What Does a Script Coordinator Do?

During the filming of a television show or movie, the script is constantly evolving to reflect necessary changes in tone or delivery, or to cut down the amount of time taken to read the entire script. A script coordinator is a person who monitors these changes and makes the appropriate revisions for each version of the script. In many cases, the script coordinator will also annotate the script to make it easier to navigate for directors and actors. Any alterations to the script will be handled by this person, and he or she will also act as an intermediary between the director and the writers.

One of the first responsibilities of the script coordinator is script clearance. This means the script coordinator will carefully read each draft of the document and take note of any potential legal issues the script may bring up. The coordinator may, for example, note that a brand name is used in the script, and he or she will then check into the copyrights or trademarks of that brand name to find out if the script violates such copyrights or trademarks. If it does, permission will need to be sought out, or the script will need to be altered. Names of characters and places will also need to be examined to ensure they do not coincide with real-life places or people who may take exception to the name's use in the script.

Proofreading is one of the most important aspect of the script coordinator position. Once the writers have produced a draft, the script coordinator will need to proofread for formatting errors, spelling mistakes, grammar problems, and other problems regarding form and function of the language. If the film or television show script features any foreign languages, the coordinator will be responsible for ensuring all translations are accurate. Subsequent drafts of the script may be released to the writers only for further revisions, or they may be released to the director, actors, and other crew, depending on the phase of production.

Once the revisions are completed and the script is edited, the script coordinator must ensure all members of the cast and crew who need scripts have been furnished with them in a timely manner. If new revisions take place, the coordinator must ensure new revisions are delivered quickly so actors can learn new lines and directors can make decisions based on the new script.