Screenwriting : Script coverage? by Michael Harrison

Huh? Script Coverage is just that: when a producer (or agent/manager) requests your screenplay they give it to a reader for coverage and they used that coverage to decide what screenplays move up river and what screenplays end up rejected. Some of those readers (and some other people who have zilch to do with the biz) do coverage for screenwriters for pay... but they just send you the coverage. You are the client, not a studio or agent. If you want your screenplay read by a producer or manager, you query them and they request the screenplay (or do not). (and once they request it, the script goes out to a reader for coverage.)

Hey Michael, I replied to your PM. But this is a different question. Paying for a script to be covered is not a path to having the script presented to studio heads or reps. I fear you're conflating two different things - 1) script feedback for your internal use, and 2) marketing yourself to external pros.

Both the above are right. Maybe you saw where someone was selling coverage, and said they could get it to a studio. But, real coverage is just what Mr. Martell said, "when a producer (or agent/manager) requests your screenplay they give it to a reader for coverage."

Remember one thing Mr. Harrison, there are people everywhere offering services, it's you who has to check them out to see if they are legit or a scam. Scam artists are everywhere and people can say and be anything they want on line. Complete websites are created to scam people. This website is like a boom town in the old West. The people "writers/actors/and others" come here hoping to find gold. And are taken advantage of by promises from grifters of all sorts. So is script coverage a scam or legit? Send me your script and $300 bucks and I'll tell you;-) 

The great thing about happy writer coverage is the feedback you get. They really dig into your script and tell you what they liked and didn't like. That kind of feedback is worth the price in my opinion.

The Black List will promote your script if you get a strong rating, and it's a modest investment for $50 + $25 for a month of hosting. I don't know of any other "coverage" service that has a similar reputation. There are also services that provide feedback to help you make your script better, without making any promises about promoting your script. If you don't think your script is ready, it's better to spend your money on feedback rather than promotion.

Hi Steven, would like to hear what you thought of the coverage.

Thank you all for the great input!

I just recently used the coverage on here and I'm super excited now to get my notes back on my script. Everyone that has read it said it's an amazing story but what is amazing to other people is not always amazing to a producer. So I think it's of utmost importance to have the right person dig into your script and tell you exactly how it is. We can never grow as writers if the feed back is not honest, and I'm really looking forward to see what my notes are going to say.

@Jason C De La Torre, "The great thing about happy writer coverage is the feedback you get. They really dig into your script and tell you what they liked and didn't like. That kind of feedback is worth the price in my opinion." I hope that's not an accurate statement. Market-driven coverage should not be about "what they liked and didn't like." It should arise from an objective reading of the market, not from personal subjective taste.

Hi Regina, I guess a better way describe the Stage32 coverage process is if they decided to pass, it's not a simple, "Its just not for us." Its a much more detailed breakdown of the elements of the script that made them concerned about moving forward. Stage 32's coverage isn't just a "Here, read my script" type coverage. They're not only there to find great scripts, they also want to help new writers find their voices and understand why they would pass. Its up to the writer to decide to take the criticism and incorporate their suggestions or disagree and move on. As a writer, I found this feedback extremely valuable because it made me consider points I hadn't when I originally wrote the script. Stuff I'm sure veterans know but for newbie writers its crucial mistakes that can kill your chances.