This is the most thorough of services offered by the Cinematic Mechanic. Includes a full read through of your script, twice, and then a complete coverage breakdown of structure, character, premise, conflict, dialogue, tone, sell-ability. The Mechanic will then meet with you for a three hour one-on-one session to give you his notes, page-by-page, and offer suggestions to strengthen every element of your script. Total Cost: $750
Log-lines are crucial when you want to distill your screenplay into a single line that gets immediate attention. It’s the difference between, “A story about two teenagers searching for their parents” and “A contemporary coming of age road trip, about two teenage misfits in search of their roots.” Come Ons on the other hand are the sizzle that makes the studio executive sit up straight and nod his head. Angel Heart meets the Untouchables, Rocky meets National Velvet, Lost Boys meets Underworld, Taxi Driver meets Mr. & Mrs. Smith. These are examples of the type of industry-speak that instantly sets the tone when you’re presenting your screenplay. The Mechanic will read your script and offer you three solid choices of Log-lines and one Come On that will blow their socks off. Total Cost: $75
Most industry professionals and producers want to see these in a one page form and a two page form so that they can more easily grasp the overall movement of your already-written story. The Mechanic will read your script and distill your story down into a one-page synopsis, and a two page synopsis, offering the broader beats of your script that you can hand in to any industry professional and feel confident that the essence of your story is being served. Total Cost: $250
These are usually precursors to the actual writing of a script. Many producers ask you to put these together so that can see what they’re going to be paying for when they hire you to write the script. They can also be beneficial when you want to register your idea or story with the Writers Guild or the Library of Congress. This is something that would need to be worked on together with the Mechanic. He’d help you shape your story and then break it down into story beats and character arcs until you have a fully-fleshed out story ready to write. A great way to really find your story. Total Cost: $500
Each of these is a very specific, exclusive element of your screenplay that needs its own special focus. Many scripts are sharply structured, but their characters are poorly drawn, or perhaps their characters are interesting and three-dimensional, but the writer doesn’t have an ear for dialogue. The Mechanic can help. If you just want your comedy to be funnier. That’s what we’ll focus on. If you want the drama to be deepened and more poignant, then that’s what we’ll work on. In these instances the total cost is tallied with an initial $500 retainer fee, and then if the sessions go beyond a 5 hour base, the succeeding sessions will be calculated on an hourly basis at $75 an hour.
The Cinematic Mechanic charges $75 an hour for private consultation. That includes the time spent reading the script and compiling notes, as well as the actual consultation time.
The Mechanic has taught screenwriting workshops, intensive’s and classes and will certainly look at all viable proposals as long as the following conditions are met: the class must consist of at least 6 participants, but no more than 12, the participants must be available for at least 6 consecutive sessions, and the participants must agree to the fee of $360 for the run of the class. No exceptions.
