GITS: The Twitter Conversations — Script Readers (Part 11)
On Wednesday, April 10th at 7PM Pacific, we had the 3rd GITS Twitter Conversation with industry insiders whose jobs involve reading scripts: Amanda Pendolino [@amandapendo], Nate Winslow [@nate_winslow], and The Bitter Script Reader [@BittrScrptReadr].
I will be posting an edited transcript of the conversation every day this week.
AP [Amanda Pendolino]
BSR [Bitter Script Reader]
GITS [Me]
NW [Nate Winslow]
Here is Part 11 of GITS: The Twitter Conversations — Script Readers:
GITS: First thing from me: Script readers = Hollywood threshold guardians. True? If so, why?
AP: Script readers = Hollywood threshold guardians. True? Sure. Many ppl use readers to filter material from writers they don’t know
NW: True to the degree that they’re the 1st obstacle to clear. If you don’t clear them, your chances shrink rapidly.
BSR: True. For the reasons already mentioned. To get to people of increasing importance, you have to go through readers
TheDanPeckShow question re query letters
BSR: Don’t see many queries these days, but I’d say big problem is not being concise. keep it simple
AP: Query letter pet peeves/common mistakes? We wouldn’t get query letters. but if you query, get to the point immediately.
NW: I don’t see query letters but I’d say you’ve got one sentence. At most.
KoruCottage: Readers with desire for simplicity, does an emotional scene left to the imagination beat a detail one? A house, a shot, a runner.
AP: there’s a balance. we need to be able to emotionally track the characters or we won’t really care about them
BSR: Yeah, go for the emotion — not the long description better suited to a novel
NW: Agreed. If you find yourself writing incredibly detailed description, it’s a novel.
AP: we always want to skip over long chunks of description and get to the dialogue. it’s just a natural tendency.
AP: if you keep reading pro scripts, you’ll see how people balance it and break things up.
GITS: Conventional wisdom is spec activity is slower this year than last. Does that jive with your sense of the current market?
BSR: it’s hard to say. The cos I’ve been reading for have had MORE for me actually. Could just be tidal changes
BSR: I’ll be curious to see where the numbers stand mid-year, though the first 3 mo of data do show a downswing
BSR: But then again, last yr was really strong, so this could be like this year’s B.O. which will struggle to match ‘12
AP: you probably track it more closely than I do — but it doesn’t feel like it’s booming
NW: I think there might be fewer sales so far this year, but I want to say there are lot getting sent out.
NW: Maybe this is my imagination but I feel like I’ve noticed more than a few specs selling months after going out.
Some observations:
* The questions from TheDanPeckShow and KoruCottage raise the importance of being concise. Whether it’s queries or scene description, word choice is critical and there is almost always value in cutting. Obviously true for queries or loglines, but scene description is more dependent on the type of story and genre in conjunction with the writer’s sense of narrative voice. A period drama may require more description than a contemporary action piece. But still, screenplays are unique, where the white space is as important as the black ink.
* My bookend questions speak to script readers existing on Hollywood’s front line. If you have any opportunity to befriend one [or more] of these talented, overworked and often overlooked folks, you should do it. They have a unique perspective on the script acquisition and development process. They truly are the first line of Hollywood’s defense. And the difference in their coverage between a Pass and a Consider is huge. At the very least you should follow these three on Twitter.
Some background info:
The Bitter Script Reader (@BittrScrptReadr) has spent many years — “perhaps too many,” he says — working in development and as a reader at production companies and agencies. For over three years, he’s blogged regularly about the missteps he’s seen writers both young and professional make, and implored his audience to avoid those same writing pitfalls. You can find him at his blog and check out his videos on his YouTube Channel.
After working for a motion picture literary agent at a major talent agency, Amanda Pendolino (@amandapendo) went on to become a professional script reader for a few different production companies. She is also developing some feature comedies, in addition to an original sitcom. Her blog is here. You should bookmark it.
Nate Winslow (@Nate_Winslow) moved to Los Angeles last year and spent the majority of his time reading scripts and writing coverage for a production company and an A-list director. He’s currently working at the production company Defender Entertainment.
Tomorrow: Part 12.
For Parts 1–10 from our 2012 Twitter Conversations, go here.