GITS: The Twitter Conversations — Script Readers (Part 12)

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 12 of GITS: The Twitter Conversations — Script Readers:

14Shari: how popular are stories with women protagonists?

AP: popular as in hit movies? scripts that sell? or popular in terms of people writing them?

14Shari: as in scripts that sell

14Shari: I’ve heard that scripts with women protagonists in thrillers, horror, action don’t sell, is that true?

AP: I don’t think that’s true. there are just fewer of them out there.

BSR: Yeah, Amanda’s point is well taken here too. Fewer people write action scripts w/female leads

BSR: A LOT of horror scripts have female protags. Action, yeah, there’s a struggle there, but I feel like it’s changing

NW: Not only that, if they get to a studio, there are maybe 3 women in the world they bank on.

NW: Angelina Jolie, Kate Beckinsale and Milla Jovovich. That’s what a studio sees when they get female action movies.

BSR: This right here is the real issue. Nate nailed it. Need a star who can sell abroad

BSR: action needs to sell to the foreign audiences. Few actresses are bankable abroad. Hence, few female action films sell

matthewkane: How genre-neutral are readers? Can you get a bad read because your script is sent to a reader who doesn’t like its genre?

BSR: We’re trained as filters for our bosses. We need to know their tastes. That said, I’m not putting my neck…

BSR: …on the line for Torture porn. But this isn’t the first thing I’d worry about.

AP: probably, but a good reader knows better. I wouldn’t be doing my job if I passed on all action because they’re action

matthewkane: I assume a producer who likes the genre will send it to a reader who likes the genre. But contests & paid reads?

AP: I rate scripts against their genres and what I think people will respond to; my personal taste isn’t the only thing

BSR: Some contests will route to readers who prefer. Some don’t. Hard to answer in the general.

AP: a company I work for sends me genres I don’t like all the time but they respect my opinion anyway

AP: contests I’ve worked for have sent me all genres as well

TheRealGong: Good characters seem to trump a script that may be lacking in other departments. What do you think comprises a good character?

AP: someone interesting, compelling, specific, complex, unique. someone I want to follow for 2 hours.

AP: someone an A-list actor is going to want to play.

AP: someone who behaves in a way that doesn’t make me go WTF?

BSR: All of Amanda’s answers really sum it up. Esp re: a part an actor WANTS to play

Some takeaway:

* Salt, Hanna, The Hunger Games. Action movies with female leads. Great! We want more of that. But the default mode in Hollywood embraces male action leads. Not to say you can’t or shouldn’t write specs with strong female leads, even in genres like action where the lead is typically male. Just realize the odds against you mean you have to write that much better of a script.

* You may not think in terms of your story’s genre. Big mistake for a screenwriter because genre is super important in Hollywood. The studios develop entire slates of movies balancing out a variety of genres. So be aware of eight main genres — Action, Comedy, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Horror, Science Fiction, Thriller — and consider writing to them.

* Characters are critical to script readers. Story concepts can be important, but often are an intellectual exercise. Same thing with plot and theme. But characters offer a reader a chance to engage a story on an emotional level.

What did you learn from reading this transcript?

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 13.

For Part 11, go here.

For Parts 1–10 from our 2012 Twitter Conversations, go here.