ScriptReaderPro
New member
When marketing a script, one rule is more important than all the others –
NEVER turn your script in without at least one second set of eyes on it.
This is probably the #1 Reason why many aspiring screenwriters fail at the first hurdle – their script just isn’t good enough before they send it out.
Then they get all despondent due to the negative feedback (or lack of feedback at all) and feel like giving up.
The way to beat this is to make sure you’re script has been THOROUGHLY gone over by someone other than your best friend. Or mother.
For me, personally, I never EVER submit a script to an agent, manager, production company etc. without first having three versions of “coverage” done. These are…
1) Friends In The Industry
First, I always get notes from industry friends.
If you’ve got them, use them. They can be an invaluable first (and free) step.
2) Interns
Then, I generally ask other industry friends to submit the screenplay to their interns as though it’s a normal submission.
I do this using pseudonyms and with alternate titles. There, I get coverage from low-level gatekeepers and can look for patterns in what is — and more importantly what is not — coming across.
3) Script Consultants
The last type of coverage I always get is script coverage from one of the many script consultants out there.
There are a few reasons for this.
One, the person you pay for coverage takes a LOT more time on your script. It is their livelihood and you are their employer.
While the intern coverage is very helpful for generalities, it’s the specifics we’re looking for with script consultants.
When we were all coverage interns back in the day, we would read and write coverage on about four scripts a day. It’s impossible to work that fast and manage all the details.
As a script consultant, however, I never do more than one in a day and couldn’t possibly do more than two. It’s just too in-depth.
***
And that’s it. Get your script read by these 3 people — friends in the industry / interns / script consultants and you’ll know whether it’s in good enough shape to send out.
NEVER send your script out without getting at least two of these people above to read it.
Take their notes on board. Make the changes they suggest. And get them to read it again.
Repeat as necessary, until it absolutely ROCKS!
Good luck!
NEVER turn your script in without at least one second set of eyes on it.
This is probably the #1 Reason why many aspiring screenwriters fail at the first hurdle – their script just isn’t good enough before they send it out.
Then they get all despondent due to the negative feedback (or lack of feedback at all) and feel like giving up.
The way to beat this is to make sure you’re script has been THOROUGHLY gone over by someone other than your best friend. Or mother.
For me, personally, I never EVER submit a script to an agent, manager, production company etc. without first having three versions of “coverage” done. These are…
1) Friends In The Industry
First, I always get notes from industry friends.
If you’ve got them, use them. They can be an invaluable first (and free) step.
2) Interns
Then, I generally ask other industry friends to submit the screenplay to their interns as though it’s a normal submission.
I do this using pseudonyms and with alternate titles. There, I get coverage from low-level gatekeepers and can look for patterns in what is — and more importantly what is not — coming across.
3) Script Consultants
The last type of coverage I always get is script coverage from one of the many script consultants out there.
There are a few reasons for this.
One, the person you pay for coverage takes a LOT more time on your script. It is their livelihood and you are their employer.
While the intern coverage is very helpful for generalities, it’s the specifics we’re looking for with script consultants.
When we were all coverage interns back in the day, we would read and write coverage on about four scripts a day. It’s impossible to work that fast and manage all the details.
As a script consultant, however, I never do more than one in a day and couldn’t possibly do more than two. It’s just too in-depth.
***
And that’s it. Get your script read by these 3 people — friends in the industry / interns / script consultants and you’ll know whether it’s in good enough shape to send out.
NEVER send your script out without getting at least two of these people above to read it.
Take their notes on board. Make the changes they suggest. And get them to read it again.
Repeat as necessary, until it absolutely ROCKS!
Good luck!
