John Winston Rainey

John began writing screenplays in 1987, developing a reputation for sharp story instincts, rigorous craft, and practical rewrite solutions. In 2003, Creative Screenwriting rated him the #1 script analyst in the country, sparking a surge of clients and cementing his standing as a sought-after script doctor. He has optioned multiple spec scripts, guided many development rewrites, and currently has two scripts in preproduction. He also teaches through workshops, festivals, expos, and private consulting, working with writers worldwide.

His script consulting grew naturally out of that screenwriting focus. Writer-producer Ken Rotcop first noticed John’s unusually incisive “coverage” on submissions while John was juggling calls, scripts, meetings, workshops, and showcases. Agents soon began referring writers to him, and the practice expanded quickly. Underneath it all is a deep performing-arts foundation: John worked professionally as an actor, earned a B.A. in acting/directing from Cal State Long Beach (summa cum laude), and studied with leading teachers, including Libby Appel, honing a precise sense of character behavior and dramatic truth. He later completed a three-year directing fellowship at Cornell, training alongside peers like Jimmy Smits and directing Jane Lynch, further sharpening his command of structure, tone, and scene dynamics.