Survival Jobs by Deborah Jacobson

Author:Deborah Jacobson [Jacobson, Deborah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-47781-1
Publisher: Crown Publishing Group
Published: 2010-08-11T03:00:00+00:00

Script Reader

Find the next It’s a Wonderful Life.

If you like to read, have a talent for writing, own a computer or typewriter, and prefer to supplement your income in the leisure of your own home, script reading may be just right for you. Film studios, producers, and literary agents are constantly hiring people to read scripts and then write evaluations, called “coverage.” This job is especially good for screenwriters who want to sharpen their own critical sensibilities.

Flexibility is the most significant advantage of a script reading position. You are also able to make contacts and keep current on what’s going on in the industry. With some experience, you can even work your way up into a development position. Many major film executives started out as script readers.

There are a number of ways to learn how to become a freelance script reader, especially in major entertainment cities like Los Angeles or New York, where jobs are plentiful. You can take a class in story analysis at adult-ed and extension schools, such as UCLA Extension, (310) 825–9971, or the Learning Annex, which is now expanding to most major cities. To gain experience and build your résumé, try interning at a reputable theater or film company in your area that accepts and reviews unsolicited materials.

Once you have gotten a feel for the basics, contact anyone and everyone you know in the industry. Supplement your personal contacts with The Hollywood Creative Directory, The Illinois Production Guide, or The New York Production Guide (N.Y.P.G.). These books are available in most theatrical bookstores and list every production company in town. Call small production companies directly, as they will probably be easier to break into and may not require much prior experience. You can offer to do a trial coverage to show off your abilities, and then you’ll have a sample to pass around.

Script readers usually earn $40-$60 per script. Reading and covering a script generally takes four hours.

Good Luck

BENEFITS: work at home, make industry contacts, sharpen critical sensibilities, improve writing skills.

PITFALLS: tedious work, an overwhelming wealth of poorly written scripts.

SOURCES: take a class, call production companies, showbiz contacts, The Hollywood Creative Directory; The Illinois Production Guide, (312) 814–3600); or The New York Production Guide (N.Y.P.G.). UCLA Extension, (310) 825–9971, or the Learning Annex: Los Angeles, (310) 478–6677; San Francisco, (415) 788–5500; San Diego, (619) 544–9700; New York, (212) 570–6500; Toronto, (416) 964–0011.

NEEDS: enjoy reading, write well, sample coverage of a script.

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