matcoop23 As a female script consultant and female scriptwriter for hire I get hired for my writing ability but also for my female perspective.
Female scriptwriters are still underrepresented in British film and TV. While there are a few big names like Sally Wainwright and Phoebe Waller-Bridge the majority of working professional UK scriptwriters are male.
Female Scriptwriters
Things have improved over the last 25 years and it’s much more common now to see female scriptwriters well represented on writing teams of UK based shows – the soaps in particular, but we still have a long way to go.
For budding female scriptwriters there’s a wide choice of talented scriptwriters who offer service’s like script feedback and script reports or script coverage – but again, the majority of these writers offering feedback are male.
Female script coverage
For a female writer – seeking feedback for the first time – it might make sense to use the services of a female script consultant. For first time scriptwriters it might a bit nerve wracking asking someone to read and report on your work for the first time – it might sound odd, but a budding female scriptwriter might feel a little better if a female script consultant is the person hired to review their work.
My services as a female script consultant – are used overwhelmingly by female writers – so it is something that female writers are seeking out, especially when the script is heavily female orientated. Of course, male scriptwriters are perfectly capable of giving feedback on scripts by anyone of any sex – but even the best male scriptwriters often seek feedback from members of the opposite sex – to make sure things ring true and feel correct.
So getting gender specific script feedback makes sense for male or female scriptwriters.
Alison Pennells is a scriptwriter, playwright, novelist, female script consultant and producer from Leeds. Alison was a core scriptwriter on Emmerdale and The Royal Today. Her short film ‘Me Head’s a Shed’ was winner of The Yorkshire Short film award. Her play ‘Dirty Laundry’ has been a huge success and raised much needed funds for cancer charities across the UK. In recent years Alison has worked as a female script consultant and producer on three feature films. Alison is married, has a daughter, three doggies and no cats (at the moment).
‘Me Head’s a Shed’ was winner of The Yorkshire Short film award. Her play ‘Dirty Laundry’ has been a huge success and raised much needed funds for cancer charities across the UK. In recent years Alison has worked as a female script consultant and producer on three feature films. Alison is married, has a daughter, three doggies and no cats (at the moment).
