Good, free alternatives to Script Consultants (Triggerstreet and Zoetrope).

[JustinoXXV]

Good free alternatives to script consultants are Zoetrope and Triggerstreet. On these websites you're evaluated and you get feedback from your fellow writers who must read you ENTIRE screenplay. While they may not be experts, their feedback can still be pretty helpful. But in order to get feedback on your work, you must read and review other people's scripts first. I've found that in reading other people's bad scripts, you can learn a lot of things to avoid in your own work. Or that if you have used consultants (I love Script Pimp), you'll appreciate their comments and work much more after you have to review other people's script.

www.triggerstreet.com (http://www.triggerstreet.com) and www.zoetrope.com (http://www.zoetrope.com)

[TheRuleofThirds]

Thanks, Justino. :)

[JustinoXXV]

Rule, another good one is www.script-swap.com (http://www.script-swap.com) Not only will participating in these communities improve your writing and have you help others improving their writing, you'll can also potentially gain exposure to industry professionals. I recommend all three sites.:)

[StephieM]

Wow, that's really cool. But reading an ENTIRE script takes a lot of time, expecially when your expected to give a good critique. I guess it's worth it though, considering not only are you helping others, your also helping yourself, plus the added bonus that it's free. Free is good. :)

Steph

[Joe Calabrese]

Justin.

I don't get you. You flip flop on your comments so much, I don't know what to believe anymore.

Two months ago, when I suggested Triggerstreet to someone for the same reason you said here, you came back with,

... I'd definitely say avoid Triggerstreet. I'd even question asking a group of people on this forum for that kind of help, as you'll often get conflicting advice. Find someone that you trust and whose background you know. If you can work with that person, contact them privately if they are able and willing to work with you as a script consultant (for those who are qualified).

And a month earlier, when Write4details said:

"And start using peer sites like Zoetrope and Triggerstreet...review some scripts, post on their forums, read scripts that are doing well, upload your scripts for critique. You will learn a lot."

You came back with These people haven't been able to sell their own work. Many of them have never even been anywhere near a studio. Hardly the best place to learn.

Do you have a consistent opinion, OR are you starting to see things my way?

[Joe Calabrese]

Never mind, I figured it out.

You used to be so adamant on using only professional, qualified consultants to give out critiques, so of course, peer review or even us here was not good enough for that purpose.

Then a profesional consultant you hired gave a bad taste in your month because of what you felt to be gay bias towards your script.

Now, consultants are bad (or as you put it personally biased) and peer review is okay.

I see it clearly now.

[GonnaBeFamous]

Joe do you use any of these services for input?

[Joe Calabrese]

I use anything and everything, anyone and everyone that can give me better idea of what I'm doing. My hairdresser even pointed something out in a script I didn't see. A paid consultant gave me more things to think about, and of course he is better suited to give advice on theory, structure, character arcs, etc., but a laymen knows what they like or don't.

Of course take all advice and concerns with a grain of salt and be your own judge. If one person doesn't like something your character does, it's probably opinion, but if a hundred say the same thing, then you better make changes.

And even if a day comes that a hundred people all unanimously love your script, a producer will want changes. I guarantee that.

As to your question, yes. I have used TS, Zoetrope and a few other places, including here.

[JustinoXXV]

X

[icerose]

Okay, well I didn't want to risk spamming so I guess this is a safe place to put this.

I came across this place through moviebytes, I have tried them yet, so I wanted to ask for opinions.

http://www.moviejigsaw.com/

Apparently they hook you up with writing gigs if your resume is what they are looking for and also help you get your work sold and produced and such for free. So if you think this is a good idea let me know.

Thanks.
Sara

[eldragon]

I tried Zoetrope about a month ago. I got some excellent feedback from other writers there.


And, some have very impressive credentials.

(According to 3 of them, I have the makings of a bestseller on my hands. Now if I could only get ONE publisher and / or ONE agent who feels the same way.)

[JennaGlatzer]

I used to be a Zoetrope regular and got a tremendous amount of help and a serious wake-up call there.

My first couple of critiques were lousy because they were from people who were just fulfilling their required crits before they could get their own. Luckily, I hung around and began learning who would offer meatier critiques. I critiqued a ton of scripts myself (at one time, I think I was the #2 critique-giver) and learned a lot in that process, too... funny, when you begin to spot problems in other people's scripts, you learn to avoid them in your own.

The wake-up call was that I thought I was a great screenwriter before I got there. I had no idea how much talent I'd find there. Humbled me a great deal and showed me how much I still had to learn and improve.

Like anywhere else, you take the good with the bad... not everyone is a great critiquer, but you wind up picking up one good suggestion here, one good suggestion there, and eventually you figure out who to swap critiques with-- not the ones who just blow sunshine up your butt, but the ones who really seem to "get" your work and offer strong suggestions for improvement.

[Annabanana]

I'm a current Zoe member, so everything that Jenna said plus


The main board sucks. Accept this.
There are some great private offices that are unlisted. Don't make an *** of yourself on the main board and give quality reviews and you just might get an invite to some of the better ones. There are good private audiences that anyone can join as well.
Lots of people are genuinely helpful. The minority of idiots just make the most noise.
Do on to others as you would yourself. As you get a reputation for being a good reviewer, you'll get a chance to swap reviews with other top reviewers.

[britwrit]

Ditto. Zoetrope can be a real helpful - if somewhat humbling - experience. Most of the scripts range from horrible to so-so but one in twenty are WAY beyond anything I can do right now.

[Mac H.]

You've convinced me, guys.

I just went and signed up for Zoetrope.

Mac