coverage

[mosnarb]

I know this should be in business forum but since no one has made a post there since 4/21, I thought I would try it here.

I recently had a screenplay evaluated, recommendations made, and re-written. (after umpteen drafts) The evaluator said it was marketable and that my next step is coverage.

While I have extensively researched the topic and companies, no particular one stands out. I've heard good and bad on ScriptShark and IFilmpro recommends them.

Once coverage is complete, I have someone who will rep me.

Any input would be appreciated.

Mos

P.S. While not participatory, I enjoy the banter from the locals.

[MrGazzo]

If you have someone who will rep you, and they are a good agent, then I don't think they would ever ask you to get coverage unless they don't know anything about screenwriting. They would read it for you and give you feedback. That's what agents do. The fact that they told you to get coverage should scare you.

[AndyWarholsGhost]

Mosnarb,
I have heard good things about ScriptPimp.com. I used ScriptShark once, when they first started out and felt pretty cool 'bout the coverage I received.
Best of luck,
AGhost

[ToddinHB]

Hi, Mos. I'm very familiar with the Storybays and Scriptsharks of the world. They are, in many ways, our competitors. But we here at storyXchange differ in a few key ways:
- We don't cover material. You post material, with a self-authored logline and synopsis. These serve as de facto writing samples. If the buyer is still interested, then he/she may request it.
- If a buyer requests material, there is a much greater liklihood that it will be read. Since they are under no obligation to request anything, if they do, then they are probably pretty interested in reading it.
- We don't charge exhorbitant fees. It costs $9.95 per script to post in our site for one year. If a sale occurs, then we have a sales fee of 5% of whatever it sells for. We don't take anything from sequels, series, or syndication. Most other sites are attached to receive a piece of the action in perpetuity. Ouch!
- We have many years of legitimate experience in the film and television business. I was an agent for eight years, and my partner has been in producing for ten years.
- We have a list of 350 buyers, ranging from studios and producers to publishers and magazines. I can give you more detail in an email (todd@storyXchange.com).

Anyway, that is our story. I invite you to visit our site. You may register as a Story Teller, even if you don't post anything, for free. You will receive a weekly email with tips, info, and insights. Come on over... we'd love to have you!

[Bill Marquardt]

I infer from your choice of the word "evaluator" that this person works outside the industry, and is not an agent.

If this is the case, you have a few options. Going along with Todd's suggestion above is probably a good one. I've met Todd and he is an upright guy.

Your other choices are querying agents, or querying production companies. If one of them bites, they would provide the coverage, at least internally. If you need feedback, then you either need to pay for a service as you suggest, or enter a contest that provides feedback as part of the deal.

[ToddinHB]

I very much appreciate it. And, Mos, if you decide not to go the storyXchange route, that's okay. In fact, if I can offer any advice or assistance, again, please email me at todd@storyxchange.com. With my experience, I have a bit 'o insight into the workings of getting read.

Whatever you decide, I wish you much luck. You've chosen a challenging path, and you must persevere.

[mosnarb]

OK, now I'm confused.

This is what I have done so far. Earl Blakesley, Jr from the Hollywood Scriptwriting Institute evaluated my comedy screenplay. (paid to do so) He gave me a 4 page evaluation with recommended changes to character development etc.

This was after umpteen drafts.

I sent my re-write which he re-read and made additional minor notes. He said it was marketable and coverage would be the next phase. He then said he would rep me or act as consultant once the script was ready to go.

My understanding of coverage is you get a synopsis, log line and a pass or recommend grade. Also 5 various elements are graded, storyline etc. This is what the producer wants to see. I am prepared to send it to whomever, I contacted Irwin Cohan who provides Comedy Screenplay Coverage. It sounded like his would be much like Earls, being an evaluation.

As I'm informed, scripts get re-written until the camera rolls and then some. This screenplay is ready for eyes.

Mos

[Bill Marquardt]

Mos, I'm not yet a seasoned pro, I've only had a handful of reads. No one asked me to provide them with independent coverage. I don't know how common that is.

[ToddinHB]

Hey, Mos, it's unfortunate that you've been given conflicting signals. Let me tell you how I used to do it:

If someone sent me an interesting query, or one of my clients or colleagues gave me a script, I would read the script. Once I finished, if it was bad, I would just pass to whomever gave it to me. If I thought it had potential, I might give some notes, but would more likely ask to read something else. If I thought it was really good, then I would usually ask for a second sample, but I might even set a meeting at that point. If the meeting went well, then I would have my colleagues read the material and set a second meeting for them to meet, too. If we all agreed, then we would offer representation and that was that.

We never asked for coverage. Coverage varies from reader to reader, and it's usually pretty unreliable for a decision as important as getting a new client. Coverage is usually used for two reasons:
1) So executives can get up-to-speed on a project without having to read it;
2) So unemployable wannabe executives can make money off of unsuspecting writers.

Again, good luck...

[new writer]

Would you be interested in doing a quick review of my screenplay? If so, e-mail me at missmoosh@mailcity.com

Thanks!

[mosnarb]

Todd & Bill,

Thanks for the input. I was ready to spend another couple hundred for coverage.

Todd, I'll email you with a couple of questions and some information. It's a comedy screenplay that input has been that it's original and marketable. We'll see.

It appears there is more than one way to skin a cat when it comes to coverage.
Oooops. Sorry DOL.

Thanks for the help,

Mos

[ltwprods]

Just to toss in my two cents...

Don't pay for coverage so that you can provide it to some producer who won't pay for his own coverage. That's crazy and a red flag that the producer isn't what he wants you to think he is.

Getting ideas seen is easier and easier. I offer a free evaluation on my website. E-mail me the log-line. If it's a pass, you find out very quickly (usually within 48 hours). If the log-line is intriguing, I'll ask for more info. If we go the distance and I read and like the script, I'll personally walk it in to my contacts which include real, reputable agents, managers, producers and production companies. If you check out my website, you'll see that two of the people I'm partnered with are the president of Davis Entertainment Classics and a manager at AMG, Michael Ovitz's company.

The proper link for the log-line submission is www.totallywrite.com/eval...t-main.htm (http://www.totallywrite.com/evaluation/idea-submit-main.htm)

If you reference this message board in the "How did you find this website?" fill-in, in the event of a pass I'll give you slightly more detailed information about why I passed (which I don't usually do.)

Whatever you decide, good luck!

JEFF SCHECHTER
www.totallywrite.com

[Sepheria]

Sir,
You sound like an honest and open gentleman!

[ltwprods]

Thanks you, Sepheria. I hope so. I try to be.

JEFF SCHECHTER
www.totallywrite.com

[Zeeman13]

I've heard of some unscrupulous agents who are in cahoots with "coverage" people who keep charging you until the agent says it's ready to be represented. Then they don't do anything to sell your script once it's "ready." Just so you know.

[ltwprods]

I haven't heard of that, but if anyone has knowledge then it should be made public on this forum with a big WARNING sign on it.

Stories like this might be apocryphal. I think that a licensed agent involved with this could lose their license a.k.a. their livelihood.

JEFF SCHECHTER
www.totallywrite.com

[mosnarb]

Jeff,

Thanks for the input. Here's where things stand.

My comedy script has been evaluated and read by Ray Blakesley Jr. from the Hollywood Scriptwriting Institute. He gave me a 4 page analysis on re-write recommendations. It was not a line by line evaluation but a good read. After the re-write, (which was again after at least 20 drafts) I sent it back to him.

He felt it had potential and recommended one more step, having another industry professional read it line by line. It is ready to go to Craig Kellem from Hollywoodscript.com. tomorrow, Monday. It is a minimal fee but he will give it a line by line consult.

I want it the best possible before I let it out for the first time.

It is marketable at this point but another industry professional consult couldn't hurt, could it? I am willing to make the small investment to do it.

Even though this is my first screenplay, I have written copy for clients for the past 18 years. Film/video is my profession.

Again, thanks for the input all.

Mos

[mosnarb]

Jeff,

I visited your website and had a couple of questions. I think at your larger site I visited yesterday, there were contract elements that involve the potential standard fees for selling the script. (%)

This site does not mention that. There are substantial contract terms though that I would normally have legal representation look at. Is that necessary?

It is a solid 100 page comedy that is marketable based on input from other professionals. It is possible that I would still like one more industry read on it. As I mentioned, I've heard you get one shot and you want your best.

Thanks again for the feedback, (bad word for audio guys)

Mos

[ltwprods]

Good luck, Mos!

Regards,

[mosnarb]

Jeff,

My concern is getting the screenplay to you in its best condition.

I could give a logline (written by me), you might even request the full script. Would I be better off holding off for a couple of weeks for one more consult?

My limited research shows you guys are the real deal and I think you are a very viable avenue.

Thanks for the input,

Mos

Notation: I mentioned earlier first completed screenplay, I failed to mention other treatments completed.

[ltwprods]

Mos:

The flow of the posts looks like I was giving you an undue brush off. I was responding to your 2nd to last post while you were posting your last post, so my good luck had to do with your upcoming evaluation with Blakesley. It just looks like I was being snotty in the order the posts came out.

Now, in response to your questions...

The only pre-negotiated terms on my site are if someone is just trying to sell an idea. No script. They get 5k if we can get set up the idea and an additional 20k if a movie based on the idea is greenlit.

Scripts are totally different. Because of the time needed to evaluate a script, we don't get involved with them at the submission level except if someone wants a paid screenplay evaluation. That's the bad news, because it means the writer has to pay for the evaluation.

The good news is that the writer gets great notes and maintains total control of the material. We just function like paid script consultants. The bonus is that if we like the screenplay, we have the mechanism to get it read and seriously, legitimately, considered all over town.

Even if you've gone elsewhere for an evaluation, we don't have a straight script submission model. You'd still have to get an evaluation from us.

If you were planning to submit to us at some point, it's not going to save you money by paying for someone else's evaluation.

To sum up: the business we're in is evaluations. We just happen to be in a position to do something with the material if we're blown away by it.

As far as getting legal representation to look over any and all contracts...yes, if you feel more comfortable. Just don't spend a fortune on lawyers right now. See if you can get one to take a percentage of sales (usually 5%), like an agent.

Hope this helps clear things up.

Warmest regards,

[mosnarb]

Jeff,

Thanks for the followup note. An early rejection just from a Done Deal post would have been devastating. Ha

I'll followup more tomorrow.

Thanks again,

Mos

[TOPCAT 777]

I have paid for coverage by script doctors/consultants on several occasions, and have gotten mostly good results. Anything you can do to get the script in the best possible shape before it goes out--is crucial. I like to use 2-3 different consultants on a single script, because each one spots details, holes in the plot, etc. that some of the others miss. I highly recommend www.scriptservices.com.