Part XXXIV: Five (5)Tips on Choosing the Right Screenwriting Consultant

The other day, I received an email from a screenwriter who I’ve been helping on and off over the years (gratis), who had yet another question about a formatting issue. I gave him the answer he was seeking and left him with the reminder to “keep Trottier’s reference book (The Screenwriter’s Bible) right by your side so you can easily refer to it when you need it”. He wrote back that he does, and he always trusts my judgment, but another consultant that he’s built a relationship with (and was paying for) was always telling him something very different- different from both me AND Dave Trottier! He said he gets help from several different consultants, and it seems that all of the advice is either very different, or completely contradictory to one another!

This is very true- and a very common issue. In an industry that may very well have MORE “consultants” than actual screenwriters, they seem to be competing in every way possible. In an effort to stand out from the crowded consultant landscape, you may have slightly different types of consulting plans, payment options, prices, etc. You will also have a vast difference in the background, experience and the industry success of the people providing the consulting.

Most importantly, however, you’ll have different types of screenwriting philosophies, and this is where much of the conflict comes in.

• You will have differing opinions on what constitutes a logline.
• You’ll find consultants who attempt to change your story ONLY because THEY don’t like it, while others will work with you to improve it or elevate it in some way.
• Some stress the importance of proper formatting, while others aren’t even aware of proper formatting themselves.
• Some consultants specialize in the story “beats”- precisely and to the letter. Others are a bit more flexible, or don’t adhere to any one particular beat formula at all.
• There are consultants who are sticklers for story structure, while forgoing any concern on marketable concepts or proper dialogue or conflict or correct grammar or theme.

So, here are some tips on how to better navigate the world of screenwriting consultants:

1. Don’t overwhelm yourself with so many different consultants. It’s nice to get that variety of opinions, but at some point, you’re going to have to decide on one screenwriting consultant and trust them.

2. There are as many different focuses as there consultants. Try and determine what your consultant concentrates their focus on more. They will most likely tell you it’s ALL important (it is) and they’ll look at all of it (they will), but they all have something they really look for in a screenplay.

3. Determine which one you TRUST the most; which one “SPEAKS” to you the most; which one makes the most sense to you, and go with that person. If, after a period of time, your writing or writing career is stagnant, mix it up and try someone else.

4. Consultants work differently; most follow the basic “Pay One Job at a Time” model, so with every rewrite, or every new script you want reviewed, you’ll have to pay a fee. Some have different set-ups. 

5. Go to their websites; review their LinkedIn profiles, their Facebook pages, their YouTube channels. Are they known and respected in the industry? What do their “recommendations” say (one point about recommendations: if the website list a number of quotes from unattributed sources, or people with only initials, they’re useless or fabricated). If you find a recommendation with a name, seek out that person, and ask them what their experience was like. You want to make a smart investment, but at the same time, you want to make a positive impact on your career.

THIS WEEK'S PROMO: Scott Cole, attorney; author of "FALLOUT"

Scott Edward Cole was born in San Pablo California and has lived in the San Francisco Bay Area ever since. He graduated from San Francisco State University in 1989 with a B. A. in Speech Communications and from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 1992. Later that year, Scott launched his solo legal practice and, in the early years of his career, devoted himself to representing victims of toxic chemical releases such as the one showcased in his book "Fallout"; "The little town of Crockett, California had been sitting in the path of airborne toxins for generations. Her residents knew it, but never had the voices with which to organize, much less take action and no one would have cared if they did. In 1994, that all changed when the Unocal petroleum refinery secretly polluted the sky for weeks and handed now-furious Crockett the perfect adversary and legal opportunity to take back its power, and to keep it." 

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.