Hello guys, I have a concern,
After writing short films, I finally finish writing a feature film and working on the second, but I m always scared to submit it or even share it, What advice can you give me in terms of how the script should look before submitting to a manager?
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I write coverage for Script Fix, and I can recommend their services. The guy who runs has his head screwed on straight, and the staff represents a pretty good cross-section of what you will find in development offices. In general, getting an "inside look" at how development offices will see your script is the job coverage and notes services are built to solve. It's not a perfect system, or even a fair one, but it's a service you can use.
Thank you, and do you have a link of it?
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If you've never shared your script before then I assume you've never received feedback on your work. If that's the case, don't pay for feedback. Find places to get free feedback or post it to your loglines page here and request feedback. Honestly, paying at this stage in your career is a waste of money.
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American Zoetrope is an excellent place to workshop your script.
Sure thing, Fabrice: https://script-fix.com/
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I agree with Pierre. Try to get someone with more experience than you have to read it so you know what you need to work on. Most new screenwriters make the same mistakes so anyone with some experience can help you without you spending money.
Feedback can be so valuable. I think it's good to see how the experience of a story comes across, as a whole, to someone who hasn't spent hours immersed in writing and revising the little pieces of it. I would find at least another writer I could lean on for honest and constructive feedback. I think it's worthwhile to use an editor to give it a quick proof before sending a script out to managers.
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Also, I thought this was a helpful article! A few years old, but still relevant. A checklist of criteria that production companies are thinking when reading your script: https://screencraft.org/2014/04/04/script-readers-checklist/
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Feel free to send it my way if your just looking for someone to read it. I'm in the habit of reading all the scripts I can get my hands on. I can help you confirm any issues you may have or simply contribute feedback that will help you decide if it is ready.
My opinion is the more readers you have the better. It can help you find the issues that keep popping up! I'm happy to help in any way I can!
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Me three, with Pierre. I did coverage on my very first script, with the intention though to get my flaws pointed out by a professional as I knew I was green...but by the time I got the feedback I had already learned what my flaws were from interacting here lol So most of what I was told I already began working on in the interim.
As newer writers we're normally eager to rush out there, but continued writing and reading scripts and interacting with more knowledgeable creatives garners a lot of growth. And you're in the right community here. There are those who have experience in the industry that will read your script, even if just a portion, and give feedback,. Go with that route first and hone your craft.
Best wishes bro!
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I'll second or third or nth the strategy of getting fellow writers, who are willing, to give your material a read and let you know their thoughts. Then build up to opting into evaluations for contests you might enter. Then see if you can do the same for others, then volunteer for contests/festival where you yourself can evaluate, working up to writing coverage for independent production companies. Eventually though you might find writing coverage tiring but by then, hopefully, you'll be at the writing level to submitting to producers in full confidence that your material holds it own against anything else that's getting produced by even major studios. Good luck!