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SimplyScripts Screenwriting Discussion Board    Screenwriting Discussion    Screenwriting Class  ›   How do script readers score your script?... Moderators: George Willson
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MarkRenshaw
Posted: January 23rd, 2019, 3:41am Report to Moderator
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You enter a competition, you send a script to a production company. In both situations, the script is read by someone whose job it is to score the script and mark it as either a pass, consider or recommend. The script readers - the first line of gatekeepers in the industry.

I was lucky enough to be in a session with Stephen Follows (https://stephenfollows.com/) a few days ago. He's a statto! You would think that's boring, but not only is he really funny but he knows his stuff and this data is very revealing.

He's been working for a while now on script scoring. He's analysed 12,000 scripts that were submitted to all the major film festivals and screenwriting competitions over the past year and the scores they received.

The results are revealing and in some cases surprising. Note - this isn't to say if the script is good or bad or if a director would love it, this is what the script readers think and how they score.

Sadly, I'm not allowed to reveal the results yet as it's all tied into an exclusive deal Stephen has. However, he will publish the results next week (I think it is Tuesday) on his site for free. If I remember I'll come back and update this then.

But as a taster, for now, let's play a game. This is the same warm-up game we played in his session. Based on the actor's movie posters (both male and female) and analysis on their facial expression, who do you think is the saddest actor in Hollywood?

So they have got to look sad, not angry, not neutral; sad. And consistently sad. If they are sad on one poster but happy on a different movie poster, that counts against them. So, have a guess and I'll pop back tomorrow with the answer.


For more of my scripts, stories, produced movies and the ocassional blog, check out my new website. CLICK

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Grandma Bear  -  February 1st, 2019, 9:35am
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eldave1
Posted: January 23rd, 2019, 11:22am Report to Moderator
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Anthony Hopkins came to mind for me


My Scripts can all be seen here:

http://dlambertson.wix.com/scripts
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ReneC
Posted: January 23rd, 2019, 12:15pm Report to Moderator
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Sad is hard! Especially for the poster.

Charlie Chaplin...but that's not today.

I'm going with Joaquin Phoenix.


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Scar Tissue Films
Posted: January 23rd, 2019, 1:23pm Report to Moderator
Of The Ancients


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Ben Affleck or Kristen Stewart.
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jayrex
Posted: January 23rd, 2019, 2:11pm Report to Moderator
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Cut to three weeks earlier

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Jake Gyllenhaal.


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Gary in Houston
Posted: January 23rd, 2019, 9:02pm Report to Moderator
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Denzel Washington


Some of my scripts:

Bounty (TV Pilot) -- Top 1% of discoverable screenplays on Coverfly
I'll Be Seeing You (short) - OWC winner
The Gambler (short) - OWC winner
Skip (short) - filmed
Country Road 12 (short) - filmed
The Family Man (short) - filmed
The Journeyers (feature) - optioned

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Sandra Elstree.
Posted: January 23rd, 2019, 9:24pm Report to Moderator
Of The Ancients


What if the Hokey Pokey, IS what it's all about?

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This was really easy for me.

There's no doubt in my mind that Nicolas Cage fits this category. He has a categorically sad face-- even when he's looking a little on the severe side-- still, the sadness creeps through in his eyes.

If he is in a neutral demeanor, his looks will reach the deep tones of sentiment at least, if not all out sad.

I should write a character using him as a prompt. I feel like his soul can't help but express itself. At the very least, it sure wants out.

Interesting topic,

Thanks for the post.

Sandra



A known mistake is better than an unknown truth.
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SAC
Posted: January 24th, 2019, 12:16am Report to Moderator
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… but some dreams do

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I’m with Sandra. Nicholas Cage was the first that came to my mind.


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LC
Posted: January 24th, 2019, 1:35am Report to Moderator
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Casey Affleck, Leonardo DiCaprio, Hilary Swank, Amy Adams, Emily Blunt. Ooh, I'm probably disqualified cause too many so I'll go for:

Jodie Foster!


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MarkRenshaw
Posted: January 24th, 2019, 3:49am Report to Moderator
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Quoted from Scar Tissue Films
Ben Affleck or Kristen Stewart.



We have a winner! Technically I should disqualify as you had two guesses but I'm a nice guy! Ben Affleck it is. I see some think Nic Cage, which is good but statistically, his face is more angry than sad across the board.






For more of my scripts, stories, produced movies and the ocassional blog, check out my new website. CLICK
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ReneC
Posted: January 24th, 2019, 11:05am Report to Moderator
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No wonder Sad Batman took off so quickly...


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MarkRenshaw
Posted: January 29th, 2019, 3:42am Report to Moderator
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So the report is out - https://stephenfollows.com/analysis-of-12309-feature-film-script-reports/

It is a hefty report but worth checking out. The highlights are that overall, format is the least important aspect of the script and characterisation the most important. Those stats do alter slightly if you go into specific genres. For example in Horror, Plot is less important than in sci-fi, which makes sense.

Another aspect of interest is Voice. Voice is very important but looking at the data, scripts tend to get a higher Voice score if profanity is used. It's as if they go, "Yeah, Tarintino swears a lot and he's got a distinctive voice! and score higher. So fuck yeah!


For more of my scripts, stories, produced movies and the ocassional blog, check out my new website. CLICK
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Scar Tissue Films
Posted: January 29th, 2019, 4:38am Report to Moderator
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Interesting, but who cares about unproduced scripts?

It's just an analysis of stories that weren't good enough to produce, for whatever reason...comnerciality or quality.


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MarkRenshaw
Posted: January 29th, 2019, 9:58am Report to Moderator
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Quoted from Scar Tissue Films
Interesting, but who cares about unproduced scripts?

It's just an analysis of stories that weren't good enough to produce, for whatever reason...comnerciality or quality.




I don't think you quite grasp this. These are the people who read your scripts and give them a score. That score ends up as a pass, consider or recommend and everyone uses script readers, be that in a competition or if you submit to a production studio. They are the first line of gatekeepers, the people who read your script first and this dataset suggests a trend for how they all currently score.


For more of my scripts, stories, produced movies and the ocassional blog, check out my new website. CLICK
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Matthew Taylor
Posted: January 29th, 2019, 10:40am Report to Moderator
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I'm going to assume that the scripts in this study were read in their entirety, or else how can they score on each element?

So what about those that don't make it that far? The ones that have 10 or less pages read, I don't mind betting that format plays a much bigger part in whether these end up on the pass pile - and it's a big old pile


Feature

42.2

Two steps to writing a good screenplay:
1) Write a bad one
2) Fix it
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