Screenplay Coverage
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Screenplay Coverage?
Screenplay coverage is also known as script coverage. Coverage is a basic "script report" that summarizes the story and discusses the overall quality of the script. In addition to commenting on the story, the screenplay coverage report also comments on the writing skills of the screenwriter. If you need a useful logline, synopsis, rating grid, and candid feedback on your script, get our coverage. We work with clients in the U.S. and abroad. Writers and filmmakers can easily submit their scripts via email. In a matter of seconds, your script will arrive in our inbox.
What are script notes?
If you need scene-specific script feedback to help you brainstorm and refine your script, get "Script Notes" service. The detailed notes dig deep into your story, giving you the insight needed to tune your script. Page numbers are included in the script notes to conveniently guide the writer to specific scenes in the script. Script notes are also known as development notes. The notes discuss areas in the script that require further development to enhance the plot and characters. We also provide script notes services to festival directors of screenplay competitions.
The script notes identify underwritten characters and confusing scenes to help the writer and/or filmmaker address these issues before the script goes into production. Unfocused scenes and poorly developed characters can cause your story to meander and exhaust the production budget. If you want thorough screenplay feedback that cites scenes from your script, get script notes.
If you need a screenplay editor to improve the readability of your script, we have screenplay editing service.
Screenplay coverage is also known as script coverage. Coverage is a basic "script report" that summarizes the story and discusses the overall quality of the script. In addition to commenting on the story, the screenplay coverage report also comments on the writing skills of the screenwriter. If you need a useful logline, synopsis, rating grid, and candid feedback on your script, get our coverage. We work with clients in the U.S. and abroad. Writers and filmmakers can easily submit their scripts via email. In a matter of seconds, your script will arrive in our inbox.
What are script notes?
If you need scene-specific script feedback to help you brainstorm and refine your script, get "Script Notes" service. The detailed notes dig deep into your story, giving you the insight needed to tune your script. Page numbers are included in the script notes to conveniently guide the writer to specific scenes in the script. Script notes are also known as development notes. The notes discuss areas in the script that require further development to enhance the plot and characters. We also provide script notes services to festival directors of screenplay competitions.
The script notes identify underwritten characters and confusing scenes to help the writer and/or filmmaker address these issues before the script goes into production. Unfocused scenes and poorly developed characters can cause your story to meander and exhaust the production budget. If you want thorough screenplay feedback that cites scenes from your script, get script notes.
If you need a screenplay editor to improve the readability of your script, we have screenplay editing service.
Do you accept screenplay submissions worldwide?
The Script Joint works with writers and filmmakers across the U.S., Canada, Australia, Europe and other countries. All scripts can be quickly submitted via email.
Why do I need to get my script analyzed before I show it to an agent or producer?
Before you send your script to an agent or producer, be certain that your script is ready to be seen. Get professional and candid script feedback. That way, you will have a chance to rectify problematic areas in the script. For those who are new to screenwriting, avoid putting "DISSOLVE TO" or "SMASH CUT" in your script. A screenwriter's role is to convey a story in a visually engaging manner, not turn a script into an instruction manual for the director. Editing commands are for the director and editor to decide in post-production. Avoid letting technical instructions rob screen time from your story and your characters.
How experienced are your script readers?
Our script readers have experience providing coverage and story notes for executives in the film/television industry. They have analyzed professional scripts and books for executives at literary agencies, management and production companies. All of our script readers have been vetted and hand-picked from the industry. For more details on our script readers' background, visit our script readers' page.
Can you help me sell my scripts if I don't have a literary agent?
We are a script coverage and editing company. Representing writers and selling scripts is an entirely different line of work reserved for literary agents. There are state laws and requirements to become literary agents.
Do you accept credit card payment?
Yes. You can pay online with a major credit card (not gift card) via PayPal. We accept any major credit cards including Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. You do not need to have a personal PayPal account to use PayPal. Simply choose the screenplay service you desire and click the "Add to Cart" button.
What are the preferred e-mail submission formats?
Depending on the type of services you select, below are acceptable file types:
What is PDF Adobe Acrobat file?
Your screenwriting software should have a feature that allows you to export/save your script as a PDF file. Whether you typed your script using Final Draft or Movie Magic Screenwriting, if you save a copy of your script as a PDF, we can open and view it on any operating system.
Do you accept online submissions in Microsoft Word format?
Yes. You may e-mail your screenplay as a Word doc, but the screenplay must be formatted within industry standards. By that, we are referring to the margins, scene descriptions, sluglines, etc. Font style must be 12-point Courier New. Please do not narrow margins or use a smaller font size, because that will generate an incorrect page count. One script page is equivalent to one minute of movie time.
Will Using Your Screenplay Editing Service Help Me Land a Literary Agent or Manager?
Our editing service helps "improve" the readability of your screenplay. One round of editing is involved. Keep in mind that it is not a "co-writing" or "polishing" service. There is no guarantee made in using the service to land an agent. However, we are happy to announce that some of our clients have benefited from using this editing service. Some of them have moved up as quarter-finalists in screenwriting contests. Others have landed in the top of various screenwriting competitions.
By which method will I receive the script notes or script coverage?
By default, the notes or coverage will be e-mailed to you as a PDF (Adobe Acrobat) file. If you don't have an Adobe Acrobat reader, you may visit http://get.adobe.com/reader/ and get a free version.
When is script service rendered?
Payment must clear before service can be performed on your script.
All service fees are non-refundable. Once we start working on your projects (scripts, story treatments, etc.), whether it is reading or editing your scripts, we cannot issue refunds, because we have already put in time on your projects. If we have not started on your project, and it is in line to be worked on, we can issue a refund with 10% deducted from the refund amount to cover the transaction fee that comes with processing a refund. Additionally, bear in mind that once your script or treatment is being worked on by our team, we will not accept an updated version to replace the existing one. We cannot swap scripts or treatments once we've started working on them.
Can you introduce new writers to agents or managers?
Due to liability and legal reasons, The Script Joint does not offer that type of service.
The Script Joint works with writers and filmmakers across the U.S., Canada, Australia, Europe and other countries. All scripts can be quickly submitted via email.
Why do I need to get my script analyzed before I show it to an agent or producer?
Before you send your script to an agent or producer, be certain that your script is ready to be seen. Get professional and candid script feedback. That way, you will have a chance to rectify problematic areas in the script. For those who are new to screenwriting, avoid putting "DISSOLVE TO" or "SMASH CUT" in your script. A screenwriter's role is to convey a story in a visually engaging manner, not turn a script into an instruction manual for the director. Editing commands are for the director and editor to decide in post-production. Avoid letting technical instructions rob screen time from your story and your characters.
How experienced are your script readers?
Our script readers have experience providing coverage and story notes for executives in the film/television industry. They have analyzed professional scripts and books for executives at literary agencies, management and production companies. All of our script readers have been vetted and hand-picked from the industry. For more details on our script readers' background, visit our script readers' page.
Can you help me sell my scripts if I don't have a literary agent?
We are a script coverage and editing company. Representing writers and selling scripts is an entirely different line of work reserved for literary agents. There are state laws and requirements to become literary agents.
Do you accept credit card payment?
Yes. You can pay online with a major credit card (not gift card) via PayPal. We accept any major credit cards including Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. You do not need to have a personal PayPal account to use PayPal. Simply choose the screenplay service you desire and click the "Add to Cart" button.
What are the preferred e-mail submission formats?
Depending on the type of services you select, below are acceptable file types:
- PDF (Adobe Acrobat)
- Celtx
- Rich Text Format
- Final Draft 5-9
- Microsoft Word
- Users of Draft 8 or higher, please save a copy of your script as Final Draft 5-7 (.FDR) and email us the .FDR copy, only if you are submitting your script for editing service. Final Draft 8-9 file types tend to freeze more often than earlier versions.
What is PDF Adobe Acrobat file?
Your screenwriting software should have a feature that allows you to export/save your script as a PDF file. Whether you typed your script using Final Draft or Movie Magic Screenwriting, if you save a copy of your script as a PDF, we can open and view it on any operating system.
Do you accept online submissions in Microsoft Word format?
Yes. You may e-mail your screenplay as a Word doc, but the screenplay must be formatted within industry standards. By that, we are referring to the margins, scene descriptions, sluglines, etc. Font style must be 12-point Courier New. Please do not narrow margins or use a smaller font size, because that will generate an incorrect page count. One script page is equivalent to one minute of movie time.
Will Using Your Screenplay Editing Service Help Me Land a Literary Agent or Manager?
Our editing service helps "improve" the readability of your screenplay. One round of editing is involved. Keep in mind that it is not a "co-writing" or "polishing" service. There is no guarantee made in using the service to land an agent. However, we are happy to announce that some of our clients have benefited from using this editing service. Some of them have moved up as quarter-finalists in screenwriting contests. Others have landed in the top of various screenwriting competitions.
By which method will I receive the script notes or script coverage?
By default, the notes or coverage will be e-mailed to you as a PDF (Adobe Acrobat) file. If you don't have an Adobe Acrobat reader, you may visit http://get.adobe.com/reader/ and get a free version.
When is script service rendered?
Payment must clear before service can be performed on your script.
All service fees are non-refundable. Once we start working on your projects (scripts, story treatments, etc.), whether it is reading or editing your scripts, we cannot issue refunds, because we have already put in time on your projects. If we have not started on your project, and it is in line to be worked on, we can issue a refund with 10% deducted from the refund amount to cover the transaction fee that comes with processing a refund. Additionally, bear in mind that once your script or treatment is being worked on by our team, we will not accept an updated version to replace the existing one. We cannot swap scripts or treatments once we've started working on them.
Can you introduce new writers to agents or managers?
Due to liability and legal reasons, The Script Joint does not offer that type of service.
