Tips for screenwriters by screenwriters.
You see the title come up all the time at the movies: “written by.” You might then see something like “story by.” You might then see “directed by.” Who’s really in charge here? It’s even more confusing for TV, with “created by” and “directed by” and “story by” and “written by.” It’s worth asking the …
When first starting out as a filmmaker or videographer, the terms script and screenplay might have confused you. Both are used almost interchangeably, so does that mean they are the same thing? If not, what is the difference between a script and a screenplay? A “script” is the written document version of a visual art …
As an aspiring feature screenwriter, your goal is to write movies because you love movies. But somewhere along the line, you also found out that you can make some pretty serious money doing it. Admit it, you want to know: how much is a screenwriter paid? Screenwriters are paid according to their industry rate, but …
Chances are, if you’re a filmmaker, you have plenty of ideas you want to be made into a movie. However, getting funding behind your projects and collaborators attached can be extremely difficult. Even if you’re looking to sell an idea, it can be difficult to illustrate to others the concept you believe in. This is …
If you’re looking to pursue a career in screenwriting, you’ve probably asked yourself the age-old question: how do you get an agent as a screenwriter? The answer is two-fold in today’s climate: 1) you can get an agent by successfully navigating the industry to the point where an agent becomes necessary for a sale, or …
You are an aspiring screenwriter looking to sell your screenplays. To seal the deal, you need a solid pitch. Whether you are pitching in person or on the page, the most important element is the logline. So how do you write one? To write a logline, think of it as a formula consisting of four …
As an aspiring screenwriter living anywhere outside of Los Angeles, you’ve probably asked yourself this question: do you have to move to LA or New York, or can you pursue your career from anywhere? In other words, where should a screenwriter live? A screenwriter does not have to live in Los Angeles or New York to …
You might have a good idea for a premise for your story, but how to come up with the plot? Coming up with good plot ideas requires two things: a working knowledge of story structure and the ability to develop creative twists via brainstorming. If you’re good at brainstorming new ideas, your issue might be …
With so many shows and feature films being released on television and streaming services such as Netflix, you have to wonder: where do they get all these writers to write them? Does Netflix have some secret lab where they incubate and grow writers? Or can anyone get a job working as part of the writing …
If you’re a writer and have a screenplay you’re passionate about, a very real and understandable fear is that your script or idea may be stolen. Unfortunately, there are plenty of stories about this happening, so it’s easy to want to be protective. The reality of this situation is that you can’t copyright an idea, …