A Hollywood Script Consultant

SO HOW ARE SCRIPT NOTES REALLY GIVEN IN HOLLYWOOD?
BY CRAIG KELLEM

The short answer to this question is that folks creatively involved in projects, where the success of the script will often make the difference in their selling season (and help keep their jobs, do WHATEVER THEY NEED TO DO to make things go in the “right direction.”
Needed creative input may range from an “all nighter” type session, to a necessary “philosophical” discussion, like the one I once had with a writer who was about to start writing a pilot for CBS, that had real potential, but whose downside was that it could also have turned into a very corny and embarrassing mess. The basic idea was a show involving a family that would end up with one kid from each race at the end of the pilot. Typical gimmicky TV!

But there was a way to do it and to make it a formidable “eight o’clock” show.”
The message I delivered was to simply write this “high-end,” avoiding the obvious clichés. I suggested that the writer think of the family as an honest to God contemporary entity mired in all the realities and verities of real life, who, with real credibility, end up in this unique position and that he should inject real life sensibilities and nuances into the heart of it. I asked him to take what was unlikely and contrived and make it likely and sound, and to then give it all the credible jazz he could muster. The result was that the final draft retained the high concept cutesie “one of each kind” aspect, but it also had real dimension and quality and got on the air.

There were also times when a chat and conventional notes were not going to solve a script problem. Perhaps issues were too subtle or too hard to identify without a certain kind of quality “inspection.” Under such circumstances, we’d “burn the midnight oil” and go PAGE BY PAGE if necessary. No “slam-bam” cookie cutter type written reports here, just hard, scrutinous “whatever it takes” type work.

Or perhaps a script would come in with some glaring problem creating a need (and opportunity) for a quick “go home and fix it” mandate, BEFORE proceeding with the notes.
In delivering script notes to folks via our consultation business, I tend to use the same methods, which is more about GETTING IT DONE, BY WHATEVER MEANS, than—“one size fits all,” type methods, if you know what I mean.

Although most scripts receive what’s stated on our site, (which is a thorough read; a full telephone conference; an email to you the day after the consultation delineating the “headline” notes; written notes on many pages of the script which is mailed back to you after the conference etc), others can sometimes be handled in different ways, depending on what's best for the project.

For example, there have been times where I believe that some macro aspect of the script is not working and I've been known to call the writer, point out the issue and if he/she agrees with the note, they're invited to fix it and send the script back, no charge.

In other cases, if the script is not working but it could (with an important adjustment or whatever), and this is very apparent say by mid script (but I've put a lot of time into it), I've called and discussed the issue with the writer, (and after offering a acceptable remedy), have given the writer the chance to fix the first half, and then return it to me, so I can reread same, (as well as the rest of the script) for a one-half script fee.

The idea here is, to give the writer a chance to fix a glaring, basic problem early on, so that we can be more productive in working with the overall script. By possessing a stronger draft, we can get to a more advanced stage of things much sooner.

There have also been times when I think a script needs serious developmental attention before the writer moves forward with their draft. Under those circumstances, I can sometimes suggest that the job be converted from a straight consultation to a developmental, “Works in Progress” with little or no additional money changing hands.
Obviously these choices are up to the writer, but they often go along with them (and appreciate this extra caring as well) since they usually want to cut to the chase and get the material closer to the finish line sooner rather than later.

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