![]() ![]() ![]() You’re no longer working on your project, true. This is what I mean by being a contractor. If you have proven your chops as a comedy writer and a producer is desperately looking for a writer to do a draft on a hot intellectual property, they may get in touch and hire you for their project. We have a specific set of skills that are attractive to those who need us. Sure, your script may never be produced for a menagerie of reasons, but if your voice is strong and the story is excellent, it may get your attention from the right folk who may hire you for another job. If you’ve written a spec script and you want to direct it, go for it! This is how Damien Chazelle broke into the industry.Īdditionally, your spec script can serve as your calling card. You don’t just have to rely on others, though. Winning a competition gets your name into the hands of producers, agents, and managers keen to bolster their rosters with new exciting talent. While winning your local film festival’s screenplay competition is an admirable feat, you should aim high for the most significant rewards. Just remember, some screenwriting contests (like Nicholl and Austin Film Festival) have a better reputation than others. You can find more information on finding representation here: Finding Representation is Weird Science. Whenever an agent or manager receives a query email, they’re always going to pay more attention to a writer that has proven their screenwriting abilities through various well-recognized accolades. I’ve known many screenwriters who place as finalists or semi-finalists that can still use their success to land representation. If you have the right combination of luck, skill, and a little bit of hustle, a killer spec script can win screenwriting contests for you and score your representation, and heat that way. The good news is that writing your spec script can open other doors for you. Still, then again, the chances of any screenwriter selling their spec script to a studio are low nowadays. The chances of an unrepresented amateur screenwriter selling their script to a studio are low. So yes, there are barriers to entry, undeniably, but don’t let it dash your hopes. The key to professional spec script writing is to stay mobile and be open to any opportunities that come your way. If you’re a jobbing screenwriter who has a good relationship with a director, you might want to write a script for it to suit that director’s strengths. If you’re a writer/director, you may be more likely to write a script that perfectly fits your style and aesthetic. It can be as simple as a screenwriter getting an idea and working on it in their own time, or pitching an idea to a studio, attaching producers, stars, and a director, working on Hollywood’s hottest in-development script. Turn over any rock in Hollywood, and you’ll find a dozen screenwriters working on their big idea. That’s not to say the allure of speculative scriptwriting is genuinely dead. It’s not uncommon to hear the adage “the age of the spec script is dead” from disillusioned writers on Twitter. In the 90s speculative writing was at an all-time high, but nowadays, it’s far rarer for spec scripts to be bought out of the blue by studios. The bad news is that the screenwriter almost always needs to be established. Depending on how much heat and clout you have in the industry, you can option your script for as little as $1 or well into seven figures. The good news is that this job does exist! Established screenwriters can work with their agents, managers, producers, and any other pertinent connections to create their dream project to be bought by a studio. Well, there’s good news, and there’s bad news. It’s all their work, original characters, world, story, and it is a complete artistic expression. Picture the screenwriter sitting at their desk typing out their masterpiece feature film script before sending it out to the world. Speculative writing, or a “spec script” as it is better known, is both the most glamorous and the best-known screenwriting job. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |