The Gauntlet is a shortcut to getting your script read by at least 7 working Hollywood readers, each with at least 3 years of experience as a professional script analyst. Unlike screenwriting competitions that pit you against other writers for a few winning slots (often using interns as judges), the Gauntlet hires pro script analysts to evaluate your script by its own merits, giving a realistic appraisal of how it would be received by the industry.
Each submitted script receives an interactive report of its analysts' feedback, showing exactly where and how the script is working and/or could be strengthened: insights informed and fortified by a diversity of opinions, so you're never at the mercy of any single reader's tastes.
And if any analyst likes your script (and you gave them permission to share it), they can download it for active promotion in their professional circles.
Scripts that perform especially well can earn the Seal of Consensus: a certificate signed by several analysts who choose to endorse this script. With this collection of signed professional testimonials, a script gains real leverage with industry decision-makers.
Yes. The Gauntlet is organized into 3 levels, each offering a new set of analysts and a more rigorous evaluation of your work:
So, depending on which level your script reaches, you can get 7, 12, or 17 analysts reading it. The more analysts like it, the higher its overall Gauntlet score.
This is an honest reflection of how the industry works — and if anything, errs on the side of generosity. Typically, if you're lucky enough to get your script onto someone's desk in Hollywood, this person will give it a 20-page read at most; they'll often quit at page 5 or 10.
To get at least 7 professional analysts' eyes on your script while keeping your Gauntlet entry fee affordable, they only read the first 20 pages (or up to 30 if they feel they need it). This is not only a real-world test of your script's ability to deliver a strong beginning, but also a rare opportunity: seven chances to impress a Hollywood insider with those first 20 pages (and make them want to keep reading).
Regardless of which level your script reaches, any analyst who liked its early pages can read the full script and (with your permission) download and promote it in their circles.
To perform well in the Gauntlet, a script needs to impress several analysts (and to perform poorly, it needs to underwhelm several analysts). This is part of what distinguishes the Gauntlet from contests and script-doctoring services: it's never a single opinion, but a consensus of different opinions that determines how high your script climbs.
And when you get a multitude of veteran analysts, agents, managers, etc. all agreeing that your script is great, that's a big deal. It deserves not only a high score, but special recognition and a unique opportunity for promotion: the Seal of Consensus.
To earn the Seal, your script must first beat the Gauntlet — i.e., earn recommendation from a majority of analysts at all 3 levels (though you can also beat Level 1 with a "passionate minority" of just 2 or 3 analysts who rate your script especially highly). If your script accomplishes this, the following steps commence:
If all these steps are completed successfully, you receive the Seal as an electronic document devoted to your script and its exemplary performance in the Gauntlet. This document includes the signatures of each analyst endorsing the script and their original commentary on your work; it's not only proof of your talent to decision-makers, but also a pragmatic recruitment of committed (and well-connected!) allies who can champion your project.
When each analyst completes their read of your script, they rate it in the following areas:
The higher a rating they give in each area, the higher your script's score. Each analyst also gives or withholds their overall approval of the script; this determines whether it ascends to the next level (as described above) and also raises or lowers your final score.
The score itself is a number out of 100. You might think of this like the classic US academic grading system:
When you submit a script to the Gauntlet, you also enter the script's genre(s) and your own demographic info. This enables our system to match your script to analysts with a similar profile: people who work in your script's genre(s) and share at least some of your demographic characteristics. This ensures your script's analysts are a diverse crowd that includes representatives of your ideal audience.
Each analyst assigned to your script can access it via a protected reader, which allows neither downloading nor copying/pasting of the text. If you gave permission to share your script in their professional circles, these assigned analysts can — after they finish reading and scoring your script in the protected reader — download its PDF to circulate and promote among their colleagues.
ScriptHop administrators can also access submitted scripts, typically for troubleshooting purposes: ensuring a script hasn't been plagiarized, verifying analyst notes, etc. We do not use your script for data-mining or anything else that compromises you or your work.
Never. While we trust our analysts to refrain from using A.I., our tools actually prohibit them from doing so. Gauntlet analysts read and evaluate scripts using a protected reader tool that we built in-house; because this reader allows neither downloading nor copying of any of your script's text, the analysts cannot upload or paste your text into any A.I. tool to generate notes. They will use their own capable, professional, human sensibilities to experience your script and articulate their responses and insights.
If you give permission for analysts to share your script, they will be able to download it, but again: they can do this only after they have finished their notes and evaluation for your script.
Every analyst we hire has a years-long professional reputation to uphold. In the very unlikely event that they would endanger their career with irresponsible sharing of your script, we have deterrents in place:
No. Giving this permission is entirely voluntary. If you do not give this permission, analysts can view your script in the protected reader only; they cannot download the script's PDF.
This permission has no effect on a script's performance within the Gauntlet. Each analyst has no idea whether you gave or withheld this permission until after they have finished reading and scoring your script.
Not necessarily! When you submit your script, you can also give permission to have it included in the Gauntlet Weekend Read. This feature sends out weekly lists of scripts that scored well in the Gauntlet. The subscribers who receive this list are all vetted industry professionals who might find your script in this list — if it scored well and fits the genre(s) they're interested in. If they read it and see its potential, they can pursue it by offering representation, optioning, etc.
All script reads from this list are fully tracked. As with the permission for analysts to download your script, your decision to give or withhold the Gauntlet Weekend Read permission has no impact on your script's performance within the Gauntlet.
Important note: This feature hasn't launched yet. When it does, all high-scoring Gauntlet submissions (whose authors gave this permission) are eligible for listing, including those submitted prior to launch.
It costs $380 (USD) to enter either a feature script or TV pilot. What you get for that price:
This depends on a number of factors:
We're always aiming to minimize wait-times, but — given all these factors — please be patient as you await your report. You can always track the status of your submission on your Gauntlet home page, and the Gauntlet will automatically notify you by email as your script enters each new phase of its run.
You need to be at least 18 years old, and each Gauntlet entry requires the materials listed below. Note that (for now) all of these must be in English:
Note that the Gauntlet's submission process provides tips and examples to help you write a Logline, Story Hook, and the necessary Synopses that are compelling and professional. (ScriptHop also released a book that can provide additional guidance on these materials and more.)
Absolutely! International entries are welcome. Just bear in mind that the requirements listed above (language, formatting, etc.) currently apply to all entries, regardless of where they are submitted from.
Yes, as long as:
If this packet also has a Logline and/or Story Hook (and/or a Short Synopsis, for Feature entries), these are copied automatically to its Gauntlet entry, where you will have an opportunity to edit them before submission.* Other sections of your packet — such as character descriptions, concept art, soundtrack, etc. — will not be included in its Gauntlet entry.
*Note that any changes you make within the packet's Gauntlet entry do not get saved back to the packet itself. The packet's Logline, Story Hook, and Short Synopsis will be unchanged.
Yes. The same price and requirements (see above) apply to every script entered into the Gauntlet, including new revisions of scripts you entered into the Gauntlet before.*
If you decide to resubmit a script that ran the Gauntlet previously (perhaps in the hope of earning a higher score than last time), we strongly recommend taking substantial time to digest the notes from its previous Gauntlet run and using them to guide your revision. This will bring you the most value from a resubmission.
*Eventually, our software will enable you to resubmit a script from its original entry. This feature will ensure a different set of analysts and a potential discount on your entry fee.
You are welcome to submit a script featuring someone else's IP, but bear in mind: while our analysts will evaluate the script fairly, they may be reluctant to try promoting it due to the obstacles it will face. IP-specific scripts are almost always written or commissioned by the IP's owner, so an outside author's unsolicited creation is (usually) unlikely to get greenlit. So feel free to submit such a script to the Gauntlet in order to get reader feedback and/or to showcase your writing skills (perhaps to be considered for other projects or for agent representation), but understand the strong chance that our analysts will be less inclined to promote this script.
Yes. Not being a contest, the Gauntlet is not competing with any contests. If you get multiple people pursuing your script (such as a contest judge and a Gauntlet analyst), that's not a bad problem to have.
If this happens, please email us (support@ScriptHop.com) and let us know. This is a courtesy to our analysts, so they don't waste time pursuing a script that's already been sold.
In your email, please let us know whether you would like your script's Gauntlet run to complete (as analyst notes, positive reviews, or even the Seal of Consensus can still help an optioned script) or to be halted. If you halt its run, we might be able to partially refund your entry fee, depending on how far through the Gauntlet your script has progressed.
This works just the same as an entry from a single author — meaning the script must still be submitted to the Gauntlet from a single ScriptHop account. Therefore:
We always encourage writers to protect their work by registering it (with the US Copyright Office or the Writer's Guild of America, for example), but this is not required to enter a script into the Gauntlet. Entering the Gauntlet also provides free registration of your script with ScriptHop, logging your intellectual property with a date-stamped record you can reference at any time.
Our Customer Support staff is happy to answer any additional questions: support@ScriptHop.com
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