Why a script consultant?
Because writing a screenplay means both creating a world and mapping it
A script consultant helps the writer gain perspective on their screenplay, understand what works and what does not, and see how to improve it in concrete terms. It is a profession in its own right, requiring perspective on the creative process — not only on the act of creation itself — as well as a practical understanding of what works on screen and what needs to be included, or left out, of the screenplay.
It also requires the ability to guide without prejudice, to question without lecturing, to reveal without imposing, in order to follow the organic logic of the story and help it strike the right note, just like a "little black dress".
Every text raises its own particular problems; every writer has a different blind spot. There is no universal grid, no strict set of rules, only approaches, sensitivities and different paths, all aimed at guiding each screenplay toward its most precise and fully realised form.
A writer can work with a script consultant at any stage: from the treatment, and sometimes even while exploring the different angles from which the story might be told, all the way to the final draft before shooting. Some projects only need a single consultation, an outside perspective at a pivotal moment, for instance before submitting a CNC application. Others benefit from support across several drafts. It is not a pre-set formula, but a personalised process shaped by the project’s needs.
My experience as a film editor - in both fiction and documentary - has shaped my eye and my stance as a script consultant. For me, the preparatory work before a screenplay consultation is the foundation for dialogue with the writer, because I need to understand their intention before I can truly explore the paths to follow.
I also seek to understand the intention of the text itself, which always goes beyond the writer’s own intention and guides the dramaturgy. I attach great importance to details, because they build the whole and often say a great deal without being verbose. I work in a constant back-and-forth between the macro and the micro, and I see structure, arena, dramaturgy, characters and everything else as an inseparable whole.
Because a screenplay is living material that runs through the making of a film, while remaining its point of reference.
What script consulting is not
In France, a script doctor does not rewrite your script for you (in the United States, they do). That is because what we call a script doctor in France would more commonly be called a script consultant there - the kind of work associated with figures such as Linda Seger or Robert McKee.
In France, the role of a script doctor - or script consultant - is to understand what you are trying to tell, identify what is already working and what is not yet in place, and provide the perspective and direction needed to understand exactly how, and why, to rewrite.
Both terms coexist in France. Script consultant is the most immediately understood functional translation. Script doctor carries a more specific meaning: a targeted intervention on an existing draft in order to strengthen it. That precision reflects the 90pages approach. Both are used for the same practice.
It is not script coverage. A script doctoring consultation focuses on what to do with the diagnosis and the project’s potential: how to move forward, why a given element needs rewriting, and in what direction.
It is not formatting to a ready-made recipe. It is not rewriting in your place. It is a maieutic, personalised process - in service of the story - which requires the writer’s genuine critical availability.
A script doctor can be brought in at any stage: from treatment, sometimes even at the point where different ways of telling the story are still being explored, right through to the final draft before production.
Some projects need only a single consultation - an external perspective at a pivotal moment, such as before a CNC submission. Others benefit from support across several drafts. There is no fixed formula. The process is tailored to the project’s specific needs.
What it changes, concretely
You identify precisely the areas of narrative fragility, you understand why something isn’t quite working, not just what. You leave with momentum, a clear vision, and narrative choices you have made your own. Your screenplay gains in coherence, truthfulness and strength, for readers, producers, funding bodies, and ultimately the audience.
Who is script consulting for ?
Established or emerging screenwriters seeking a precise, professional eye, producers wishing to refine a screenplay before submission or production, creatives who are blocked, looking to amplify or deepen their writing process and beginning screenwriters seeking active training based on their own project.
I work with authors, screenwriters, and producers who want to serve the story rather than their ego.
Because a better screenplay makes a better film.