FilmForward and script consultant Sarieke Hoeksma present a new series on the professionalisation of script development in film and television. The first edition is a Masterclass and Deep Dive with Swedish script consultant Marietta von Hausswolff von Baumgarten. Attention: this Deep Dive is full! We will organize a new Deep Dive Script Consulting with Tracey-Lee Rainers (Story Oasis Lab) early 2026. Sign up to our newsletter for future announcements.
In the process of developing a film script, a screenwriter or filmmaker often works closely with someone who reflects with them on the storylines, structure, characters, themes, dialogue, genre, tone and more. This role goes by many names: script consultant, script editor, story editor, script advisor, script coach, dramaturg or head of development, among others. The variety of titles and roles within this profession is in line with the many ways in which script consultants contribute to the development of a film. They work closely with writers, yet often independently, with limited insight into the methods of other script consultants.
This programme aims to connect script professionals from the Dutch and international film industry to share their perspectives on script development. How do script consultants approach the analysis of a film script? How do they engage in dialogue with the filmmaker? And how do they navigate working across cultures and within an international context?
This first Deep Dive in the series features international script consultant and screenwriter Marietta von Hausswolff von Baumgarten. Together with eight selected participants, she will take a closer and more concrete look into script consulting. Using a case study — material participants will have read in advance — Marietta will offer an inside view of how she analyses the filmmaker’s material, prepares for the meeting, and engages in dialogue with the filmmaker. Through the exchange of readings and interpretations, the group will examine different approaches and reflect on what might foster further professionalisation and collaboration within the field.
Practical information
Location: De Brakke Grond (Nes 43, Amsterdam).
Time schedule:
9.30 Walk-in
10.00 – 11.30 Masterclass Script Consulting with Marietta von Hausswolff von Baumgarten
12.00 – 13.00 Vegetarian lunch
13.00 – 17.30 Deep Dive Script Consulting with Marietta von Hausswolff von Baumgarten
17:30 drinks
Costs: €150 excl. VAT, including vegetarian lunch and drinks. The Deep Dive ticket includes the Masterclass.
There is a partial fund available through the platform Werktuig PPO. See for more information and eligibility the website of Werktuig PPO.
Application process
The application window for this programme has ended. Early 2026 we’re organizing a new Deep Dive Script Consulting with Tracey-Lee Rainers (Story Oasis Lab).
All applicants will be notified by Tuesday 11 November 2025 latest.
About Marietta von Hausswolff von Baumgarten
Marietta von Hausswolff von Baumgarten is an international script consultant and screenwriter. Over the past 17 years, she has collaborated with leading development programs including Sundance Labs, Binger FilmLab (Amsterdam), Feature Expanded (Manchester, Florence), Hezaya (Doha), TIFF Studio (Toronto), Cinelink Drama Sarajevo, Bridging the Dragon, Talent Campus, Midpoint, Fly Film lab (Philippines, Korea), Locarno Open Doors and Myanmar Script Fund. She is currently a consultant for Cristian Mungiu’s script program for film and TV, works on a recurring basis with Biennale College Venice since 2012 and is a mentor with Torino ScriptLab since 2008. Furthermore, she co-founded The Write Retreat together with Anthea Devotta in 2017. The films she has consulted on have premiered and won awards at international festivals such as Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Locarno, and Sundance, including titles such as The Babadook, Too Late to Die Young, Family Time, and Last Shadow at First light.
Next to her work as a script consultant, Marietta has participated as a screenwriter in writers’ rooms alongside creators such as Adam Price (Borgen) and has written for the Netflix series Ragnarok. She wrote The Swedish Torpedo which was nominated for Best Script at the Swedish Film Awards in 2024. Her earlier feature Call Girl, which she wrote and coproduced, won, among others, the FIPRESCI Award in Toronto and was nominated for a European Film Award.