Cold Calling

Ok... so in order to get your name out there and get your writing in front of people you need to master the art of Cold Calling. I... am not a master. But I do know the importance of the activity.

I get butterflies in my stomach as I'm dialing the phone. I sit and re-read and re-read and re-read email queries over and over until I'm satisfied that they are 100% perfect... Inevitably I go back to them a day later and BAM! Spelling mistake, or I've accidentally repeated a word a dozen times. I think even veterans have this issue. BUT! Its an exercise that needs to be done.

Most of my cold calls are for interviews for the Website. Contacted people I don't know or haven't spoken to in years is difficult and uncomfortable. So here's a couple of tricks I use to make it a little less like a job interview.

1) Know your stuff. If they ask a question of you, you need an answer. So if you're pitching a show, know your world. So when they ask you... Why do the Purple dragons eat only vegetables and the Green dragons only marshmallows you can easily answer with something that sound splausible.

2) Know who you're calling. Find out about them people, the company, their prod. history and make sure that what you're ptiching is something they'd be interested in. If you're pitching a Sci-Fi Epic to a Documentary company you'll look like an ass.

3) Remember the worste thing that can happen is they tell you they are not interested. You have nothing to lose.

4) Remember your stuff is GOOD! I mean really good... BE confident, and self assured... but don't be a jerk about it. People LOVE to offer opinions... and yes, I'm sure you put everything you have into your script or show, but remember. You going to them. Show them that you know your stuff. That you are confident that you can do the job and get results... but that you're open to their ideas and expertise.

5) MAKE SURE ITS READY... Don't make a single call until you have something polished to show them. It's really hard to rattle off a completely polished script in 24hrs. So be prepared for them to say... Can you send us a sample? Make sure its polished. Get some expert Coverage done. Make sure you've dotted you I's and crossed your T's. A sloppy script won't sell... an unfinished script... unless you're Paul Haggis or Quentin Tarantino won't sell either... They can sell concepts... We're not so lucky...

6) If its a phone cold call... Rehearse with a friend. Have them pretend to be the producer and go through your pitch. It sounds stupid, but at the end of the day the more you go over it the more you know what will work and what won't. You don't want to run at the mouth and sound like an idiot on the phone. You want your conversation to be as polished as your script.

7) FOR GOD SAKES keep it short. Don't linger. A query letter is a page. Be breif. Answer questions, be informative, but don't ramble. Again... you'll sound like a Noob!

I have rehearsed cold calls in front of a mirror before. Just to get an idea of what I would sound like. I've also recorded myself answering questions to make sure I'm not shooting myself in the foot.

At the end of the day, the best advice I can offer that has helped me is... be prepared.

Anyway... Time for a few more calls...

Cheers!

- G

Holiday season

Hello...

Ok... so I'm an awful blogger... I haven't had time to write anything here 'cause I've been super busy on other projects. So here's the update....

The-GreenLight.com 1st Annual Script Contest was a success. Our winner T.L. Lewis wrote a masterful piece entitled "REBIRTH" set in the days of the Huguenots. It's brilliant.

Also we're now running a monthly contest that is doing very well... We'll be announcing our 3rd winner at the end of the month! The quality of script submissions is amazing. There are a lot of really talented and creative people out there... Sooooooooooooo... I'm reading and reading and that's an awesome thing.

Now for me... I am on the 3rd draft of the outline for my Pilot. That doesn't really sound all that impressive (3rd draft of an outline)... But if the outline sucks so will the script... Everything should be worked out ahead of time so you don't end up doing what I did with Ghost Hunter (we'll get to that in a minute). Also... when you have a good outline the finished piece practically writes itself. By the end of the outlining stage you should know everything you need to know so that all you have to do is drop in some of your witty dialog and BAM! 1st draft is ready for polishing.

Now... Ghost Hunter... It's my 3rd feature script. Post-apocalyptic Earth... A world shrouded in darkness... Well... Let me just say... don't start the first RE-Write if you haven't finished the 1st draft. I found myself re-writing the script before I had even finished the 1st draft. This lead to a number of problems not the least of which was the fact that some of the things I re-wrote in the early stages didn't line up with anything on the back end... So you have these things that seem like major plot points that vanish into thin air... Needless to say I have a Major overhaul to do on it before its ready to be sent off for its first round of coverage... If I sent it now... I would get a two word report back "EPIC FAIL!" - It's all good... I know its a hot mess... But its done! and the foundation is solid... Soooooo writing is re-writing... and I will do a re-write.

So... between polishing off the 3rd feature, getting 3 drafts of the outline for my TV Pilot and all the fun stuff we're doing on The-GreenLight.com I've been a little busy... Too busy to blog... BUT once my vacation starts in about 5 hours and 57 min... I have nothing but time...

My goals for this vacation... Write an episode of Hotwheels: Battle Force 5, an American Dad, and outline an episode of Trauma... Also... finish the outline for the Pilot, and get the 1st draft of the script written! I only have 2 weeks... So I'll be happy with just getting the 1st draft of my pilot done... BUT you have to set goals! and the higher they are, the more you'll prove to yourself what you can actually accomplish if you set your mind to it.

Cheers! and have a safe and happy holiday season!

- G

An Interview with Writer\Script Coach\Story Analyst Xandy Sussan

TGL - Today we have the pleasure of interviewing Xandy Sussan - Writer, producer, story analyst. Xandy tell us a little about yourself, how you got started and what has kept you working in the industry over the years?

XS - I’m Xandy Sussan, a produced writer and script coach / story analyst with CoverMyScript.com. I always knew I wanted to be a writer. When I was 10, I saw Woody Allen’s “Sleeper” and I was hooked! I grew up surrounded by movies (my parents are both huge movie buffs) and I was a self-confessed TV junkie by the time I could speak (I think that was my third word… eek), so there was really only the one direction to go in. I would say, if anything keeps me going it is that I continue to write movies and television I would want to see made. It’s really as simple as that.

TGL - As a professional reader I’m sure you’ve had the opportunity to read some really good material over the years (in between the nightmares I’ve sent your way). What makes a good story stick out? Can you identify a few commonalities between one good script and another?

XS - Well, a good story has compelling characters, solid structure and leaves you satisfied at the end, making sure to use everything. Most new writers think it’s okay to just have a notion “a single mom balances her job against her kids” and that’s enough to rest a whole project on. Well, it’s not. They say “God is in the details,” and never more so than in screenwriting. It’s not necessarily the freshness of the story (although that helps a ton) but it’s also the execution. If you can’t figure out how to craft this single mom so that she’s gripping, likable and worth rooting for, if your structure doesn’t flow, and if you mention details that don’t pay off, no matter how excellent your premise is, your script will never be a success.

TGL - There are a bunch of myths and legends about making it in Hollywood. Is it true that 98% of the scripts that make it to Hollywood end up in the trash before they even make it to a readers hands? What are some of the common pitfalls a newbie writer will make that will guarantee their material will end up being filed under “G” for garbage? Are all Studio Readers really Film School Interns unwilling to risk their reputations on a new writers work?

XS - This is really a two part question. It’s more like Studio Readers are frustrated writers who hate you and your work, just because it’s yet another script they have to read. They’re tired, they’re blind, they’re poverty stricken, and they’re having just as hard a time getting their agent on the phone as it took you to get your script past the door. It’s harsh to say, but mostly true. There are many production companies and talent agencies that use interns to do coverage. These kids are usually still in college or recent college grads and wouldn’t know a good story from their elbow, but they’re cheap labor and that’s what makes Hollywood go ‘round.

Part two: Okay, so how does someone with no connections get past the lions at the gate? I’ve just relearned this recently, it’s amazing what happens when you cold call. Most times, 97 times out of 100, you’ll get rejected and hung up on, but those other 3 times, someone might be interested in checking out your work.

Rule #1, don’t contact anyone about anything, until such time as you have the script perfect (I don’t mean that your mom liked it, I mean that there’s no typos, it’s in the correct font, it’s been checked out by an independent professional etc.) There’s nothing worse than getting someone on the phone willing to look at your work, but the script isn’t finished. Then you have to rush it through and it’s a waste of everyone’s time. Make sure the work is ready to go and you should have no problems.

Rule # 2 You should have a solid query to go along with your script already prepared before you call anyone. Same rules as above apply. You don’t want to get caught with your pants down. A friend told me there’s a simple rule to writing a query… short, short, short. Your logline should be no more than 2 sentences and 55 scintillating words making your story seem so sexy and exciting that how could they refuse. I know that sounds impossible, and trust me, it ain’t easy, but it’s doable. And you should keep at it until it’s perfect.

Rule #3 Always charm the assistant of whomever you’re trying to reach. The assistants are the gate keepers and they decide what gets through and what doesn’t. The first time you call, get their names and keep good records. If when you call, you say “Hi Jill, it’s Xandy Sussan, we spoke a few weeks ago about my script” you’ll get a better response than “Hi it’s Xandy Sussan, I’m calling about my script.” People love to be addressed by name, and it makes them think they should know you, since you know them. It puts you in the power position.

Rule #4 There is a fine line between stalking and following up. Stalking is calling every day. Following up is every 2 weeks. Don’t be a stalker. But that being said, you should always ask when would be convenient for them for you to follow up, then do as they say. Patient yet persistent, but don’t be a stalker.

And the rest is luck and tenacity. If you’re a quitter, don’t bother. Show your script to your friends and family and let them pat you on the back for being a genius. If you are a rabid dog, who never quits and always perseveres, keep at it. You’ll eventually make enough connections to get through to someone.

My one last pearl of wisdom for newbies, never get off the phone with someone who said “no” without asking them who else you should call. You never know what will happen. This is where being both pushy and charming comes into play. Best case scenario, you get another contact, worst case, they say, “bye” and you’re no worse off than when you started.

TGL - A lot of my readers probably don’t know the importance and usefulness of script coverage, so I thought this would be a great opportunity to get an EXPERT’S opinion of why getting coverage will benefit ANY writer, new or veteran, but also to get some clarity about some of the terminology.

XS - What is script coverage and why is it a good tool? Script coverage is, usually, a two page (or so) report about your script and is largely used by agents, managers, prodcos to manage and evaluate their script submissions. For screenwriters, it’s a tool to help you asses where you are with your work. It will contain the basic information, writer’s name, reader’s name, date, logline, a synopsis and comments.

The logline is a quick sentence that describes your script. For example the logline for “Tootsie” might be “When an unemployed actor needs to raise money, he poses as female in order to get a job on a soap.” It’s just the basic essence of your story. Don’t worry if the reader doesn’t address your multi-leveled pathos in the logline. It’s really just the gist of the story.

The synopsis can be helpful to new writers because often times they’re unable to see a better way to tell their story. They’re too close to it and can no longer see what’s really on the page. A synopsis will provide the chance for the writer to see how another person views their story, thusly illuminating a path to salvation.

The comments section is the bitter pill to swallow for most writers. Everyone is very sensitive about their work, even me, because it’s so personal. You spend 100’s of hours working on something, only to have someone shit all over it for what feels like no reason. Here’s the deal with comments, and I say this all the time when people have several opinions and they’re trying to reconcile them: take what feels right to you. You know in your gut if something’s not right with your script. You know it, even if you don’t want to admit it. So, when the reader suggests that there is a problem, listen to what they have to say and take the comments that feel organic to you. The others, you can ignore. But that’s why having a reader you can trust is so important. You want someone who sees scripts non-stop and knows their stuff. Your friends will tell you your script is great because they love you. And while that’s sweet, it doesn’t help you get your script sold. You want tough harsh critics who will push you to your limits.

So, while Script coverage is a useful tool, you also have to pick your story analyst very carefully. Anyone with $10 and an internet connection can set up a script coverage / story analysis website and claim to be a “professional.” Always check out your reader before you hire them. See what they’re charging. This isn’t one of those instances where cheaper is better (and I’m a bargain hunter through and through). What you’re looking for is someone who can inspire you, has inspired others, has a track record of success and someone with whom you feel simpatico. Your relationship with your reader is going to become, best case informative and speedy. Worst case, it’s gonna be co-dependant. You need someone who understands your goals, your script, and knows how to get you there. Think of your reader as a personal trainer for your writing muscles. If they don’t, or you don’t get a good vibe, or they seem slim shady, whatever, don’t go with them. Keep hunting until you find the right person for you. In most cases, your reader is going to become your confidant, teacher, and someone more emotionally intimate with you than your mate. You want someone you want to spend time with and someone who knows their stuff.

Also, try not to argue with your reader about their notes. I know it’s very personal but, if you’ve done your homework and you’ve found your reader soulmate, you should trust that they have your best interest at heart. I, personally, never lie and I never couch my words. It does my clients a disservice if I kiss their asses and tell them their scripts are great. It doesn’t help them and it doesn’t help me. However, when I’m brutally honest, and tell them it sucks, once they finally get it right and hear from me “I loved it!” they know they’ve really got something then. Honesty is what you want, even if you’re sensitive and have easily hurt feelings. Otherwise you’ll never grow or reach your writing goals.

Last thing you want to look for is someone willing to do a call with you after you’ve read the report. You’ll have questions and you’ll want access to the reader to discuss. Usually an hour is standard and included. If they don’t include a call, or they charge extra, beware. They’re just out to take your money. So choose wisely and you’ll go far.

TGL - Pass\Recommend\Consider... These words seem relatively self explanatory, but they hold a little more weight on a coverage report. Can you give us a little detail on their significance?

XS - Pass means it sucks and it shouldn’t be made or passed along to anyone until the corrections are made. Depending on the reader, and the situation, pass can mean two things. For me and my writer clients, when I “pass” I mean they need to work out their script issues before anyone else should ever see it. For a production company, when I say “pass” I mean “Throw out this piece of trash, I want my two hours back.”

Consider means that there are some positive elements. The story could have a good premise but fail to deliver in certain places. The characters could be great, but the story needs some work. It’s really a middle of the road sort of comment and normally just ends up being a pass, unless it was written by a celebrity, in which case, it’s a greenlight. But a consider could also mean they would be willing to see something else by you in the future, because you don’t totally suck.

Recommend, and that’s a rare one, means this script is so excellent, so wonderful, that if someone else higher up doesn’t read it, they’re missing out. I would say, in my 10 year career, I’ve recommended 7 scripts, 5 of which got made. The other two won at festivals. So, getting a recommend is a coup, to say the least.

TGL - Being a writer\producer and professional reader, what do you look for in a good coverage report?

XS - The comments mostly. If the comments are thoughtful, make sense and are helpful (offering suggestions or alternatives) that to me is the best sort of coverage. It differs between production companies and writers. Prodcos are just looking mostly for a “yes” or a “no”. Writers need more help and guidance. Indie producers are looking for a mixture of both. They often work with the writer and it becomes a team effort, in which each member has a say and they collaborate to make it great.

TGL - Loglines... What makes a good one great? What do you think the key to writing a great logline is?

XS - Quick and to the point. My example above is the perfect logline. It gives the gist of the plot without focusing in too much on the details of the script. The details come later in the synopsis and comments section.

TGL - Why is a coverage report a good idea? What can a professional reader offer that your best friend or mother haven’t already told you?

XS - The truth! Ha! Your best friend and mother love you. They’re so proud of you that you decided to do this creative thing, and while they might know all the lines to “Gone With The Wind” that doesn’t make them industry professionals. Now, if your mother or best friend is a story analyst, professional writer or development exec, (as mine are) then listen to them. They probably know what they’re talking about, but even then, take from their comments what feels right to you.

I don’t think my mother has ever said she loved anything I wrote. No, I take that back. I wrote a nighttime soap in college she liked a lot, but I didn’t care for it. It’s been downhill since then. She doesn’t even like the stuff I’ve had produced, so of course, she’s my go to gal for notes because she always tells the truth, harsh as it may seem. But again, I have to take what she says with a grain of salt. As a professional writer, she understands story, structure, and character development, but her taste is wildly different from mine, so that’s where we clash. I’m young and write with slang and a patois that makes her cranky. So, when she says she doesn’t like a line because the grammar is bad or the slang is incomprehensible to her, I always have to explain, that’s how that character speaks. But when she has a solid note about my end of act two dark moment, I have to listen because she’s right.

Most people don’t have so many writers in one family. My husband is a produced screenwriter and my mother is a novelist and magazine contributor. One of my best friends works in development at Warner Bros., so he’s my go to guy for notes as well. So, if this isn’t your story, seek out a professional if you want the truth about your writing. If you want hugs and cookies for writing a movie, regardless of its merit, go see your mom. She’ll kiss you and then post your script on the fridge and you’ll get the love you’re looking for. If you want to achieve your goals, seek out professional help from someone you trust.

TGL - Where do you see most new writers losing their way in a script? Is it the second act slump? Is it in the first ten pages? What can they do to avoid making those mistakes?

XS - As of today, I’ve read 1779 scripts. That includes the 300 rewrites I’ve read of the same script over and over… I kid, but you get the point. But no, really, 1779. I can tell by page 1 if the script is going to be worthwhile. That being said, I find that most writers lose their way with structure. They have good ideas but poor execution, and that is always their downfall. The three act structure is there because it works. I don’t want to hear “waa waa waa, three act structure is a formula and I’m so creative I’m doing alternative structure.” I don’t want to hear it because there’s one David Lynch and one Tarantino. When you become the third guy or gal in that group, do what you want. The thing about the three act structure is that, even in alternative structure stories, they’re still told using three acts. They’re just better writers and are able to disguise that so you can’t tell. And if you want to really look down the rabbit hole, each act should have three acts, but that’s another story for another day. Don’t be fooled by bells and whistles. All scripts have a flow and if you fail to use it or can’t get it right, you’re done. And any reader worth their fee will know it right off the bat.

TGL - Formatting? Is it as important as the internet makes it out to be? Will they burn you in effigy if you aren’t using ACCO 1 ¼” Brads?

XS - Uh, it’s the MOST important thing. I know that seems dumb and superficial, but it’s Hollywood. It’s all dumb and superficial. My first agent almost fired me when my partner and I sent over materials and all we had were the super long brads. I cut the brad down so it would be the right length. Well, she cut her finger on it and called me screaming. Her point was, imagine if she was not her but someone I was trying to sell to and my idiocy had maimed them. My career would be over before it began. I kissed her ass and apologized to her, but it was a lesson well learned.

Formatting is the most important thing you’ll never realize you’ve done wrong, until you fail and get called out for it. No clever fonts ever! Courier 12 or Courier Final Draft 12, and that’s it. No colored cover pages. 1 ¼ brads, always. 2, not 3, 2 brads. The center is left empty… why I don’t know, but that’s how it’s done.

The thing is, there’s a 100 reasons for them to say no before they even crack open the script. If you get as far as someone willing to read it, and they open it and find the whole script is in 30pt circus font, you know the person is an amateur and you’re done with them. My feeling has always been, if the writer has typos or weird fonts or other formatting faux pas on the first page, then they’re not worth my time. And their script could be the next “Citizen Kane” but I would never know, because I’d pass immediately. Don’t ever give anyone a stupid reason to pass on your script. There’s plenty of valid reasons coming down the pike.

TGL - Looking back over your career, knowing what you know now, what would you tell yourself if you could go back in time to when you first got the spark for the Movie Industry? What gems of insight would you give yourself?

XS - Well, huh, that’s a tough one. I’ve always marched to my own drummer. I’ve always done what I wanted. I’ve always been intrepid and adventurous with my life. I mean, seriously, choosing this as a career was deranged, but it’s worked out so far to some degree. Apart from not being a millionaire yet, I’ve hit my major goals. I made it into the WGA before I was 30. I’m sold, produced and continue to work as a paid screenwriter, so there’s that. I love my business and helping other writers achieve their goals.

But, I would tell myself not to take everything so seriously. I would tell myself to work out my issues with my parents 10 years ago, when normal people did it and not measure my success based on their yard stick. I would tell myself that being able to write a significant piece of material takes time, dedication and patience and that to rush because I have an opportunity never served me well in the long run.

Honestly, I would do most of it, my career stuff, the same way, only I would’ve been more tenacious and less afraid of repercussions. I would have written more and tried harder to get noticed (half the battle in Hollywood). It’s been my experience that story editors, prodcos and the like, are attracted to a healthy sense of moxie and determination. I would make better use of that, as my moxie and determination are my greatest skills.

And I would tell myself that no matter how much I fail, there’s no other life out there for me that would be nearly as satisfying or rewarding, no matter how much I have to starve or suffer to have it. It’s always worthwhile, the second someone says “yes.” And they do say “yes” sometimes. The trick is not allowing yourself to go nuts in between the yeses and doubt yourself and abilities.

TGL - Thank you so much for taking part in this interview... What can we look forward to from Xandy Sussan? What are you currently working on?

XS - Well, thanks for having me. This has been a challenging set of questions! I just finished a 30 minute dramedy pilot for cable that we’re shopping, I’m writing a feature film based on a Poe poem, and I’m writing my own passion project: a super secret comedy that I’ll talk all about once it’s done! Plus, I’m always available to help other writers achieve what they want out of their own writing. It helps, on the days when I’m blocked, to focus on somebody else’s story problems!

TGL - Cheers! And thank you again.

Understanding Script Coverage - Why do I need it?

Ok, so you keep hearing this word being tossed around and you have no idea what it is or why it has everybody losing their minds. Well, to be honest I haven’t quite understood why the industry puts such a heavy weight to Script Coverage because it’s a subjective process to some extent and depending on the weather, how your reader slept the night before or if they had the time to, you may get differing results.

Coverage is a written report, kind of like Cole’s Notes, design to give agents, producers, and execs a feel for your script without having to read the entire manuscript. Most of the honchos don’t have time to sit and read all day. They are busy making things happen (which is where you want them to be). A coverage report breaks your script down for them and presents it in a concise and skilful way that they can, at a glance, decide if they’ll have someone else read it for them... ;)

Seriously, a good coverage is what opens doors and gets everything moving for you.
In a coverage report you’ll have a few basic sections. First they will summary the script particulars, title, genre, # pages, the writer, who is doing the coverage etc. This is fairly standard.

Next, some give a logline for the script. It’s a good one liner that gets the point of the story across and creates some interest. (Writing a good one is a masterful skill that takes time to develop!).

Now Coverage Reports vary from one reader to the next and each company has their own specifics and order they want the info presented in, but at the end of the day they all have the same stuff in ‘em.

You will have a grading section. In this section you will be given a “Pass”, “Consider”, or “Recommend” rating in several categories.

Pass means that the work is not up to par or not desirable now (there are many reasons why this can be so, not all of them related to the quality of the source material). Usually, the work doesn’t receive further attention within the industry.

Consider means that the work as written has merit or shows promise and should be further assessed. A Consider evaluation can lead to the source material itself actually being read by a producer, executive or agent (between incessant parties, galas and exciting film opening events, of course), and/or more of the writer’s work being solicited for review by those in the industry.

Recommend is the highest acclaim, and not often conferred. The script, story, etc. is good enough in its current manifestation to warrant a read, and usually it will be read, often by a producer or someone in an industry decision-maker’s chain of command.

Some categories you may be graded on are, Premise, Plot\Storyline, Structure, Dialogue, Production Value, Project (as a whole) and, You the Writer. They may use a different rating system for these finer point of the analysis and give poor, fair, good and excellent ratings, but you will almost always get a Pass, Consider or Recommend for the Project and you as a Writer.

There is always a synopsis of the script. Some are a page but not usually more than three. This is a good tool for you because it will highlight the areas that caught the readers attention, and if you feel they missed important parts of the script. That likely means you missed too… Re-write them and punch them up and bring the reader’s attention to them!

The next common section is the Reader’s comments and opinions. Here you have 1 -3 pages of notes the reader feels are important. If you are paying someone for Coverage, this section is extremely important to you because this is where they will offer their ideas on missed opportunities and where you can make improvements. This is the section you are actually paying for! If you have a good reader (And I do – Thank god!), they will be to the point. They will not sugar coat their comments and they will offer suggestions and constructive criticism on how you can improve your project and make it Silver Screen worthy. Don’t argue! Fix it! They are right. Think of it like this. You are paying them to review your work. You are paying them for their opinion. So don’t call ‘em out ‘cause you don’t like what they have to say. My reader once told me she was going to spank me because she had to read a 105 page Romantic Comedy that didn’t have a kiss at the end. Even after I argued the “Sleepless in Seattle” point, I was put back into my place. She also told me that she told all her writing friends and they all had a good laugh at my expense. She is the best thing that has ever happened to my writing!

Now, this doesn’t mean you need to blindly obey your Reader's every whim. YOU are the writer! And YOU know your story! Or at least you should!!! So take what you’re given and put your spin on the ideas. Think of the comments as a recipe. It may call for Chocolate chips, but caramel or peanut butter chips might be just as good… So play around with the THEME of the suggestions. AND… RE-WRITE!!!! RE-WRITE, RE-WRITE!

I keep stressing this point, but its true… Writing and story development is an ever evolving process. You will never have a perfect script, and you’ll never be done with it. You WILL however get to the point when you are DONE with a script! That’s the point when you can’t look at it or read it without your jaw tightening and your mouth filling with that tangy pre-vom juice. Set it aside and work on something else… ANYWAY! Back on Topic!

After the summary or somewhere within the report there may be budget suggestions. I have no idea how accurate these estimates are… Usually they are vague enough to fall within your own idea of the Blockbuster production you’ve submitted.

WHY IS COVERAGE IMPORTANT?

Coverage is a tool! It is a great tool for you to gauge the preparedness of your script for Contest Submission, Queries to Agents, Prod Cos, and Producers. Unless you are getting a consider or recommend, forget it. Each year millions of scripts are sent to Hollywood for the Industry to peruse. Of those Millions, 98% of them end up in shredders and recycle bins. Of the remaining 2% you find such masterful creations as Waterworld, Eight Legged Freaks, and the Hills have Eyes 2. You also find the brilliance of Get Shorty, The Matrix trilogy, and Letters from Iwo Jima. I know, you’ve probably done the same thing I’ve done which is sit down in front of a movie for the night and spent 2 hours saying… How does shit like this get made when I’m not even getting optioned? I’ll let you know when I figure it out.

One of the benefits of having your script read professionally is the spell checking! Don’t give the industry a easy out as far as your script is concerned. Spelling is just as important as the plot. If a Studio Reader finds a typo in the first 10 pages, you’re done. Next, if you’re lucky, your service will send you a copy of your script with the notes the reader was making in the margins as they read. GREAT TOOL! You can see what they thought of scenes, page by page, sequence by sequence. They will frequently write rhetorical questions which is a clue that you need to answer them!

At the end of the day, Coverage is simply a tool in your arsenal that you can use to make your script a polished, presentable product ready to be marketed to Contests, Agents, and Producers alike.

Now get writing!!!

- G