My name is Dave Hirschmann and beginning in Chicago over 20 years ago I started writing screenplays. I read most of the prominent screenwriting books, studied films, plugged away on a laptop, and a few years later moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in screenwriting and cinematography. I co-wrote five feature-length scripts and one of the films I co-wrote was independently produced before I stepped away from writing. After hanging up my Final Draft license, I focused my life on camera work.  Over the years logging 30,000 hours on set, I continued to analyze films, read all the scripts for the hundreds of television episodes I worked on, and never lost my passion for the written word.  Some writers put in countless hours and come out of it with an agent, optioned scripts, and a clear track to a screenwriting career.  My hours of writing gave me the experience and knowledge to help other writers improve their scripts.  Although my background is a bit atypical for a script consultant (most consultants come from Development or are still writers), here’s what I can offer you that others can’t:

30,000 hours of set experience working with produced scripts

* I’ve read and worked with produced material everyday for years. I’ve seen what works and what doesn’t as actors play out scenes in front of me through the camera lens.  Other consultants only get to see the final product of a film or TV episode, not the shooting script and how the words become a living story. No other consultant can match my career for the quantity and quality of produced screenplays I’ve studied and the insights I’ve gained as a result.

A writing background that matters

* My analysis doesn’t just put a spotlight on areas that need attention in a script. As a former writer, I know how to find solutions within the framework of the tale you’re trying to tell. 

* I know the difficult task of writing and rewriting so I don’t make suggestions lightly. I respect the work you’ve done and carefully consider what each ‘fix’ means to your rewriting process.

Total dedication to improving your script

* I’m not writing scripts anymore, so I’m not your competition or a threat to snatch your great ideas.  Working screenwriters don’t have the time to read and analyze your script to the extent necessary; and they’re not unbiased.  My only interest is in helping you tell your best story. And having been on set for many well-told stories, I can help guide your rewrites in that direction.

* I’m not trying to sell you seminars, ‘secret sauce’ screenwriting books, script competitions, e-courses, or any other product.  And I am not a script coverage mill looking to exploit new writers. I simply want to help you make your screenplay better.