The media and entertainment world is no stranger to existential crises. So, while the recent shutdown of Industry Arts’ Coverfly and sibling platforms ScreenCraft, The Script Lab, WeScreenplay, and The Tracking Board was unfortunate, it wasn’t exactly a huge disruption. Each site offered distinct services, from highlighting talent and hosting events to tracking screenplay sales. But let’s be real: Hollywood never depended on them to function.

These groups were a nicety. Relatively beneficial to LA screenwriters who like to keep up with the latest sales and trends, as well as many far outside industry towns looking for a way to get noticed. Many found representation through these services; some saw their projects get made. They were also more accessible than groups like The Black List, which now handles screening services for the Academy’s Nicholl Fellowship — further evidence of consolidation within the screenwriting competition industry.

Coverfly and The...