Script coverage: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 03:00, 21 January 2008

Revision as of 02:51, 19 March 2008

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==The Script Timeline==

When a screenplay is submitted to a production entity, it is given to a script analyst (also known as a “script reader” or, more informally, as simply a “reader”). A script analyst can be a member of the production entity’s staff (such as an employee of a studio’s story department or as part of a smaller company’s script development team) or a freelance worker who assesses scripts for a number of production entities simultaneously. The analyst reads the script and then prepares the coverage, which the production entity’s executives then use to help them determine whether or not to move forward with the project.

Due to the high number of screenplays that production companies receive, script coverage is primarily the responsibility of interns and assistants within the development department. Some companies, however, employ dedicated staff readers or use the services of freelance readers who are paid on a job-by-job basis. A grade of "Pass" generally ensures that no one higher on the chain of command will read the script, but this is not always the case -- a high-profile submission may be read by executives regardless of the initial reader's verdict. A grade of "Consider" keeps the script in circulation, at which point it is usually read by another intern or assistant before it moves on to a department head or executive, who typically reads the synopsis and analysis when making a further decision.

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