Screenplay coverage / film script notes
I assess screenplays in the same way I write screenplays: with my bum on a seat - not with my head up my ass. I write and cover scripts from the POV of an audience - not the POV of a film maker. This objectivity sheds vital light on screenplays from the perspective of the film market. This is essential because, like it or not, screenplays are business plans. This is one of my key script coverage USPs.
My other screenplay coverage USP - apart from having excellent dramatic instincts honed by huge experience of screenwriting and writing other forms of drama - is that I don't just point out issues in screenplays; I also provide ways to fix them.
I've written more than 200 script reports on feature film and TV scripts in all genres for various individuals, film financiers, film producers, and film directors - some of them Oscar winners. Many of these screenplays have been produced.
My detailed film script reports enable screenwriters, film directors, film producers, and film script developers to achieve essential cinema audience engagement. I go beyond highlighting issues with a screenplay. I also provide solutions: ways the screenplay can be improved. Improvement may just involve better script dialogue or better screenplay action text; but more usually it involves deep changes to the screenplay story and structure - even the screenplay concept.
In my experience as a script analyst, the problems with screenplays usually exist at a 'roots' level, rather than at the levels of 'twigs' and 'branches'. So screenwriters and script developers must have the courage to 'go into the story' at fundamental levels in order to realise the potential of the script.
When it comes to screenplays, you can't paper over the cracks. You have to rebuild the wall: a brilliant production can never disguise a bad film script. The value of excellent film script analysis is therefore immeasurable. It can empower film makers and screenwriters to find success. So let's get cracking.
My film and TV script reports address the following screenplay elements:
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Concept/Premise - is the idea/premise of your script workable? Does it suit the . . .
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Genre - is this the right screenplay genre via which to explore your film concept? Is there a ready cinema audience/market for the film genre you have chosen?
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Story - like the man said: you need three things to make a good screenplay
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Plot - the screenplay plot is the way you tell your story. Does the plot work? Is it compelling? Is the plot plausible in the way film audiences requires plausibility?
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Structure - the 'shape' of your script story. Can it be improved? If so, how?
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Pace - is your script a page-turner or an uphill slog? You need to write your screenplay from your reader's POV. Why would the reader want to keep reading your screenplay?
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Characters - nuanced, dynamic, realistic characters that film audiences can relate to, love, hate, or vicariously go on a journey with are vital. Does your script have them?
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Relationships - relationships in your script need to be as dynamic, compelling and plausible as the story and plot of your screenplay - and as interesting as the concept.
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Dialogue - is the dialogue in your film or TV screenplay snappy? Is it (if is needs to be) fun? Is it smart? How about elliptical? Less is much, much more. None is perfect.
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Conclusion - an honest summation of your screenplay and its potential.
The script report is also scored according to the following criteria:
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Film script premise
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Screenplay story line
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Characterisation
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Film script dialogue
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Film script structure
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Screenplay pace
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Screenplay originality
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Audience Appeal
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My film screenplay coverage (script reporting) services form an integral part of my screenwriting mentoring services. Click here to find out more about that.
Script reporting CV/resume
This is my script reporting resume/CV. If you'd like to see my complete screenwriting resume/CV, sample script reports/notes, or screenplays that I have written, just ask.
For film financiers: Feature film screenplay (Reed Film Production & Entertainment); Feature screenplay (R & R Film); Film script (Mugshot Films); Feature script (Green Screen Productions Ltd); Film screenplay (Archface Films); Feature film screenplay (Shadowlight Pictures); Film screenplay (Bill and Ben Productions); Screenplay (ITA Productions Limited) Film screenplay; (Smudge Films Ltd); Film script (Shattered Glass Entertainment, LLC); Screenplay; (Satisfaction Productions Ltd); Screenplay (Undisclosed); Screenplay (Elstree Studio Productions Ltd); Film screenplay (Chrystal Rose Productions Ltd); Screenplay (Cavegirl Enterprises Ltd); Screenplay (AFG Film Ltd); Feature film screenplay (Gas Station 8 Ltd); Screenplay (Polaris Pictures); Screenplay (Ipso Facto Films); Screenplay (M4West Pictures Ltd.); Film screenplay (One Eyed Dog Films); Screenplay (One Eyed Dog Films); Screenplay (Camden Film); Screenplay (One Eyed Dog Films); Screenplay (Ronin Pictures Ltd); Screenplay (Instinctive Film GmbH); Screenplay (Studio Potential); Film screenplay (Devious Productions Ltd); Screenplay (Talkinglens Productions); Screenplay (Camden Film); Screenplay (Dan Films Ltd); Film screenplay (Undisclosed); Feature film screenplay (Green Screen Productions Ltd); Film screenplay (Corona Pictures); Screenplay (Pure Films); Film Screenplay (Capital Films Ltd.); Screenplay (Origin Pictures); Film screenplay (White Cloth Studios); Screenplay (Before the Dawn Productions); Screenplay (The Wilderness Company); Screenplay (The MonteCristo Fund); Screenplay (Deluxe Productions); Feature film screenplay (Flexstone Productions IOM Ltd); Screenplay (Fulwell 73 Ltd); Film screenplay (Minds Eye Entertainment); Film screenplay (Centre Mass Studios); Feature film screenplay (Starfish Films); Film screenplay (Narrator Entertainment); Film screenplay (Undisclosed); Film screenplay (El Gato Rojo Productions); Cinematic doco treatment (Carnaby Films); Feature film screenplay (Santa's Boot Camp LLC); Screenplay (Nokra Films S.L.); Screenplay (Thinking Films); Screenplay (Rapid River LLC); Screenplay (Ombra Films); Screenplay (That's Hollywood Pictures); Film Screenplay (Umedia); Film Film Screenplay (Goldrush Entertainment); Film Screenplay (The Mark Gordon Company); Cinematic doco treatment (Carnaby Films); Film screenplay (Subotica Ltd) Screenplay; (Paradox Entertainment); Film Screenplay (Secret Evidence Films Ltd); Feature film screenplay (De Fuca Media Ltd); Film screenplay (The Man Who Knew Infinity Ltd); Film Screenplay (Vita Nova Films); Film Screenplay (Cinema Arts Group); Film Screenplay (Andron Movie Ltd); Film Screenplay (Vicarious Dreams Ltd); Film screenplay (Filmhouse, NY); Feature film screenplay (Lotus Entertainment Ltd); Feature film screenplay (4th Wall Entertainment /Interloper Films); Feature film screenplay (The Walk Productions); Film script (R.F. Movie Productions Ltd.); Film screenplay (Ferrocyanide Inc. USA); Feature film script (White Lantern Film); Feature script (Deya Productions); Film script (Gamble Entertainment Group); Feature film script (Choice Point Productions); Film screenplay (Heroes and Villains Entertainment); Feature film script (Secret Channel Films); Film screenplay (Sandstone Films); Feature film script (West One Entertainment); Film screenplay (Earth Hart Productions Ltd); Feature film script (Outatime Films Ltd); Film script (Water Voices Productions); Film script (Dream on Productions); Film script (Soho Film & Media Ltd); Feature film screenplay (Animus Pictures); Feature script (Anon); Films screenplay (Talking Lens Productions); Feature film script (Meraki Films/Les Films D'Antoine); Feature film screenplay (Shot of Tea); Feature film screenplay (Slick Films and Broadway); Film script (LS Films/Bombito) Feature film script (Good Shout Films); Film screenplay (Nick Holttum Productions); Feature film script (Factor Six Films); Feature script (Factor Six/Boy Wonder Productions); Feature film screenplay (Give Me The Whip Productions LLC); Film script (Oakhurst Entertainment); Feature film script (Gene Kraft Productions); Feature film screenplay (SMG/Sony Entertainment); Feature film screenplay (Stormlight Entertainment LLC); Feature film script (Peak Productions International); Feature film screenplay (Advent Entertainment LLC); Feature film screenplay (House of Blue Productions); Feature film script (PeteTom Productions); Film screenplay (California Pictures/Repartee Pictures) Film script (Centre Mass Studios)​
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Other scripts:
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LOVE AND LIFE (Feature film script - for private client); TWO LOST BOYS (Feature film script - for private client); AINAA (Feature film script - BIG CAT FILMS LIMITED); WELCOME TO AMERICA (Feature film script - for private client); BOX OF TAPES (Feature screenplay - for private client); TIME IS NOT ENOUGH (Feature film script - for private client); RUN OVER (VOD pilot script - for private client); THE COMPATIBLE LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY (Feature film script); WHEN WALES CRY (Feature film script - for Happy Moon Productions); TUNNEL RATS (Feature film screenplay); PRIVATE DANCER (Feature film script); FALCONS FOREVER (Feature film script - for Pegasus Pictures, Iceland); LAND (Series pilot script - for Pegasus Pictures, Iceland); SCORCHED EARTH (Feature film script, for private client); DEJA VU (TV/streaming pilot, for private client); THE BLEEDING GROUND (Feature film script, for Happy Moon Productions - resubmitted); DEMIMONDE (Feature film script, for Rebel Without Crew Films); YOU. LOVE. ME. (Feature film script, for Happy Moon Productions); ONLY YOU (Feature film script, for Happy Moon Productions); SEIZE THE NIGHT (Feature film script); SCREENPLAY (Feature, for Anya Camilleri); I'M COMING (Feature film screenplay); TO BE FOREVER KNOWN (Feature script); STATE SECURITY (Feature film screenplay); SHADOW'S END (Feature script - for Jean Maye); PRAYERS OF AN ATHEIST (Feature film script); A SHADOWING OF ANGELS (Feature film screenplay); SYNCHRONICITY (Feature film script); BAD APPLE (Feature film script - De Facto Films); SHE WASN’T THERE (Feature screenplay – private client); LOVE IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES (Feature film script - for Anton Saunders); A GIRL’S BEST FRIEND (Feature script - for Justin Tinto); SPARROW'S CALL (Feature film screenplay - Tim Kent Films); ​​CATCHING AIR (Feature film script - private client); CHURCHILL (Feature script - Salon Pictures Ltd); SAVING GRACE (Feature film script – private client); DEAD BY MONDAY (TV pilot script - private client); HUMAN PET (Feature film script - private client); WINTER'S DAUGHTER (TV pilot script - private client); JOE (Feature film screenplay - Red and Black Films); RHYTHM OF LIFE (Feature film screenplay - Sterling Pictures)​; SPIDER (Feature film screenplay – Sterling Pictures); SEAHOLME (Feature film screenplay - Salon Pictures Ltd); KEEPER (Feature film screenplay - Jimmy Olsson); THE COLLECTOR (TV pilot script - private client); LIKE A FISH TO WATER (Feature film screenplay - private client); THE FAMILY (Feature film screenplay – Going Up? Productions LLC); THE ARTEMIS PROTOCOL(Feature film screenplay – Enlightenment Productions Ltd); ARTHUR & MERLIN: THE FIRE OF BALOR (Feature film screenplay - Movie Works - for Euroscript) THE CURSE OF THE WERE POODLE (Feature film screenplay - Sabre Films) TITLE (Feature film screenplay - 1405 Pictures) STILL WATERS (Feature film screenplay - Baker Street)SCREENPLAY (Feature film screenplay - 1405 Pictures) CHURCHILL (Feature film screenplay - Salon Pictures Ltd); THE PIRATE QUEEN (Feature film script – De Warrenne Pictures Ltd)DON DON (Feature film script - Salon Pictures Ltd) SOUTHSTOW (TV comedy serial pilot)FLAT 37 (Feature film screenplay - private client)CUT LOOSE (Feature film screenplay - Green Leaf Pictures Ltd) MYRRDIN (Feature film screenplay - for Euroscript) MY LONELY ME (Feature film screenplay - Ace Film) DESPITE THE FALLING SNOW (Feature film script – Enlightenment Productions Ltd) THE HATCHING 2 (Feature film screenplay – Sabre Films) THE LAST PLANET (Feature film script - Two Bells Productions) PENICILLIN (Feature film screenplay – Passport Pictures)DECOMPRESSION (Feature film screenplay – Salon Pictures Ltd) THE LOOKED AFTER KID (Feature film screenplay – Finite Films and TV) ALEXANDRIA (Feature film script – private client) YOU CAN’T HURRY LOVE (Feature film screenplay – Chrystal Rose Productions Ltd - 5 x re-submissions) BURNOUT (Feature film screenplay – Finite Films and TV) SHERWOOD (Feature film screenplay – De Warrenne Pictures Ltd) THE HATCHING (Feature film screenplay – Sabre Films)THE PROVIDER (Feature film script - private client) CARPET BOY (Feature film script – Lucid Pictures Ltd) OFFENDER (Feature film script – Gunslinger Films/Revolver Entertainment) CONFINE (Feature film script - Two Bells Productions) CRATER (Feature film script - Two Bells Productions) ROBIN HARVEY (Feature film script – private client) WEIR’S INTEREST (Feature film script – private client) TAKING STOCK (Feature film script – Swipe Films) PRETTY DEAD SOON (Feature film script - Sarah Boote) THE SPIRIT HEALER (Feature film script – Vernon Allen Productions) GLORIA: DEAD MEN TALKING (Feature film script – private client) BATTLE OF THE BANDS (Feature film script – private client) SLEEPING BEAUTY’S DAUGHTER (Feature film script – Wild Thyme Productions) FOXTROT ALPHA (TV pilot – private client) THE LORDS OF NIRVANA (Feature film script – Balhar Films Ltd) MAZE OF MY DESIGN (TV pilot – private client) THE BEGINNING OF THE END (Feature film script – private client) THE DISCIPLES OF GEORDIE (Feature film script - private client) MORE THAN A GAME (Feature film script – private client) SPIRIT OF THE GAME (Feature film script - Spirit of the Game Movie Ltd) REIGN FROM SPAIN (Feature film script - Foxtrot Oscar Productions, Ealing Studios, UK) SPARKLE (Feature film script– Cinematic Productions); GREATER POWERS (Feature script – private client)PROTECTION (Feature film screenplay – private client); MO AND ODLO – KNIGHTMARE (Feature film script - private client); AFTERMATH (Lithuanian Film Studios, Vilnius); WHINGEING POMS (Feature film screenplay – Apache Film Production Ltd, Melbourne); THE WOLF IN THE SUN (Feature film screenplay – Takhayal Entertainment, Cairo); CONVICTION (Film screenplay – private client); THE CELESTIAL NAVIGATOR (Feature film script)
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Get in touch to find out more about my film or TV screenplay analysis and reporting services, see sample script reports, or ask about script reporting rates.
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My professional film screenwriting and feature and TV film script consultancy services include: film screenplay writing; film script development; film script polishing; film script doctoring; film script reporting/analysis; film treatment writing; screenplay adaptations; stageplay to screenplay adaptations; short film script writing; screenwriting mentoring