Anyone know if it's ever possible to work as a reader or similar without moving to the land of...well...unquiet land? I'm one of those sickos who actually enjoys editing, and in the last four or five months, I've gotten addicted to screenplay-craft (still learning, of course, but thoroughly enjoying it). Only...I don't want to live in California!
Yeah, I'm sure it is possible, I'm trying from Utah.
You also have a strong film scene over on the east coast, so look into that as well.
You also have a strong film scene over on the east coast, so look into that as well.
If you're talking about reading scripts and writing coverage, most places in town are still using local readers. And since it's a job where the supply (of readers) far outweighs the demand of scripts (here in L.A.), it seems sort of superfluous to look elsewhere. I've never used a reader from out of town. I wouldn't rule it out, but I get scores of resumes a month from experienced readers in the neighborhood. Why recruit long distances?
It's interesting because so much work can be distributed via the Internet on pdf files and coverage can be returned to the company through e-mail too. So, in theory, readers can be anywhere on the planet.
However, most scripts are still in hardcopy. And some of it is confidential - not for electronic files which leads to easy distribution. So having a reader nearby, to pick up those hardcopies, makes sense. There are also many occasions where hardcopy projects must be covered overnight. Someone in Iowa is going to have a difficult time picking up the hardcopy, getting home to read it, writing up the coverage, and getting it back by morning.
It's more sensible to hire a reader who has no limitations and can take scripts via e-mail or hardcopy and can be on-call to pick something up in a rush if necessary.
Also, like most jobs, employers still like to meet with prospective employees in person.
In most cases, analysts skills would have to be super uncanny for an out-of-towner to land a job.
I've heard of a few companies using out of town readers, but they were rip-offs, not paying the reader or paying $5-10 dollars per script.
Most out of town readers do coverage for aspiring writers looking for feedback and not for Hollywood prodcos, managers and agencies.
It's interesting because so much work can be distributed via the Internet on pdf files and coverage can be returned to the company through e-mail too. So, in theory, readers can be anywhere on the planet.
However, most scripts are still in hardcopy. And some of it is confidential - not for electronic files which leads to easy distribution. So having a reader nearby, to pick up those hardcopies, makes sense. There are also many occasions where hardcopy projects must be covered overnight. Someone in Iowa is going to have a difficult time picking up the hardcopy, getting home to read it, writing up the coverage, and getting it back by morning.
It's more sensible to hire a reader who has no limitations and can take scripts via e-mail or hardcopy and can be on-call to pick something up in a rush if necessary.
Also, like most jobs, employers still like to meet with prospective employees in person.
In most cases, analysts skills would have to be super uncanny for an out-of-towner to land a job.
I've heard of a few companies using out of town readers, but they were rip-offs, not paying the reader or paying $5-10 dollars per script.
Most out of town readers do coverage for aspiring writers looking for feedback and not for Hollywood prodcos, managers and agencies.
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They post for readers all the time on mandy.com -- look under screenwriting jobs. Most of them don't pay, but if you want the experience, there you go...many allow you to work remotely and if it's a volunteer position you can tell them going in how many you can handle in how much time.
Once you've got some experience with writing coverage you can try for (higher) paid work.
Once you've got some experience with writing coverage you can try for (higher) paid work.
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Yeah, I'm not sure you could get a reader job out of town. I'm actually confused why you would want one. It's not much of a move up the ladder job, nor is it pleasant as jobs go.
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Zepro - I was a reader for some time before I started my own company. Maybe I'm weird but I thought it was kind of a cool job. You work at home, make your own hours and read stories for a living. From where I stand, it's a heck of a lot better than filing stuff in an air conditioned office. But yeah, now that I employ readers myself, I'd have to be absolutely blown away by the reader's creds to hire them from afar. I think it must be very, very unusual. Just the fact that you don't live in LA or NYC means that you can't have read at very many places, particularly prestigious places. And in reader-world, where you read is very important.
I concur with those who say you might end up donating your services at first. But I see no reason why you shouldn't find work as a reader (not that I know a ton about it) perhaps for indie companies or (as someone mentioned) for screenwriters, etc.
I read and prejudge for contests for the nonprofit Willard Rodgers' National Writers Workshop in LA from long distance for five years. It was/is? an educational for new writers to get a decent crit for rewrites before submitting to the commercial companies. It was an enlightening experience. Yes, people can write badly, and take too long to get to the subject, and have their characters walk around for 120 pages and talk about doing stuff and not do stuff--and my personal favorite--I kept getting various scripts from different writers in the Boston area which ALWAYS featured a bar, and heavy drinking, by both male and female leads. ??
If you can read and learn to do a useful crit--although doing one for the writer to improve their craft will be different from one for a prospective buyer/investor--you'll learn what not to do when crafting a screenplay and what to do to make it better and just how many of us send things to be read way before they should be.
If you can read and learn to do a useful crit--although doing one for the writer to improve their craft will be different from one for a prospective buyer/investor--you'll learn what not to do when crafting a screenplay and what to do to make it better and just how many of us send things to be read way before they should be.