How to know if a script-coverage company is on the up-and-up.

[caspary]

Hi!

Does anyone have any suggestions on the above? I was recently hired for a new s-c company on the strength of a phone interview (I had made a contact call days earlier and sent my resume in a couple days after the 'view) and I was wondering if there is any way to know if the company is the real deal, or a scam to get one's SS # or ...? The Better Business Bureau has no record of complaints against the company, and its website seems credible. But since I've never worked for this kind of firm before, I'm wondering if there are warning signs I should know. Thanks!

[dpaterso]

Aside from the obvious (Google searches on the company name) try searching AW's Bewares and Background Check (http://absolutewrite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=22) forum to see if this company shows up. If it's new it probably won't, but it's maybe worth the check anyway.

-Derek

[caspary]

Thanks! I've checked Google already, and am now off to the BABC. *pause* Wow, that's a lot of companies out to rip folks off. Talk about depressing--:).

[Mac H.]

I dunno (apart from asking as a 'potential customer' on boards like www.donedealpro.com (http://www.donedealpro.com)) but thanks for asking the question before you start.

Have a great week,

Mac.

[Rainy Night]

What will you be doing for the company? Will you be a reader, writing coverage... spill the details...

[NikeeGoddess]

coverage and consultanting - two different things

coverage is usually something done by a production company or studio with a script. they don't charge you because they're looking for material. they have paid staff (readers) and/or interns to do that.

consultants are paid to critique and/or edit your work. they do it as a means to make money.
some - are produced writers on a hiatus from their own writing

some - are better teachers than they are writers and do know what's what

some - are wannabees that think they know more than you do

some - are going to trash your script to convince you to pay them more money continue working with you on a bad script and try to convince you than when it is ready they will help you market it (usually after several thousands of spent dollars when you finally give up)

some - are straight con men out to entice the money from desperate wannabees willing pay anything to market a crappy newbie script

i believe you want to know which of these consultants you should send your hard earned money to. do your research. google these people. read sciptmag and creative screenwriting* mag and the like.

*a few years ago they had a great article that critiqued the critics: like a consumer reports guide. they sent the same script to 24 consultants and rated them all... in detail. i wish they would do that again but, i'm sure it's a costly and time consuming job.

[NikeeGoddess]

and casp - i wonder why you ask after you hired the company and not before. being too anxious is the best way to spend your money foolishly.

[Joe Calabrese]

Nikee.
Me thinks you should re-read the OP.
He was hired, not the other way around.
He just want to make sure that after he gives them his social # for payroll and tax purposes that they don't scam him.

[NikeeGoddess]

yup - i misread

well, casp - let them pay your bills first and then if they're full of crap and you feel guilty for being a con man (or the like) ... quit. ;)

[Joe Calabrese]

Nikee.

Not to be a pain, but again you are misreading the post (or just don't care and want to bring forth your own agenda).

He doesn't want to know if the company is legitimate in their service, but whether or not they are a legitimate company that won't just take his social security number and tap his bank accounts and scam him for everything he's worth.

Whether or not the company is a worthwile company that gives good reviews or not is not the question , so why bring that up without knowing anything about the OP.

For all you know he may be a tenured professor of English at UCLA and is more than qualified to tell you what is wrong with your work. For all you know the company may be run by equally as impressive people.

Don't rain on the parade. Just answer the question at hand.

To answer the OP question, I would tell you to find out how long they have been in business? Are they a company that we would have heard about or can google and see that they are everywhere? If they have a contact number and real address, then that shows permanency and finally if you tell us the company name (in another thread), we may be able to tell you more info.

[NikeeGoddess]

yep i was doing a joe - not you joe, the other joe - that's what i get for jumpin' on his back for not reading the OP correctly. karma - what goes around comes around

you're not a pain joe - well, ... not this time ;)

anyway - i don't get it. why would one assume that a company hire them just to nab their social security number and take their money? this is a far-reaching type of paranoia imo. but then again, i still may not get it. - no need to tell me.