Today we’d like to introduce you to Cody Smart
Hi Cody, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’m a trained writer with multiple degrees in Literature, Screenwriting, Producing and Script Development. I always thought I’d follow a more “traditional” path as a screenwriter. But while getting my masters, I fell in love with development while doing an internship. And that’s how my career shifted focus to consulting and script doctoring. I started small – as a script reader – then slowly graduated to script consultant when people started really liking my notes. Then eventually graduated to script doctor when people started asking me to doctor their scripts based on my notes. And now I do this for a living full time (which I love!), and also even teach others about Script Doctoring at UCLA Extension.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The film industry is a hard place to get into. Doors don’t automatically open for you. It takes hard work, commitment, and true passion to establish yourself in the industry. Many of my peers and film school classmates ended up giving up. But I persevered, honed my craft, paid my dues, and now I’m incredibly grateful that people respond to my notes and ideas for their scripts, and trust me with helping them take them to the next level.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a script consultant and script doctor, and love helping my clients take their scripts to the next level and get them ready for production or to be submitted to contests/producers for consideration. I’m known for my attention to detail and for my eye for script structure – my approach is that character and structure go hand-in-hand, and I help clients track the emotional journey of their protagonists in a way that coincides with the turning points of the story. That makes scripts much stronger, in my opinion.
My philosophy as a script doctor is also to always keep my client’s story at the forefront and not impose my own. I’m here to help them tell the best version of THEIR story, which is something that sets me apart from others, and that my clients always appreciate. Screenwriting is an art form, and thus, it’s subjective. But it’s also collaborative. I help clients look at different aspects of their stories that aren’t working, and offer tangible suggestions for improvement that fit their specific story, while making sure they’re still able to tell the story they want to tell – just better.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
If you’re a creative working on a script, I always advice to seek help from a script consultant/doctor. Writers tend to be more introverted and keep their stories to themselves. But ultimately, this is a collaborative medium. If they want to see their stories come to life, they’ll need to let them go and get help from others to get them made. Before that happens, getting fresh eyes on their scripts is KEY – most times, they’re too close to see any story issues, and a professional can help guide them on how to make their premise shine. It’s just about finding the right professional that will keep their story at the forefront.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.scriptreaderpro.com/about-us/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextlevelscreenwriting
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nextlevelscreenwriting/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEevGQ8Va_Y&list=PLez8jOvskc-MDJUzPaa8h66qgw5yIUaYV&index=9&t=444s
- Other: email: [email protected]
