Screenplay consultants
What I wrote about screenwriting books goes for script consultants as well.
Few books claim to "help you sell your script" or "get your script ready for the marketplace." But many script
consultants do. They present themselves as coaches that can help you get industry recognition.
As you're shopping for a script consultant, the marketing promise of "getting your script ready for the marketplace"
doesn't sound unreasonable.
But remember that what they tell you to gain your business, they tell
everyone. At least 80% of scripts
could never be ready for the marketplace, save a complete rewrite of plot, characters, structure, and dialogue.
So, by default, script consultants looking for repeat business have to be a little bit dishonest. They will take those
$250 (or $500 or $1000) from almost anyone – even rather hopeless cases.
I'm still waiting for a script consultant to advertise: "We help you improve your screenwriting skills
so you can avoid the same mistakes when you tackle your next project." Now, that would be honest.
I'm not against using a screenwriting consultant. If you spend a big part of your life (and a lot of money) on screenwriting, it makes sense to get a
professional evaluation. But, before you hire a consultant, consider this:
Checklist for hiring a consultant
- Don't send off first drafts
- Investigate the consultant. Don't rely on references or sample evaluations posted to their websites.
Check if you can find an evaluation posted on Scripts-and-Coverage.com
- Ask about the consultant's favorite movies / scripts. Is the consultant aware of current Hollywood trends?
- Did he/she coach recent contest winners and semi-finalists? Ask for names. Most writers who benefitted from
a consultant's service are happy to recommend them. If the consultant refuses to give out any names "for the protection
of his/her clients," be wary.
- Consider trying
a coverage service first, rather than going straight to a consultant. Scriptshark (www.scriptshark.com)
has a lot of drawbacks, but being too soft on scripts is not one of them. Their readers remain anonymous and
don't depend on repeat business; therefore, they have a no-holds-barred attitude, whereas a consultant might
be too soft or diplomatic.
- Stay away from consultants who are too encouraging.
- Don't send your very first script to a $500 consultant.
Scripts-and-Coverage.com is a source to read amateur scripts with their professional coverage. It's a great way
to learn about screenplay evaluations.
Once our database has grown to a certain size, you can research your genre, and any particular consultant. We hope that soon we'll have coverage samples from all major services and consultants.
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