In 2011, the Atlanta Film Festival was pleased to have Elizabeth Stevens contribute her professional skills by evaluating scripts in the ATLFF Screenplay Competition. Since 1998, freelance screenplay analyst and script consultant Elizabeth Stevens has evaluated nearly 3,000 scripts and novels for their suitability as feature film projects. Her clients have included Sandra Bullock’s Fortis Films, Bel-Air Entertainment, Lifetime Television and Permut Presentations. She reads screenplays regularly for the Final Draft Big Break Contest and Film Independent’s Filmmaker Labs, and critiques scripts for screenwriting students at the University of Kansas. In addition to working with Hollywood producers, film industry organizations and film schools, she is available to consult with individual screenwriters.
Script analysis and Consulting services
Coverage: A written report used by producers, directors and other film/television/publishing executives which identifies a property, summarizes the main plot line, and briefly evaluates the quality of the writing for concept, story, characters, dialogue and overall suitability for the entertainment marketplace.
Critique: A written report for industry execs and writers evaluating a property’s quality in greater depth than coverage, offering constructive criticism and specific advice for improving the material’s structure, characterization, dialogue, etc. (Does not include the cover page and synopsis found in coverage.)
Development Notes: An extensive written report for execs and writers offering comprehensive suggestions for improving a property. May cover a specific aspect, such as characterization, or may encompass all aspects of the material. For material that is currently “in development,” i.e. – on its way toward production.
Expert Witness Support: Research and reporting – at the instruction of expert witnesses – of printed materials (short stories, books, screenplays) and media projects (television programs, feature films) for use in litigation. Research and reports may cover specific aspects or threads found in a work, or may summarize the entire work. Common reports include page-by-page script breakdowns, minute-by-minute film breakdowns, page-by-page comparisons of script drafts, and television episode summaries that cover A-, B- and C-stories.
Research: You name it… Library and internet research on any topic, ranging from the characteristics of an atom bomb, to plays written by the pope, to details of an historical event. For inquiring minds!
Scene or Chapter Breakdown: A written report for development executives and writers which provides a summary of each scene/chapter in a script/book, detailing the scene/chapter’s number, length in pages, shooting location and time of day (for scripts), and summarizing players and their main action.
Treatment: A written “pitch” of a screenplay, ranging from one to twenty-five pages, that paints the main characters, the main action and the major turning points in visual and action-packed dramatic, present-tense language.
For more information, please visit Elizabeth’s official website