What exactly do they do? Do you need one? Could you even become one?
We’ll be answering all these questions and more in this post, so let’s dive in and see what happens when a script is rushed off to Story ER.
A script doctor is an experienced screenwriter hired by production companies to to rewrite, polish, or enhance specific elements of a screenplay.
This usually happens after multiple notes and drafts by various other writers.
The term “script doctor” emerged from the fact that the work requires surgical-like precision. Just as a medical doctor performs targeted procedures, a script doctor focuses on specific story elements that need improvement.
This could mean rewriting a problematic second act, deepening character arcs, or fixing a weak ending.
Alternatively, a screenplay doctor may be brought in just to perform a “polish.” This could mean sprucing up the dialogue, description, scenes, etc. without fundamentally rewriting the story.
What makes script doctoring unique is its often targeted nature. If a script is not in need of urgent rewriting, a script doctor will go in, identify and fix specific issues while preserving the original writer’s vision.
They operate with surgical precision, addressing problem areas and then stepping away, leaving the rest of the screenplay intact.
However, script doctors typically provide two levels of service:
Script Rewrite (Major Surgery, Urgent, Script Inpatient)
This involves substantial rewrites of specific screenplay sections, restructuring story elements, or completely overhauling character arcs.
Script Polish (Minor Surgery, Required, Script Outpatient)
This is a more subtle approach in which the script doctor enhances dialogue, refines character voices, and strengthens thematic elements without
fundamentally changing the story structure.
Professional script doctors transform screenplays through targeted improvements that deliver measurable results.
For example, our team of pro screenwriters provide comprehensive script enhancement services that address your screenplay's creative and commercial aspects.
Story Transformation
Character Enhancement
Professional Polish
Market Optimization
Breaking into Hollywood is a process that demands more from today's screenwriters than it ever has before.
In the past, developing and packaging a script was the producer's responsibility.
If a screenplay presented an idea exciting enough to hold a producer's interest, whether that script needed a rewrite or polish, then that producer would bear the cost of hiring a "script doctor" to make sure the actual screenplay lives up to the writer's vision for the film.
Today, much of this responsibility has fallen on the shoulders of the writers themselves.
Therefore, there’s now more of a demand to bring in a script doctor who will work without credit and ensure that the creative potential of their script is fully realized on the page.
When these screenplays get passed on to actors, directors, producers, financiers and other potential collaborators, a good script doctor will help ensure that the genius of the writer is communicated in a way that lends itself to excellent collaborations and excellent cinema.
A script doctor's expertise becomes essential when:
In Hollywood, script doctors are often parachuted in at the eleventh hour to solve major issues with the script right before it goes into production. In other words, after a script has been “green-lit” for production.
Producers, financiers and even the stars themselves can get panicky if a movie isn’t firing on all cylinders before hitting production.
A script doctor’s input, therefore, can make or break a movie.
Script doctors aren’t always brought in so close to the wire, however. They can also be hired during the pre-production and development phases too.
The world of script doctoring spans a wide range of pricing tiers, from Hollywood's elite to independent service providers. At the highest level, A-list script doctors can command multi-million-dollar fees for major studio projects.
For Professional Writers
Established script doctors working on studio films typically earn between $100,000-$200,000 per project. Weekly rates can range from $15,000-$25,000 for quick polishes
Project fees vary, of course, based on scope and timeline.
Tony Gilroy was reportedly paid five million dollars for his script doctor work on Star Wars: Rogue One. Like all fees, this would have been negotiated between Gilroy’s agent and the producer.
There is no fixed script doctor rate, however, as it depends on many factors: the turnaround time, amount of work, the movie’s budget, how in-demand the writer is, and so on.
Overall, the producers are willing to pay high fees for this work as they want to make sure the movie stands the best possible chance of being a hit. And hiring a top screenplay doctor is often the best way of doing this.
In short, the best script doctors in Hollywood get paid big bucks. This is also due to the intense and specialized nature of the work, often involving tight turnaround times.
And because script doctors don’t usually receive writing credits, they don’t receive residuals either. This means they’re able to command large script doctor rates upfront, rather than take a percentage of the film’s profit.
Script Reader Pro are one of the very few screenplay consultancies out there who offer script doctor work.
But…
We’re the only screenplay consultancy out there who offers it by professional screenwriters and at a fraction of the cost to hiring a pro elsewhere.
Our entire business model at Script Reader Pro is built around offering screenwriters the tools and support to compete in an industry that can seem impenetrable to new creative voices.
Providing script doctor services at a price point that’s accessible to creators is a vital part of helping new writers move their projects into production.
Our script doctor services are structured to ensure that emerging voices have access to precisely the same pool of film development talent that would traditionally be utilized by the studios.
Ready to get the help from a script doctor at a fraction of the cost? A Rewrite Proposal costs just $95 to get started.
Every creative project is complicated by three essential problems: quality, cost-effectiveness and speed.
Quality
Obviously, you need your script to be excellent. Hiring a script doctor is in itself a statement that you are unwilling to compromise when it comes to quality.
Our writers understand this, and they will provide you with work that reflects the top of their professional craft.
Cost-Effectiveness
When it comes to money, studios will pay script doctors in amounts that compare very favorably with writer's guild minimums.
High-end script doctors can make as much as $50,000 or more for polishing a single scene. Obviously, we're not asking our clients to pay studio rates for this service.
In fact, we'll never ask you to pay more than 10 percent of what these services would be worth to a studio. Cost is an area where we know our clients need some extra effort from us.
Speed
Keeping our demands flexible when it comes to the time commitment our script doctors are making to our clients is what makes it possible for us to offer their services at independent rates.
During a script doctor consultation, our script doctors propose deadlines for the work that fit specifically within their schedules.
Every writer on our script doctor team provides this service with a level of excellence that's consistent with the best studio development teams. Furthermore, they can do it on a budget that makes sense as a professional expense for emerging screenwriters and indie filmmakers.
Polish
This can involve polishing the characters: adding character beats and amplifying personalities, etc. Polishing the dialogue: adding humor, making it less formal, removing on-the-nose dialogue, etc. Polishing the description: making it smoother, more cinematic, removing formatting inconsistencies, etc.
Rewrite
This is a more “hands-on” script doctor service. A rewrite can be “light” “medium” or “heavy,” depending on the amount of work the script doctor performs.
The service involves getting stuck into the script, adding and/or removing scenes, characters, dialogue, description. Or even completely rewriting chunks of the screenplay, such as an ending that isn’t quite working right.
Ghostwrite
For those writers who have a great idea, synopsis or treatment, but don’t feel capable of executing it, we can also ghostwrite a screenplay from scratch. You’ll be given the chance to fully discuss and explore your idea with your chosen pro and sign off on a detailed synopsis before work begins.
Every screenplay receives a structured, three-phase enhancement approach backed by over two decades of industry experience working hand in hand with major Hollywood studios:
Phase #1: Comprehensive Script Analysis (2-3 business days). Your screenplay undergoes an intensive evaluation where our script doctors:
Phase #2: Strategic Development (3-4 business days). Based on our analysis, we create:
Phase #3: Professional Enhancement (10-14 business days). Our award-winning script doctors implement the strategy through:
Our team of professional screenwriters brings decades of combined experience working with major studios and production companies. Our track record speaks for itself:
With over two decades of experience working with major studios, our script doctors understand how to diagnose and treat common screenplay problems.
Whether your script needs major surgery or just a professional polish, our team provides the expertise needed to elevate your screenplay to industry standards.
Proven Success Metrics
Ready to elevate your screenplay?
And sometimes, letting a professional screenplay doctor step in to fix a few problems is the best way to do this.
Our script doctors perform a wide variety of rewrite and polish work, depending on the nature of the script and the writer's requirements.
This could be anything from a light dialogue polish to a major rewrite of the whole script.
What are the best script doctor services out there? With all the numerous websites out there advertizing script doctor services, this can seem a daunting task at first, but it needn’t be.
We recommend you follow these steps in order to not only minimize the cost of hiring a script doctor but make sure you have the best experience as possible.
Step #1. Work Out Precisely What Work You Want Done on Your Script.
Have you taken your script as far as you can by yourself and have now decided you could do with the help of a script doctor?
Do you need someone to punch up the dialogue? Or tighten up the story? Or completely rewrite it from scratch—as in a ghostwriting situation?
Having specific goals in mind like these are a good way to approach hiring a script doctor, rather than just saying “I want you to make my script better,” for example.
Take some time to work this out on paper before contacting anyone but any script doctor worth their salt will discuss these plans with you in depth before taking on the job too.
Step #2. Thoroughly Research Each Website and Their Script Doctor Services.
Once you’ve nailed down your search to a few possibilities, ask yourself these three key questions about each:
Who will be working on my script?
Make sure you know who exactly will be performing your script doctor work. Do you know their full name, or just a set of initials? Are their credentials just providing coverage for production companies, or are they working screenwriters?
How much experience do they have? Are they professional screenwriters themselves, or have they only placed highly in a few contests and set themselves up as a script doctor?
Make sure you gather as much information as you can about who will be working on your script, and make sure it tallies with your vision and writing sensibilities.
You could be spending a fair amount of money on this, and so you want to make sure you jive with your script doctor.
How do they interact with you and your story?
How responsive and interested do they seem? Do they really listen to you and seem genuinely excited to execute your vision?
Do they come up with great ideas of their own that get you excited? You want to choose the person who is not only a great writer, as proven by their work and experience, but is passionate about making other writers’ scripts better.
This passion will more than likely translate onto the page and make for a better end product overall.
Does the screenplay doctor make grandiose claims about helping you “make it”?
If a script doctor website makes promises about helping you break into the industry, and/or turning your script into an instant sale, you must proceed with caution.
These kind of claims whiff of unprofessionalism as no one can predict what’s going to happen with a script. Even a great script.
Even great scripts written by A-list writers sometimes don’t get picked up for whatever reason. So, if a script doctor guarantees success with a script, it’s probably best to look elsewhere.
Step #3. Be clear on your expectations.
It’s essential that you make sure that you’re clear what work exactly your screenplay doctor will be undertaking on your script before they get started.
Naturally, it’s only by both of you coming to a clear understanding of what you want to achieve that they will be able to do their best work.
Secondly, be clear on your expectations once their work is complete. For example, a script doctor is there to rewrite or polish your script and hand it back to you.
They’re not there to also market your script for you or help you get a manager once they’ve completed the new draft.
Similarly, it’s imperative that you’re realistic about your script’s chances in the industry after the gig is complete.
Just because a professional script doctor/screenwriter has rewritten and polished your script and got it firing on all cylinders, doesn’t guarantee any form of success once you take it out into the industry.
“Success” as defined by things like winning a prestigious contest, gaining representation, making a sale, etc. can be a frustratingly unfathomable entity dependent on a number of factors.
These can include many factors not even related to the script itself—from the quality of the writer’s query letter, or in-person pitch, to what side of the bed the manager/exec/contest reader got out of that morning.
Sure, let’s clear up some of the confusion on the differences between the role of a script doctor and that of a script consultant and story analyst/script reader.
The main difference is this:
Hands-off advice vs. hands-on rewriting.
What Is a Script Consultant?
A script consultant gives writers hands-off advice on how to improve their screenplay and get it ready for the market.
These are usually extensive notes of 4-8 pages, or even longer in-depth development notes of 12-25 pages.
They are sometimes hired by production companies, but more commonly by aspiring writers looking for feedback on their script. (Professional writers generally get notes from their manager, writer friends or other industry peeps.)
What Is a Story Analyst?
A story analyst (also commonly referred to as a “script reader”) is someone hired by a company to write script coverage or “notes” on all the submissions they receive.
These companies can be production companies, talent agencies, management companies or studios.
Their feedback is not seen by the writer who sent in the script and generally comes in at just a couple of pages.
Aspiring screenwriters often pay script consultancies to provide script coverage on their work before sending it out into the industry.
This is usually much more in-depth than the short script notes performed by a story analyst at a production company.
Here’s an example of consultancy script coverage services.
If you’re interested in becoming a script doctor yourself, here’s a quick guide. But first…
Confusingly, “script doctor” isn’t a job description.
In Hollywood, the job title “script doctor” however, doesn’t really exist.
You won’t sign a WGA contract for a rewrite as one. You won’t live off a fixed annual script doctor salary. And it’s unlikely you’ll introduce yourself as one at a party.
As John August says, script doctoring is “a specific task within screenwriting, but not really a profession in-and-of itself.”
This is because script doctors are essentially just screenwriters. Their main trade may be as a professional screenwriter, but they moonlight as a writer-for-hire when called upon.
Although some screenwriters make a living solely from script doctor work, most fit it around their ongoing careers and passion projects.
If you’re wondering how to become a script doctor, you almost always need to become a pro screenwriter first.
When you’re just starting out, this might seem like a far-off dream, but remember: A-list writers had to start somewhere too.
Here are the exact steps you should take when learning how to become a screenwriter.
Once you have some pro credits you can start branding yourself as a script doctor. Or before, but it will definitely be harder to get the work.
But let’s say you’ve got the screenwriting chops and/or credits and want to get started setting yourself up as a script doctor.
You could try checking out Derek Rydall’s book I Could’ve Written a Better Movie Than That (How to Make Six Figures as a Script Consultant Even if You’re Not a Screenwriter).
While the subtitle may be a little over-the-top, the book does a good job of breaking down how to analyze a script and give good feedback, becoming a script doctor, setting up shop, specializing in one genre, and more.
If further proof were needed that being a script doctor isn’t a recognized Hollywood job description, you won’t find their name in the end credits of a movie once it’s released.
In order to receive a WGA writing credit, a screenwriter must contribute more than 33 percent of an adaptation and more than 50 percent of an original screenplay.
Consequently, script doctors usually go uncredited, as the amount of work they do on any given script most often falls below the WGA’s minimum percentage.
Yup. She punched up Lethal Weapon 3 and countless other films. Here are a few examples of movies script doctored by famous screenwriters—working undercover and uncredited:
Sometimes a screenplay doctor may end up rewriting more of a screenplay than initially agreed.
For example, Noah Baumbach was hired to rewrite elements of Madagascar 3 but rewrote so much he ended up being awarded a writing credit.
If you’re wondering how to become a script doctor, you should also definitely consider just immersing yourself in the industry in any way that you can. For example, get a job in the mailroom at an agency, or as a script reader.
Work as a writer’s assistant or even as a barista in a West Hollywood spot where writers get their coffee. Wherever you are on the ladder, don’t stop networking, hustling and telling people that you’re a writer/script doctor.
In this post, Screenwriting Jobs: The Best 14 Sites for Screenwriters to Get Paid, you’ll find hundreds of listings from companies looking to hire writers, development staff and production crew.
Q. What’s the difference between a script consultant and a script doctor?
A. While consultants provide feedback and suggestions, our script doctors actively improve your screenplay through hands-on rewriting and enhancement.
Q. How long does the script doctoring process take?
A. Typically 2-4 months, depending on the scope of work required.
Q. Does your script doctor service guarantee success?
A. While we can't guarantee specific outcomes, our track record shows significantly improved success rates for doctored scripts.
The process of hiring a professional script doctor requires careful consideration and due diligence to ensure the best outcome for your screenplay.
Ready to take your screenplay to the next level? Our team of professional script doctors can help. See how by sending your script in for a Script Doctor Consultation for just $95.
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