Coverage is an objective review of a screenplay to determine its merit and comment on what it needs to improve. While friends and family are very likely to tell a screenwriter that their work is terrific and audiences will flock to the feature or series, it takes a professional, unbiased analyst to read and remark about a script. Many companies provide feedback to the writer and rate their screenplay on how a studio, director, producer, agent, or manager might view the work. Riveting River knows which coverage services provide unusable and inaccurate commentary. We partner with reputable coverage services providing objective and actionable reviews that help a script improve. Yet, before we submit a screenplay for outside coverage, our in-house team helps the writer elevate their script to the highest level. After the screenplay is returned from coverage, we review the results with the writer and assist with necessary rewrites.

Studios use coverage all the time. Internal reviews are done by analysts on staff or sending the script to industry professionals they trust for an unbiased opinion. Riveting River believes in coverage. We use it as a valuable tool to ensure our portfolio’s screenplays are ready for prime time. We instruct our coverage reviewers not to go easy on us. The only way to be successful is to take in constructive criticism and, when necessary, make improvements.

The coverage rating system used by Riveting River is:

Score of 0 – 79 = “Pass”

(On a school grading system, you might think of this as an F, D, or C grade.): These scripts range from barely comprehensible to “almost there.” Unfortunately, they just are not good enough ever to be produced. As the name implies, the studio should take a “pass” on even bothering with them.

Score of 80 – 94 = “Consider”

(School grade equivalent of B/A): Now, the screenplay is moving upward into territory where the studio might want to “consider” reading it. The quality is not there yet, but the script does show promise. The “Consider” category further breaks down into:

• 80 – 84 = “Consider with Reservations” (Low B): The screenplay might be worth looking at, as improvement could turn it into a viable offering.
• 85 – 89 = “Consider” (High B): This script is a good contender for examining closely and deciding how it can be improved.
• 90 – 94 = “Strong Consider” (Low A): Yes, it’s not perfect. But it’s an awfully solid screenplay that should be read and possibly produced.

Score of 95 – 100 = “Recommend”

(School grade equivalent of High A): This is a script that must be read, as it is promising with lots of potential for success.

Studios know all of our projects have been properly reviewed through the high standards of ScriptUp. Typically, studios have no shortage of screenplays submitted to them. To save time and resources, the studios need to know which scripts are deserving of their attention. That is when coverage comes in handy.

The first step is to see the writer’s notes and scores from ScriptUp. This document is an excellent way to see independent and objective analysis of the screenplay. Such a validation confirms the decision to move forward with reading the script and deciding whether or not to green-light it for production. Riveting River only puts the very best screenplays in its portfolio to save everyone’s time and energy.