Part XXXIII: Deciphering Consultant Speak

In my efforts to improve the landscape of screenwriting consultants out there, separating the true professionals from the vast amount of frauds, I’ve been able to put my previous career and learned investigative tools to very good use.

I’ve come to be an expert on deciphering, what I call, “consultant-speak”.

To many folks, consultant speak is hardly noticeable, yet it is usually the one thing the consultant-shopping screenwriter points to as justification for choosing that particular professional;

“Hey- he worked with Will Smith on HIS script!”

In many instances, it is a decision they live to regret, and that’s when they contact me.

Many of these indicators are “tricks of the trade”- a marketing tool in an effort to beef up one’s experience and claims. If you’re choosing someone to help you, and paying them from up to several thousand dollars for that help, you want to make sure you're getting what you're paying for.

Here are some of those indicators:

1. Award-winning screenwriter” - This claim means nothing if the specific awards aren’t mentioned anywhere on their site or business profile. There is a huge difference between winning the Nicholl Fellowship or Scriptapalooza, and winning the Oshkosh Screenwriting, Beer and Brat Competition.

ADVICE: Find out the name and year of the actual award. Most competitions keep a history of these awards on their website.

2. “Development deals” - A development deal is a paid arrangement between the production company and writer on a particular project, where the production company will provide funds for the project (such as payment for writing subsequent episodes of the project) in return for the rights and portions of the profits of that project. This is an impressive claim, and one might be inclined to take this type of consultant seriously and use them, since this is one of the goals most screenwriting client’s have- but are you just going to take their word for it? I would want to know more about these deals, specifically who are they with, the names of the projects, and where they are in the process. Some might want to claim “privacy”, but if a development deal is ten years old, I don’t think privacy is a concern at this point. What if you want to hire this consultant to work with you on your project, but he’s suddenly called away to work on this “development deal” project? If you’re going to CLAIM it, better be able to back it up.

ADVICE: Be VERY leery of such claims. It's not likely that a writer/consultant has had a development deal with Warner Bros. last year, and is now providing screenplay notes for $49.00.

3. “Considered to be the best…” - Okay…by whom? Normally, one doesn’t toot their own horn. Others who are pleased with your service are very willing to do so through recommendations and referrals. The secret with a group like ScreenwritingU is they are experts at self-promotion. None of it truly means anything, but it's part of their shtick. They like to create a list of "Most Recommended Screenwriters" (which only includes their members, and there's no such documentation for such a claim); they invented "Screenwriter's Day"- again, as a self-promotion tool for their group. It's all smoke and mirrors.

ADVICE: Check out if the consultant HAS any recommendations to speak of, and make sure the names of those people giving the recommendation are available. First names only, and initials are NOT enough when you do your due diligence. In fact, it's an attempt to obfuscate this information.

4. “…has consulted with (fill in major studio names here)” - Again; an impressive claim. Is it true? Has the consultant provided specifics on these projects anywhere – as in, the name of the project, or what did the “consulting” involve? Did you punch up the script, or did you recommend a food catering company at the shoot? When you dig deeper, you'll find that the writer submitted a screenplay to 21st Century Fox Studios. They never heard from them, and is not even sure they received the script (if it was unsolicited, they didn't).

ADVICE: Ask questions; exactly what did the "consulting" entail and on what project? Were they given credit for that consulting? Who did they work for in the studio? Again, so of this information may be confidential, but you'll be able to tell by the response whether or not you'll feel comfortable working with them.

5. Success stories; Past Client Successes; etc. – All consultants like to “brag” some, and why not? They deserve it, if by working with a particular client, that client has gone on to some writing success of their own. Personally, unless I’m told specifically by a screenwriter that my direct involvement in their process led to getting a studio writing job, I don’t take credit for their successes. You never know exactly HOW many other people helped along the way.

If a consultant makes a career of putting on workshops, for example, where 20-120 or more people may be in attendance, then years later one attendee hits it big by selling a spec script, it hardly seems to be a “cause and effect”- unless, of course, that fortunate screenwriter openly credits that workshop consultant. If the claim is missing any of the particulars- like, the writer’s name or the name of the project, or even the production company or studio with which the deal was made, chances are there is no significant “cause and effect”.

ADVICE: Do your due diligence on those recommendations. My clients have ALL contacted several of those who have given me referrals over the years, and everyone of them reiterated their recommendations. It gives one comfort knowing that others went before you and were satisfied.

?THIS WEEK'S PROMO: Christopher John Blue; actor, writer, director

THE NEXT JAMES BAWND is an exciting new heart-warming satire comedy/action series in the comedy style of Blake Edwards, Mel Brooks, Monty Python & Robert Zemeckis and is about family, love, compassion, hope and support which raises awareness for seniors suffering from Alzheimer’s starring Joe Ring as the absent-minded agent James Bawnd and Christopher John Blue as his imagination.

Christopher says "It's 2021; I'm still at it and in the best shape of my life. At 49, I can now officially become the oldest James Bond ever cast. If you haven't signed my petition what are you waiting for ? Age is just a number. Let's bring James Bond back home to Scotland!" https://lnkd.in/ehw_pVF

WRITER'S BIO: Mr. Scala spent 22-plus years in the Hollywood community, and was the Executive Director for the 72nd Annual Academy Awards, as well as The Soul Train Awards, The Grammys, The Blockbuster Video Awards Show and The Saturn Award Show. Today, he and his writing team are actively working on several ghostwriting projects for his celebrity clientele as well, including the adapting the novel "Making Broken Beautiful" by Pamela Millican-Hartnoll; a tragic story of excessive abuse and redemptive success; and biopics of early rock pioneer Jimmie F. Rodgers and iconic folk star Harry Chapin- all while continuing to mentor new writers and self-published authors.

Geno has two screenplays produced into feature films; "Assassin 33 A.D." and "The Tombs". Both are currently available on Amazon Prime.