So-Called Experts

I would like
to get my script evaluated by a professional. How do I know who is reputable,
honest and skilled at this? And how much (approx.) should it cost?

–Anonymous

In Los Angeles, it’s pretty rare for the writer to pay for notes or coverage.
Usually, it’s done as a favor, either by friends who work in the industry,
as part of a class, or in exchange for work done at an internship. Professional
readers and story analysts are generally paid by the buyer, either a studio or production company, and spend their days reading through the material submitted
for consideration.

I worked as a reader for two years when I first moved to L.A., first as an
unpaid intern, then later for TriStar. It’s a good first job for any screenwriter,
as you get the opportunity to read a lot of scripts, and eventually earn enough
to pay rent.

There are some freelance analysts who will read and critique your work for
a fee. You can find listings for them in the back of Variety, The Hollywood
Reporter and the various screenwriting magazines. While I’m sure many of them
are dedicated and conscientious, there are a few things I would ask to see
before writing a check. First, they should show you a sample of the coverage
or story notes they write. Ask yourself, if you were handed this document,
would it help you write your next draft? Second, they should be able to give
you some references, both in terms of writers they’ve helped and places they’ve
worked. Third, you need to have some sort of contract or agreement that makes
it clear that they are working for you on a one-time basis, and that you’re
not signing over any rights to them. Many freelance readers are also aspiring
producers, and you need to be clear what the boundaries are.

Obviously, these are the kinds of guarantees you’re looking for when you’re
dealing with a complete stranger. If you’re dealing with a friend, acquaintance,
or friend-of-a-friend, you’ll probably be a little more flexible in your requirements.

How much should you pay? Like eye surgery, you really don’t want to shop for
the cheapest rate you can find. I could imagine it costing as little as $100,
or as much as $500. Only you know how much it’s worth to you.

There’s one online service I’ve seen that does coverage and story notes, called
ScriptShark. This is in no way an endorsement, because
I don’t know if they’re any good. But if any reader has worked with them or
any similar service, I’d love to hear about your experience, so I can pass
it along in a future column.

Have you taken Robert McKee’s screenwriting class? And if
so, what did you learn from it?
–Bill

To read his brochure, you’d think that everyone in Hollywood has taken McKee’s
course, but the truth is, I don’t know anyone who has.

Whenever I hear his
name brought up, it makes these tiny hairs rise on the back of my neck, because
it usually means the speaker is going to cite some piece of screenwriting gospel,
or use a clever word like "counter-theme."

I’ve never met McKee and have nothing against him, but to read his bio
it’s clear that he’s not a very successful screenwriter and never really was.
That’s not to say he can’t be a great teacher, just as many great film critics
are not filmmakers, nor do I think that there’s anything wrong with a screenwriting
class per se, especially if it helps you get off your ass and write. But I
would rather have dental surgery than go through a structural analysis of CHINATOWN.

The downfall of these classes and books (Syd Field’s is the best known), is
that the guru comes up with a theory about why scripts are good or bad, then
manipulates the examples to prove his or her point. I remember one professor
in graduate school who when confronted with counter-examples, would label some
of the greatest movies ever made "failed films," simply because they
didn’t fit her framework.

Overall, it’s worth reading a few books and taking a few classes to get a
handle on how Hollywood talks about scripts and movies. Internalize what makes
sense to you and chuck the rest. Kevin’s question goes right to the point:
You’ll learn the most by reading a lot of screenplays, good and bad, and learning
how they work.

The truth is, there’s no magic formula for writing a great script. (Or for
that matter, a commercial one.) Anyone who tries to convince you that theirs
is the One True Way is deluding themselves and you.

I’m submitting a script to a screenplay competition and to an agent that accepts unsolicited material. Both ask for a biography. Common sense says to keep it short and sweet–and spell everything correctly. But I’m finding it very hard to write anything other than a two or three sentence summation of my education and career (none of which is entertainment related and all of which is surely boring). I suppose I could add something about my interests or goals as a writer, but does anyone care? Any advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

–MA

Answer is here.