In some cases, a Script Score on your newer draft may be lower than the previous version, even though you've done your best to address feedback from the analysis.
This can be creatively disorienting and emotionally deflating. As Slated's film finance team is subject to the same scoring standards as our members at large, we understand this frustration. Having reviewed over 10,000 screenplays in the past 10 years, here are a few takeaways for how to understand Script Analysis in the context of traditional development.
First, it's important to know: a decrease in Script Score doesn't necessarily mean you haven't taken big steps forward in your screenplay's development.
Sometimes, your new script may be accomplishing big, important changes that were absolutely necessary to your story, but this new draft simply isn't making as positive an overall impression as your last draft made. The new draft may have a fundamentally stronger arc for your protagonist, for instance, but perhaps your new third act is no longer speaking to expectations set up in the first act, or vice versa. Perhaps transitions between scenes could be polished up for flow, or your character's choices were harder to understand in the absence of backstory that was provided by an earlier version. In these cases, it may be your next polish that ensures new material is gelling with the old and all the various moving parts are working together in unison.
As screenwriter Jack Epps Jr. (TOP GUN: MAVERICK, ANACONDA, DICK TRACY, TURNER & HOOCH) wrote in his book, "There is also a saying that odd-numbered drafts are better than even-numbered drafts. Even-numbered drafts, such as the second draft, are often based on big new ideas that don't always work." Assuming your new ideas were fundamentally sound, you may be a 'polish' away from unlocking all of the story value of key changes from your rewrite and seeing a bump in Script Score. In the meantime, if you disagree with the Script Score and feel your new version makes the best case for your film, you can always hide it and display only your earlier Script Score on the project page to other Slated members and investors.
There are also some key differences between Slated's Script Analysis and the way other production companies or coverage companies review scripts. Here are three things to keep in mind:
All of our reads are "blind." That means that our team reads with no cover page, no package information, and - whenever possible - we try to get at least one pair of fresh eyes on every new draft up to the third revision. Whereas other companies may have a re-submission process designed to eventually please one particular person at the company, our "blind read" process has been shown to be the best indicator of how your draft is coming across to people who don't already have a vested interest in your project. That makes earning a 75 a higher bar to clear, but it ensures that when it does, your script is far more likely to draw positive responses from producers, investors, and sales agents.
Script Scores are draft-based. That means the Script Score can change as your draft changes depending on how "production-ready" that draft feels, and how likely it is to be critically well received based on that draft. With filmmakers who are pros at development, we've seen scores increase 10 points in a single draft. Examples of that include THE PUBLIC, which starred Emilio Estevez and Alec Baldwin and went on to screen at TIFF 2018 and MAPPLETHORPE, which starred Matt Smith and debuted at Tribeca 2018. THE WOLF HOUR, which starred Naomi Watts and went on to debut at Sundance 2019, saw a Script Score increase of 13 points across three drafts.
Lastly, Script Analysis is not a re-write plan. Because Script and Screening Analysis gives you three independent takes, you end up with a ton of feedback, some of which may not agree with. We always advise taking some time to digest everything, honing in on the few points where multiple reviewers expressed similar thoughts, and then devising a re-write plan for the next draft that ensures your changes will work together to serve your vision in a focused way. That, in and of itself, is a process. Most professional screenwriters do this with the help of their managers, agents, or producing partners. Some writers use screenwriting coaches who are versed at translating our analysis into a focused rewrite plan. If you'd like help finding a screenwriting coach, please let us know in chat and we can make some referrals. However your team is, we generally advise staggering sets of Script Analysis with feedback from trusted members of your inner circle to ensure your next draft has the highest chance of qualifying.
No matter how experienced a writer may be, the road of script development is always long and arduous. We understand that seeing a score decrease can be frustrating.
As a first step, we recommend reading through the analysis to home in on any points of agreement across the three readers. Generally, individual categories with the lowest score averages indicate which paragraphs in the comments offer the highest priority feedback. If you feel like you've rewritten this script so many times that you don't know which way is up, feel free to message our help desk and we would be happy to refer you to screenwriting coaches on the platform who can help translate your coverage into the next, winning draft.
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