There's so much to accomplish in the first act of a feature. Worse, if the reader isn't hooked by page 15, they'll likely stop reading. For the First 30 Consultation, you'll submit the first 30 pages of your feature or one-hour pilot script, and then have a 30-minute story notes call with the executive. They will help you boost your hook and refine your set up to make sure it is as strong as possible so readers HAVE to know what happens next.
Questions? Email terra@roadmapwriters.com
I always want to know the "why now?" Why, right now, should your story make it to screens? It's great to know what makes your characters and your world so important to you that you NEEDED to get it out on the page. This thrust and immediacy are critical.
Helping you unlock and find the 'je nais se quois' in your script that gets it past the finish line. I am interested in helping with anything and everything, though I will be unscrupulous in letting you know the saleability of your project and what the marketplace is or isn't looking for.
After graduating with honors as a film major from the University of Michigan, Gabriel cut teeth in the demanding UTA mailroom, eventually earning a spot on the desk of a Motion Picture Talent partner. There, they built strong relationships with her A-list clients, reading 20 scripts a week and providing detailed feedback on story structure, flow, and theme, helping some of the world’s biggest actors make informed career decisions. Gabriel covered top film studios, including Searchlight, New Regency, and 20th Century Fox, where they maintained relationships, sourced new project information, and crafted actor lists for their films.
After two years at the agency, Gabriel transitioned into creative development at the independent TV studio wiip, known for producing hits like THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY, MARE OF EASTTOWN, and DICKINSON. Gabriel was involved in over 50 projects, from book adaptations to graphic novels to spec scripts, providing bespoke, tailored guidance to bring them to the screen. Their role included daily script notes, comprehensive casting suggestions, and strategic advice aligned with buyer mandates. Gabriel also led the optioning of the dark satirical novel The Lemon, now being adapted into a series, and advised on the early stages of Brad Ingelsby’s upcoming HBO project, a follow-up to MARE OF EASTTOWN.
During the 2023 strikes, Gabriel left wiip and founded The Schmear Hunter, a newsletter dedicated to curated recommendations, cultural commentary, and criticism for filmmakers, executives, and studio heads. This venture has since expanded into Freemont, a media company aimed at fostering unique and vibrant voices in film and TV criticism, with future plans for production. In January, Gabriel launched The SchmearCast, a weekly podcast featuring TV and film reviews, rankings, conversations with top talent, and on-the-ground coverage of major film festivals like Berlinale, Cannes, and TIFF.
Gabriel started The Schmear Hunter out of a deep passion for writing and reading, and in response to a Hollywood system that often sidelines new voices. Their experience within the industry equips Gabriel with the skills to provide insightful notes and career advice. Let’s work together to navigate the red tape and bring your scripts to life.
After registering, you will receive instructions on how to submit your material in your order confirmation email. After submitting your material, please allow 3-4 weeks to receive proposed times for scheduling your call with the exec.
**Please note only features and one-hour pilots are eligible for First 30 Consultations. Half-Hour pilots are ineligible for First 30 Consultations.
Be sure to familiarize yourself with Roadmap's Code of Conduct.
Questions? Email terra@roadmapwriters.com
Cancellation Policy: You may cancel your registration for a refund or Roadmap gift card if you have not yet submitted your material for review. However, once your material has been received by Roadmap, your registration cannot be canceled. Having revised material or a desire to retroactively apply a discount or gift card code are not grounds for cancellation, refunds, or gift card credit. Once your material has been submitted, the only acceptable grounds for cancellation and a refund or gift card credit is an unforeseen, ongoing emergency on the part of either the writer or the exec resulting in more than 6 weeks without any scheduling update from the exec via direct contact or Roadmap, or a sudden change in the exec's ongoing availability. In the instance of an irreconcilable scheduling issue, the writer may still receive a written feedback report from the exec. In this case, the writer is not entitled to a refund or gift card credit as the exec has read the submitted material and provided written feedback in lieu of the call.