My first of three completed screenplays, "SETTLE," has scored an 8/10 (97th percentile) on blacklist, a 7/10 on blacklist (83.3%), and an 8.6 on Greenlight Coverage (98th percentile) - In everyone's experience, when does it make sense to stop chasing scores/rewrites (and spending $$) and stick with the draft?
Screenwriting : Script Scores by Nicholas Schmidt
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I think it is time to Settle, Nicholas.....
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If there were a laughing + crying emoji I could figure out how to use here, I would.
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Hey, Nicholas Schmidt. Congratulations! I'm a Stage 32 Lounge Moderator. I wanted to let you know I moved your post from the Introduce Yourself Lounge to the Screenwriting Lounge. Let me know if you have any questions.
When I'm just changing small things in my script, and it's a gut feeling.
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Haha
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Thanks Maurice Vaughan!
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You're welcome, Nicholas Schmidt. Hope you sell your scripts!
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When the. film is released. Not joking. I’ve worked on films that had locked picture (the edit), only to have an executive order changes.
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Jim Cushinery for sure! I'm more asking when does it make sense to stop paying for evaluations/scores - does fine-tuning to get more 8s or a 9 really move the needle?
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Nicholas Schmidt I think if you're getting 8+/10 scores across the board, you're doing great! Stop and go in search of the person who gets you and your writing. At the end of the day those scores wouldn't have meant shit to Samuel Goldwyn, who famously picked the stories that made his sphincter twitch. Too bad that's not a quantifier on Greenlight. ;)
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I really need that emoji.
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That's the million-dollar question Nicholas. Because every reviewer will want to change something. Since, you're getting super scores, I think the best thing to do is stop with the coverage, and start pitching to folks looking for new material--those who have an interest in your genre and subject. Congratulations!
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Congratulations Nicholas Schmidt ! It sounds like time to stop chasing scores and start chasing a film crew!
Does anyone REALLY stop editing a script?
Sometimes I get up in the middle of the night to add, delete, or change something in the script that awakened me. I have a feeling I'll still be "improving" my script a few hours before we start shooting.
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Congratulations, Nicholas Schmidt!
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When to stop chasing scores? You should never start in the first place.
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Well ok then :)
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Maybe it's time for a POC?
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Proof of concept.
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Might be a good thing.
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I like the POC idea.
At worst, the scores you listed make for a solid query letter You have a portfolio, some credible evidence to suggest your writing voice translates, now seems a good time for representation? Also, have you built any supporting media for your scripts? i.e posters, look and feel mood boards, treatments, etc to include in a pitch deck? I mean what if you landed a meeting tomorrow, are you ready to pitch these 3 scripts? Are you ready if someone asks "what else have you got?" Congrats and continued good luck
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An alert re Greenlight: GL came up with a list of suggested actors for my screenplay.. Suggested a 4 year-old female actress for the role of a 15 year-old boy. THIS IS THE DESCRIPTION IN THE SCREENPLAY A boy (STEVIE) about fifteen years old, in jacket, jeans, alarms begin wailing.
This raises doubts about the rest of the review process. GL's response when I pointed out the problem: 'If you don't find the casting suggestions to be to your liking, I'd suggest using the Pencil tool and add additional context to the report section.' AND 'We will reimburse you for the tokens you utilize in the process.'
ChatGPT commented on this situation: ' If you followed Greenlight’s suggestion literally:
• Casting conversations would stall
• Producers would question script comprehension
• Funding assessors would lose confidence
• The note would quietly be discounted '
So I cancelled GL and received a refund.
BEWARE.
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If you're a good writer, you're most likely never really satisfied in total with your work. It's probably time to take the plunge even if there's a knot in your stomach.
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Alan Madden Ha! Thanks for the head's up!
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The question you would want to ask yourself, is now how many of these script reviewers are using AI and converting their findings into their own words and cues.