The Gauntlet from ScriptHop has been one of the biggest things to happen in the break-in screenwriting world for some time and, like any service of its type, has sparked a degree of controversy from those who've already pre-decided if it does or doesn't work. Here's the opinion of Rockstar Script Revolution member Clark Ransom, who has been one of the first to try out what this service has to offer - CJ
If you have been following our forum about the launch of The Gauntlet earlier this year, many of us took the plunge and submitted our precious masterpieces in the hope that we may finally get in front of the Hollywood movers and shakers. Several of our peers have made it to the coveted Level III, but alas, that honor was not in the cards for my project.
As a writer I have had limited success with shorts being produced, contest wins here and there, and two in-person meetings pitching a project; not exactly life-changing. So why would I do it? Why spend $380.00 convinced you have the right stuff? Why not keep it safe and stick with the normal screenplay contests, or use a standard coverage service for much less coin?
Two reasons: credibility and transparency.
The group of industry pros who took the time, thought and strategic thinking to build The Gauntlet process knew they had to change how unique and promising voices could be discovered. The people behind The Gauntlet are impressive enough, but the tipping point was how well they laid out who they are, what they are trying to build, that it is not yet perfect, and then openly communicate with you every step of the way. For me, it was more about getting detailed feedback in a manner and format that would not only make my writing better, but also my understanding of how scripts are read. Use that knowledge to improve my own methodology and execution.
The Process: your project goes into the funnel, 7 pros from lit agencies, production houses or major studios are assigned to read your script. Your genre is matched to readers who either like that genre or could be looking for something along those lines. They read the first 20 and if 4 out of 7 like it, you move to Level II.
The Results: For me, this is the payoff regardless of whether you get past Level I or not; the incredibly detailed feedback. What I am sharing here are the actual notes and feedback on my project. You may think I’m nuts for doing this, but I believe The Gauntlet is the game changer for serious writers, with serious talent, and the tenacity to work harder.
First, you get the overall score with the familiar bar chart indicating how you scored in the major categories.
All of this is web-based, interactive and to be honest, a bit overwhelming when you first see it. It took me several hours to comb through all the feedback, page notes (yes, actual page by page notes), thoughts, suggestions, and what were the things that stood out amongst several of the readers.
As an example, having one reader tell you that your plot needs more structure is not as affirming as having 3-4 pp tell you the same thing. THAT is a result that you can use to improve your craft.
Then come the individual assessments along with each reader’s comments. Here were two of those.
You can click on the View Comments button and drill down to see the actual comments and suggestions.
Then comes the Overview Summary. It is a succinct synopsis of what, in general, all the readers felt about the project. Either a Gauntlet Analyst reader or a ScriptHop staff member with experience reading scripts writes this summary. They review the notes given by the Gauntlet Analysts who read your script and help to present you with a summary view of how your script was perceived, with a focus on what needs further work or revision. Though the Gauntlet Script Assessment offers numerous views and angles (such as the macro view of the OVERVIEW CHART above), this summary is another way to give you a brief plan of attack to address the most salient points the readers are focused on.
And for me, one of the absolutely best pieces of feedback anyone could get, “on-page script notes”.
You can toggle each of the “Elements” or “Attributes” to turn them off or on in any combination, and the bar chart will adjust. Maybe your Story and Impact were strong, so you can “see” where those were the best, then zero in on that portion of the script to understand why it worked so well. You click on the “View On-Page Script Notes” button, and it takes you into the script so you can follow along with the notes. Oh, and they use emojis as well to give you an indication of how they felt about that particular dialogue, action line, etc.
Obviously, I have a LOT of work to do.
Finally, there are interactive screens on each of the story elements you can dig into, notes on the logline, story hook and synopsis as well.
Conclusion: So, was it worth it? Did I gain insight I did not have, nor had I already heard from another source? Did it fundamentally change my thoughts on this project? Will it impact “how” I write future or existing scripts. Was it emotionally difficult to read?
Yes. One hundred percent to all the above.
Is this for the meek of heart or those writers who already think they are the best?
Nope.
I, like most all of you, have a burning passion to write, want to be produced, want to be recognized. Some may ask, “Clark, why would you publish these scores on your script as they are not that great? Aren’t you embarrassed?”
Two reasons: credibility and transparency.
I wanted to give you an honest picture of what you can expect if you enter your script. Will your script score higher and make it to Level II or III? I certainly hope so! Regardless of where you land in your run, what you choose to do with that feedback is what will make you a better writer than 90% of them out there. Screenwriters are like Real Estate Agents: everyone thinks they can do it, the bar to entry is low, but only a few will put in the time, persistence and effort to sell more than one house per year.
Will I submit more projects to The Gauntlet? Absolutely. In my opinion, this is the new Gold Standard for helping you get your work in the best possible shape you can, opening that elusive door to the inner circle, and stepping into the room with the rest of the serious people.
The Gauntlet provides the pillars needed to build on the structure of your craft, and in a way that is meaningful, targeted, relevant, and actionable.
Think you can survive?
Comments
Andrea Zastrow
Tue, 2024-07-16 01:36
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This is a great read for any
This is a great read for any screenwriter who's considering submitting a script to The Gauntlet. Thanks for your openness and transparency, Clark. When weighing the pros and cons, it's always nice to have a little insight from someone who has tried the service, especially at $380 a pop.
Robert Bruinewoud
Wed, 2024-07-17 06:18
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yes, thanks Clark – this
yes, thanks Clark – this certainly helped me to better understand the process
... now i just need to find the cash
Mark Laing
Wed, 2024-07-31 19:32
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Great read Clark! I had a
Great read Clark! I had a great experience with the Gauntlet too.
Rebecca Casale
Wed, 2024-07-31 20:33
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This is fab. I'd read all the
This is fab. I'd read all the cynical stuff on Reddit and been deterred but you've turned me around. Knowing how painfully hard it is just to get your script read by anyone in the industry, $380 for 7 reads is something I'm willing to try at least once. And who couldn't use the notes!? Thanks so much Clark!
Paul Adams
Thu, 2024-08-01 01:07
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This is a great breakdown of
This is a great breakdown of the process. Thanks for posting this Clark.
Thomas Norton
Sat, 2024-08-24 19:38
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Thanks for the transparency,
Thanks for the transparency, Clark. I entered the Gauntlet, got a vicious ego bruising, am completely terrified of trying again (I still will at some point), and tried to use that to become a better writer. Sometimes an ego bruising is exactly what you need.
The most helpful advice for me tended to be little things. For example, something as small as telling me to write "She zooms" pinpointed a very specific problem and told me exactly how to correct it.