Script Analyst Rankings

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  • #31
    Re: Script Analyst Rankings

    The big post is a fairly accurate representation of the article and its potential biases. The one part that is not true--fixed from the 9-year-old review--is that the person writing the article and reviewing the analysts is the writer of the script. The author of the article was not the writer of the script.

    This probably opens up the process to other criticisms, but I just wanted to chime in.

    Jim

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    • #32
      Re: Script Analyst Rankings

      Good point Jim, but I wasn't commenting on the 9 year old article posted on the board, but personal knowledge I had from two years ago, when I was told the screenwriter would againt be judge and jury and article writer. I haven't looked at the article since, and I hope they've changed that -- chime in again any time, thanks.

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      • #33
        Re: Script Analyst Rankings

        Originally posted by Arthur
        Good point Jim, but I wasn't commenting on the 9 year old article posted on the board, but personal knowledge I had from two years ago, when I was told the screenwriter would againt be judge and jury and article writer. I haven't looked at the article since, and I hope they've changed that -- chime in again any time, thanks.
        I was referring to the current review. Nancy Hendrickson used a script from a writer name Jim Shea.

        It's definitely not a perfect or scientific study, but I appreciate the fact that CS jumps in and tries to do stuff like this. I wouldn't be premiering a feature film at Cinequest next week if Mr. Bauer didn't have a little bit of gamble as an editor and person.

        Jim
        Last edited by Jim Mercurio; 02-27-2006, 02:03 PM.

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        • #34
          Re: Script Analyst Rankings

          Yeah, I've followed that, good work, congrats. (I'm familiar with material by you and by Jim S., although neither of you know me.)
          And I do believe that Erik and the magazine are a boon to writers (and to the industry in general). Thanks for the update. Happy Preem!

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          • #35
            Re: Script Analyst Rankings

            *
            *
            *

            I've decided to close down my 'development notes' offer for a while. I don't know how long it will remain closed.

            Thanks for the people who've used me in the past, I'm sure Bart and Le Femme can fill in the gaps now

            Daniel aka EJ

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            • #36
              Re: Script Analyst Rankings

              Crusty,
              That hasn't been my experience, I'm sorry it was yours. Usually I get answers back in a few hours. I will say that after the third email, you get the feeling he's done with the script, but I think, contractually speaking, he is.

              I didn't get much dialogue commentary either, but honestly, I think if you're exercising your muscles by reading a lot of scripts at all times, you'll get a feeling for whether your dialogue stands up to the pros or not, or how far you need to go. But as for story, every one is different, every story has it's own rules you try to create, and that's what I'm looking for from him to comment on, and I really believe he has great story sense.

              Here's something Bart doesn't know: he analyzed a thriller of mine, and since I was really hot on the project (and had just read "Save the Cat") I also ponied up the $500 to have Mike Cheda read the script-the guy that Snyder plugs and plugs in the book. Cheda liked my idea a ton more than Bart did. I don't think Bart was fond of it at all, actually. Cheda gave MANY more comments, and got on the phone with me for about an hour. You don't get that from Bart (who charges $135 I think). Both Bart and Cheda had a fundamental problem with something that was very wrong with the script. Cheda mentioned it, Bart kept coming back to it - he wouldn't buy anything else because of this big wrong thing. So I went back and forth with emails - and Bart was the one with the answer. I ran it by Cheda (who is a great guy), and he said, "yeah, that would satisfy me".
              Script got optioned (free, let's not get excited), the producer got a legit director attached to it, and the producer offered to manage me (of course, the script went out weeks ago, so I think that ship has sailed, sorry to say!).

              With an old writing partner, we resurected an old horror script that never went out to anyone, that I wrote 7 drafts on and could never nail. I convinced my partner to send it to Bart, he told us what he thought wasn't working. My partner on this project was very impressed with Bart's insights. And this partner used to be an assistant at one of the big four agencies, so has read some scripts. (I'm bone weary of that script for life, it's now up to the partner to take Bart's notes and fix it!)

              All that being said, Crusty, I am hotter about my newest idea than the previous ones (writers are optimists, are we not? Let's all do the writer chant "This is the one, This is the one, This is the one..."), and I trust the DD community, so once I finish this thing, will shortly send a PM to ask Le Femme if she's got time to read something. Just going by her posts, she seems like a wonderful person with a lot of heart. And on this script, I just want more detailed analysis, not my usual "does this work or not and why not", and she seems like the right person for that.

              I thought long and hard about posting this, as I know I am going to get cracks about spending money freely and all that. But I wanted to share these experiences in case they could help someone.

              Hope this helps.
              Last edited by seh; 12-02-2006, 05:36 PM.

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              • #37
                Re: Script Analyst Rankings

                Originally posted by crustygibblet
                Also, no notes on dialogue.

                Very disappoting analysis versus other script analysts.

                Don't think I'll ever use him again.

                Whichever of my clients you were, sorry you were so disappoted.

                I admit that not everyone ends up satisfied. I go about 1 for 90. 90 writers who are happy per 1 who thinks I didn't get something.

                All I can say is that I always do my best, specifically so I don't have to contend with posts such as yours. Nothing chagrins me more than delivering a set of notes in which I think the script is a total tear down, or where I think there's a flaw in the idea. (either a story flaw, or merely the fact that it's too close to something else.) I can say that more than once I've had to deliver what I worried were devastating, soul-crushing notes and still had the writer say that I made a solid argument.

                Anyway, I don't care to guess further about what went right or wrong with your read without knowing who you are. But any time the client asks me to focus on specific aspects of the story I make sure to address it. If you feel slighted by a lack of attention to your dialogue, I don't know what to say. E me if you'd like to discuss it.
                Last edited by ExtHollywoodDay; 12-03-2006, 01:15 AM.
                - - - - - - -
                Script consulting still going strong.

                Details and updates here, as always: http://messageboard.donedealpro.com/...ead.php?t=9901

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                • #38
                  Re: Script Analyst Rankings

                  One more thing - before going with Bart, I asked for some samples of his reviews. He sent me two of them, I read them, and knew what type of service he was providing.

                  I never got anything back that was less than the samples. Usually, I think, I got even more detail than he gave in the samples provided.

                  My point is, he delivered on what he said he would do. And to his point above, when I asked him to concentrate on something, he did.

                  And again, I think his story sense is spot-on.

                  My partner on that one script, when I was pushing for us to send it to Bart to settle some questions we had, was thinking I liked Bart because he was kind in his reviews. Then when it came back, my partner got it. What you get is brutal honesty. Which is all I wanted, you know?

                  Hope this helps.

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                  • #39
                    Re: Script Analyst Rankings

                    I've just "tried" La Famme -- she's great. The best I ever had... And I've spent loads of money on so called "professional" consultants.

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                    • #40
                      Re: Script Analyst Rankings

                      I just used two script doctors -- independent of each other -- through multiple drafts to get a script ready to go out. I found both of them here, and they are both fantastic, and very affordable.
                      Scott Mullen and Barb Doyon -- $60 each, per draft, for extensive notes and specific recommendations on what to do to make the script better. Both have an excellent eye for detail and are committed to excellent service to their clients.
                      Interestingly enough, they are very complementary because they focus on different things, yet reach the same general conclusions about what is working and not working. I thought that was a nice coincidence.
                      I highly recommend both of them.

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                      • #41
                        Re: Script Analyst Rankings

                        Has anyone used Karl Iglesias, or know of anyone who has?

                        Thanks!
                        scrpts

                        "An Associate Producer in Hollywood is the only guy who will associate with a Producer." - Fred Allen

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                        • #42
                          Re: Script Analyst Rankings

                          Just wanted to chime in and support Bart - he helped me with a script once, a few years back and I thought he was great. I know we are competitors now, on a certain level, but not really - every consultant has a different style, personality and focus. What Bart said is absolutely true - you cannot please everyone. And if Bart has statistics like 1 unhappy client out of 90? He's doing a pretty damn good job as far as I'm concerned. He's a great guy.

                          We consultants work hard to maintain consistency, accuracy and honesty in every script. Even if you seem like such a *sweet* client, or such a *difficult* client - we set that aside so we can do our job well. It is inevitable that some clients will not be pleased. That in no way means Bart, or I or Jim or whomever is not good at what we do. There might be some truths about your script you just can't digest right now. Or it could be that your style and personality are not a good match with ours. It could mean that there was a miscommunication between what you really wanted and needed to discover about your material and what was provided. I refer to the complaint, earlier about no comments on dialogue. Could be the dialogue was just fine and needed no comment. Could be there were other problems in the scipt that supercede and eclipse worrying about dialogue. If the consultant *felt* a comment was needed about dialogue - he would have made a comment. This is why follow-up communication is important - in this way you, the writer, have an opportunity to say hey, wait a minute. What about X? Why didn't you comment about Y?

                          In order that my post here is productive and in keeping with the topic of this sticky thread: writers considering using a consultant should research them first, maybe even have a chat first, and most importantly, make sure you communicate clearly what you are looking to achieve out of this consulting.

                          As Meryl Streep says, in PRADA - that is all.

                          Julie Gray



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                          • #43
                            Re: Script Analyst Rankings

                            Is it a tad superfluous to provide a testimonial for La Femme? Bear with me... I just wanted to say that yesterday we talked for over an hour - god, your poor phone bill, girl! She was extremely generous and candid in her comments - not to mention a lot of fun. And told me stuff I really needed to know. Big picture and small picture, career ideas as well as story ideas. You name it, she had a suggestion or a possibility. Or even a contact. GOD LOVE HER. (I mean that in an entirely sectarian way. )

                            The notes arrived a few moments after we hung up, and in there were smart and insightful ideas for how to make my Australian (independent) script more open to a US market, as well as how to improve the script generally. Great stuff. (And it didn't hurt at all.)

                            So I just wanted to publicly shout out hooray and thanks to La Femme, as well as remind anyone who wants to know where their script is and what needs to happen next, that they should look no further than the Fair One.

                            Thanks for indulging me.
                            Last edited by nic.h; 01-28-2007, 06:12 PM.
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                            • #44
                              Re: Script Analyst Rankings

                              I am available to do script coverage on full-length features as well as shorter scripts. In the past year, I did lengthy coverage for a Swiss writer, whose English was not very good. I was a reader for the Kairos Prize contest, sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation. I read 123 scripts, did a 1-page critique and scored each script on a grid. The scripts went on from there to a second reader and then to the final judges. I spotted two of the 3 top winners right away -- a truly good script stands out like a jewel. I then worked on contract for the Warner Bros. script processing dept. for 6 weeks while one of their people was ill. I re-typed in Warner Bros format the scripts which their story dept. had in development, corrected spelling and grammar. From that, I saw what kind of scripts studios are buying now. After that I worked on contract at Sony Tv's research dept., where I had access to their ScriptTracker software. I read the comments which the readers in their story development dept. made on several hundred scripts over the last 5 years, and gained a feeling for what studio story depts. want from script coverage.
                              I hope this gives you some idea of my background. Also, I have written 6 scripts, one of which was among the top ten in last year's Scriptapalooza contest, out of 3600 scripts. I am currently doing script coverage for several writers. Rates vary according to the type of coverage desired and how soon it is needed, but they are considerably lower than any of the rates mentioned on this message site.

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                              • #45
                                Re: Script Analyst Rankings

                                mallorymay,

                                what are your rates for basic coverage? Can you send me sample coverage you have done? Do you have a website with more info?

                                thanks
                                Writer / Director available for your project.

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