Also if you're writing your own stuff and working alone, you'll also be in charge of ringing companies and trying to sell your stuff so that all the time you spent writing "The next big film" isn't wasted, and we'll go more into that later, a little term called 'Optioning' will come into play. Alternatively, you can hire Agents to do all of the running around and 'dirty work' for you.
If you are seriously looking into writing for a living then you have a couple of options when it comes to time management; both have their merits.
Firstly, you could treat it as a real job, you start at a time, you finish at another. Say I woke up at 8, I cracked on with writing at 10 and then I stopped at 6ish, that's a full days work and I would have written some material ready for the next lot - The trouble with this method is that it does occasionally force you to write, if there's just nothing in your head, then writing material can be difficult so it's also important to pace yourself.
Another method of writing is setting targets to reach each day, say you wanted to write 3000 words a day (maybe more or less) or you wanted to finish 20 pages today, then you can do that. This also allows you to take your work with you; you can sit in a local coffee shop and write, or go to the park and write. I believe that this method would work better as moving and looking at the environment might promote ideas to you and you'll be able to use them in your writing. I know that sitting in one place and writing all day can be tedious and often not fun.
Your presentation matters too! If you submit at 400 word document all written in Comic Sans and in size 72, your script is guaranteed to be torn up and placed in the nearest bin. Courier is a good font, and often the standard for script writing.
Back to that term 'optioning'. Optioning is when a studio gives the writer some money for the script and says "We might use it, but we might not. So for now, don't do anything with it because we paid you" Optioning is a great way of earning some money even if your script isn't used. There will often be a period in which the writer can't submit the script elsewhere because a company has 'optioned' it and they technically own it for a while.
Another way to look professional is getting yourself an agent who has contacts in the industry and can put you in touch with them. Getting to know people is excellent as they may know someone in a higher position and can forward your writing to them and then you may have a better chance at being optioned or even your writing being bought and it being produced.
Now we move on to a little bit of the legal stuff that is absolutely required in the industry.
Copyright! Yes, even though you are writing a screenplay, you are not entirely exempt from copyright laws, it is important to ensure that you aren't ripping off other content and claiming it as your own and it's also important not to just re-write stuff, be original in your works.
If you're writing for TV then you'll also have to take into account the Broadcasting Code and the Watersheds too. if you intend to write a children's show and it contains violence and scenes of a sexual nature, you're probably not going to get anywhere. However, if you are being a little bit risky and perhaps producing a panel show then it might be aired after 9pm (UK watershed time) as all content before this time is family friendly and follows the code.
The law still applies and bias comes into play here too. Libel and Bias is something all broadcast shows must abide by. The news for example cannot be favourable or 'Bias' towards a subject, failure to comply with this could land the company or organisation in legal trouble.
So you've written the script, you've checked all the rules and corrected anything wrong. The next step is usually to start contacting companies and seeing if they'll read it and maybe even option it. If the company likes what you've made then you may be commissioned to write more or your current one will be optioned and you'll still get a chunk of money even if they don't use it. If they don't use it, after the contract is over, you're able to start right back up again and contact some more companies.
This sounds like a lot of work for one person, Jack. Is there anyone else involved? Of course! Let me run a few descriptions by you here.
A Commissioning Editor: This is the person you want to get on the right side of as they are the ones who decide whether a script or project is worth the money, they will also supervise most of the planning. Creative Skillset has a description for this job and these are some of the things you might be required to do.
Your tasks will typically include:
- keeping up to date with trends in the book market
- identifying future markets and new products
- deciding whether to accept submitted manuscripts
- developing ideas for books and identifying suitable authors
- preparing publishing proposals, including costings, projected sales and income
- issuing contracts to authors and agents
- making decisions on reprinting, revising, producing new editions and putting titles out of print
- making sure that schedules are followed and deadlines are met.
You would work closely with other departments, such as sales, marketing and production. You may also supervise editorial staff.
Producers: These guys are the real deal, they oversee all if not most of the project from editing a script, to finally editing the film and seeing it get released. They also intend to make the whole thing run quickly and smoothly.
Directors: The Producer makes sure everything external runs smoothly, whilst the Director is in charge of the more creative stuff. They control and oversee, Story boarding, and working closely with the DoP and ensuring that everything looks as it was planned to look.
Script Editors: Does what it says on the tin really. The script editor will work with the writer and ensure that everything is perfect and just as the writer wanted.
Now you know all about the people involved, it's time to figure out who you're going to sell the script to and who can buy it.
Corporations can be great to sell your script to but it's important to remember that their often self contained and have the people to do it all as soon as you submit it. They'll often buy the product and then hand it to a team of people ready to go. The BBC is an example of a Corporation that will do this.
As well as independent studios and companies (who will be more willing to commission smaller writers) you can also enter into competitions in order to win cash prizes and maybe get their name out there. BlueCat run a competition for script writers and offer cash prizes for winning the competition.
There's a couple of things that can happen when your script is bought or optioned. You can either be completely discarded, or you can be a part of the operation to ensure that the final product is as you had visioned it.
The writer doesn't really have any involvement during the filming and editing unless something needs to be changed urgently.
That's about it, happy writing.
Corporations can be great to sell your script to but it's important to remember that their often self contained and have the people to do it all as soon as you submit it. They'll often buy the product and then hand it to a team of people ready to go. The BBC is an example of a Corporation that will do this.
As well as independent studios and companies (who will be more willing to commission smaller writers) you can also enter into competitions in order to win cash prizes and maybe get their name out there. BlueCat run a competition for script writers and offer cash prizes for winning the competition.
There's a couple of things that can happen when your script is bought or optioned. You can either be completely discarded, or you can be a part of the operation to ensure that the final product is as you had visioned it.
The writer doesn't really have any involvement during the filming and editing unless something needs to be changed urgently.
That's about it, happy writing.
