Screenwriting : Coverfly Is Shutting Down. What Does This Mean for Screenwriters? by Tucker Teague

I posted scripts on Coverfly, but I didn't have time to really use it, Tucker Teague. I find much more value on Stage 32 like you. I know a lot of writers who use Coverfly, and it getting shut down is a blow for them. Hopefully they'll find success through other platforms and avenues.

I joined Coverfly late when everything started going away, so I ended up never really using it. Very happy I found stage32 to try to continue developing myself as a writer.

Tucker Teague Meh! Frankly not much of a loss to the screenwriting community.

Not saying you're wrong, but I'm an active Coverfly user and received no such notification, and outside of No Film School(?) I don't see any other outlets reporting this. I would be surprised if they did, but not shocked. They're owned by Backstage LLC who also own Screencraft (and other sites). I did see Screencraft was shutting down (not sure if that's true either) curious to see if this plays out.

Dustin Quinteros with CoverflyX shutting down it does make it more believable to me.

I didn’t know it was shutting down? that’s unfortunate. I had just received another email regarding their competitions. I’ve had success before, reaching semi finals with a screenplay, I was hoping to submit another. do we know when this is going to happen?

Wonder if they just got bought out by a bigger company.

John Vazquez from a business standpoint it makes sense for them (Backstage) to shut down all of their external sites and consolidate. They're basically competing with themselves.

Dustin Quinteros I haven't received any email from Coverfly either, but the news doesn't surprise me. Both FilmFreeway and Coverfly were purchased by Backstage in 2021 and they both do nearly exactly the same thing. No use having them both. Personnally, I find FilmFreeway a better site, but that's just my opinion. Also, I did see that the founder of Coverfly, Scott Lawrie, say on twitter:

"i spent nearly a decade putting everything i had into creating coverfly. it's been agonizing to watch its downfall after leaving a few years ago.

perhaps i'll say more on this in the future. for now, thank you to the writers/partners who supported us along the way."

I'd like to think nofilmschool wouldn't publish something like that if is was merely speculation, but idk.

That’s sad news, but business life is like that. Thanks for sharing Tucker Teague

Hi Tucker Teague! I'm glad to hear that you find Stage 32's resources and opportunities as beneficial!, and that's only a fraction of all the ways Stage 32 serves our community! Not only are we the largest online platform for connecting and educating the global entertainment industry, our team are working to get writers in front of the best opportunities for them! We've helped launch the careers of numerous writers and filmmakers, gotten people signed, and have helped bring stories onto the big screen! If you're ever in the need of personal matchmaking, don't hesitate to reach out to our Success Team (success@stage32.com) who can help you find what you are looking for!

Hey Tucker - Whenever they pull the trigger on Coverfly for good, I'll be sorry to see it go. It's been a comprehensive, fairly elegant administrative platform for screenwriters and their allies in the business. But even though there’s been a contraction of the field, I think we lose sight of Coverfly's role in the greater scheme of things. What platforms like Coverfly have made a business of documenting is the fact that, for people who use the service, contacts with kindred spirits have been made, the potential for professional relationships has been at least established, the possibility of recognition is realized. In an industry as small as the entertainment business colloquially known as Hollywood, any contact is a good contact, and every contact has the potential to be a career-changing experience. The true value of admin platforms and sounding boards like Coverfly lies in their ability to help writers organize their portfolios and their strategies, and to make and cultivate those contacts, to help foster the relationships this business is based on. Coverfly’s absence, bad as it will be, doesn’t change our need to keep networking by other means, with others in the industry — to realize that, for all its organizational ability, Coverfly was never the ecosystem. We are.

Tucker, the way I see it, Coverfly shutting down means one fewer place where people can see scripts.

I know...I didn't use the site as often as I've used Stage 32 or Script Revolution. Still, I'm going to miss Coverfly.

Michael Eric Ross great points. Thanks.

Jim Boston I to like the idea of there being diversity and options, just like with social media platforms.

I hate to see it go. I have screenplays on there and awards. I wonder what happens with them. I really dislike FilmFreeway because there are so many vanity festivals on there and I am only interested in the screenplay ones. And I want the red list back since I'm on it. You still have the black list, but that works differently.

The important thing to remember here is that the data is still there and the company that owns it still in operation. There's always the chance it migrates elswhere.

But there's a lesson here too about putting all your eggs in one basket. If you are going to spend any money or energy, try to spend it on things that are universally beneficial to you moving forward.

Competitions are woefully ineffective at career building. Coverfly shutting down is an opportunity to cut yourself off from the world and start networking instead.

CJ Walley I am on Blacklist (no scripts), Script Revolution, Coverfly and Film Freeway. None of those brought me fame. Networking is always the thing to go for and I am. I am producing my own movies and I found a director through a totally different platform. But I do like a display of my screenplay and awards. FilmFreeway can do the same, but I find it very wonky and so many vanity festivals on there.

I was pretty bummed to hear this. I spent the last year submitting to contests through them and had worked my way up to the top 4%. Hopefully the data finds a home.

I have heard others are gong out of busines,too! Is this true?

Matthew Tallacksen I'm in the top 6%, so I hear ya. I don't mind being in the top 6% of the black list, but that won't happen. And eventhough my top 6% script is filmed already, I still want to keep my accolade.

I am so sad to hear this. I really enjoyed Coverfly as a website and a place to submit to competitions. Filmfreeway is fine, I just preferred Coverfly's layout a lot more. My short script also has been in the top 1% for I think 3 years now? It was also on the Red List there and everything! I was really proud of those achievements.

Well done Raymond Zachariasse, being in the top 6% is not small feat.

Callie Currence, fortunately you will have all of those amazing achievements forever! Maybe someone at Filmfreeway will take the data and incorporate into their website. Fingers crossed. Keep up the amazing work!

The percent you rank can alter. One of my screenplays was in top 2%, then 15, now 13%. Yes, it would be nice to keep.

I think and hope those achievements will move to FilmFreeway as I heard both have the same owner. So, maybe a red list in FilmFreeway?

Update 2025, so doing some online research, take that for what it's worth, but Coverfly is not closing/shutting down, it's only Coverfly X.