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Scriptwriting.ws
The Scriptwriting Business
In this free web site presented by Creative Screenwriting magazine, long-time columnists Ron Suppa and Michael Lent guide you through the treacherous waters of Hollywood and provide you a plan to sell your script and forge a career in the scriptwriting business.
Introduction
by Michael Lent
“Anything worth doing in Hollywood and any career worth having involves risk. Those that succeed here understand that.“ That’s what legendary producer and studio head Mike Medavoy told me not long ago. We scriptwriters write on spec and that makes us risk takers by nature. Most of us understand that scriptwriting is a combination of art, entertainment, and business, yet it’s often the business aspect of our craft that gets neglected when building our careers. This website addresses the nuts & bolts business side of scriptwriting. Medavoy calls my first book Breakfast With Sharks a “pretty good road map to follow” filled with “take this and use it right now” information. Like Sharks, the many expert articles on this website are short on theory and long on specific, practical information regarding the business and strategic marketing of your writing.
Creative Screenwriting’s mission to empower writers wherever they are located on the planet is well-established. What follows is the latest evolution of that pursuit that is now more than one decade old. So use this website in good health. May it grant you the kind of career with which many of my colleagues and I have been blessed, and maybe even beyond. See you on the set. |
Crafting the Marketable Screenplay
by Ron Suppa
You’ve got to be a spec scriptwriter to break into the film world today. Ron Suppa takes you through his method in crafting the marketable script. Other items: The decision on whether to move to Hollywood, acquiring adaptation rights, and making sure your script is special.
12 Ways to Impress Studio Readers
by Michael Lent
The basics you need to know to look the part of a professional. Just add incredible talent and hard work, and success is guaranteed.
Marketing Your Work
by Ron Suppa
First step: protect your work. Then sell it, baby. Ron Suppa discusses how to craft a winning query letter, sample literary release form, how to work with an agent, or if you don’t have one, how to market yourself as well as your script and how to pitch your idea.
Your 5-Year Plan for a Career as a Successful Scriptwriter
by Michael Lent
“Actions”, “goals”, and “cautions”: Michael Lent lays down a strategy for you to transition from your day job in Minneapolis, MN to a career as a Hollywood scriptwriter. Meet the mileposts along the way and progress towards your goal.
Marketing Your Script Without an Agent
by Michael Lent
If an agent doesn’t give you access, information or enthusiasm, then you’re better off without him or her. With a little practice you can do all those things yourself.
How to Get Meetings with Producers & Studio Executives
by Michael Lent
Most opportunities to advance your career come via research and perseverance with the ultimate goal of being face to face with a gatekeeper who can purchase your project. Michael shows you some ways that you can make that happen.
Deals, Contracts, and Options
by Ron Suppa
Option deal, development deal, step deal, net profits, former entertainment attorney Ron Suppa explains them all. Ron also describes the demise of the option agreement in Hollywood. As an alternative, Nancy Hendrickson suggests that you consider a “shopping agreement”.
After the Sale
by Sean Kennelly
Contracts are the last thing a writer wants to read. That’s why we have lawyers, right? We head behind the closed doors of business affairs to tell you what happens after you sell a script, when it happens, and what you need to know about your deal.
Second Act Troubles: Sustaining Your Scriptwriting Career
by Tom Matthews
Tom Matthews saw the first spec he sold turned into a major motion picture—Mad City—and then the fun began. Here he speaks candidly about the unforeseen challenges which can derail a career, and helpfully offers warnings the aspiring screenwriter needs to hear before that first sale.
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