Reader Question: What is the history of script reading/coverage?

From Ben:

Hi Scott,

I’ve been trying to find out the history of script reading/coverage but can’t seem to find anything. Do you know any good sources?

Ben, I don’t know of any specific books that deal with the subject. My sense is that ever since the development of studio story departments reaching back as far as the first decade of the 20th century, and certainly by the second decade, there were people assigned to ‘cover’ incoming story ideas. You can read my series on the 1920 book “How to Write Photoplays” here and learn something about the working environment at the time. And there’s this:

So at least we know production entities have been sending out form rejection letters since around 1915.

The very first reference to script coverage I’ve ever found was in the 1950 movie “Sunset Blvd.” Gillis, the screenwriter, goes to studio exec Sheldrake pitching a sports story called “Bases Loaded.” In walks assistant Betty Schaefer who is holding some paperwork and says, “On that Bases Loaded. I covered it with a 2-page synopsis.”

Remember this is 1950 we’re talking about. Since this is still during the so-called ‘studio system’ era, we may assume this practice of coverage had been in place for some years previous.

The reason script readers and coverage came into existence way back then are the same reasons the practice exists today: It’s a way to handle the massive influx of material.

Parenthetically this is also one of the reasons why loglines became standard: A shorthand touchstone for project acquisition and development.

Meanwhile if you are interested in script readers, you might check out my interview with longtime script reader and story analyst D.C. Mar. Also this: Twitter conversations with three people working in Hollywood who read scripts for a living.

And finally this: Analysis of what one agency provided their readers in the way of instructional material. It’s a bit dated, the material maybe two decades old, yet still relevant by and large.

GITS readers, anybody know of resources discussing the history of script readers and script coverage?

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