6 Theses about Spec Scripts

[brianhaas]

Amazing post Halberlin, thanks so much for the insight. I've been frustrated, to some degree, with some of the advice I've read on message boards and blogs for not being as candid as your post. I think screenwriters really need "brutal honesty" when it comes to these things.

A question for you: I'm always astonished that readers are forced to slog through so much crap. I had always thought that in most instances, you have to have some connections to get a script into a reader's hands. Obviously, a lot of prodcos these days are taking unsolicited or "lightly solicited" scripts.

Is my view outdated? Are "connections" less of an issue in getting a script into the hands of a reader these days than in the past? And, if you don't mind me asking, can you give us an idea whom you were a reader for? Obviously I'm not looking for names, but was it a major agency, prodco?

Thanks again.

I'm getting close to being ready to start testing the waters with a script I think will actually pass muster, so I'm trying to get the lay of the land ahead of time.

[Hal Berlin]

Brian,

I worked for a producer who specialized in prestige movies -- oscar bait, basically. Not Scott Rudin, but not your cousin Velma either.

Connections help. A lot. Many - maybe even most -- of the scripts I covered came with some sort of connection to my boss. A friend, a relative. But these connections could be highly attenuated: a friend of a friend, someone you meet in a bar, even an internet 'connection.'. Script readers get paid miserably, so it's easy to assign them a script.

That said, readers and young development execs are hungry to discover new flesh. And the bar, as I hope I've suggested, is very low. I requested anything that was even vaguely interesting. I suspect the same is true for other readers and creative exes.

I'm considering setting up a little script reading service, just to offer quick and brutal assessments of whether your script stands a chance in hell, and what it needs to do to get there. But I'm wary of becoming another coverage hack, so I'd like to test this out for free -- figure out if my brutal opinion is worth anything to anyone. If you're interested, drop me an email: [e-mail].

[brianhaas]

Halberlin,

You have opened up the unholy hell of Pandora's box with that offer

That being said, you will definitely be getting an email from me in the near future. I've just getting into my second act (I'm at about 35 pages or so) in my screenplay, though I'm not sure you're interested in looking at early, partial drafts. If you are, I'll toss you a pdf today. I warn you: I don't write Oscar bait!

Either way, thanks for offering this and good luck with the interest it is sure to generate! I, for one, greatly appreciate the perspective of an actual reader.

[Hal Berlin]

Send what you have, and we'll talk. Although I have some vague and distant hopes of starting a reading service, I'm more interested in gaining back some of the artistic karma lost during my tenure in development.

If you're interested, I only ask two things. First, that you have a tough skin: I'm not mean, but I will be honest about your script's prospects. Second, that you talk back at me: tell me what's useful and what isn't, ask more questions, make it a conversation.

[brianhaas]

Mar 4, 2010 14:00:18 GMT -5 Hal Berlin said:

Send what you have, and we'll talk. Although I have some vague and distant hopes of starting a reading service, I'm more interested in gaining back some of the artistic karma lost during my tenure in development.

If you're interested, I only ask two things. First, that you have a tough skin: I'm not mean, but I will be honest about your script's prospects. Second, that you talk back at me: tell me what's useful and what isn't, ask more questions, make it a conversation.

It's a deal, my friend. I'll send you what I have this evening and, again, thanks.