FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do you do all the analysis yourself, or do you farm them out to other script readers? What is your turnaround time? What is the best way to submit a script to you? What format do you prefer? If I e-mail my script to you, will you print it out and write notes on the pages and then mail it back to me? How do I pay you? Do I have to include payment with my script? Do you specialize in a particular kind of script?
All of the scripts that come into The Script Analyst are read and analyzed by the Script Analyst himself. Your script will not be farmed out to an anoymous reader whose qualifications you do not know.
One week. Sooner if possible. Of course, coverage will not be delivered until payment is received, which is why we recommned PayPal, but even snail mail will usually arrive well within the turnaround time.
We have no preference between hard copies and electronic files.
Whatever suits you. We generally ask for Word documents or Rich Text files because they eliminate any possible problems when it comes to accessing the files you e-mail; Final Draft is also recommended. Hard copies are nice, especially if you want script notes written on every page, but they take longer to deliver.
No, if you want notes written in the margins of your screenplay, then mail us a hard copy, along with an envelope and return postage.
By PayPal or with a check. If you write a check, make it out to "Steve Biodrowski." (Do not make it out to "Script Analyst".)
No. Although it makes sense to include a check when you mail a hard copy of your script, we do not mind if you pay by PayPal and mail the script separately. Likewise, if you submit your script electronically, you can still mail a check. Either way, work does not start until we have both your script and your payment.
Not really. However, the Script Analyst is perhaps more receptive to "low-brow" genre material that other script readers may frown upon; in other words, your script will not be dismissed just because you're trying to write a light-weight summer blockbuster instead of an ambitious Oscar-contender.
What is the primary function of a script analyst?
To help the writer realize his script to the best of his ability, to provide a fresh pair of eyes that spot problems the writer may have overlooked, to be an objective voice that will discuss weaknesses and help overcome them.
How does one choose a script analyst? Based on genre, skill, or something else?
That depends. A writer is looking for expertise when he goes to a script consultant, so he or she may want a consultant who is an expert in a particular genre. However, it's more important to find someone who will criticize your script objectively and constructively.
Why would someone need to secure a script analyst?
No matter how talented you are, you can benefit from a second opinion; even if you're fairly confident about what rewriting needs to be done, a script analyst can re-energize you by confirming your suspicions. More important than that, a script analyst can save you time and effort by targeting the essential areas that need to be addressed, so that you can focus on them instead of vainly trying to perfect every single page.
At what stage of a script should a screenwriter consult with a script analyst?
A screenwriter should consult a script analyst when he is contemplating a final polish before submitting his script to an agent or a producer. Typically, this is after a second draft has been completed and the obvious problems have been solved, but more work still needs to be done.
Why is this stage important, as opposed to earlier or later?
If you consult a script analyst with a rough first draft, you risk paying the analyst to tell you what you already know. (For example, you don't need a consultant to point out that your 180-page first draft is not as tightly paced as it should be.) On the other hand, if you wait until after you've tried to polish every line to perfection, you may find that you've overlooked some major problem or wasted time rewriting scenes that end up being cut out.
What should a screenwriter do prior to consulting with a script analyst?
Take the script as far as you can on your own, maybe get advice from friends and colleagues. Then figure out what you need from the script analyst: Do you want a simple second opinion to confirm your own appraisal before you do a final polish, or are you looking for an in-depth analysis that will be your guide for a more significant rewrite?
What should a screenwriter be left with after consulting such services?
The writer should get enough detailed, specific feedback to determine what needs to be done to finish the script. The writer should have a good sense that any major problem areas have been pinpointed and that he knows how to deal with them. And the writer should feel confident that subsequent rewriting would result in substantial improvements.
What is the best advice you have for writers?
Thomas Schulman, who wrote DEAD POET'S SOCIETY, gave the best advice I ever heard:
"I always hear people say you should ‘write what you know,’ and I’m not even sure I know what that means. Someone did a study on pottery for a new book that’s coming out. They asked one group to make one pot each—they best they could possibly make. They asked another group to make as many pots as they could. They had judges come in, and invariably all the best pots came from the group that made the most pots. I think I’ve found that just writing, a lot, doing it every day, without trying to make it too precious, without feeling like that is the best thing I’ve ever done—just writing is the best way of doing it well. People who write twelve hours a day turn out to be really good writers, so write a lot."