Selling a script works like this: a screenplay is submitted to a buyer (usually
a producer, production company, financier or studio) to be read and evaluated.
Then that script is either optioned for further consideration, bought or rejected.
The advent of digital media didn’t change this pipeline; it just added new
platforms where writers can submit and buyers can find new projects.
So
who’s doing the reading and evaluating that leads to an option, rejection or a
sale? It’s not the big wig you or your rep just played golf or “did” lunch with.
It’s his or her story analyst. And what the story analyst is looking for is
what ultimately will get your script sold.
I
am a former “story analyst.” The truth is, you may never have heard of that
job, even if I use its less glorified title: “script reader.” As an analyst or
reader, I was the person, the gatekeeper,
who read all of the screenplays that you, your agent, your lawyer, your cousin
or your pool guy wanted my bosses to buy and make into hit movies. You see, my
bosses were Very Big creative executives (CEs) at Very Big production companies.
The pecking order went that I had to read about twenty screenplays a weekend so
that the next week, they’d only have to read one or two: the one or two scripts
that made it past me that I would “pitch up” to them. More recently, I was the head
of a development team myself for five years, with my own CEs giving me their
own pitch and script notes based, of course, on The “1-3-5.” Nothing had changed
about story structure or The “1-3-5” – but I did get to sleep more on weekends.
In
my story analyst days, you might think I read those twenty weekend scripts,
handed the two future blockbusters over to my bosses on Monday and got to make
coasters out of the other eighteen total messes. Nope. I reviewed twenty
scripts and had to “generate coverage” on all twenty of them – even the coasters.
“Coverage” is another term you may or may not know, but chances are you truly
don’t realize the power of those five deadly pages. Every time I read a
screenplay, I created a “coverage” document that:
1.
rated the script
in five key areas on a top sheet;
2.
summarized
the story on page two; and
3.
analyzed its
structure and content on pages three to five.
Coverage
is what all the CEs at all the Very Bigs rely on to understand and discuss your
script inside the company or beyond. And
do you know what’s at the bottom of the first page of that five-page kiss of
death called coverage? A single selected word: “Pass,” “Consider” or “Recommend.”
In
my two “dues paying” years of reading scripts and novels, I delivered fewer
than ten “Considers” and five “Recommends.” And my job was on the line if my CE
committed time to reading any of those projects I’d championed and disagreed. (That’s
in case you’re wondering why your “it’s as good as it’s gonna get” screenplay
never makes it past the reader’s desk to the “real” decision-maker.)
The
screenplays I read and their recommendations were entered into a company
database to track a project’s status. But my coverage also helped fill another,
secret database. Keep reading – this is good.
At
the bottom of any coverage top sheet, there actually are two sets of recommendations. The first one is for your script. The
second one…is for you.
That’s
right, story analysts also have to evaluate the writer in terms of “Pass”,
“Consider” or “Recommend.” Your first script submission enters you permanently
into a company’s database. So you have two options. One, respect structure and
write a solid script that at least gets a “Consider” for you, if not your
screenplay. Or two, submit whatever you feel like because you’re so excited,
accept the “Pass” and wait for the company’s database to crash so you can
submit another project to them in the future.
You only have one chance to make a
first impression before you are forever in a production company’s database. And as much as a sale would change your life (for at least the
period you’re writing), what will at least open doors for you at Very Big is a
“Recommend” in the writers database. Now I want, in fact every reader wants,
you and your script to be a “Recommend/Recommend.” But this book is about you
and what you want. So…
Since
you’re reading this book, I know you’re not that writer who is okay with being
a “Pass,” who writes first drafts without outlining or doing treatments, relies
on your best friend or mom or social media “likes” to affirm your writing
skills, ignores actual industry insiders who offer even the lightest critique,
and sends scripts off unsolicited to the biggest actor, director or company you
can find the email or fax number for, with a fake company’s logo on the top
sheet, and an unproven/uncredited/discredited director/actor/producer no major
studio would ever greenlight attached inextricably to the project. And for you
old-school, printed paper fans, let’s not even talk about that infamous middle
brad.
If
you will settle for nothing less than a “Recommend,” thank you in advance for reading
on and committing fully to The “1-3-5.”
A
bonus for everyone: sample coverage is
in the back of this book. You will pretty much never get to see your own coverage from a company. So enjoy this
sneak peek to get an idea of what you’re up against…and see why The “1-3-5”
will dramatically enhance how you write, pitch and sell your screenplay.