The Difference Between Script Supervisors & Script Coordinators

It's not uncommon for the tasks and role of the script supervisor be misunderstood. It's another thing when the position gets confused by another title; in this case, a script coordinator. In a special crosspost, Roe Moore spoke with script coordinator Cole Fowler (How to Get Away with Murder) to clear up the confusion. Here's a special excerpt:

Cole describes the difference between film and television the best: “For film, you have to know all the answers before you go into production. In television, everyone gets to figure things out together as you go.”  Both mediums lend themselves to high collaboration between the writer, director, and the actors when it comes to the story and the characters. The primary difference is the involvement of the writer once the script goes into production.

In television, the writer is on set and available for all questions pertaining to the characters, the story arc, and other details needed to fill the world. Cole suggests a writer must know and understand the character and story of the episode so well that they can simply answer any question brought to them from the creative people who are bringing their words to life. Often if the writer doesn’t know the answer, there is a high possibility the actor and/or director doesn’t know either. Depending on the show, the writer may also be needed to write other alternative dialogue lines – especially for Comedy. Cole may step in when the changes or details.

Read the Full Article on ScriptMag.com