About Me

Written By Mark Rogers

Hello. My name is Mark. I’m a UK based, produced and competition winning writer with more than twenty years of experience and a background in script development.

I started out at Raindance, heading up both the script feedback service and development at Raw Talent before moving on to form my own company. There I took on clients worldwide and added to my output by taking on uncredited writer for hire work. But working deeper in the industry was disenchanting so I’ve made a return to the independent scene.

  • BA Hons in Media Production

  • Masters in Screenwriting and Script Reading

    • Distinction grade

  • Several years working with Raindance including: 

    • Setting up the script reading service

    • Head of Development for Raw Talent Productions

    • Proofing of various work, including founder’s own

    • Film reviews

    • Mentor for Raindance MA

  • More than a decade of script feedback experience:

    • Clients worldwide

    • Scripts read include: SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK, THE PERFECTION, MA and BILL AND TED FACE THE MUSIC

  • Twenty plus years as a professional writer:

    • Credits include: LOVE. HONOUR. OBEY, competition winning shorts GRIEVING PROCESS and PROTOCOL and the upcoming LOVE DOESN’T LAST FOREVER

Why Feedback?

I’ve always enjoyed helping others. It’s why I got involved with Raindance, and why I mentored on the MA there. 

How is Your Feedback Different?

My feedback is story focused, which can be especially useful with prose. I know a number of writers who feel prose gets short changed when it comes to feedback of the work. They want to know if the story is working or whether the characters lack depth and that’s not what they get with the feedback they’re paying for, instead there’s a tendency to focus on the micro-level details. 

I also believe strongly in followup dialogue with the writer. Once you’ve got a report from me you’re not left on your own, my job isn’t over just because you have the report. It’s expected that you’ll have questions you want answered or ideas you want to run by someone, and that’s what I’m here for. When you pay for a report, you’re paying for help getting to the next draft too.

You Don’t Cover Themes in Your Reports?

No. I’ve found everyone has a different reading on what themes are in a given project. It’s futile to try and cover something that can be different for every person. Better to focus on other more tangible areas.

Your Costs are Very Low.

That’s deliberate. Independent filmmakers - one of my target audiences - don’t tend to have large budgets. Places that charge more aren’t considering that lower prices would allow more money for the production. I take the same approach with prose. Writers these days are frequently turning to self publishing, and there are inherent costs in that such as paying an artist for cover artwork. The less I charge the more there is for essentials like that. 

That desire to see more money go into a given production is one of the reasons why I’ve given refunds in the past. If a script comes in with minimal issues I’ll jot them in an email and refund your costs rather than wasting your time and money with a full report that essentially says very little.

Why Not Just Stay at Raindance? Continue the Feedback Service there?

There was a difference of opinion about how to treat the differently-abled between myself and another staff member. Sides were picked. As a differently-abled person myself, it was time to go. 

That’s When You Set Up Your Own Feedback Service?

Yes. And it lasted around ten years before I began to feel burnt out and in need of a rest. Primarily because of how much I was taking on. Now I’m back at it with a smaller, more focused service.


You’re a Produced Writer.

I am. I wrote LOVE. HONOUR. OBEY. (originally titled Dirty Weekend) after a bad personal experience and the script found its way to Ate de Jong. We spent some time tweaking the script and the film ended up being produced under the Raindance Raw Talent banner. 

A Good Experience?

Yes and no. The finished film is okay, but is missing a chunk of the script and there were changes made during production that undermine certain elements of the story. That’s disappointing. But the way so many people came together to get the production over the finish line was great. Unfortunately, my overriding memory of the production was getting a taste of how insignificant writers are considered to be in the film industry. 

It’s One of Your Few Current Credits. How Come? 

Commitments to Raindance took the majority of my time initially. Elliot always had something he needed me to do. Then once I left, my own feedback service kind of took over and I wound up spreading myself too thin. I was always feeding back to someone about something, or taking on uncredited writer for hire gigs. When you have clients dropping ten scripts at a time on you and requesting feedback be done in a matter of days, something has to give. It ended up being my own writing. 

Are You Writing Now?

Every day without fail. It’s one of the first things I do. 

How Would You Describe Your Writing?

I’ve written most things, especially thanks to the script service, from kids cartoons to historical drama and sci-fi. My own work tends to be slightly dark, not necessarily horror - I write in most genres - but I’m most comfortable in that sort of wheelhouse. 

Finally, Any Advice for Writers? 

Don’t give up because of a bad report. Either take the time to dig into it with the reader, or find a different one for a second opinion. A good reader will always have a valid reason for what they say, even if it’s unfortunately negative. 

Don’t equate length to quality. Guaranteeing a set number of pages or a set word count for something as subjective as a reader report is bad business. What you’re really paying for in those instances is puffing.

Mark Rogers