This podcast is all about screen writing and how you become a writer. I'll be answering a lot of questions that will probably help you out.
1. How do you become a writer & what is it like to work as one
You can take classes to learn the 'craft' but really to get better at writing you just write. A quote from 'Stephen Davis who is a freelance screenwriter: The cliche is true: The more you write the better you get" You need to learn to accept criticism. Working as a writer is very temperamental a lot of people get side jobs like waitressing for example, to be able to support themselves. It will help you out a lot in writing if you know a lot of people. Agents, Producters etc etc. Writing is super hard to get into, you often need entry level jobs, for example a staff writer,
2. What is a staff writer?
- Staff writer: Break down scrips, develop plot points, flesh out characters. Working with other writers, bouncing ideas off each other. May participate in first reads and rehearsals with the cast to take notes and make necessary changes to scenes that aren't playing well. Staff writer does not write the episodes but they have some input into the final shooting script. This is valuable experience for them.
3. What is the commissioning process? How do you get an idea commissioned
To get commissioned you need to get hired by a producer or a production company. You would still usually need to be represented by an agent to be taken seriously. When you send your script in a script reader will read the first ten pages. They will then either decide whether to throw your script away or go onto the next stage where someone will read your screenplay through. All of it. Not just the first ten pages. If they get all the way through then you will be invited to a script development meeting where they talk about the development of your script. Then they will enter the stage of the rewrites. They will work on your script and say things like "I think there needs to be more guns" or something along those lines. Basically just changing your script so that it'll slot nicely into the TV programmes that are currently changing.
To get commissioned you need to get hired by a producer or a production company. You would still usually need to be represented by an agent to be taken seriously. When you send your script in a script reader will read the first ten pages. They will then either decide whether to throw your script away or go onto the next stage where someone will read your screenplay through. All of it. Not just the first ten pages. If they get all the way through then you will be invited to a script development meeting where they talk about the development of your script. Then they will enter the stage of the rewrites. They will work on your script and say things like "I think there needs to be more guns" or something along those lines. Basically just changing your script so that it'll slot nicely into the TV programmes that are currently changing.
How BBC do it: The have a submission link on their website where members of the public and credited writers can submit their scripts. They will look at your idea by genre first, then they may ask you to develop your idea further. When it's ready they'll take it to the channel controller. The dialogue of the show will grow and change. It will also be managed by the channel and genre commissioning editor.
ITV you email them your idea, but they only take it from production companies. Not the general public. Then they go through the same process as the BBC
4. Why do you need an agent, names of scriptwriter agents.
You need your agent to help you with the contract. They will help you negotiate your contract and get you a better deal than your last quote. They want to help you to make sure you're not getting screwed over. Agent names: Laya Gelff Agency, Stuart M. Miller, Susan Smith Company.
5. How DOES A SCRIPT GET CHOSEN.
When a script gets chosen there is period of time that always happens before it can be made. It's called the "option period" during this time something called the "option agreement" is wrote up giving the rights to said script to the production company that bought it. Then you will be made a purchase price on your script in the form of a contract. Never negotiate the script on your own terms. Always get an agent to do it. This is why you need a reputable agent. If the project gets green lighted then you get the money and the film starts being made. If not all the rights revert back to you and no one lost any money. You can then chose to option your script to another producer if you'd like.
6. How does a script writer get payed
A script writer gets payed weekly but you get contracted for a certain number of episodes. There is a Writers guild association that establishes minimum payments that a writer must be payed. The more work a writer is guaranteed the less the studio pays. When a salaried writer writes an actual script, they also get payed for that script on top of the already there weekly minimum pay from the WGA
7. What legal issues do you have to worry about as a writer.
The words plagiarism is taking someone else's work or words and claiming it as your own. Libel (Lie-Bull) is making false accusations about someone that is damaging to their reputation.
Writers have to be aware of copyright. If you don't copyright your idea then other people could just say that they came up with it with no legal issues. If someone is making an adaptation of something (Like they're making a book into a film) not only will you need to get the rights from the author or publisher of said book, but if the book was wrote 2nd August 1989 Moral rights will apply to the author too. You would have to make sure that they have waved these moral rights.
8. Here are some examples of court cases
Two women are suing the writers of new girl for stealing the show idea from their television script. The lawsuit claims independent producer, Holly Harter, reviewed the script and advised the writers it would work better as a film. The women allegedly shopped around a rewrite in 2006. They even said that they suggested Zoey Dechenel for the lead role but the producer didn't know who she was. Then apparently the script made a breakthrough with WWE and then their attitudes change towards them and they had trouble getting their phone calls returned. They claim this is when their stolen script started development.
Much calmer and nicer court case apparently the idea for the film terminator was stolen from a famed writer called Ellison. Ellison said it borrowed heavily from his script "Soldier" He eventually received a settlement and an acknowledgement in the movie.
In my opinion there are a lot of high and low points of being a writer.
The high points of working as a writer is being able to see your idea on the screen and having that exciting process from script to scene. You get to be super creative and think out side of the box. You get to do what you love for a living. You get paid highly if you make it. But on the other side you do have to face a lot of rejection and people changing your script so that it's barely recognisable anymore.
When a script gets chosen there is period of time that always happens before it can be made. It's called the "option period" during this time something called the "option agreement" is wrote up giving the rights to said script to the production company that bought it. Then you will be made a purchase price on your script in the form of a contract. Never negotiate the script on your own terms. Always get an agent to do it. This is why you need a reputable agent. If the project gets green lighted then you get the money and the film starts being made. If not all the rights revert back to you and no one lost any money. You can then chose to option your script to another producer if you'd like.
6. How does a script writer get payed
A script writer gets payed weekly but you get contracted for a certain number of episodes. There is a Writers guild association that establishes minimum payments that a writer must be payed. The more work a writer is guaranteed the less the studio pays. When a salaried writer writes an actual script, they also get payed for that script on top of the already there weekly minimum pay from the WGA
7. What legal issues do you have to worry about as a writer.
The words plagiarism is taking someone else's work or words and claiming it as your own. Libel (Lie-Bull) is making false accusations about someone that is damaging to their reputation.
Writers have to be aware of copyright. If you don't copyright your idea then other people could just say that they came up with it with no legal issues. If someone is making an adaptation of something (Like they're making a book into a film) not only will you need to get the rights from the author or publisher of said book, but if the book was wrote 2nd August 1989 Moral rights will apply to the author too. You would have to make sure that they have waved these moral rights.
8. Here are some examples of court cases
Two women are suing the writers of new girl for stealing the show idea from their television script. The lawsuit claims independent producer, Holly Harter, reviewed the script and advised the writers it would work better as a film. The women allegedly shopped around a rewrite in 2006. They even said that they suggested Zoey Dechenel for the lead role but the producer didn't know who she was. Then apparently the script made a breakthrough with WWE and then their attitudes change towards them and they had trouble getting their phone calls returned. They claim this is when their stolen script started development.
Much calmer and nicer court case apparently the idea for the film terminator was stolen from a famed writer called Ellison. Ellison said it borrowed heavily from his script "Soldier" He eventually received a settlement and an acknowledgement in the movie.
In my opinion there are a lot of high and low points of being a writer.
The high points of working as a writer is being able to see your idea on the screen and having that exciting process from script to scene. You get to be super creative and think out side of the box. You get to do what you love for a living. You get paid highly if you make it. But on the other side you do have to face a lot of rejection and people changing your script so that it's barely recognisable anymore.
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