Exclusive Q&A: Story Analyst D.C. Mar (Part 2)

Here is the second installment in a Q&A; interview I did with longtime script reader and story analyst D.C. Mar. The first one is here.

* How did you go about becoming a script reader?

Most script readers, me included, are writers who read for a living to get by while writing that break-through script or jockeying for that entry level creative executive or junior agent/manager position. How I and most others gained a foothold in the story analyst door is by doing coverage while at another job (as an assistant, for example) and/or doing internships while in film school.

In my case, my first job in the film industry was as an assistant to a literary agent at CAA. This agent was head of the book department at the time and one of my job duties, aside from rolling phone calls and other dreary but typical assistant chores, was doing coverage on the piles and piles of books that flooded into the department from NY lit agents. Then in film school, I won a writing award sponsored by Harmony Gold and one of the benefits was that they hired me to read scripts and books for them during the summers.

When I started looking for enough reading work to make a living, I put together a coverage sample package from book coverage I did for CAA and script coverage for Harmony Gold and canvassed story editors all over town with query letters. I eventually landed a full time reading gig with Turner Pictures. After reading for them for a year, they shut down, but executives from there went on to other companies and they brought me on board at New Regency and Radiant, where I stayed for many years. Once you do consistent work at a company and the executives like your coverage, word gets out and other companies needing analysts contact you about reading for them.

So the direct answer to the question of how to become script reader is to do internships when you’re in college (Benderspink has a great internship program) and accumulate good coverage samples while getting valuable industry experience. Once you’ve read for a big production company and accumulated enough coverage, you use those samples to get subsequent reading jobs at other companies, or better yet, have executives like your coverage enough to refer you to other story editors who are looking for good, reliable readers.

Becoming a script reader is a tried and true way to break into screenwriting. As Josh noted in previous comments, screenwriter John August started out reading scripts. Two things that does for you: (1) You get to read a ton of material which gives you a Gestalt understanding of the craft. (2) Since 99% of the scripts you read are crap, you are inspired to write something on your own.

More thoughts from D.C. Mar tomorrow as she talks about how many scripts she reads per week and for what type of outfits.