Have you ever received conflicting feedback on your script or book? I have. One loves your characters. Another doesn’t. One finds it convoluted. Another doesn’t. Drives you crazy, right? So, what to do?
I have never received consistent feedback on any script. Nicholls Screenplay competition sent me 2 complete opposite viewpoints. I didn’t win.
A screenwriting teacher I trust once referred me to a consultant. What I got were comments like I shouldn’t do an ensemble comedy. Huh? What was Love Actually or Midnight in Paris? I had too many characters. Huh? Have you looked at the cast lists at the end of most movies? I had a 3rd of those listed. Your main character doesn’t show up for 18 pages. Huh? He’s almost in or referred to in every scene. Her answer? I missed that. Huh? Did you even read it?
That taught me a simple lesson. Research your consultants. Since I can’t use myself, I make sure that any consultant that reads my work, script or book, has not only written one but sold one and has experience in production. I would probably ask what their major was in college. Well, not really but don’t put it past me.
There are many effective, experienced consultants out there. But, and I know you’ll do this, make sure you find a one worth the price you pay. Are 1-2 pages or 2-3 pages of feedback thorough enough for the money you pay? I hope so and I hope it’s detailed enough. I don’t like limitations. Makes me feel the hour’s up at a psychiatrist’s office.
Just make sure you’re getting your money’s worth, that your choice is the right fit for you, and always get more than one feedback.
If feedbacks conflict, don’t get frustrated. What I found with the above-mentioned nightmares, is that even though most of the feedback was rubbish and conflicting with each other, they each had a few sentences that were absolutely right in criticism and suggestions. They pointed out elements that I or any friend or fellow screenwriter missed.
So I just took those few bits and pieces from each feedback and rewrote the project which ultimately improved more than 100%.
That’s what I want you to keep in mind with conflicting feedback. There’s always a piece of gold somewhere in the mush.
By the way, I’d like to suggest an additional type of feedback: a table read. I always have a buffet dinner waiting for friends, actors, etc. that agreed to read a role in my script sitting around my living room. This isn’t to get the regular feedback of the essentials which come up anyway, this is to hear the pace of the story: Are the short descriptions still too long? Is that dialogue necessary? You get the idea. To hear it is so fun and essentially valuable.
The bottom line is you always need feedback. They are all valuable whether you like it or not.
