SPOT THE PRO!

Spot the Pro is a YouTube series that challenges pro writers and industry professionals to read first pages from different screenwriters and spot which one is the pro. 

The team who spots the most? They win bragging rights.

Any amateur writer chosen by a team also wins something – they get private feedback on their first 10 pages from the professionals who chose their page.

And of course, even the viewers win, because the discussion about why those choices were made is always bound to be fun and educational.

Sound cool? Want to be part of it? Awesome, because we’re looking for:

  • First pages from professional screenwriters

  • First pages from amateur screenwriters

  • Pro writers and industry pros who’d like to come on for an episode

Professional Screenwriters

  • We need great, professional pages from working pros to show our viewers where the bar is. Your page will be shown onscreen, read out loud, and discussed – always with a slant toward the positive attributes – but your name and the script title will only be revealed when you’re selected as the professional writer

  • Out of respect, we will not reveal the names of writers who weren’t selected, unless they explicitly ask us to do so

  • Professionals for these purposes are loosely defined as screenwriters who have been paid more than a total $25,000 for their work. In most cases, these writers will have worked within the greater Hollywood system and/or will be members of the WGA. An example of an exception might be a writer who has optioned a screenplay or two to a major Hollywood company and who has top-tier talent attached, but who has yet to meet that $25,000 threshold

Amateur Screenwriters

  • We are looking for first pages from amateurs that can stack up against a professional’s. These will make for the best challenges, the best discussions, and give their writers the best shot at getting some helpful feedback – and a potentially valuable read

  • Amateur screenwriters are loosely defined as those who have not been paid more than a total of $25,000 for their work. In most cases, these writers will be unrepped and will not have been paid for their work by a notable production or company

  • Just like the professional writers, we will show your page onscreen, read it out loud, and discuss it, always with a slant toward the positive, but we will only reveal your name if your script is chosen – or unless you explicitly say you’re comfortable with us doing so in the event that you aren’t

  • Because of the large volume of submissions, please include information that will help us understand why your writing is likely to measure up to a professional’s. Experience, accolades, and backgrounds are all helpful

  • If a professional selects your page, they will privately read at least the first ten pages of your script and provide feedback on those pages

Want to Be on the Show?

  • In addition to professional writers, we’re looking for enthusiastic reps, producers, executives, directors, and actors – basically, the people who read as a major part of their job and who can have a material impact on a screenwriter’s career – to be part of the show

  • You’ll be part of a two-person team. Know someone who’d love to team up with you? Perfect. If not, we can also find someone for you

  • For writers, we’d love it if you’d submit a page for an episode before the one on which you join us, because that just makes it extra fun when you come on

  • If you select any pages from amateurs, you commit to reading at least the first 10 pages of that script and providing private feedback within a reasonable timeframe

SUBMIT!

  1. Submit your info through the below form, then —

  2. If submitting a page, please send it to SpotTheProSeries@gmail.com. Include your name and “Amateur Submission” or “Pro Submission” in the subject line. Thanks!

Please note:

  • If we’re interested in potentially using one of your pages, we will reach out. Please don’t contact me, Jason Gruich, or Joe Marino to follow up on these submissions

  • By submitting your information here, you agree to hold harmless all participants in the event that they happen to develop something that bears any resemblance to your page. Parallel development happens all the time in this business (It happened with my movie AFTERMATH – and it still wound up getting made!). You also agree to hold them harmless for comments they make on your material. Once again, we do aim to keep the vibe of this show as positive as possible.