Ronda Rousey Reminds You Why Script Coverage Is a Screenwriter's Greatest Tool - ScreenCraft (2024)

It’s not every day that someone gets to adapt their own memoir, but that is exactly what former UFC champion and WWE star Ronda Rousey is doing with her autobiographies, My Fight/Your Fight and Our Fight, largely thanks to script coverage.

Rousey’s journey to be the one who adapted her story for the silver screen began not with writing the script but with learning how to give script coverage. According to Deadline, veteran WME executive Adam Novak sent Rousey 30 to 40 scripts on which she would provide coverage. Novak would then look at her notes, critique her work, and provide her feedback that helped her learn the craft.

After months of working on coverage, Rousey completed her screenplay in just seven days. Agents and Netflix executives, unaware that Rousey had written the script at the time of reading, were blown away by the fact that this was Rousey's first time writing a screenplay. Now, Rousey has closed a deal to adapt the script for Netflix, all because she mastered the art of script coverage.

Discover the Power of Script Coverage the Ronda Rousey Way

Usually, when we think about the benefits of script coverage we think about the benefits of receiving them. However, providing script coverage allows screenwriters to evaluate and examine aspects of a screenplay to find its strengths and weaknesses.

Being able to write and understand script coverage is a laborious process that can help screenwriters contextualize what makes a script excellent and recommendable. Whether it's a good script or a bad one, screenwriters can learn how to nail the structure of their scripts and pinpoint what does and doesn’t work. Once writers understand this, they can apply it to their own screenplays.

An unexpected perk that comes with reading and analyzing many scripts is that it can motivate screenwriters to apply their knowledge to the page. It seems that Rousey was excited to apply what she learned from her time providing script coverage, and turned out a well-written script in a week.

Motivation can go a long way for creatives. Find inspiration through reading and providing your own coverage of scripts, and see how it lines up with professional script coverage. Once you feel like you have an understanding of what the industry is looking for when ready for great scripts, it is time to apply it to your work.

Read More: The Do’s and Don'ts of Writing Professional Script Coverage

The Perks of Receiving Great Coverage for Your Screenplay

A great perk of receiving professional feedback on your screenplays is that it will help you strengthen your skills, but the greatest perk is that ultimately, your work will be more valuable in the industry. That professional perspective is so integral to making your script the best it can be, sure, but it also offers something unique that you can’t get anywhere else: industry insight and insider knowledge of the market.

The best script coverage services, such as ScreenCraft’s genre-specific script notes and Coverfly’s Coverage Marketplace, offer affordable ways to identify areas of improvement in your skills. These services are provided by professional readers with years of experience reading for top studios, production companies, agencies, management companies, networks, and streamers.

Their feedback can offer you insight into the strengths and weaknesses of your screenplay, helping you to understand how your work is being received by the industry. This guidance will help you iron out the areas in your screenplays that could be improved upon, hopefully helping you avoid common screenwriting mistakes you might not be aware you’re making. Rousey’s time providing coverage helped her understand common mistakes screenwriters make so she could avoid those pitfalls when she sat down to write.

Submitting your screenplay to competitions, contests, or fellowships allows you to step away from the project you’ve put your heart into and get a more objective assessment of the script's quality and marketability. It doesn't aim to discourage you. Instead, it aims to help you become the best storyteller you can be, even if you're adapting somebody else's story (or your own) like Rousey.

—

The market is tough, so screenwriters should be tougher. Rousey is a professional who knows you only get what you put into your craft. By reading scripts and providing script coverage for industry professionals, Rousey was able to take what she learned through coverage and apply it to her screenplay with rousing success. You can do that too, but it requires putting in the work and opening yourself up to guidance and feedback.

Whether you're seeking notes on your latest draft or genre-specific coverage, numerous avenues exist to receive valuable feedback and improve as a screenwriter.

CHECK OUT OUR PREPARATION NOTES SO YOU START YOUR STORY OFF ON THE RIGHT TRACK!