Insider's Corner: The Life of a Script Reader

Question:
"I just moved to Los Angeles and have an extensive background in screenwriting but I can't seem to make my break in the Industry. A friend suggested I try to get a job as a reader to get my foot in the door. What does the job entail?

Answer:
Being a script reader is a great job. You get to work at home, meet executives, have your finger on the pulse of what is out there and best of all, become immersed in the art and craft of screenwriting on a daily basis. The downside is that the pay is not all that great. You’ll get paid right around $60 per script. So it’s tough to make a full-time living reading scripts, which is why for many readers it is a part-time job. If you are motivated to try it out, I highly recommend the experience. The first thing you have to do is learn how to be a reader. The Script Department is set to begin offering reader classes sometime this fall. That’s a good start. There are much longer story analysis courses available from time to time at UCLA, but they are lengthy and a little expensive.

After that, you’ll need to ask friends and do some cold calling and offer your services for – wait for it – free. Initially, when you have zero experience, you will need to earn a reputation for being very good at what you do. Reading for competitions is a great way to get your feet wet. Competition season reading is generally available during the spring, so contact as many competitions as you can find and offer your services. Some pay, some do not. The ones that pay will offer you about $10 a script. I know. Not much. But the experience is invaluable.

When you’ve had a little experience, gather together your coverage samples – you’ll need three: a recommend, a consider and a pass – and again cold call production companies and coverage services and shop yourself around. It’s largely a matter of timing; readers come and go all the time. So a company that turns you down one week might need you a month later. You have to keep checking back in. You will most likely be expected to drive and pick up your work each week. A few production companies will messenger the script to you but not in general. So budget time and gas for driving and strive to work for production companies that are within a reasonable radius of where you live. The expected turn-around time is usually about 3 to 5 days. Sometimes you will be asked to cover scripts overnight. You will get paid a premium for that, usually around $85, but the rate of pay varies. In general, you invoice the company you are reading for and get paid about once a month. You will be asked to fill out a W-9 contract employee form so that your employer can report your income.

Once you really get going, you’ll notice that there is a hierarchy among readers; the more experienced you are the higher echelon of production companies you’ll read for. Once you’ve read for some of the more illustrious companies, you’re in like Flynn. Reading is seasonal, however, so don’t expect to receive a whole lot of work during the winter holiday season or during big film festivals like Cannes. Many readers work for four and five production companies at a time. And remember this – it’s all about your quick response and turn-around time. He who responds first to a read request gets the most work. So you are in competition with other readers to pick up work regularly and consistently. If you take some time off for illness or a vacation, you will slide down the list of go-to readers, sometimes to the point where you find that - by default - you have been replaced. Good luck!