I. Introduction

As a script coverer, your job is to read and offer feedback on scripts for film or television. Script coverage is a crucial part of the entertainment industry as it helps producers, agents, and other industry professionals filter through the hundreds of scripts they receive and decide which ones to produce. The purpose of this article is to provide practical steps that will help you craft effective coverage that will benefit the writers.

II. Step 1: Break the Story Down

Breaking a script down is important as it helps you understand the story, its structure, and the characters. The breakdown should outline the story’s primary plot points and character arcs. Experts recommend breaking it down by act, scene, and character development.

You can identify the key plot points and character arcs by reading the script closely and making notes. Highlight the inciting incidents, the midpoint, and the climax. By analyzing the character development, determine if the characters change throughout the story. Are there scenes that are important to a character’s growth?

The structure of your breakdown will depend on the story, but it should be comprehensive and easy to understand. A clear structure can help the writer understand where they should make changes or additions.

III. Step 2: Identify Strengths and Weaknesses

Identifying the strengths and weaknesses of a script is important. By identifying the good and the bad, you will offer a more insightful critique of the script. Strengths can help the writer understand what they should keep, while weaknesses help them understand what they should improve.

Reading the script for the first time, identify the strengths and weaknesses. Some strengths could be strong dialogue, well-developed characters, and a unique premise. Some weaknesses could be weak pacing, underdeveloped characters or lack of tension.

It is essential to be honest and highlight both the good and the bad. However, it is equally important to be constructive and not just point out what’s wrong with the script.

IV. Step 3: Offer Specific Feedback

Specific and actionable feedback is the most effective. Giving feedback that is vague or subjective doesn’t help the writer understand what they should do to improve the script. Make sure your feedback is concrete and specific.

When framing feedback, it’s essential to be constructive. Offer your opinion in a professional way that doesn’t belittle the writer. For instance, instead of saying, “this dialogue is terrible,” you could say, “the dialogue doesn’t feel authentic to the character. This might be due to the context of the story or the character’s motivation.”

Specific feedback helps the writer understand what works and what doesn’t. It allows them to analyze their choices and find solutions that could improve the script.

V. Step 4: Provide Suggestions for Improvement

After identifying the weaknesses of the script, you should suggest how the writer could improve the script. This should include ideas on what could be changed, added or removed to improve the story and the characters.

Brainstorming possible solutions requires you to be creative and think outside the box. For instance, if you believe that a particular character is underdeveloped, you could suggest that more backstory could be added. The suggestions should be practical and relate to the issues that you identified when breaking the story down.

Make sure that your suggestions don’t read like orders; they should be open to interpretation. Remember, the writer is the author and has the final say about what changes they will make. Your suggestions are there to guide them towards a better script.

VI. Step 5: Summarize and Provide a Rating

Summarizing the feedback and providing a rating is important as it gives the writer a broad idea of what to expect from your coverage. The summary should briefly state the strengths, weaknesses, specific feedback, and suggestions for improvement.

Most industry professionals use a 10-point scale to rate scripts, with 10 being the best. The rating gives the writer an idea of where their script stands amongst others. The rating should be explained in your summary, and it should reflect the feedback that you have provided.

VII. Conclusion

Crafting effective script coverage is not an easy task. It requires meticulous reading, critical thinking, and an in-depth understanding of the storytelling process. By following the five practical steps outlined in this article, you will offer coverage that is insightful, specific, and constructive.

When offering feedback, remember that your primary goal is to help the writer improve their script. Your feedback could be the difference between a script getting produced or ending up collecting dust on a shelf.

So, take the time to break the story down, identify the strengths and weaknesses, offer specific feedback, provide suggestions for improvement, and summarize your feedback with a rating. Your coverage could be what helps a writer achieve their dream.