COVERAGE is a standard term in the filmmaking industry. It is a screenplay evaluation process designed to assist both screenwriters and film producers.

From the writer side of the business, it provides a (somewhat) standardized method to have their submitted work evaluated by a professional third party – and then have that evaluation documented in a form with which film producers and studios are familiar. While it is not a standard part of the process, some companies and organizations offering coverage for screenplays may even go as far as to make a recommendation or two directly to specific film studios or producers when they come across a screenplay that they feel is extraordinary.

From the movie producer side of the business, coverage provides a process to do an initial evaluation of the thousands of new screenplays available to them each year. Instead of reading submitted screenplays that may interest them in their entirety, producers can simply read an eight to fifteen page coverage report. If the report peaks their interest in the screenplay, the next step, of course, is to read the entire work. This process, which has become fairly standard in the film industry in the United States, allows busy producers to review a far larger number of screenplays each year than they would otherwise be able evaluate.

It should also be noted that the screenwriter normally pays to have their screenplay evaluated and the report generated – so the process also provides a cost savings to the producers looking for new opportunities. From the screenwriter’s perspective, however, these evaluations are almost always worth the money. Not only does the screenwriter get an objective review of their work but they can send copies of the original report to numerous perspective producers and studios.

Coverage reports can contain a variety of elements. Their content varies from company to company (doing the coverage) and a screenwriter should be sure to understand the specifics of what will be in their report before providing their screenplay for evaluation. It should also be noted that while the company doing the coverage is working for the screenwriter, a inappropriately flattering report about an inferior screenplay serves no purpose. Honesty and professionalism are the keys to making this process work.