LA Scriptworks — Award-winning writers mentor aspiring and professional film and TV writers via video chat!
Our script writing service helps film or TV writers to write their best scripts.
FAQ About LA Scriptworks' Script Review Service
Click any question to jump to the response.
- In what format should I submit my work?
- How soon can I expect to speak with you after submitting my work?
- How do the video conferences work?
- If I write with a partner, can we both participate in the video conferences?
- If I write with a partner, can we share payment?
- Do you act as managers or agents?
- How will I know if my work is good enough for sale or to find representation?
- Can I submit more than one project?
- Do I retain all rights to the work I submit to LA Scriptworks?
- How can I guarantee that my work is legally protected?
- How can I contact you if I have more questions?
For ideas:
Any format (including a Microsoft Word document) is acceptable.
If you send a Word document, please send it as a .doc file instead of a .docx file.
For movie scripts:
Send your movie script as a .pdf file.
For television scripts:
Send your television script as a .pdf file.
Please keep in mind that television script formats vary between shows. The format for a one-hour is different from a half-hour show. The formats for network and premium channel shows are also different. Network shows require act breaks because they take television commercials into consideration.
For ALL submissions:
Please compress your file into a .zip file before uploading it.
- Mac OS 10.3+ — control-click or right-click on the file and choose Compress "your file name here." (It'll say Archive on the older of these OSes.)
- Windows XP/Vista/7 — right-click the file, move to Send To, then choose Compressed (zipped) Folder. Windows 2000-Windows 7 users can also use WinZip for free.
Q: How soon can I expect a response after submitting my work?
A: We understand that you want to get a response as soon as possible. Since we are working writers, we will contact you on an individual basis to let you know approximately how soon we will be ready to set up each video conference.
Q: How do the video conferences work?
A: As it nears the time to do each video conference we'll set up an appointment and make sure we know how to contact you via chat software. We will be using Skype or iChat.
To do a video conference you'll need a computer equipped with a video camera and mic and you'll need a Skype (M/W), iChat (Mac only), AIM (Windows), or the Google Talk voice and video chat plug-in (Mac/Windows).
We can go Skype to Skype or iChat to iChat with Mac users or AIM with Windows users.
To conference from more than two locations we'll need to use iChat while you use iChat (Mac) or AIM (Windows).
- Mac users:
- For Skype:
If you're not already set up with Skype, download Skype, launch it, then follow their steps to choose a username and password. Skype accounts are free. - If you're on a Mac we strongly suggest you use Apple's iChat which came free on your Mac. You can get a free iChat name here.
(If you ever had a .mac address it will work in iChat, even if you have not purchased or renewed your MobileMe, formerly called .Mac account.
- For Skype:
- Windows users:
- For Skype:
If you're not already set up with Skype, download Skype, launch it, then follow their steps to choose a username and password. Skype accounts are free. - You can use the AIM Standalone Application, now called Classic. See AIM.com. You may need to be on Windows XP (Home or Pro). AIM 6.5 and 6.8 do not work for us but version 7 will.
- Windows users can also get a free iChat name — @me.com —then use it in AIM.
- For Skype:
Q: If I write with a partner, can we both participate in the video conferences?
A: We're happy to talk to writing teams. The technology sets the rules for this.
- Skype is one to one so you two will have to get together at one computer.
- If you both have Macintosh computers and a .mac or MobileMe name, we can use iChat for 3-way video.
Both Skype and iChat provide screen sharing as well, which is handy in case we need to demonstrate something via screen.
Q: If I write with a partner, can we share payment?
A: Sure! But you'll need to work that out between you and submit one payment from one person.
Q: Do you act as managers or agents?
A: No. LA Scriptworks is not a management company or a literary agency. We are a consulting service designed to help you get your script in the strongest shape possible to be submitted to agents and managers.
Q: How will I know if my work is good enough for sale or to find representation?
A: We will always give you an honest evaluation of your work. What you learn during this process is something you can apply to your next script. Remember, your first script doesn't have to be the one that gets you an agent or that sale. As a writer, the best thing to do once you finish a script is to start another script. You never know what script is going to sell. It may be your first script, or it may be your tenth. But once you have written several scripts, when one sells, buyers and agents want to know what else you have. That first script may not get sold right away, but it might get sold somewhere down the line.
Q: Can I submit more than one project?
A: Yes. You can submit as many scripts are you like. The price for each submission is the same because it requires us to go through the exact same process and put in the same amount of work with every new script.
Q: Do I retain all rights to the work I submit to LA Scriptworks?
A: Yes. You retain all rights to any original work.
Q: How can I guarantee that my work is legally protected?
A: You can register your script in person, online, or by mail with the Writers Guild of America (WGA). Script registration is open to everyone, including non-Guild members.
Q: How can I contact you if I have more questions?
A: You can call us at 310.205.2129.
Contact LA Scriptworks at 310.205.2129