liked and didn't like in material. From there, Tann worked his way into management, representing writers found through Zide/Perry's Web site and elsewhere.

In April 2004, Zide/Perry dissolved. In an amicable company split, Tann, along with Zide/Perry managers Jennie Frankel and Bob Sobhani, formed Magnet Management and the Zide/Perry management clients went with Magnet Management. Tann said the transition was smooth. "We had all been managing at Zide/Perry for years before we split, so outside of the new responsibilities of having your own shingle, it felt like business as usual for us and most importantly for the clients." Since that time, Tann has been working as a manager and producer.

In the three and a half years since Magnet Management was formed, their TV business has swelled from nearly zero to 40% of their business. As a management company, the Magnet team represents the creator of the CBS hit "Criminal Minds," the co-creator of Fox's "New Amsterdam" and numerous television staff writers. They also sold seven pilots last year.

On the production side, Magnet is currently making "The Creepy Kid" with The Montecito Picture Company and DreamWorks, a remake of the 1959 film "The Tingler" with Columbia and Sony, and another feature project with Disney and Scott Rudin Productions.

In this interview, the down-to-earth Tann discusses Magnet Management, describes what he looks for in a script, and gives writers a place to submit queries.

Q: What is Magnet Management?

A: We are a management/production company and we rep writers in both film and television and also writer/directors.

There are four managers at our company, the three founding partners along with Chris Mills who heads up our TV management division. Between the four of us, we share every client, which makes for a great synergy between film and television and pushing the client in both areas. We have really been successful in working with writers in film and crossing them over to television and vice versa.

We also have a production arm to the company with a number of different projects set up around town. Mitch Solomon runs our production side and he brings in a wealth of experience producing movies. We wanted to have that "Chinese Wall" up between management and production as there is that inherent conflict of interest. We are active in coming up with our own ideas along with optioning articles and books. We like to approach writers, whether they are clients or not, with something that we are bringing to the table as producers. It's very important to us that we are pulling our own weight in this area.

Q: What do you look for in writers and in scripts?

A: This is the magic question. The very simple answer to this is VOICE. It's so hard to describe but you just know it when you read it. When we read someone for the first time, we look for the voice. The idea could be great but if the writing isn't there it doesn't matter. The reverse of that is of course the writing is great, but the idea is small or hard to sell. We prefer that scenario much more than the first. It's all about the writing. The idea can be found later, but if the writer can write, then they can have a long career. We are in this for the long haul. We aren't going anywhere and we want to represent people who are in it for the long haul as well. This is a hard business and you have to have a thick skin.

Q: How do you work with writers as manager?

A: As a writer's manager, we are definitely hands on. We want to be involved in every decision the client makes for their career. We read everything they write and give feedback but more than that, we prefer to be involved in the very beginning in coming up with the idea. It is so hard to sell anything that we have to believe that conceptually what that client is going to spend 3-4 months writing, we can sell at the end of the day.

Of course, every client is different when it comes to coaching. It all depends on the personality of the writer and where they are at in their career. If a client is going to pitch on an assignment at a studio, we want to work on the pitch and have them practice it in front of us before going in. If it's a spec, we want to make sure the script is up to the quality of what we normally send out and more importantly represents the writer in a way that will push their career forward whether it sells or not.

Another important aspect is the fact that we need ammo to be successful for our clients. Writers need to write. Nothing bothers us more than when a writer hasn't written a script in awhile and wants to know what's happening with the script they wrote 3 years ago. We are only responsible for 10%; the writer is in charge of the rest.

Q: And you work with writer/filmmakers also?

A: Yes, we do. We represent a number of writer/directors and are pushing on a number of fronts to get other clients behind the camera. There really is no set formula for how we push in this area. It's just about leaving no stone unturned and making sure the client is doing the necessary things they need to in order to reach the goal.

Q: What happens to a script when it comes into your office?

A: This really all depends on who is submitting the script to us. If it's an unsolicited script, then it will most likely be first read by our assistant or interns. If they like it, then they will give it to one of us to read depending on the type of material. If the script is submitted by a producer or agent of a client who is looking for a manager, then it's something that myself or my partners would take a look at. We just don't have the time to read every unsolicited script that comes in the door. We have all of our client's stuff to read along with the referrals on potential new clients from producers, attorneys and agents.

If the script is submitted as a spec by an agent, then that would most likely be for us as producers, so then it just comes down to whether or not this is something that we can get behind conceptually and push using our studio relationships to get it set up.

Q: Is there anything else you would like to add?

A: Magnet is really like a family environment. Jennie, Bob, and I have all been working together for nine years and we really know each other so well and can play off each other's strengths. We are having a blast and we are so excited to continue to break new talent along with taking our clients to the next level in their careers. Anyone can feel free to e-mail magnetasst@magnetmanagement.com with query letters and questions about our company.