One of the most critical and underappreciated roles necessary to make a film work is the script supervisor. This person is vital to helping a director achieve his or her vision and is one of the most important positions a director must choose for his or her team. A good script supervisor not only keeps track of script progress and continuity, but serves as the director’s trusted confidante. They save time, money, and are instrumental in helping a director achieve his or her creative goals. But for this to work, the relationship between these two roles needs to be solid.

A director and script supervisor have an interesting and complex relationship. You can have a great script, a spectacular cast, the most talented cinematographer, production designer, and gorgeous costumes, but if your film doesn’t edit well, it will be a disappointment. A good, experienced script supervisor helps a director avoid missteps, gives them cinematic choices in the editing room, and becomes their narrative storytelling accomplice. A bad script supervisor can be a real nuisance, interrupt the creativity on a set, and fail to protect a director’s vision. It all comes down to understanding and communication. Forming the vital and promising relationship between a director and the right script supervisor will have a lasting, positive impact on the film. No matter the size of your film, mastering this complex relationship can make all the difference. Let’s explore how to make this work.

Brenda Wachel is an accomplished and sought after script supervisor with over 30 years of experience and credits on some of the biggest films of all time, including JURASSIC PARK 3, OCTOBER SKY, BRIGHT, COLLATERAL, FURIOUS 7, and CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER. She has worked with countless directors like Paul Haggis, Joe Johnston, Michael Mann, David Ayer, Tim Robbins, and Terry Gilliam and continues to serve as script supervisor for upcoming projects like Netflix’s just released mockumentary feature DEATH TO 2020, written and directed by BLACK MIRROR’s Charlie Brooker and starring Hugh Grant, Samuel L. Jackson, and Lisa Kudrow. No one knows the role of script supervisor and how to find success through this position better than Brenda, and she’s prepared to share what she knows exclusively with the Stage 32 community.

Brenda will break down the importance of a script supervisor throughout the process of making a film and demonstrate how to make the vital relationship between a director and script supervisor work. She will begin by delving into the job of a script supervisor and why they’re especially important to directors. She’ll also explain their duties during prep, filming, and post production. She’ll also explain why a script supervisor is necessary for films of all levels, from low budget features and shorts to big budget blockbusters. She’ll give tips on how to find the right script supervisor for your project as well. Next, Brenda will look at how to shape the relationship between a director and script supervisor including how to establish one and how to grow and maintain it. She will then teach you how best to communicate between these two roles and then go into how a script supervisor can help with the relationship between directors and actors. Finally Brenda will share the biggest lessons she’s learned in her storied career as a script supervisor.

If you are a director preparing to start a new project in the new year, no matter the size, it’s imperative you have a good script supervisor on your side and a good relationship with them. Brenda will show you how to do this.

“The role of a Script Supervisor is vital for any film production, but also often a misunderstood, under-utilized, and underappreciated one. Doing it well sometimes means being invisible. I’ve been on enough films and worked with enough different directors to know how much a good relationship between a director and script supervisor can elevate a film, and how much a film suffers when the relationship isn’t there. I am very excited to share my experiences with you and teach you what I know about being an invaluable script supervisor.”

-Brenda Wachel

• The Job of a Script Supervisor
  • What do Script Supervisors really do?
  • Why are Script Supervisors important?
  • Why are Script Supervisors especially important to directors?
• The Practical Duties of a Script Supervisor
  • Prep
  • Filming
  • Post
• How a Script Supervisor Plays a Vital Role in All Productions
  • Low budget and short films — is the cost worth the benefit
  • Big budget and the complexity for post production
  • How to find the right Script Supervisor for your project
    • Tips for the interview process
• The Crucial Relationship between a Director and Script Supervisor
• Establishing a relationship from the onset
• Growing and maintaining the relationship
• How the right Script Supervisor can positively affect a director
• The Art of Communication between Directors and Script Supervisors
  • Becoming the director’s 2nd Memory
  • The visual storytelling and the script supervisor as the best ally.
  • The delicate balance of too much and not enough communication.
  • Using emotional intelligence every moment.
• The Triangle — Directors, Actors, & Script Supervisors
  • The sacred performance space
  • Timing and honesty
  • Understanding the story and being an advocate for creativity
• The Greatest Lessons Learned in Brenda’s Career as a Script Supervisor
• Q&A with Brenda

All levels of directors (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to learn how to make the vital relationship between a director and script supervisor work.

All levels of writers (advanced, intermediate and beginner) looking to learn how to make the vital relationship between a director and script supervisor work.

Producers looking to learn how to make the vital relationship between a director and script supervisor work.

Actors looking to learn how to make the vital relationship between a director and script supervisor work.