Screenplay Coverage? What’s the point?

So you’re not sure how good you are. You’ve probably submitted your script and got some mixed feedback. I want to give you the honest truth about coverage/analysis/feedback that will help you understand where you stand.

  1. It’s ALL Subjective: There isn’t a single form of screenplay analysis that is objective, and if someone claims to be, take it from the experts: IT. IS. NOT. POSSIBLE. Scriptmatix has researched and developed for years to try to fix this issue and the conclusion was that – while we can minimize it to a great degree – you cannot eliminate it. Art is subjective. Stories have subjective value. Movies have subjective value. However, knowing how the mechanics of your story are functioning is a great way of understanding where you stand. If you’d like the most objective analysis in the film industry, you can submit here. But wait, keep reading…
  2. An Analysis is an Appraisal: It is not a development tool. It is not a commentary on your potential. It’s not even a commentary on the script’s potential. It’s an appraisal of the screenplay in its current form.
  3. An Analysis is ONLY One Readthrough: This is important for a couple reasons: a) With a production company, you’ll only have a first impression so you want to know where you stand in that regard; b) The minor details of your screenplay could potentially go unnoticed. Obviously, this is troubling. As an artist, you want your material to be comprehended fully. But in an industry, where you are given a first impression and not much else, you want to make sure you’re communicating clearly… so important.

So what’s the point? The point is to know where you stand. That’s it. Screenplay coverage is not something one uses to get better. A screenplay analysis can’t fix your problems. And a screenwriting feedback is definitely something to be taken with a grain of salt. Even at the highest levels of analysis, we want you to know that an appraisal is just that… it’s a surface-level assessment of value. Just like a home appraisal, the appraiser will take measurements, assess the overall condition of the property, and provide a number.

At Scriptmatix, our scores are algorithmically generated so we take the burden of scoring away from the analyst. All the screenplay reader needs to do is read the full script and evaluate it through our standardized thought model, which is how we are able to provide the most objective analysis in the business. We try our best to eliminate opinion and look strictly at story mechanics.

For what it’s worth, it’s a great appraisal of your material. And if you score above a 70 on a full analysis, our senior development staff reads the script, guaranteed. If you’d like this assessment and want to know where you stand, I’d suggest getting an evaluation and a consultation. We find that screenwriters benefit most from getting their screenplays analyzed and then speaking to the person who did the evaluation.

Be blessed.

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