Stay Logged In

You will be logged out in seconds. Would you like to continue your session?
Skip to main content

Employers

Why You Need Professional Union Story Analysts on Your Development Team

All the major studios employ Local 700 Story Analysts as part of their development teams, and have done so for decades. That’s because we offer vital services and deliver specific skill sets that provide more than just script and book coverage, and do so at the level studios count on to generate the best content in the business. Far more experienced than interns, assistants and freelancers, we are uniquely qualified to determine the strongest content submitted to your company for feature or TV development, and identify the best writers to fill specific assignments. In addition to writing coverage, we craft detailed story notes that creative executives utilize in development meetings with writers, directors and producers. We provide thoroughly documented legal comparisons studios’ legal teams rely on, and deliver expert writing credit determinations for submission to the WGA.

As we do for the major studios, we can help your studio, network, production company or agency generate the best content and bigger profits. Local 700 Story Analysts can save you time and money while helping you find and craft content that’s best-in-class.

Request access to the Guild’s Available for Work List to hire your next Story Analyst!

 


When you hire a union story analyst, you can expect:

The Highest Quality, Time-Sensitive Script and Book Coverage: We have the experience and knowledge of the marketplace, genres, storytelling and other screenwriting skills that enable us to produce concise, well-written coverage quickly and dependably. Our coverage cuts through the clutter to zero in on the best material, and pinpoint promising concepts in otherwise mediocre material.

Coverage on Everything Else: We evaluate viral videos and shorts for their potential to be expanded.  We screen, summarize and evaluate foreign films, older films and TV shows for remake potential. Some of us cover scripts written in a foreign language.

Incisive Reports Identifying Writers for Your Projects:  We help find the best new and upcoming writers, evaluate their suitability to adapt or rewrite specific projects, and pinpoint specialists to punch up/polish comedy, action sequences, dialogue, etc.

Detailed Story Notes that Keep a Project on Track: Our comparison coverage between drafts keeps executives and producers aware of project changes, identifies problems with unbiased eyes, and suggests creative strategies for improvement.

Script and Book Breakdowns that Dig Deeper into Story and Character: We deliver scene outlines, character through-lines, and beat sheets that chart key moments throughout screenplays and other material, which are invaluable development tools.

Expertly Written Legal Comparisons and Writing Credit Determinations:  We write thorough, detailed comparisons between scripts and/or other source material(s), and prepare writing credit determinations consistent with WGA guidelines.   Our rates are far less costly than attorneys’ rates, and studio legal departments rely on the materials we prepare.

Assistance to Acquisitions and Distribution Executives And Talent Agents:  We evaluate commercial prospects of produced work.  We describe roles in scripts and books to aid talent agents in identifying potential roles for their clients.

AMANDA NELLIGAN, STORY ANALYST

Where are you currently employed?

MGM Studios.

Current Project?

Anything MGM gives me! Whatever is in front of me is my top priority.

Describe Your Job.

Definitely a desk job! I’m at my computer all day. I read scripts submitted for consideration, providing a synopsis and my analysis of whether they are a good bet for the studio — the pros and cons of premise, character, storyline, dialogue, etc. I also do in-depth notes on our in-house projects, assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the current script, with a focus on how to move forward with subsequent drafts.

The best part is a monthly Monday lunch meeting at the studio with all the creative executives, to discuss the status of their project slate. It’s a great opportunity to check in, get their feedback and feel a part of the bigger picture. The hard part is the isolation — although I’m so busy I barely notice.

READ MORE ABOUT AMANDA...