Derrick Said:

Say you wrote a screenplay, what happens next?

We Answered:

1.) Sometimes but it can be really hard to find that good idea in the garbage of a bad script.

The production company I'm working with bought what they thought was a good idea from a bad script (boy was it bad) and they hired me for the rewrite. Eight months later we're still trying to break the script.

2.) It's contract work (even the spec sales), so it's all freelance. Sometimes you need a day job to keep the gap financing going (the gap between sleeping in your car or a nice apartment).

3.) You get paid by the contract. The guild has minimums set for different tiers of film. Non union also pays by contract but substantially less than the guild minimums.

4.) An agent can open certain doors for you and can keep their eyes open for projects that are in your wheel house but for the most part, you generate your own work either with a good series of well polished spec scripts that function as writing samples to get you hired on to other projects as well as being up for sale themselves. You get work through people you know and who know you. You meet them through any avenue open to you. You write short films and get them made and shown around (shorts open more than a few doors). You go to film festivals and stay for the Q&A sessions. You, "bump," into film makers in the bar at said festivals and ask even more questions. In other words, you establish relationships.

On a side note. I've written lots of specs but the films of mine that have made it to the shooting stage have all been on a write for hire basis.

5.) You can be but TV can be a bit of a trap because there is a certain level of snobbery between film and TV. Though in recent years thanks to cable, TV writing has been some of the best out there so it's a lot easier to move between the two (at least in scripted Drama).

The studios aren't the only ones out there making film either. Lots of work and opportunity in the indie market and there's a bit more freedom too. At the lower budget level you barely show up on their radar.

I'm a produced screenwriter with feature film and TV credits.

Tanya Said:

Need help with the process of writing a novel...?

We Answered:

Join the crowd.

Seriously, there's as many ways of writing as there are writers, and many people suffer from the "too many ideas" problem.

One thing you might to do is take $40 and buy a digital voice recorder that records 12 hours of dictation, and use it for when you're walking around to take notes. Some people do better telling a story orally and then just transcribing it later.

Beyond that, it depends on you and what you're writing. Some people like to sit down and let the story come out and just type away, with characters in their head, but no definite idea of what will happen next.

Others like to meticulously plan every last detail and chart out all the interactions in the book.

I can't say that one is better than the other. John Irving, I'm pretty sure, designs his whole books up front. Besides having heard this in an interview with him, if I remember correctly, I don't see how it could be otherwise, because there are threads that run through his book that all come together at the end.

Some people like to write books backward - find an ending, and work to how the characters got there.

But in all cases, the best thing is most likely to focus. Acknowledge to yourself that you probably can't write six different books simultaneously, and if you really want to publish one, pick one, and set aside time to work on it. Promise yourself you'll write a page a day. Or a paragraph. Or whatever. But do it and deliver.

At a page a day, 200 days from now you'll have a finished manuscript. Then you can work on book #2, and in another 200 days you'll have written 2 books.

Good luck!

Stanley Said:

Should I copyright my screenplay or register it with the WGA before submitting it anywhere?

We Answered:

Let's get your last question about rewrites out of the way first. Directly from the WGA:

"You may change your work as much as you prefer; however, when the storyline has been affected or changed extensively, it becomes new material and should be registered or documented again in some manner.

It is solely at your discretion to submit multiple drafts or completed drafts of the same work for registration. The Registry does not make comparisons of drafts or material content.

All submissions, including subsequent drafts of existing registrations, are considered completely separate registrations and should be submitted accordingly with the required fees."

You do not need to bother with a copyright until you sell the material. The studios and production companies will take care of that for you. Also, do not send your material until it is requested. You want to send a query letter first, covering the very basics of your film and a little bio about yourself does not hurt either. Be sure to include the logline, genre, and title at the very start of your letter.

You do not need to fear to much about your work being stolen, so long as you send your material to reputable agencies and production companies. If you do not register or copyright, there is no increased likelihood of your material being stolen, but a VERY good chance that no one will look at your material until it is registered with the WGA. I cannot think of a single prodco or agency that would look at the material. They need to cover themselves legally just as much as you do.

Terrence Said:

What direction should I go to get involved in screenplay writing?

We Answered:

You don't need a degree to be a screenwriter, you need an imagination, a thick skin, and the inability to take 'no' for an answer.

Screenplays are written in a very specific format. The entire document is divided into scenes, and the scenes are structured to be a slug line (the heading of the scene telling you whether the scene is inside or outside, a location identifier, and what time of day it is that the scene is taking place), description (or action) and dialogue.

My first recommendation is to read screenplays. You can do this here:

www.script-o-rama.com
www.simplyscripts.com
www.imsdb.com

You'll also need a good book on formatting. For that, I recommend the Screenwriters Bible by David Trottier. He explains all the terms and gives examples. It's a great book. You can pick it up cheapest on Amazon.com

You'll also need formatting software. There's the professional software packages: Movie Magic Screenwriter and Final Draft. MMS is the industry standard, and - of the two - I find that it's the easiest to use. There's also the free software. It's not a standard, but it's certainly the cheapest way to get going. The software package Celtx is probably the best out there. You can get it here:

www.celtx.com

The next thing you'll need to know is how to structure a screenplay. While the story is always up to the writer, it's important to know that virtually every story is the Monomyth. If you include the plot points outlined in Hero With A thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell, you'll be well on your way towards having a marketable screenplay. Joseph Campbell's book is a great reference, but really dry reading. For now, read (and understand) Vogler's breakdown, which was a memo written awhile ago. It's very concise and hits the high points you need to know to create a good story. You can read it here:

www.skepticfiles.org/atheist2/hero.htm

A screenplay is between 90 and 120 pages for a movie.

Minnie Said:

If I major in entertainment management what jobs can I get?

We Answered:

Fry cook, hostess, bartender..... just kidding.

A degree in entertainment management from a respectable university will give you as many options as a person that graduated with a general degree. You will also have an edge over others looking for work at corporate restaurants, country clubs, and casinos. Though not as much as someone with a degree in Restaurant, Hotel, and Institutional management.

You can also look at middle management jobs for places that provide services and travel. All in all it is a rather solid degree for just about any management profession, and the neat thing is that you will often be going up against applicants with a general business degree and yours will stand out. (though honestly you will have to explain your degree to a lot of people)