Script doctor

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A script doctor is a skilled screenwriter called in to rescue a failing film project by rewriting parts of the screenplay to improve the dialogue, pacing and other elements. Script doctors are usually uncredited (though highly paid), so it is usually difficult to tell who has been involved.

The use of script doctors was first revealed at the Academy Awards in 1973 when Francis Ford Coppola thanked Robert Towne for his work on The Godfather. Since then the use of script doctors has usually been downplayed to avoid overshadowing the work of the early writers in constructing the story. Under Writers Guild of America rules, a screenwriter must contribute 50 percent to the story and/or characterization in order to qualify for credit (and the extra money that means). Script doctors are usually brought in after the screenplay has been "locked" (i.e., the scenes numbered and pages fixed); on his website, John August revealed that when asked to doctor a script he is sent a disc of the script by the last writer, so doctoring requires little physical retyping.

William Goldman is generally acknowledged to have worked as a script doctor. Actress and writer Carrie Fisher, best known as 'Princess Leia' in the Star Wars films, has also worked as a script doctor. Joss Whedon is another writer known to have done work as a script doctor.

Prices for script doctors range from $100,000 to $200,000 a week.