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A professional script reader's process

Flicker Pictures

Flicker Pictures

Thought this was worth posting:

Q&A: Professional Script Reader D.C. Mar (Part 4)

Another in a series of questions and answers from my interview with script reader DC Mar.

What is your process when you sit down to read a script (i.e., look at the title page to see who’s written the script and who represents it, flip to the back to see how many pages the script is, flip through the pages to get a sense of how the writer approached scene description/balance of SD and dialogue, etc.)

http://www.gointothestory.com/2010/11/q-professional-script-reader-dc-mar_26.html

Cheers,

Jeff
 
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I've been a reader off and on and off for many years. What I found
fascinating is all readers seem to have the exact same method. And
that many new and unproduced writers feel how readers work is unfair
to them and ends up with bad, unoriginal, predictable movies.
 
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I've been a reader off and on and off for many years. What I found
fascinating is all readers seem to have the exact same method. And
that many new and unproduced writers feel how readers work is unfair
to them and ends up with bad, unoriginal, predictable movies.
Click to expand...

From what I've read, and heard directly from folks who are industry readers (like yourself!), is that it's not a very satisfying job, whether that be monetary or for entertainment's sake. It's not one of those "Oh, I do it for the fun of it." sorta jobs. And a reader's name and reputation is on the line as soon as they rubber stamp said script with Consider or Pass.

"We greenlit that script you recommended and it tanked. Don't let the door hit you on the way out."

"What? You passed on that script and the other guys made millions?? Don't let the door hit you on the way out."

Every bit of legit insight into this crazy/fickle/wonderful business has me, as a writer (and filmmaker of sorts), want to put out only my best work, which all too often takes all too long. Ugh.
 
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Screenwriter Terry Rossio:

Confession: I myself was a reader for two years, for six different production companies in Los Angeles. For those who don't know, a reader is the first line of defense a studio or production company has against unsolicited screenplays. The reader writes 'coverage,' basically a synopsis of the screenplay, and an analysis, with a recommended course of action -- which is nearly always to 'pass.'

Often a college student, the reader is commonly characterized as a creatively bankrupt imbecile whose job it is to keep wonderful screenplays from getting into the hands of those powerful people who would surely buy them if they had the chance.

Perhaps. One thing for sure: the job does give a unique perspective.

Like one time, I swear, I covered three different screenplays -- submitted from different parts of the country -- all of which had key scenes set at a southwestern rattlesnake farm. Why, you could go years without reading a good rattlesnake farm scene, and here I had three in one week. Needless to say, after that I became more sympathetic to claims of 'parallel development.'

And as a reader, you quickly recognize some key patterns. Like all scripts with fancy covers are bad. Scripts submitted by agents are at least well-written. And nonstandard layout -- especially crayon -- is a sure sign of trouble.

And I swear, if I have to read another reporter-looking-to-win a Pulitzer Prize story, I'll gag. And please, don't begin with your lead character waking up in the morning after a pan of the junk in his room. It's by far the most commonly chosen opening.
 
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He echoed a lot of things I have heard elsewhere (and posted in big lettters on the wall in my office where I write).

Break up the black space, use a lot of paragraphs.
The first page better be good.
The first ten pages REALLY bettter be good.
 
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A fascinating find, thanks very much, Flicker. With all the other recent threads about screenwriting, this one has really set my heart racing. How awesome it feels to receive little titbits of insider information :D
 
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