Great screenplays start with development

Guidance
and
support
s • Script • Compas

developing stories that demand attention

We work with filmmakers and production companies to develop scripts. Our award-winning screenplays inspire actors, captivate producers, and motivate investors.

Script Compass is a multi-award-winning screenplay development company working internationally across all creative industries. We use our decades of development experience to ensure projects move forward rapidly and achieve their full potential.

WHO WE'VE WORKED WITH

Features . TV . Shorts . Documentaries . Games . Features . TV . Shorts . Documentaries . Games .
WHY

Development is the most important stage of filmmaking but it is often overlooked.

An efficient and process-driven development helps a script get to market as quickly as possible. With a well developed script, production companies and filmmakers can attract funding and the best talent - everything they need to get their project made.

HOW

Script Compass development transforms projects into award-winning final drafts. It’s a collaborative process delivered through script analysis and face-to-face meetings, and tailored to fit every project’s specific needs.

When you hire script compass, you don't just get the expertise of one individual executive, you get the full force of our team of brilliant development consultants.

See our
Success
Meet the
Team
Meet our
Partners
Discover the
Process

A collaborative approach

Developing a working relationship with you, and tailoring a programme to your needs.

End-to-end service

Benefit from our guidance, from concept to pre-production, for maximum added value.

Industry professionals at the helm

Enjoy guidance from a dedicated team that knows the industry inside out.

A team effort

Get the most of our expertise with feedback from a team, rather than a single person.

Features &
Benefits

FAQ

Who do you work with?

We pride ourselves on offering an inclusive script development service. Our team has extensive experience of working with and alongside both individuals and businesses alike to fulfil their needs and develop their scripts.

Is my script protected after I send it to you?

Yes, in accordance with our terms of service, all of your ideas are protected and will remain your intellectual property. All of our readers sign a confidentiality agreement that will protect your work.

Should we match you with a writer or co-writer, we’ll discuss this with you as a separate agreement, as writers and co-writers should be offered credits on scripts they have either written or helped to write. Credit where credit’s due.

Do you work with clients outside the UK?

Yes, we work with clients all over the world. No matter what timezone you’re in, we’re here to support the development of your script. Sessions for our international clients can take place over Zoom.

I don’t have a script yet, but I have a concept. Can I still use your services?

We cater to the needs of every filmmaker and if you have a brilliant concept that you’d like to develop but haven’t found the time yet to get it onto paper, you’ve come to the right place. We can discuss your concept in person or over the phone. We can help to guide you through the initial stages of the writing process. Alternatively, we can match you up with a professional writer, who will help you to put your ideas on paper.

Can you edit/ rewrite my script?

Put simply, yes we are able to edit your script - this is an additional service that can be undertaken. As our team includes script editors, we would be happy to offer this process to anyone looking for it. While we don’t edit the detailed content of your story  – we won’t cut an entire chunk – our development process will guide you towards making these edits yourself and helping you to see where some ideas are more successful than others.

If requested, we can also pair you up with one of our partner writers who can do a rewrite of the script if you would like this.

Can I have my Development Cycles in person?

Yes, this is an option that we’re very happy to offer. Our offices are based in central London, and we love having face-to-face development meetings.

Face-to-face feedback may also be available in other parts of the UK, please ask us whether it’s possible for your sessions. For international clients, our face-to-face meetings take place via Zoom.

Brooke Hemphill
Writer

“After four years of plugging away on my feature-length stoner comedy, Apotcalypse, I discovered Script Compass. And thank god for that.
Working with the team has been a cracker of an experience for me and the screenplay.
The Script Compass approach is inspiring, motivating and a game changer.
I've learned so much about the craft of screenwriting, my writing blindspots and to have the confidence to go big. In Clive's words, I've learned to "be more me".  
From Clive's nurturing of the script to Byron's guidance on taking it to market, the investment has been worth every cent. If you're thinking about working with Script Compass, stop thinking. Honestly, just do it. ”

Ben Goodall
Writer

"My experience with Script Compass was not only easy and insightful, but also opened my mind to what a script could, and should, be. The team at Script Compass were super helpful and affable throughout. The process was more than worth the investment.

Working alongside Clive Frayne with his philosophies and knowledge of screenwriting and the industry has been my life's most creatively fulfilling experience. Sounds a bit much I know, but it’s true. The development cycle on my script has made it production ready, and that is ultimately the goal. But more than that, I feel like I am ten times the writer I was when I started, and the knowledge and skills I have gained will enhance my writing.

I am incredibly relieved that I decided to approach Script Compass, and am extremely confident I will work with them again moving forward. I now know where I can bring a script I’m struggling with. I’m excited about what the future holds, both for myself and for them."

Sulin Hasso
Writer

The experience I had working on my script with Script Compass has been incredible. I have never had the opportunity to learn how to write a script that is effective and powerful, however after only a few sessions I now have the tools to create a dynamic script that's easy to read and powers the story through.
The team have been incredibly generous with their time and efforts. At no point in the whole process was I ever made to feel inadequate or that I had approached my story in the wrong way. The kindness and care that my script was treated with and the awareness of making it my own was prevalent throughout the process and I will be forever grateful to this wonderful company- I will be sure to return when I start developing my feature script!'
Thanks so much again for this brilliant experience!

Frank Berry & Matthew Bates
Writers

“Working with the Script Compass Team, you benefit from a wealth of diverse talent, experience and insight in screenwriting and script development. I would recommend them to filmmakers who feel their script is missing 'something', even if you don't know what that something is yet. Whether your script is almost ready, or has a long way to go, they can help you take it to where it needs to be. Whatever your story needs, they can help you find it; by making the right suggestions, highlighting unseen pitfalls, or simply knowing which questions to ask, to steer a script's development into something strong enough to make a successful film. And isn't that what every screenwriter ultimately wants?”

Ntando Brown
Director & Writer

“Script Compass helped me to develop my rough screenplay into a script that I’m incredibly proud to share. Thanks to their development expertise, my script is now placing in some of the top screenwriting competitions and gaining the attention of high-profile HODs. Not only did they support me in improving my writing, but they also helped me develop an interactive website to pitch my story.”

Emma Suki
Actress, Producer

"Working with Script Compass on my concept has been an absolute dream! I have loved every minute and felt completely supported by the team from the get-go. I came to them with a concept but no writing background, and the writer that they hired to bring my world to life was phenomenal. I felt completely involved, and am thrilled with the final draft. I can't wait to shoot it."

Tom Clover
Writer & Director

Working with Script Compass was an absolute pleasure. I came in with a concept, and left with a script that was ready to send out. The dynamic between the team was great and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I look forward to going into the production stage with my script, and plan to work with them again in the future.

Perry Millward
Actor & Writer

The script compass team took my script from a 21 page story I was not confident with, to a ten page short I now feel confident to share. Through the sessions I learnt how to think more like a screenwriter, visually, cinematically - it’s been like a mini cost effective screenwriting course! . I now have so many more tools to take all that I’ve learnt with me on to my next scripts. As a first time writer, they fostered a sensitive space but also pushed me when needed. Thanks, Script Compass!

Ajuán Isaac–George
Writer, Director, & Producer

I cannot speak highly enough of the time I spent with Script Compass developing my screenplay. I came to them with an extremely personal script and through a carefully crafted and bespoke programme the story blossomed into something incredibly powerful.

Not only did my script improve, but Clive's lessons in bringing stories to life and writing visually, as well as the time I spent with Byron learning to write in a way to actually get your film made, have both made me an overall better filmmaker with skills that will last a lifetime. The process always felt relaxed and (dare I say it!) fun, yet the progress never felt like it had stalled. I can say with 100% certainty that I will work with the Script Compass team again.

Tania Emery
Writer, Director & Actor

When I approached Byron with my latest short film script, I was sure I had a great idea, but I knew the script needed careful editing to really start ‘singing’. If you’re gonna kill your babies, you better have the best council as to what goes. By the end of that week I was working with an impeccable script doctor whose keyboard-side manner nursed me through a process that set my film up to be the sparkling cinematic diamond it is, and without disturbing the spirit or character of the piece. Recognizing that the highest production values would be needed to truly honour the film’s narrative, Byron introduced the project to a dynamic young production company who fell in love with it and threw their weight behind its creation. Because we had such a solid script and production house behind us, we attracted award-winning above and below the line talent. The film is currently in post-production and the team is expecting success at festival level and beyond. I'm looking forward to working with these guys again soon!

Jordan Coolbear
Writer & Director

Script Compass helped to transform my script into something that from the first page would have otherwise been discarded by producers and production companies alike, not because my writing and story was bad but because it was missing the extra layer of depth that makes something great.

They helped me to discover what I was really trying to tell the world, shaping the script from just a story into a physical, marketable product. The team at Script Compass saw my vision and nurtured my strengths, and in just six drafts I have a product that is pitch ready and already gaining interest.

The process is meditative and friendly, a space for honest debate which really allows you to thrive as a writer. Whatever stage or scope your project is at, I urge you to get in touch with them and see what they can do.