Script Coverage & Screenplay Consultants

When you submit your script to a studio or production company, a junior agent, executive's assistant or professional reader is normally the first person to read your work.. not the person you sent it to. They are the people you need to convince. They usually write what is known as a "coverage report" which is essentially a document that describes your screenplay's story and theme and estimates its commercial potential if it were ever to make it to the big screen.

Included in the report is either a pass or recommend statement. If the script is good enough the Hollywood executive will read its coverage and then decide whether or not to read the full script. The problem is, you as a writer will never see that coverage report which means if it never reaches the Hollywood executive's desk you will never know the reason why. And as a writer, that's the most important thing, since without constructive critique your writing will never improve.

Because of this, many industry readers, story analysts and consultants offer their services to screenwriters by providing "coverage" for you. This means you can give your script the best chance possible when you send it out, because Hollywood doesn't read a script twice!

Listed below are a number of coverage providers and script consultants for you to consider. We do not have any affiliation with these sites and services and do not endorse or recommend them, we have just compiled this list for your convenience. We highly advise you to take your time and do your research when hiring someone to critique your work and if possible, speak to some of their clients directly.

If you have positive or negative experiences with any of these service providers please let us know!

Coverscript

For over twenty years Lynne Pembroke worked as a professional freelance reader for Hollywood agents, screenplay contests, movie producers and film and TV studios. Stephen Cannell Productions, Walt Disney Studios, ABC TV and other prestigious organizations are among her clients. She has also critiqued, provided development notes, and edited scripts for many independent writers, including an Emmy Award winner.

Coverage, Ink

Coverage, Ink. was founded in January, 2002 by Jim Cirile, a multi-produced, WGA-member writer/artist/musician and columnist for Creative Screenwriting magazine. Coverage, Ink. seeks to provide affordable agency and studio-style coverage to all screenwriters.

Screenplay Readers

Screenplay Readers provides industry standard screenplay coverage to writers, major production companies, studios, agents, managers, and independent producers on a regular basis. Their coverage includes a full reading of the script by a qualified screenplay reader, who analyzes your script and writes a carefully-constructed coverage report.

Script Shark

ScriptShark operates not only as an objective analyst of a writers? work, but also as a scouting service for qualifying material, selected via its analysis channels. Because this is a cost-free service, ScriptShark has forged its reputation by ensuring that the work it promotes is of the highest caliber, becoming a trusted source for new material for agent, managers and producers throughout the industry.

Cover My Script

Xandy?s Script Service is a full service story analysis company. Xandy has read over 1500 scripts and 750 novels since opening her doors in 1999 and she makes herself personally available to discuss your work with you at length. Some of the services that Xandy provides are: standard coverage for scripts, novels, editing, formatting, development services, ghostwriting, rewriting, novel adaptations and basic consultations.

The Script Connection

With over 15 years? combined experience working in the UK and US film industries and teaching screenwriting at the BA and MA level, The Script Connection has read thousands of screenplays and have been involved in every facet and area of screenplay development, from the birth of the idea all the way to the final shooting script.

So You Wanna Sell A Script

So You Wanna Sell A Script provides many resources for writers and is overseen by a dedicated workforce that has worked within Hollywood and the film business for years. Extensive research took place amongst writers and film executives in order to create their site, services and its supportive community.

Hollywood Lit Sales

Howard Meibach founded the company in 1997 when he recognized a need for information on spec screenplay sales. He has been an optioned screenwriter and also held various development positions over the years. They offer a script critiquing service and many other screenwriting resources.

Script-Fix

Script-Fix provides screenplay coverage and story development notes through a dedicated team of readers. Their small team of readers have read thousands of screenplays - written by both professionals and non-professionals alike. In the five years since they started the business they have developed connections with a number of credited feature film producers and directors.

Linda Seger

If you're a writer, producer, director, or executive, you'll find much information here about her consulting, books, and seminars. Her work in scripts is designed to help you identify, analyze, and solve elusive script problems. Her job is to help you get what you want out of your script, and to make it work.

Script Bird

ScriptBird is a unique service that caters to production companies and independent writers alike, providing script coverage and in-depth story notes from a professional story analyst with a studio background. For both experienced writers and first-timers, ScriptBird performs an equally valuable service in which you will receive relevant and useful feedback to help improve your script while at its crucial early stages.

Jamie Stein

Jamie pores through a dozen scripts per week from established screenwriters, small-town hopefuls, foreign filmmakers and movie stars. His consultation is a one-stop workshop experience that takes an intuitive and analytical approach to helping you tell the highest-stakes, most dynamic version of the story you want to tell.

UK Script Doctor

Lara Moon's clients have sold to WB, DreamWorks, Working Title, BBC, A Band Apart, Miramax, and New Line, among others and have won prestigious competitions such as the Slamdance Competition and Nicholl Fellowship. She offers professional analysis and consultation services to help improve your writing.

Script Zone

Scripts are evaluated personally by produced screenwriter Paul Young. Major strengths are identified and enhanced, detailed solutions provided for all creative problems, and multiple development proposals suggested to maximize the natural power of the material before it goes into the marketplace.

Scriptwriter Central

Offers screenplay coverage by studio readers, in-depth screenplay analysis using their proprietary Insider-System, screenplay consulting by top Hollywood pros, screenplay doctoring by professional screenwriters to help you make the connections that help you sell your screenplay.

Sunset Script

Sunset Script is a Los Angeles based company that creates the forum for professional and amateur screenwriters to tap into the pool of experienced studio executives, agents, managers, established screenwriters, producers, and others to help them advance their skills and create the possibility of creative and commercial success.

Script Doctor

Script Doctor offers a complete diagnosis and medication service in which you will receive five to seven pages of notes and an audio recording detailing what works and what doesn't, specifically in the areas of tone, plot, maintaining dramatic action, character arc, character consistency, dialogue and scene structure.

Euro Script

Euroscript was created in 1995 by the Screenwriters' Workshop, with funding from the European Union?s Media II programme, with the aim of improving the quality of scripts going into production in Europe. Euroscript?s goal is to facilitate the production of highest-quality marketable screenplays for film and television. Their team comprises of experienced and diverse industry professionals including producers, working screenwriters, script consultants and film-makers.

Script Proof

Scriptproof's screenplay preparation services aim to enhance your work on the page, allowing for an objective, all-around improvement, whether it?s headed for readers, production companies, and agents or moving through development to production.

Greenlight Script Coverage

Greenlight's consultants work within the studio system and are the people who decide the fate of your script submission. They are the experts that studio heads and development executives turn to for help in identifying material that should be bought. They specialize in weeding out the best writers and script premises worthy of studio sales. In addition, studio heads and development executives contract their consultants to help them develop scripts they've bought in order to get them a production green light.

Act Four Screenplays

Daniel Calvisi lives in Los Angeles and is a professional movie studio Reader, Teacher, Writer and private Story Consultant with 10+ years experience focusing full-time on the craft and business of screenplays. His employers have included Miramax Films, Dimension Films, Twentieth Century Fox, New Line Cinema, Polygram Filmed Entertainment and Clinica Estetico.