Writing is lonely work. And after
months or even years on a project, it’s
easy to lose perspective. At
some point, a writer needs feedback from
a trusted source, either to affirm that
your story is finished, or to help you
find your way through to the end. If
you have industry professionals in your
circle of readers, you are a step ahead. But
most writers, if they really want professional
feedback, will need to look to a script
consultant.
Using a consultant, however, can be risky. With
fees ranging from $150 to $2500, the experience
can be expensive. More importantly,
it can be risky creatively. If you
don’t find the right match, despite
everyone’s best intentions, you might
end up more confused than when you started.
If you are thinking about a consultant,
here are some ideas to help you have the
best experience possible.
1. Be sure you’re
ready.
Most consultants offer different services
for different needs. Some offer
feedback on treatments or outlines, when
you are still fleshing out your ideas. Some
offer studio-type coverage, meant to be
a professional assessment of where you
are now, not necessarily with suggestions
for improvement. Some offer a blend. I
offer something called a Snapshot Service,
which is my best judgment of where your
script sits in the professional spectrum,
combined with story comments and questions. Almost
everyone offers an in-depth consultation,
which includes detailed story notes on
the page, written formal notes, and often
a phone consultation.
So depending on what you are looking for,
you will need to assess your “readiness” differently.
My own preference is to work with the finished
product, a fully executed script taken
as far as the writer can take it. I
usually shy away from working with outlines,
or incomplete scripts. I do this
because I know how hard and lonely and
frustrating writing can be, and that breakthroughs
often come at the lowest moments. I
am also a big believer in execution as
part of the value of a screenplay, beyond
just story. I like to see every
aspect of the writer’s talent fleshed
out, and every aspect of the story explored
to his or her best expression. In my experience,
this leads to the very best consultation,
especially if it is in-depth. We
can find nuances that have not been exploited,
and expose layers that are often lurking
just below the surface.
On the other hand, many consultants enjoy
working with an outline or treatment, trying
to help you catch big story problems before
you have invested so much time in them,
or work through a sound structure. This
process of brainstorming and collaborating
can be incredibly productive and rewarding. I
enjoy the creative process, and do this
work occasionally, but I am not totally
convinced it is the best way for a writer
to go. I know in my own writing that
I have found some of the best moments by
accident, as the story outgrows the outline.
Other consultants like to be mentors, and
be part of the ongoing process. My
own process is slow and solitary, so I
know this wouldn’t work for me as
a writer. But if you thrive on continued
collaboration, this could be a great setup
for you. I would only caution finding
someone who absolutely respects your work
and your vision, rather than someone wants
to impose his or her own. Otherwise
you could end up truly lost.
Whatever your specific situation is, you
need to know exactly why you are looking
at a consultant. Then you can assess
whether your work is ready. And
I would always recommend that you take
it, in whatever form you want to work,
as far as you can creatively go before
you send it to anyone.
2. Understand the limits
of what a consultant can do.
I often get queries from people who have
a “really great idea” and just
want to find someone to “take it
and run.” If this is what you
are looking for, you are not looking for
a consultant. You are looking for
a co-writer, or possibly someone to just
take over and give you story credit. I
have to say that you are probably underestimating
how very hard writing is. And if
consultants could wave a magic wand and
turn good ideas into great screenplays,
we would probably do nothing else. Good
story ideas are not that rare. Good,
fully-executed stories are extremely rare.
What a good consultant can do
is help you identify problems with your
story, help you find your way out, help
you, hopefully, with moments of inspiration,
and give you tools to improve your overall
writing. We might be able to tell
you if the scope of your story feels like
a movie, or if it feels like too many movies,
or if it feels like a play. I am
skeptical of people who think they know
what is selling, or what will sell.
We can also give you our best judgment
about how close you are to where you want
to be. This is of course subjective,
but if you find a consultant who is experienced
with produced screenplays, the assessment
should be valid. There is always
the matter of taste, and I will get back
to that one. It does matter who you
send your work to. But, a good consultant
can tell you whether or not your script
is at a professional level, even if they
hate it.
3. Unless you thrive
on adversity, find a consultant who is
known for constructive criticism.
I have heard a few horror stories over
the years about consultants who are just
plain mean. Look for red flags of
those who seem to enjoy making writers
feel bad. There is plenty of negativity
once you get through a door. I strongly
advise against anyone who focuses on the
negative side of the business, the act
of writing, their own treatment in Hollywood,
the success rate of screenplays, or general
futility. That’s their baggage,
and you don’t need it.
This does not mean to avoid “tough” consultants. Tough
notes are just what you’ll get in
the biz and you need to know how to take
them. Definitely read client testimonials
and pay attention to exactly what they
say. (For example, he is “tough but
fair,” as opposed to, “whew,
that was a licking, but I guess I needed
it!”) Ask to see sample
notes. And exchange a few emails,
or have a phone conversation with a consultant
to gauge their style. There is someone
to fit every type of writer. I’ve
been told that I’m tough but nurturing. I’ve
heard that about female consultants in
general, though I can’t confirm it. Some
people prefer a more tough love approach. Some
like very theoretical, structured feedback;
others respond to more intuitive notes. Make
sure you interview your consultant about
all of these things.
4. Be skeptical of consultants
who offer to “represent” or
sell your work.
My biggest problem with consultants who
offer this service is that I don’t
believe them. Honestly, I just don’t
see many scripts that are ready for the
marketplace. Almost none. And,
if your script is that good, I believe
with my whole being that it will find its
champion, and you certainly won’t
need to pay someone to peddle it for you
(your agent will do that, and you will
get one).
I also have to tell you that a consultant’s
word is only worth so much. People
know that we are paid to look at your work. I
have my personal contacts who would believe
me if I said the work was that good, and
would read it. But I am skeptical
about being able to run a business around
it. That is more the job of a manager,
agent, or producer.
5. Find a consultant
who knows what a produced script looks
like, preferably as it has evolved through
development.
A consultant should know what a greenlit
first draft looks like, and what a production
draft looks like, and everything in between. How
else can they judge at what level you are
writing? I would look for someone
who has been involved in development at
different levels, whether through producing,
or working with a studio, or working for
a writer or director. Often writers
have a problem in their script and say, “an
actor can bring that to life” or “that’s
a director decision.” The
latter could be valid, especially if you
are dealing with camera angles, shots,
or maybe even pacing. I would not
ever agree, however, that the actor should
have to “bring it” to flesh
out a scene. This is not my experience
in professional “first drafts.” Those “first
drafts” might be “fiftieth
drafts” and while they may greatly
change before production (or turnaround),
they are intact, whole entities when they
reach their first level of success.
By the same token, a draft by a professional
writer on assignment can fail, and not
continue in development. Seeing them
fail is instructive as well. Sometimes
the story turns out not to be what the
studio is looking for. But even a professional
and accomplished writer can miss the mark,
and turn out a story that is not a movie. Having
seen the kinds of problems that keep a
movie from going forward can help a consultant
assess whether your story has such problems.
6. Find someone who
will communicate with you and allow you
to ask questions.
Some consultants are available by email,
some by phone, some not at all. Whatever
form you like to communicate in, make sure
your consultant can fit your needs. Also,
be clear about the parameters of the communication
from the beginning. With my consultations,
after you receive the notes, I will email
with you for as long as you like, but I
am at my best in the few weeks following our
consultation when the work is fresh in
my mind. This works well as
most writers have a flurry of questions
just after, or in the week or two following
their consultation. Often
they feel they understood the note, then
needed more clarification, or tried a suggestion
and came up with a new problem. At
any rate, it’s important, particularly
if you have paid out for an in-depth consultation,
to be able to run new ideas by the consultant.
If you are doing an in-depth consultation,
I really believe in the phone conference. It
allows a give and take, a brainstorming
process that cannot be done any other way. In
my early years, I often did conferences
up to eight hours, based on the length
of emergency development meetings I had
been in. I have found that we can
get a lot done in two hours (a more usual
meeting length), and that having a finite
time helps focus both of our minds.
7. Be clear about how
they handle revisions.
If you have a positive experience with
a consultant, you may want to send them
a revised draft to “sign off on” (hopefully)
or to rework with new notes. Different
consultants conceive of this in different
ways.
Personally, I find it difficult to offer
discounts on revisions. I read screenplays
very slowly, and I spend at least as much
time on a revision as I do an original
submission. I often go back and compare
notes on the two drafts afterward, adding
another step to my process. What
I offer are two different services, one
about half the cost of the other. Often
writers will begin with the in-depth consultation,
and return for the snapshot, both of which
are priced moderately.
Other consultants offer varying discounts
on revisions. In some cases,
the initial consultation might be a little
pricier, but subsequent drafts are more
affordable. This in no way
means they are not thorough. We all
have different ways of reading, just as
we have different ways of writing.
One thing to watch out for is sending your
revision back too soon. This is the
most challenging for writers who have a
little more money than they do time. It
is tempting to whip through the changes
and get back into collaboration—anything
but face the blank page! My feeling is
that you should take the same time to live
with your revision as you did with your
initial draft. Let it marinate. Give
yourself time to make your own judgments
before opening your work back up to another
person.
8. Find out who they
are as a reader.
Consider what kind of movie you have written,
then ask questions of your consultant. Run
your favorite movies by them, and see how
they match up. I wouldn’t insist
on one who shares your taste entirely,
but you want them to be honest and to be
able to explain what they like.
Some people think about gender, but I am
not a big believer in the differences in
gender for a good read. I think it
is less about gender, and more about taste. While
I firmly believe that I can identify good
writing in any genre, there are some I
just don’t feel expert in. I
wouldn’t be the right person for
a horror film, for example, because I have
not seen enough of them, and so many horror
films reference others in the genre. I
also think comedy is a special case, and
that you need to find someone who shares
your sense of humor, or at the very least
knows why other people laughed at Austin Powers
even if they did not.
9. Be serious about
your work.
I really believe that good consultants
love writing, and are trying to help writers
write great stories. For me,
it is not only uninspiring but a little
offensive to hear from a client that they
are just trying to hack out an idea and
sell it. As I said earlier, “ideas” are
a dime a dozen. Staffs of underlings
at agencies and production companies scour
books, newspapers, the internet, their
families, searching out ideas every day. An
idea ultimately means nothing without execution. I
would be wary of anyone who says they can
help you shape an idea quickly, and make
it “marketable.” I just
don’t believe it can be done.
That said, not everyone can be a great
writer. Some people want to pursue their
vision as far as they can, even if it is
just for them. I can only say that
if the agony of searching and writing does
not bring you joy, then this is a painful
path to pursue. Most of screenwriting
is failure and disappointment, regrouping,
and going at it again. It’s
a cliché, but it really is the process. You
need to have a burning desire to fulfill
your vision.
As a consultant, I will give your work
the same focus whether you are an Academy
Award winner or a first time writer. I
may be the first gatekeeper you encounter,
so you should use this opportunity fully. Make
sure you prepare your script as you would
for an agent, or a studio head. Proofread
it carefully. Format it correctly. Take
this chance to look like the professional
you aspire to be.
And once you send it off, be ready to accept
constructive criticism, and to work hard
in the process. This is your chance
to have an experienced reader completely
inside your story, talking about your characters, your structure, your ideas, your cuts. You
may not have this kind of focus on your
work again until someone wants to make
it. And you may never have
someone helping you find your own vision.
10. Prepare yourself
creatively and emotionally for your conference
or question session.
Writing is an emotional process, and often
our work is sacred. Most of us sacrifice
free time, family time, sleep and other
joys to get our writing done. Not
to mention that often the work on the page
is personal and raw. It’s important
that you recognize and honor your own needs
in order to make the most of your consultation.
When I first started consulting, I didn’t
do formal notes. I just scheduled a conference
and the writer and I talked. But this was
a terrible approach! The poor writer,
hoping only to hear “It’s brilliant! Can
I send it to my agent?” instead had
to recover from criticism and generate
new ideas within the same phone call. I
learned from my mistakes, and always give
the writer time to recover before the conference.
Whether you are having a phone conference,
or making a list of questions by email,
be honest with yourself about how much
time you need before you can discuss the
notes objectively. For me, twenty-four
hours is enough. By the next day,
I am over my initial depression and ready
to get to work. You might
need longer, or you might need no
time at all. The important thing
is that you are in a place to get the most
out of your time with the consultant.
If you are doing a phone conference, be
prepared with a list of questions. In
my own consults, we tend to cover “everything” by
starting with the writer’s concerns. This
begins a dialogue and we find that we cover
all of the page notes and conceptual notes
in an organic way. But don’t rely
on the consultant to guide the conference.
Conference time is for you. Notes
are the work of the consultant.
In the interest of time, don’t ask
questions you know the answers to. If
you know you don’t agree with a note,
and won’t budge, don’t go into
it. If it is a real story problem,
it will surface in other parts of the discussion. If
it’s a moment you love and you aren’t
letting go, you’re the boss, and
you will have plenty of other things to
discuss.
Pay attention to the course of the discussion.
In the process of explaining ideas, or
searching for new ones, both you and the
consultant will have stories to tell. This
is part of what makes the process fun and
creative. Just remember that it’s
your dime, and you want to stay focused
on your work. Of course a good
consultant will keep returning your discussion
to the story, but we are only human, and
we are storytellers. By all means,
if the consultant waxes on, feel free to
ask for extra time.
Record the conversation, or take time to
pause and take notes. Nothing is
worse than hanging up and forgetting that
great line you came up with!
Don’t be afraid to sound stupid. This
is the time to bat around crazy ideas. Something
might just work, or lead to a solution. But
I do caution against bringing up a lot
of the ideas you already discarded. Usually,
there was a good reason to discard them. Instead
of retelling the whole sequence you once
had there, try to figure out what you were
trying to accomplish with it. Then you
and the consultant might come up with a
fresh solution.
Never forget this is your story. If
the consultant wants you to change your
story into something you know it isn’t,
just keep guiding them back to where you
want your focus. If you are to succeed
as a writer, you will need to know how
to create the story from start to finish. You
may need help, but you don’t need
someone to take over
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