I've thought of seeking help with some of my projects. I'm aware of script "consultants" but asked an extremely well established screenwriter for their opinion and they brushed off the idea entirely, even for a newbie like me.
I tend to only write about topics I have deep knowledge of, and after paying for coverage on several of my scripts, the areas of weakness are quite obvious and consistent. My approach so far has been to read and watch everything instructional I can find, along with rewatching all of my favorite films and shows to try and gain whatever insight I can.
I know writing in general is mostly a solitary endeavour. Is collaboration uncommon among screenwriters? This is all new to me so please forgive my naivety.
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Hi, Mike Blesch, if you look for in the Script Services you have some possibilities you can choose to have help with your script: Script Coverage, Script Consulting, Logline revenue... Also here in the lounges you can ask all the questions you want because the community is very helpfull . Have you considered to subscribe The Writer´s Room'? We always get help with our doubts,
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Hi Mike, As an emerging screenwriter myself and way outside of Hollywood, I've come to depend on screenwriting festivals for feedback. It took me a while to refine my approach to submissions, but finally settled on the Wiki Screenplay Festival sponsored by Where Hollywood Hides. The challenge with this approach is waiting for their analysis. The Wiki is fast. You enter one month and you'll have an analysis within the month. If you accomplish your re-write within 10 days you can resubmit for 50% off the fee. I usually book the full script analysis, which provides great notes that are actionable. Check it out. Their reviewers are all pros.
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Do as I have done. Send a message to those in your network here at Stage32. "I am willing to read your screenplay if you read mine". I have received a lot of useful feedback in this way. And learned by reading screenplays written by other members.
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From my experience, both collaboration and script consulting can be useful depending on where you are with your script.
I’ve used coverage and also worked with a script consultant before, and what helped most was getting consistent feedback on recurring issues rather than one-off notes.
The lounges here are also very helpful for specific questions when you’re stuck on something.
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Experienced writers will brush off consultants. It's not because consultants are bad conceptually; it's just that most screenwriting consultants tend to be either failed writers or someone repeating a set of generic reductive rules like a grifting parrot.
Go into any community, and you will see a 'consultant' posting trite advice straight from the dummies guide to screenwriting, almost always in a dogmatic way, usually along the lines of:
Never use unfilmables
Exposition is the enemy
Formating is everything
Dialogue is about what's unsaid
Just freaking entertain me
While none of it is inherently wrong, it's always presented as live or die black and white facts with zero nuance.
In all fairness to their grift, screenwriters do lap it up and share it around.
They talk about 'tightening' and 'solidifying' and other wanky terms they can't actually explain.
They almost never have any credits or experience, but imply that they do. The gall of some is remarkable. There's one out there who used to have a section on her website titled "my movies", which turned out to be a load of story consultant credits on short films. There was a guy on here who claimed "some credits" and had one short film he'd made himself about someone jumping off the World Trade Center. I had one approach me on the old Amazon Studios forum nearly fifteen years ago, telling me I needed "professional notes," and they're still doing the same to this day on Reddit.
Most people don't actually need a consultant. They need to sit down and study the craft. Paying for coverage and then having a consultant address the issues is a complete boondoggle and seems at odds with actually just wanting to create.
We're going through a weird wave of bottom-feeding consultants spamming communities at the mo, possibly powered by AI. There are half a dozen on here posting on users' walls and leaving spammy comments.
Simply ask them for:
Their writing credits
Their development jobs
Their client success stories
That will filter 99% out.
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On a lighter note, the screenwriting consultant trope was lampooned in The Lego Movie 2. When the character Rex Dangervest (who later turns out to be a fraud) is trying to impress Wyldstyle, he rattles off a resume of red flags in an attempt to impress her, which includes the occupation "Script Doctor".
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Thank you all for the replies and thanks CJ Walley for the honest take. I come from a martial arts background where the most efficient way to address weaknesses is to work one-on-one with a good coach. In that arena, no amount of reading or studying film will ever replace proper coaching, so my natural instinct is go that direction. I've found some writers with legit credits offering consulting services that would probably be beneficial, but I think I'll hold off for now. I do have an advisor / SME for one of my projects and that's been great. For the time being I'll keep plugging away on my own and hopefully continue to improve.
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That makes sense, but martial arts is almost completely objective, whereas the arts are almost entirely subjective. This is why a lot of the sports metaphors don't work.
Very few consultants are objective and craft-focused. From what I've seen, almost all of them are at an intermediate level at best. You're just paying for someone's opinion (with zero industry insight or experience) and for them to reel off a bunch of overly simplified rules that don't really apply.
The creative arts are a strange beast. Nobody really knows anything. The most loved films in history had many haters during development or just after release.
Good consultants do exist, but they are rare, and they don't troll forums looking for work. They know what certain prodcos look for and what makes a script commercially appealing in general - but it's still a crapshoot. Two that stand out here above all others are Phil Clarke and Danny Manus.
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My recommendation is that you read many scripts and watch many movies, if what you want is to write cinema, but do not waste your time watching tv series if the cinema is your main objective, because in the movies there is no time to delve so much into the characters, nor need to do it. But, above all, apply yourself with script reading, and get familiar with the format, borrow what interests you most from each author, that will help you develop your own method of formatting. This is more important than nothing. It will be your personal brand. Don't forget.
No one better than you to know when you have finished a story. You don't need anyone to tell you. Leave the script consultant to the production company. They will already look for one if your script interests them. Good luck.