Here is what you need to know about script coverage and how to do it efficiently and effectively.

Writing script coverage is a useful skill for anyone entering the entertainment industry. Many jobs require coverage samples as part of the application process. And whether you are an intern or assistant at a production company, agency, or management company, there’s a good chance you’ll be expected to write script coverage. Aspiring writers, too, often cover scripts for a living while they hone their craft. And even if you never write coverage professionally, understanding the criteria on which a screenplay will likely be judged will help your own writing.

Film schools don’t usually teach coverage writing. And with or without film school, there aren’t many ways to learn this skill outside of on-the-job trial-and-error. So this workshop aims to give you the foundation you need to shorten that learning curve. It will equip you with an overview of what script coverage is as well as practical tips for approaching the task of writing it.

Who should attend: Writers who want to learn the skills of script coverage, whether that’s to become freelance readers or simply to improve their own writing. Anyone hoping to enter the entertainment industry as an intern or assistant.

What you should bring: A computer or pen/paper for taking notes.

By the end of this class, you’ll know:

1. What coverage is, who uses it, and who writes it;
2. The parts of a coverage report and what the grid and pass/consider/recommend ratings mean;
3. What you must know about the craft and business before writing coverage; and
4. The best practices for writing coverage effectively and efficiently

Instructor: Naomi Beaty is a script consultant, screenwriting teacher, and screenwriter. She has lived and worked in L.A. for over a decade, read thousands of scripts, and worked with hundreds of writers. She’s worked with producers internationally and consulted on the 2016 Raindance Film Festival “Indie Film of the Year” winner, Selling Isobel. Starting as an assistant for manager/producer Craig Baumgarten, Naomi wrote coverage daily on projects in consideration for development and for director and actor clients. Later, as a junior development exec at Madonna and Guy Oseary’s Maverick Films, Naomi worked on projects like Twilight, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, and The Stanford Prison Experiment. More information on Naomi’s current work can be found at writeandco.com

FAQs

Are there ID requirements to enter the event?

The good folks at the CBS Security Gate will need to see a government-issued photo ID to match with your name on the list we give them, so make sure you register here and bring your driver's license or passport with you.

What are my parking options getting to the event?

The security personnel will instruct you on where to park when you arrive. This will be based on what other things are happening on the lot that day, so make sure you arrive early enough to walk from where they have you park to MPR-6, the room we will be in that morning. You can ask the security personnel for a map of the lot when you arrive so you can find the building easily.

When does Early Registration end?

Early Registration ends one week before the event.