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David Higham Associates

Agency · United KingdomQuery letters only

A major London agency whose scripts desk reads cold emails. One agent at a time, letter and CV only.

Official site ↗

The door

Query letters only

A cover email and writing CV to one named agent, electronically. Samples only if that agent asks. Six weeks of silence means no.

Submissions go by email via their submissions page ↗.

Six weeks for scripts, stated on the scripts section itself. The twelve-week figure elsewhere on their site belongs to the book departments and does not apply to screen.

Door state checked against their official pages 12 Sept 2026.

What they're looking for

Formats
Feature, TV Pilot
Takes approaches from
Worldwide

How to approach

Their submissions page is split by department, and the Scripts section is the one that covers film, television and stage. Pick one agent from their Film, TV and Stage team, read their page, and email that agent alone. They ask you not to email more than one at a time, and they mean it.

Send a cover email saying why you are seeking representation, plus your writing CV. Nothing else. They cannot consider synopses or incomplete scripts, and samples are requested only if an agent wants to go further.

If a producer, development executive, course tutor or one of their own clients pointed you at them, say so by name in the email. A referral is not required here, which is unusual, but it is explicitly welcomed and it is the one thing that lifts a cold email.

The PreList verdict

Who this is for: unrepresented screenwriters with a finished script and a reason to name one particular agent. This is one of the better cold doors in the directory, because the referral is optional rather than compulsory and the six-week rule tells you when to stop waiting.

Who should skip it: writers with a synopsis or a half-finished draft. They rule both out by name, and the request for samples only comes after the letter works, so there is no point approaching before the script exists.

Dylian Salvatore, Founder of The PreList · Updated 21 Sept 2026

Frequently asked questions

Does David Higham Associates accept unsolicited screenwriters?

Yes, as a query. Email one named agent with a cover email and your writing CV. They will request samples of your work only if they want to take it further.

Do I need a referral for David Higham Associates?

No. They invite you to name a referrer if you have one, from a producer, development executive, course tutor or one of their clients, but the scripts route does not require it.

How long does David Higham take to reply about scripts?

Six weeks. If you have not heard by then, they ask you to assume they cannot offer representation.

Getting ready to approach David Higham Associates?

Every door here reads to reject. The PreList gives your script a full read first: coverage across 11 metrics, formatting and completeness checks, and a rewrite room to act on the notes before anything reaches a submissions inbox.

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