Consulting
The late, great film director and our Script Factory Board Chair, Anthony Minghella used to say: “You can enable or disable with your words, so be careful how you use them.” These words are the guiding principle of all we do at The Script Factory. Our mission is to enable you to write the best version of the story you want to bring to the screen.
How it works
During our one-on-one consultations, we will analyse the strengths and appeal of your current draft, highlight which elements are not yet delivering, and develop a strategy with you to unlock your story’s full potential.
We are not prescriptive; your session will be a balance between discussing your intent for the film or show and a comprehensive critique of what is on the page. Our expert guidance is here to serve you, and nothing excites us more than new voices and new approaches. Script Factory consultations are rigorous, responsive, and respectful.
Every writer has their own unique working practise and each journey to completing and polishing an industry-ready draft is entirely different. We will work with you at whatever stage of that journey you recognise the need for professional input, whether that’s testing ideas in treatment form or refining the shooting script.
Most writers book a single consultation with us, however we do have limited spaces available for longer term coaching and script development packages.
Scroll down for further information on our three-month programme.
Your script consultation will take place over Zoom. We will ask you to send your completed draft one week before the scheduled consultation, alongside a brief summary of the background to your project and a short vision statement. If you have a Pitch Deck, or other supporting documents, we are more than happy to consider those too.
Listed below are our standard prices for individual writers/filmmakers, but please get in touch if your project material is currently in a different form.
Feature Film Screenplays
90 minute consultation £245
TV Pilot (up to 60 pages)
90 minute consultation £200
TV Pilot (up to 30 pages)
60 minute consultation £150
Short Films (up to 20 pages)
60 minute consultation £95
For an additional cost, it may be possible to schedule a face-to-face meeting in Central London, please enquire.
Contact us to start your consultation:
For production companies looking to engage a script consultant please contact justine@scriptfactory.co.uk
“I worked with Justine on two narrative projects and both became exponentially stronger thanks to her input. Her approach strikes the perfect balance between detailed notes and big picture discussions.
Whilst she's able to forensically explore the nuts and bolts of how a story functions, she always keeps an eye on the filmmaker's intention and lets this inform any discussion points or ideas she presents. She is also adept at planting a seed about where a story might go, making it feel like an exciting possibility rather than a scary upheaval. I would undoubtedly work with her again and believe she would be an asset to any production.”
Lewis Rose, Award-winning Filmmaker
“It was a pleasure to be supported by Justine Hart on my short film script. In each session it was clear she’d taken the time to not only read each draft but had given it, the story and my individual voice full consideration. Her script notes are a writer's dream striking a balance between being positive, encouraging and confirming what areas to improve. Justine has definitely helped me become a better writer who’s now more confident to tell a story and brave enough to celebrate my own unique voice.”
Eva Edo, Playwright & Screenwriter
Three Month Script Coaching
Writing alone is tough. Locking ourselves away to craft entire screenplays in solitude doesn’t suit everyone.
Sometimes we need another creative to bounce our ideas off and be accountable to. Sometimes we need expert help figuring out the complexities of our dramatic conflict, story structure and character arcs.
Sometimes we need a sounding board where we can test out approaches and get constructive feedback without judgement. Sometimes we know we haven’t hit the mark we’re aspiring to and need fresh guidance on how to get there.
Sometimes there’s so much to process we need to talk it out. Sometimes we need someone else to get behind our vision, champion what works and challenge us to keep refining until we write the very best version of our story we possibly can.
Sometimes we need to learn more screenwriting skills through one-to-one tuition. And sometimes we need a safe space to discover our true voice.
Our three-month coaching programme is intended for writers who are ready to work intensively on a film or TV project and recognise the need for individualised development and training support to ensure the time they invest is most productive.
We work with a very limited number of writers on this scheme at any time. Currently, we are only accepting writers whom we have previously worked with or have got to know through our training workshops. It is important that both parties come into the relationship confident that we are well matched to work together.
Once accepted on to the programme, the development package is entirely tailored to the individual writer and their preferred method of working. We can start from a current draft, an outline, or simply an idea and work together through the process of building a story engine.
Unlike other schemes, this programme isn’t a delivery timeline to complete a screenplay, but rather we aim to create a rock solid foundation for the ongoing development of the project. For some writers that will mean working towards a very detailed step outline or treatment, for others it will mean writing multiple drafts.
Over the three-month period, we would look to schedule individualised delivery deadlines at approximately two weeks apart to ensure that progress is continually made. These could be treatments, beat sheets, character work or rewriting portions of the script. After those submissions we would schedule a 60-90 minute zoom call.
We are also available to talk via phone or email at any point to discuss a thought, idea or problem. Our whole ethos is to offer continued support so that no-one gets stuck second-guessing their ideas and to offer encouragement which validates your writing instincts!
In addition, we will consider best example shows to watch and analyse together for useful takeaways and renewed inspiration, with the aim of looking at one per month during the consultancy period. Where appropriate, we will devote specific sessions to particular screenwriting skills and guide writers towards additional learning resources.
The fee for this three month coaching is £1100.
“You know you’ve found a fantastic teacher when you see your own work through their eyes. It’s no accident; Justine’s depth of expertise was immediately apparent, so I found it easy to relax into the process, trust her advice and be open to change.
Clarity is the best gift of all. I left each coaching session motivated and absolutely clear about what I needed to do next. Justine steered me through the science in the art of screenwriting, whilst protecting the positive playfulness of the creative process. She made me want to scamper off and write every line to the highest possible standard.
The Script Factory have a rare and precious skill of applying polished techniques but to you as an individual to reveal your best work.
They have helped me hit my A-game by building trust, using wisdom, energy and care, then giving specific advice.
My scripts will now be a hundred times better thanks to The Script Factory.”
Lucy Flanagan, Screenwriter
