What is coverage?
In a perfect world, a writer would submit his or her screenplay directly to the head of a studio, who would immediately read it and decide whether or not to buy it. In the less than ideal reality of Hollywood, the journey a script takes from writer to executive is much longer and more circuitous. Because studios, production companies and producers receive hundreds of scripts each week, it is not possible for the top executives to read every submission. Instead they rely on a pool of story analysts who read the scripts first and write up coverage reports that indicate whether or not the script is worth being read at the next level. Many agencies and screenwriting contests also rely on readers and coverage, due to the volume of submissions they receive. Having a knowledge and understanding of what coverage is and how it is used can be helpful for writers. By looking hard at your current draft and applying the same critical judgments that a reader will be using, you can strengthen the mos
Coverage is a report, generated by a reader, which consists of: 1. A logline – the story in a nutshell 2. A synopsis – approximately two to three pages which summarize the script 3. Comments – approximately one to two pages where the reader details what worked and what didn’t and why. 4. A chart with grades awarded for Premise/Idea, Plot, Characterization, Dialogue and Writing with an overall assessment of either a Recommend, Consider or Pass, for both writer and script. Coverage is used to determine whether the script merits further attention. Although there are many excellent screenwriting books out there, the one thing they can’t offer you is feedback and feedback to a writer is essential. Coverage is one of the best forms of feedback that you can get and if you get it from a secure, private source like So You Wanna Sell A Script, then no one in town will know that your script isn’t ready. You can take the time to perfect it, without using up that all important first impression. Cov
There’s a saying that nobody reads in Hollywood. This is partially true. Since the industry is deluged with reading material and there’s only so much time in the day, a lot of it gets read first by folks called “readers.” They write up a few pages which summarizes the story and includes comments about it, the writer and whatever else the reader feels is appropriate for the particular person they are working for. This is known as “coverage” or a “readers’ report.” If the coverage gets a favorable grade, the material is then read by the reader’s boss who might be an agent, producer or an executive. Look at coverage as a screening process. What Are Development Notes? These are very detailed notes given to professional writers while they work one-on-one with a creative or development exec. They get into much more detail than the coverage report including paragraphs on synopsis, structure, dialogue/writing style, scene transitions/act breaks, characters, tone, commercial appeal, first ten p
