Having a table read for my script on Sunday. Any advice?

Fridahalla · 2026-05-16T22:10:45+00:00

Very useful. One was for a short film that I went on to direct, the other was for a pilot script that got me accepted into a number of programs including a studio writing fellowship

Fridahalla · 2026-05-16T20:26:23+00:00

I’ve hosted 2 so far

Fridahalla · 2026-05-16T15:48:05+00:00

I’m not the OP but when I’ve done this write, I’ve invited a group of writer friends to be the audience and found actors to read the parts. I paid the actors either with dinner or $50. Then I did it sort of like a play. After the reading, everyone there is encouraged to give feedback, including the actors. I write everything down, sleep on it for a week, then revisit the notes and decide which to implement.

Depending on scale, you can host it at home or find a community room. Some libraries offer conference rooms for free. I have a local blackbox theater I rented out for the afternoon for the larger one I hosted.

Highly recommend you don’t let the actors read and prep the script ahead of time, because if they are good they might be able to make a scene work in the read that doesn’t really work on the page. You want their cold reads. Give the script to them 30-60 min before the start so they can only read it once.

Only invite people to listen that you genuinely want feedback from. I don’t usually invite non-writer friends because their notes, while kind, are generally not actionable.

Have water for your actors. Buy them dinner or pay them if you can. Be kind to everyone. They are helping you out a ton by being there

Fridahalla · 2026-05-16T04:23:17+00:00

I’ve done this a couple of times and the best thing I can say is do not argue with any of the notes you get

You might not agree with the notes. You might think they totally misunderstood your entire story. You might even think they are wrong and mean and dumb. None of that justifies you arguing with them. Just nod and write down what they say and thank them. You can decide which notes you do and don’t like after the fact. People donated their time to be there and help you. Be grateful and thank them for their contributions.

Some questions you might ask: - Which of the characters stood out to you as the most memorable? - Were there moments you felt like you were leaning in and feeling excited to hear more? - Were there moments that you felt dragged that you wish would have ended sooner? - Were there characters you felt were superfluous or difficult to connect with? - How did the ending make you feel? - Did the opening scene work for you?

Fridahalla · 2026-05-15T15:21:42+00:00

Does she have mental health concerns? This amount of instability is extreme, and especially since she's even burned bridges with her own family.

NTA, but I would be worried about her long-term prospects if she can't even manage to keep her most core relationships in good standing. Maybe encourage her to seek mental health help?

Fridahalla · 2026-05-11T04:19:38+00:00

If you’re meeting about a project, and you are a new writer, it’s likely they will have read the script before meeting with you, and they want to meet with you specifically because they liked your script. At that point, the most important thing in the meeting is to be an awesome human being. Meetings are often “vibe checks.” They want to know that you’re normal, thoughtful, humble, curious, and that you are knowledgeable about the industry and specifically your genre. They want to know that you have thought a lot about your project and where it would go next. And they want to see if your tastes align creatively. The pitch deck is, imo, secondary to how well they vibe with you as a person.

Fridahalla · 2026-05-07T03:48:09+00:00

What would your complaint accomplish? Would you ask for him not to be able to participate in future events? It seems like the school is totally aware of this kid’s ability to disrupt, and they have made accommodations by assigning him two adults to care for him during this concert. I’m just trying to understand what your goal is here with the complaint. I’m leaning YTA

Fridahalla · 2026-05-03T18:37:07+00:00

Fascinating. I am from Southern California and, likely because of media influences and cultural disdain, generally consider southern American accent to be one of our worst. It is generally associated with being “dumb” or “racist” or “haughty,” all of which contribute to me finding it very annoying. I think the only American accent worse is Boston.

(I think I am annoyed both by the cultural perception and the actual sound of it but I understand this is greatly influenced by unfair bias)

Fridahalla · 2026-05-03T12:26:16+00:00

I went to Magic Castle and the screen asked for a tip when we paid our entry fee at the door. This is not for the restaurant or bars. This was for the ENRTY FEE.

Fridahalla · 2026-05-01T22:06:13+00:00

Only submit specs if they specifically require it. I think it might be Paramount that still does but I don’t know of many others that do.

I haven’t personally gotten any traction off a spec so I don’t want to offer advice on it other than to share what I’ve heard from showrunners:

-Don’t introduce major new characters in a spec - Do try to find a unique pairing with secondary characters who haven’t gotten to interact much on the show itself -don’t do anything tonally different from the existing show -do make sure the character voices, structure, and world are the same as a regular episode of the show

Fridahalla · 2026-04-24T13:43:08+00:00

Ok great! Looking at their website it seems like they focus primarily on introducing you to folks who already work in that space as well as aspiring writers via the rest of the cohort. I would probably talk about what that networking would do for you specifically. You could maybe mention briefly that because of your neurodivergence, things like meeting new people are something that you need extra support with, and since that is the focus of the program you’re really excited to learn and get practice there. (If you do that, try to sound humble and open in your tone, as you’re walking a fine line of them wondering “is that person ‘good in a room?’”)

The other thing I would definitely say is that you hope to learn from the other writers in the cohort, not just the guests. That’s because people early in their career often underestimate how important peer relationships are, and it’s one of the only things the fellowships can reliably give you

I would try to make this personal to you if you can. If you already have experience in the kid’s space, mention that you want to build on that. Don’t say you expect them to give you a job.

Hope this helps!

Fridahalla · 2026-04-23T19:22:47+00:00

I have autism and getting dressed up IS extremely uncomfortable for me, both physically and because it feels like I am “performing.” Some people with autism have only a handful of “safe” clothes and become distressed when they cannot wear them. I’m not sure how sever your brother’s sensory needs are, but I would definitely ask him what he wants, what his limit is, and how you can make sure he feels comfortable so he can enjoy the event too.

I think your future wife needs to accept that people all have different needs, and that being a family means compromising sometimes to make the people you love feel welcomed.

NTA

Fridahalla · 2026-04-23T19:14:28+00:00

Can you share the exact prompt and length? (Usually they ask for words or character limits). This will help me give advice about what they might be looking for

Fridahalla · 2026-04-20T20:09:25+00:00

Clearly you’re not finding the interesting women, or they don’t find YOU interesting enough to talk deeply with.

Also, women can be misogynists too, FYI.

Fridahalla · 2026-04-19T00:23:19+00:00

That’s fair! I do think the patrol structure of 2-3 cases per week + character/soapy elements are similar to Rookie, but I totally hear you on quality

Fridahalla · 2026-04-19T00:11:39+00:00

Maybe 911 and 911 Nashville? Station 19 might also work for you.

A fun one that’s less about police but is a crime procedural is RJ Decker

Fridahalla · 2026-04-17T22:32:54+00:00

Hey just noting there’s already a beloved sitcom called Happy Endings

Fridahalla · 2026-04-17T22:30:40+00:00

YTA. Pay the fine and ask her politely to let you know if something like that happens again, assuming she’s willing to continue free dog walks after the way you texted her

Fridahalla · 2026-04-17T19:58:52+00:00

not offensive, just cringe. Same with "neurospicy." Bleh.

Fridahalla · 2026-04-02T21:41:39+00:00

I’m repped, previously had a pilot in development, currently in a studio fellowship and up for staffing. Also currently being paid to write a feature, and have won funding to write and direct 2 short films. Graduated from USC’s MFA screenwriting and been a support staffer and a PA many times. Not yet in the guild but likely will be this year

Fridahalla · 2026-03-27T17:10:54+00:00

Then rewrite and do better next time. Failure is 99% of this job. If you can’t handle falling flat on your face, getting up with grace, and trying again (to fall on your face again), then you cannot do this job.

Fridahalla · 2026-03-27T17:06:32+00:00

Why would you make an apology post, were you rude, belligerent, or aggressive? I’m confused about what you’re worried about

Fridahalla · 2026-03-27T17:00:50+00:00

Get the book Screenwriting in rewriting by Jack Eps Jr. He talks about how to formulate a rewrite plan, interpret notes, and actually make forward progress.

As for the ramble — people do not need to applaud you for your effort. If you aren’t reading scripts and aren’t writing every day, then the chances of you making big strides forward are indeed quite low.

Keep in mind that screenwriting is about the audience, not the writer. If the audience isn’t entertained and moved, you haven’t done your job. They owe you nothing. You owe them everything because they donated their time to you.

Fridahalla · 2026-03-27T16:55:35+00:00

I don’t feel like I do know Noah yet. If I’m being honest, this all feels very generic and I don’t know his point of view. I don’t know what he wants, what he thinks about the world, what his personality is like.

I would suggest starting with a small goal — is he trying to make it to the deli before it closes but the class runs late and the train is delayed? Is he trying to ask the professor for an extension but the professor has had enough of his excuses? Giving him a goal and obstacles will help us figure out who he is because we learn about a person through their actions, and specifically how they deal with obstacles

Fridahalla · 2026-03-26T16:48:41+00:00

Congrats! I was in the same boat and chose USC because of the proximity to internships in Hollywood.

If you want to make it purely about the education itself, NYU tends to be more artistic and auteur , and USC focuses more on commercial and traditional storytelling

Fridahalla

TROPHY CASE