Abbot Entertainment

Development Intern

January - May 2022 • Los Angeles, CA

What I liked

I loved working at Abbot and found that our thorough coverage helped me grow as a screenwriter and director. Greg and the team provided weekly Zoom sessions that covered different components of our coverage and brought in industry guests such as screenwriters or literary agents. I felt supported and was able to have a flexible schedule, which was invaluable as I was taking 18 credits alongside this internship. Overall, I had a great experience and would recommend this to anyone who wants to have the opportunity to heavily dissect what makes a story tick.

What I wish was different

Due to this being a remote internship, it is somewhat hard to create an office experience. I noticed that there are usually at least one or two other interns from the same university, so I would recommend meeting with them to build that type of experience.

Advice

The first month of writing coverage is going to take you the longest, so plan ahead. The first week I spent 10 hours per script, and by the time I reached my last week, I’d taken it down to 4 ½ hours. Even then, some scripts are longer or require more thought, so always give yourself more time than you need.

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Script reader

January - April 2022 • Chicago, IL

What I liked

As a creative writing major, going into my internship with Abbot, one of my key goals was to develop a deeper understanding of the craft of screenwriting—a part of the writing world that seemed imposing and unfamiliar to me, especially compared to novels or short stories. That's exactly what I got. Abbot provides its readers with a rather prescriptive set of guidelines to use for evaluating scripts. While I initially worried this would be limiting, it was the exact opposite. Learning how to isolate different components of a script—or really, a story—and speak about them on their own merits instead of within the safety of an interconnected, mushy analysis leads to more precise feedback. I can see a change in how I evaluate my own writing as well, even when the piece in question isn't a screenplay. In that vein, the feedback was always centered around being helpful, which meant not just saying what was wrong, but coming up with potential ways to address those issues. Again, this pushed me to delve deeper into the mechanics of a story. Perhaps one of the greatest challenges was discerning the difference between what I wanted for the story and what the story wanted for the story—another subtle but crucial point. This is all to say that Abbot is for you if you care about the art of writing or filmmaking and want to push yourself to do truly detailed work that will ingrain you in craft.

What I wish was different

I honestly don't know what to say for this question. Abbot has been one of the best jobs I've ever had with satisfying work and a boss who was always available to answer questions and provide constructive feedback. Maybe I wish I'd taken lighter coursework during my time to better focus on Abbot, but that's hardly the fault of the company.

Advice

This internship is intensely paced. You'll likely be reading and covering two scripts a week, and this means it's imperative to stay organized. I always took detailed notes while I was reading within the set categories that are used for all scripts. That way, writing the coverage afterwards would go much faster. I also recommend trying to read all the scripts in one sitting (as much as possible). That way, you get as close to the experience of watching a movie as you can with a script pulled up on your laptop.

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Script Reader

January - April 2022 • West Hollywood, CA

What I liked

Interning at Abbot was a valuable experience because of the comprehensive education provided on film development. While the workload was quite hefty, script reading for them helped me develop many transferable skills, such as critical analysis and time management. Working for Abbot is also a great avenue to make sustainable connections. There were informative opportunities to talk to and glean advice from working, industry professionals. One of my favorite aspects about this internship was the independence I was granted. While there are deadlines every week, you're free to complete assignments on your own time without the overbearing surveillance of a supervisor.

What I wish was different

Advice

If you intern at Abbot, do not wait until last minute to complete script coverages. Make sure to reserve enough time to thoroughly read screenplays and write reports on them, because it could take 20 hours per week to complete work if you're not as experienced.

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Coverage Intern

January - May 2022 • Santa Monica, CA

What I liked

The variety of scripts I read was one of the best parts. Every week was different from the previous one because of that. Also, the supervisor, Greg, is incredibly helpful with any questions that might arise.

What I wish was different

Maybe it would be nice to have more connecting opportunities with the other people at Abbot, including the other interns.

Advice

For this internship, commitment and responsibility are essential, since there is a lot to read and write weekly.

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Script Coverage Intern

January - April 2022 • Los Angeles, CA

What I liked

I liked that the intern experience at Abbot was highly educational, teaching interns to be effective script readers through lots of coverage and a few informational lectures. I especially enjoyed our meetings with guest speakers in the industry, which were both informative and interesting. As an aspiring screenwriter, I feel the experience I've gained in script reading/writing coverage has provided me with a rich understanding of what makes or breaks a script, which is more than I can say of some of the classes I've taken. I learn best by "doing," so this internship was a strong fit for me!

What I wish was different

Advice

One thing to be aware of in advance is that this internship is a massive time commitment! If you're planning for a busy semester, it may be best to wait until you have more free time before considering this position. The internship is for credit and provides you with valuable experience, but it is a hefty undertaking. If you're not entirely interested in reading scripts/screenwriting, it may be a challenging to stay on top of everything and self-motivate.

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Feature Film Development Intern

May - August 2021 • Los Angeles, CA

What I liked

I really enjoyed our Zoom calls with those in the industry. As we are such a small group, many of us were actually able to voice our questions and have them answered. This allowed for me to be more comfortable with networking in the industry, by actually speaking to those that are working hard.

What I wish was different

There's not much I would change, but I wish there could have been more speakers. It was a great way to learn from a first person perspective of what is happening in the industry. I do understand why there were not more as we are in Covid and spending time writing the coverages.

Advice

If you have a question, even the smallest one, ask it. More often than not others are thinking the same thing and everyone will learn from that answer.

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Screenplay Reading Intern

May - August 2021 • West Hollywood, CA

What I liked

Extremely flexible, opportunity to read a variety of scripts from different genres. Gained a better understanding of story structure and technical skills specific to screenwriting.

What I wish was different

N/A

Advice

Make sure you set aside time for the first few scripts. It'll take a while to do everything correctly, but everything goes by much smoother once you learn the correct way to do things. Also, reach out to Greg if you have any questions! He's very receptive and always willing to help. This is a great internship to get into the film industry. As someone who came into this internship with no experience, it was a great opportunity and made me want to learn more.

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Script reader

May - August 2020 • Los Angeles, CA

What I liked

This was such an insightful and exciting program, much in part to the enthusiasm leading it. I really enjoyed the opportunity to read feature-length film scripts and give in-depth analyses on the content. Given I want to be a screenwriter myself, I gained a good understanding of what a good script looked like and what a not-so-good script looked like. Also, a great introduction to how networking in the entertainment industry operates.

What I wish was different

Although now I'm really appreciative of completing such a rigorous program, I do wish there was more of a structure so the coverages weren't so time-consuming. However, this contributed to helping me create my own time management system after a lot of trial and error.

Advice

If there's one thing I would share, it would be to organize your time wisely. There is no one physically with you to hold you accountable, but as long as you write down your tasks and create your own timeline, everything will work out just fine.

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Screenplay Reader

May - August 2020 • Los Angeles, CA

What I liked

-the routine of the tasks

What I wish was different

-more lectures

Advice

-always maintain time management

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Script Coverage Intern

June - September 2020 • Los Angeles, CA

What I liked

This internship is a perfect crash course on script coverage. You read such a variety of scripts that can be absolutely terrible or absolutely amazing, and each script contains a unique and valuable lesson about screenwriting because each script is so different. If you want to work in the entertainment industry or produce content for this industry, this is the internship for you. Script coverage is such a vital tool, and this internship hands you that tool. It really opened my eyes to story mechanics and allowed me to analyze scripts from both the development and artistic perspective. Finally, it's awesome to see which scripts you cover are actually made into movies and to understand why and how that happens.

What I wish was different

This is a totally COVID related reason, but I wish I could have gotten to know my coworkers more. With everything online and remote, building relationships was difficult.

Advice

Make sure to go into a script with absolutely no bias. In other words, don't research the script before you read it. It makes your coverage so much more objective rather than biased. Just go in blind! Good luck with your internship search! :)

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Script Coverage Intern

May - August 2020 • Los Angeles, CA

What I liked

Script coverage is something film students often hear that they will have to do in entry-level positions. This internship is a great way to get a crash-course in coverage writing. It was very helpful to have a detailed outline of what should be written about in the coverage. It was exciting to get to read scripts that are going to be produced or have already been produced. This internship pushed me to think beyond whether or not a script is good and point to specific strengths and weaknesses.

What I wish was different

Early on, I was unsure if I was doing the coverage correctly, so I wish that I had asked for feedback sooner.

Advice

Taking notes with examples to use in the coverage makes the writing go faster.

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Script Reader

May - August 2020 • West Hollywood, CA

What I liked

This internship offered an amazing opportunity to read market scripts in various genres and across different craft abilities. Reading so many scripts in one summer gave me a wider understanding of the writing process. Reviewing and covering the scripts was also beneficial as it helped me understand how all of the pieces of a script are supposed to work together. Furthermore, we had weekly group Zoom meetings in which we learned about various aspects of the film industry. We talked with an agent as well as a writer who gave us great advice about our career paths.

What I wish was different

While reading scripts from all genres and writing levels was beneficial, we never knew what type of script we would be dealt each week. Maybe this is a selfish request (or one that can't be met) but having some system that ensures interns are always reading something different each week would have helped me get out of some of my ruts. It became discouraging when every script I read for a couple of weeks straight was an intense drama when my love is comedy. While reading the scripts from genres I am less familiar with was what really helped me learn, ensuring more variety would have helped keep me motivated at some points.

Advice

For this program, each intern has to read two scripts per week. In the first couple of weeks, writing the coverage on the two scripts is going to be very time consuming. Make sure you are committed to completing the coverages thoroughly, as if they were for a class. Refer to the coverage handbook a lot in the beginning as it will help you remember what is supposed to be included in each section. Once a couple of weeks are completed, if you committed to thoroughly completing the coverage each time, it will become a more natural, easy, and quick process. Also, never be afraid to reach out to Greg. He is an extremely helpful and insightful person, and always answers questions with enthusiasm!

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Script Coverage

May - August 2020 • Los Angeles, CA

What I liked

I enjoyed the detailed directions to complete coverage, as well as the community forged throughout the program.

What I wish was different

I wish there was more teamwork involved in the internship. I also would have enjoyed knowing the final decisions for the screenplays after the coverages are completed.

Advice

Stick to the rubric for every coverage, even if you feel confident after the halfway point. There is no harm in checking that you fulfill each categories requirement for each coverage! Also, try to develop the patience/focus to read a full screenplay in one sitting. This way, the narrative is more memorable and it is helpful to develop this skill for later in your career!

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Script Reader

May - August 2020 • Los Angeles, CA

What I liked

The supervisor created a welcoming environment that promoted learning and encouraged questions. The organized and detailed structure of the internship really gave me the tools necessary to feel confident in my script coverage skills and I was able to ask questions along the way. There were also scheduled zoom lectures led by the supervisor with guests like literary agents and professional screenwriters to give us insight into the business of screenwriting. It was also super helpful that our supervisor gave us personal attention with one-on-one calls and evaluation emails to notify us of what we could improve on.

What I wish was different

Advice

Make sure to create a reading schedule and stick to it. The coverages can be time-consuming early on but the more you do the quicker you can complete them. Read and adhere tot he syllabus which clearly lays out what they're looking for and don't be afraid to ask questions.

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Script Reading Intern

May - August 2020 • Los Angeles, CA

What I liked

Abbot Entertainment provided the opportunity to read and review real unpublished screenplays. It provided the necessary tools to perform well-executed script coverage in any format a company may prefer. On top of that, we were able to speak to real working professionals in the field such as agents and screenwriters and learn about their journeys to success. Making these connections and being able to diagnose what is working and what is not in a screenplay is invaluable to any profession in the film industry. I left this internship feeling 10x more prepared for not only working on my own scripts but for reviewing others in the future.

What I wish was different

Abbot Entertainment does require two scripts per week, which at the beginning may take over 20 hours. In order to cut that time down, one must be willing to really focus on the rubric and hone in on the necessary key pieces to include in the coverages. Though this is not something I would necessarily change, this internship takes a lot of time and dedication. One must be willing to really put in the work in order to see positive results and improve their coverages. By the end of the internship, one can expect their work time to be cut in half but only if they take the time to make the necessary changes in their process.

Advice

I would advise keeping notes on the various lectures provided. These lectures were used to guide us in the right direction and shine a light on what information needs to be included in a script coverage. In following these directions one will learn how to eloquently word our views in a professional way and how to not let our personal biases stand in the way of our diagnosis of a script. I would also advise taking notes while reading these scripts so one can keep track of what sections need improvement and what flowed well.

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Coverage Intern

May - August 2020 • Los Angeles, CA

What I liked

I was able to create my own work schedule, learned how to professionally critique story mechanics as well as how to evaluate a plethora of film genres without letting personal biases cloud my judgement. My writing and time management skills have increased tenfold over the course of the internship and I know I'll carry and continue to develop these abilities throughout the rest of my career.

What I wish was different

Advice

Knowing how to write professional coverage is a crucial skill to have for all writers. Also, never procrastinate, especially in the first couple of weeks. It takes time getting used to the coverage rubric provided so those first few coverages will take a lot longer to write compared to those at the end of the internship.

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Coverage Intern

May - August 2020 • Los Angeles, CA

What I liked

I had the opportunity and freedom to learn at my own pace, and reading so many different scripts gave me a very strong understanding of story structure and mechanics. After doing this internship, I feel more prepared to write my own screenplay or pursue more serious work in film development. The selection of scripts available were also fun to read.

What I wish was different

Advice

Don't underestimate the work, especially at first! Set a schedule for yourself, and give yourself plenty of time to figure out your own system. If you're considering writing screenplays yourself, take notes on what you read that works for you, and what you'd do differently.

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Coverage Intern

May - August 2017 • Los Angeles, CA

What I liked

Excellent supervisor and really interesting scripts. It's a great introduction for the world of feature film coverage. You'll learn all the fundamentals about how to structure your coverage and write to specific criteria. Additionally, you'll get exposure to a wide variety of scripts from different genres and writers.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Reader

June - September 2017 • Chicago, IL

What I liked

Gave me experience doing coverage which is a GREAT thing to put on the resume in my field. It also gave me lots of experience evaluating storytelling which will help me as a writer and in my film career. You also get a reference in the entertainment industry which is priceless if you know how it works.

What I wish was different

I would have preferred office experience, but that isn't how their platform works. It did give me the opportunity to finish the projects on my own time though.