Scott Kirkpatrick's Blog
November 16, 2023
From Author to Screenwriter: Six Unwritten Rules to Land Your First Deal
Ever flirted with the idea of adapting one of your literary projects as a movie script? Maybe you’ve even taken a crack at screenwriting and aren’t quite sure what the next steps are to get your work seen by Hollywood decision makers.
I can help you pivot from published author to paid screenwriter. But before we dive in, you should know that I’m neither a screenwriter nor a novelist. I’m a film and TV distribution executive that produces and then sells romance-themed TV movies to networks and streaming platforms (around the world). I’m a business guy.
Although I’m not your best resource for story arcs or plot twists, I can offer you some pragmatic advice about starting, building and growing your career as a working screenwriter (because I’m one of the guys that actively hires them).
Good News, Hollywood Loves Authors!
Entering the Hollywood game as a published author gives you a huge career advantage. Even though executives in the film/TV world receive countless spec scripts, we’re much more inclined to consider a script by a published and/or self-published novelist rather than an unknown. (The fact that a third party has already vetted your work gives us more trust in your command of story.) Also, in some aspects screenwriting is much easier than writing a novel: fewer pages, simpler format and far fewer words. Many author/screenwriters I know can knock out two separate film projects (including all associated script revisions, drafts and ‘polishes’) within the same time allotment that it’d take them to complete one average sized romance novel. So, hiring a writer with literary experience feels like a safer bet.
But to make this pivot, your challenge isn’t the time commitment or the new format; it’s understanding the paradigm shift required to successfully move from novelist to screenwriter.
The Six Unwritten Rules
There are six unwritten rules you need to understand to showcase that your script (and your writing ability) are better than the competition. Unfortunately, these unwritten barriers to entry are rarely discussed.
Everything I’m writing here I’ve witnessed from my own personal experience in selecting one screenwriter over another for a paid writing job.
These are the insights you won’t find in screenwriting books or taught in most writing courses (because these are the things you only learn after you’ve been through the grinder a few times).
Rule #1 – Write for a Producer (Not a Romance Fan)
A screenplay is not a novel; it’s a blueprint for a production team.
When writing a novel, you’re writing for the romance-loving reader (the end-user who actually purchased your book in exchange for being swept up in an emotional story). A script on the other hand is the polar opposite; it’s a rigid document designed to be skimmed by multiple production parties so they can quickly break it down into parts (locations, wardrobe, props and casting).
This in no way suggests that plot and/or emotional arcs aren’t important to producers; these elements are critical! However, producers simply assume—rightfully so—that as a professional screenwriter you’re able to construct a great story for the film format, all while weaving in fun dialogue, hitting the right genres while keeping your scene and character choices ‘production friendly’ (keep reading to find out how).
Rule #2 – Write with the Budget in Mind
Many screenwriting books, blogs and university courses will tell you that you should never write thinking about a film’s budget. They’ll encourage you to ‘write from your heart’ and emphasize that it’s the studio or executive’s job to find the money to bring your script to life. Don’t listen to this; the budget is critical and you need to be mindful of expenses with every word.
When writing a novel, there are no constraints regarding locations or scenarios. Words on paper don’t cost money in novel format. But in a screenplay, every word costs actual out of pocket cash to bring it to life on set. A seemingly simple dialogue scene while driving in a car feels common place in a novel (and in real life), but in a movie the cost of filming such a scene is steep—not to mention scenes with cars take additional time to stage that consequently yields fewer filmed pages on a given production day. And kid characters? Be careful… Kids in a romance novel are cute add-ons (especially twins). But to cast kid actors, not only must you find a talented performer, but producers are legally required to provide schooling for those young talents on set and rules/regulations have strict working schedules [rightfully] limiting the amount of time kids can work.
Don’t take this to mean you should cram your entire film in a single interior location; movies do need visual variety (and producers are happy to budget accordingly), but write with a filter of reasonable budget in mind.
Simple tricks:
- Avoid dialogue scenes in moving cars
- Avoid sunsets/sunrises (very tough to schedule); just make things either day or night
- Heavily limit kids; one 8-10 year old character is perfectly fine (in limited scenes), but avoid multiple speaking-role child characters
- Beaches are hard (sand sucks with equipment!), so keep the romantic walk/talks on a boardwalk or nearby field (not walking through waves).
Rule #3 -- Limit your Characters
Similar to our above ‘budget’ rule, every character you write requires an actor to be cast (and paid at a ‘speaking role’ day rate). In a novel, casual banter with a bar-tender, Uber-driver or other one-off interaction is normal (and can be utilized to progress the story). But if these interactions are in a script, that small chit-chat moment requires a day rate for these bit parts (rather than a lower cost ‘extra’ pay scale) not to mention a different microphone configuration. There’s a financial incentive to keep the speaking roles to a minimum (and focused solely on dialogue that progresses the story forward); learn that and incorporate it into your script.
By no means does this imply you cannot have small bit parts, but just avoid the one-to-two liner character interactions. And try to ensure that you’re really focusing on critical roles required for your story to flow (e.g., characters that have a meaningful impact on the protagonist’s journey). And as you work through your revisions, try to be objective and consider that perhaps two separate supporting roles might possibly serve your story just as well if they were blended into one single character.
Rule #4 – Number of Pages (not Number of Words)
With novels, writers and editors talk ‘word count’. But with screenplays, it’s all about ‘number of pages.’ That’s because one script page generally equals about one minute of screentime. A romantic screenplay should be more than 88 pages but less than 99 pages. That’s because a romantic film—with all beginning and end credits included—needs to run for a minimum of 86 minutes but shouldn’t exceed 100 minutes. Therefore 89-98 is just right. There’s enough content to fill a film, allow for a scene or two to be trimmed (without losing running time) and doesn’t feel like too much of a burden to read (something about that three-digit ‘100’ just makes producers want to skip it which stunts your opportunities before you’ve even started.
Rule #5 – Be Mindful of your Locations
Locations refers to where a particular scene is being shot. Are we inside, or are we outside? Is it daytime or night? Is the environment calm and quiet or very busy and urban? Movies are visual, so your choice as a screenwriter regarding where to set certain scenes (and in what visual order) is important.
Although producers want interesting visual locations, screenwriters need to be mindful of our aforementioned unwritten rules: specifically those related to ‘budget’ and ‘limiting speaking-characters’.
To give you an example of film production logistics in action, we just wrapped a romance film where the interiors were shot in Boston, MA but the exteriors were shot in Santa Clarita, CA (just north of Los Angeles). Can you imagine that it made more financial sense to fly cast and crew from the East coast to the West coast due to locations expenses? These are the kinds of things producers are noodling through as they read scripts (and you must remember that as a screenwriter, you’re now writing for the producer and not just the audience).
The way to balance this is to keep your exteriors simple. Avoid crowds and/or crowded places. A city street is fine, but have it take place right outside the building or location of interest (e.g., the doorway of a business or apartment building of the on-screen talent). Calm and quiet exteriors are great (tranquil environments that feel relaxing also work for film crews). Can you see how these calm and targeted locations are far more production friendly than crowded stadiums, amusement parks, street festivals? Producers cringe when they see complicated locations—and you don’t want them cringing when reading your script!
Rule #6 – Be Consistent with Scene Headers
Incorrectly formatting your scene headers might not seem like a big deal, but it is a giveaway of a novice. Add in a typo or two and you might as well not even write the script!
The scene header refers to the “INT./EXT. – LOCATION NAME – DAY/NIGHT” text at the start of every scene. Be consistent with your location names. For example, “Jill’s Office” should always be called “Jill’s Office”; it cannot be “Jill’s Office” for some pages and “Office Building” for other pages (depending on how you felt when writing). That’s because the script is a blueprint that several crew departments use to organize the production; consistent scene headers allow more clear organization. On that same token, never assume readers will simply ‘know’ that Jill’s Office is an interior; write it clearly whether this scene is an interior or an exterior. And just to add to that point, never use words like ‘later’ or ‘continuous’ (even if Jill is in her office and we dissolve to Jill still at her desk hours later); write out the full scene header each and every time. Added to this, always write every scene header with a clear ‘day’ or ‘night’ because this has a major impact on lighting equipment (recall that above I mentioned to avoid sunrise and sunset). Crews can fake the soft orange hues of sunrise and sunset but they need to know that the sun is present; a simple ‘day’ or ‘night’ is all you need.
Be clear and consistent with your scene headers and producers will know you’re a writer who ‘gets it’ (which is what puts your script above the competition).
Genres to Focus On
Here are three specific romance genres that tend to gain more interest from distributors, networks and production companies:
- Christmas Romances;
- Royal Romances – especially when it’s a commoner girl who discovers her love interest is a prince travelling incognito; and
- Tween Girl Romances – family safe and ‘first love’ kind of films; add in a splash of ‘magic’ and then you’ve really got something fun.
What About Valentine’s Day?
No. Avoid Valentine’s Day. Contrary to the obvious ‘love’ connection the holiday provides, February is a dull month for advertising and therefore holds limited interest for distributors. If you’re going to pick a Holiday aim for Christmas; the Christmas season provides 8-10 weeks of programming slots for a variety of platforms and broadcasters. With 172 Christmas themed films produced in North America in 2022, this season is ripe for screenwriting opportunities.
Final Comments
- You will need screenwriting software (Final Draft is the most commonly used). Although you’ll submit your scripts as .pdf files for review, production teams will always require a .fdx file format from a screenwriting software to schedule, revise and share amongst a variety of team members.
- Save the Cat! by the late Blake Snyder is the best common sense screenwriting book regarding structure, pacing and mechanics. You can skip most of the others. And you certainly don’t need to spend any cash on advanced writing courses. Also, this books is so popular you can likely get it from your public library for free (even if abroad).
- The hardest hurdle comes after you’ve written your screenplay. Just as there are rules for writing in a way that showcases you ‘get it’, there are unwritten rules about reaching out to media professionals. But don’t think you need an agent or manager for this process; you and you alone can initiate that process (but that’s an article for another day).
Now go get writing!
I can help you pivot from published author to paid screenwriter. But before we dive in, you should know that I’m neither a screenwriter nor a novelist. I’m a film and TV distribution executive that produces and then sells romance-themed TV movies to networks and streaming platforms (around the world). I’m a business guy.
Although I’m not your best resource for story arcs or plot twists, I can offer you some pragmatic advice about starting, building and growing your career as a working screenwriter (because I’m one of the guys that actively hires them).
Good News, Hollywood Loves Authors!
Entering the Hollywood game as a published author gives you a huge career advantage. Even though executives in the film/TV world receive countless spec scripts, we’re much more inclined to consider a script by a published and/or self-published novelist rather than an unknown. (The fact that a third party has already vetted your work gives us more trust in your command of story.) Also, in some aspects screenwriting is much easier than writing a novel: fewer pages, simpler format and far fewer words. Many author/screenwriters I know can knock out two separate film projects (including all associated script revisions, drafts and ‘polishes’) within the same time allotment that it’d take them to complete one average sized romance novel. So, hiring a writer with literary experience feels like a safer bet.
But to make this pivot, your challenge isn’t the time commitment or the new format; it’s understanding the paradigm shift required to successfully move from novelist to screenwriter.
The Six Unwritten Rules
There are six unwritten rules you need to understand to showcase that your script (and your writing ability) are better than the competition. Unfortunately, these unwritten barriers to entry are rarely discussed.
Everything I’m writing here I’ve witnessed from my own personal experience in selecting one screenwriter over another for a paid writing job.
These are the insights you won’t find in screenwriting books or taught in most writing courses (because these are the things you only learn after you’ve been through the grinder a few times).
Rule #1 – Write for a Producer (Not a Romance Fan)
A screenplay is not a novel; it’s a blueprint for a production team.
When writing a novel, you’re writing for the romance-loving reader (the end-user who actually purchased your book in exchange for being swept up in an emotional story). A script on the other hand is the polar opposite; it’s a rigid document designed to be skimmed by multiple production parties so they can quickly break it down into parts (locations, wardrobe, props and casting).
This in no way suggests that plot and/or emotional arcs aren’t important to producers; these elements are critical! However, producers simply assume—rightfully so—that as a professional screenwriter you’re able to construct a great story for the film format, all while weaving in fun dialogue, hitting the right genres while keeping your scene and character choices ‘production friendly’ (keep reading to find out how).
Rule #2 – Write with the Budget in Mind
Many screenwriting books, blogs and university courses will tell you that you should never write thinking about a film’s budget. They’ll encourage you to ‘write from your heart’ and emphasize that it’s the studio or executive’s job to find the money to bring your script to life. Don’t listen to this; the budget is critical and you need to be mindful of expenses with every word.
When writing a novel, there are no constraints regarding locations or scenarios. Words on paper don’t cost money in novel format. But in a screenplay, every word costs actual out of pocket cash to bring it to life on set. A seemingly simple dialogue scene while driving in a car feels common place in a novel (and in real life), but in a movie the cost of filming such a scene is steep—not to mention scenes with cars take additional time to stage that consequently yields fewer filmed pages on a given production day. And kid characters? Be careful… Kids in a romance novel are cute add-ons (especially twins). But to cast kid actors, not only must you find a talented performer, but producers are legally required to provide schooling for those young talents on set and rules/regulations have strict working schedules [rightfully] limiting the amount of time kids can work.
Don’t take this to mean you should cram your entire film in a single interior location; movies do need visual variety (and producers are happy to budget accordingly), but write with a filter of reasonable budget in mind.
Simple tricks:
- Avoid dialogue scenes in moving cars
- Avoid sunsets/sunrises (very tough to schedule); just make things either day or night
- Heavily limit kids; one 8-10 year old character is perfectly fine (in limited scenes), but avoid multiple speaking-role child characters
- Beaches are hard (sand sucks with equipment!), so keep the romantic walk/talks on a boardwalk or nearby field (not walking through waves).
Rule #3 -- Limit your Characters
Similar to our above ‘budget’ rule, every character you write requires an actor to be cast (and paid at a ‘speaking role’ day rate). In a novel, casual banter with a bar-tender, Uber-driver or other one-off interaction is normal (and can be utilized to progress the story). But if these interactions are in a script, that small chit-chat moment requires a day rate for these bit parts (rather than a lower cost ‘extra’ pay scale) not to mention a different microphone configuration. There’s a financial incentive to keep the speaking roles to a minimum (and focused solely on dialogue that progresses the story forward); learn that and incorporate it into your script.
By no means does this imply you cannot have small bit parts, but just avoid the one-to-two liner character interactions. And try to ensure that you’re really focusing on critical roles required for your story to flow (e.g., characters that have a meaningful impact on the protagonist’s journey). And as you work through your revisions, try to be objective and consider that perhaps two separate supporting roles might possibly serve your story just as well if they were blended into one single character.
Rule #4 – Number of Pages (not Number of Words)
With novels, writers and editors talk ‘word count’. But with screenplays, it’s all about ‘number of pages.’ That’s because one script page generally equals about one minute of screentime. A romantic screenplay should be more than 88 pages but less than 99 pages. That’s because a romantic film—with all beginning and end credits included—needs to run for a minimum of 86 minutes but shouldn’t exceed 100 minutes. Therefore 89-98 is just right. There’s enough content to fill a film, allow for a scene or two to be trimmed (without losing running time) and doesn’t feel like too much of a burden to read (something about that three-digit ‘100’ just makes producers want to skip it which stunts your opportunities before you’ve even started.
Rule #5 – Be Mindful of your Locations
Locations refers to where a particular scene is being shot. Are we inside, or are we outside? Is it daytime or night? Is the environment calm and quiet or very busy and urban? Movies are visual, so your choice as a screenwriter regarding where to set certain scenes (and in what visual order) is important.
Although producers want interesting visual locations, screenwriters need to be mindful of our aforementioned unwritten rules: specifically those related to ‘budget’ and ‘limiting speaking-characters’.
To give you an example of film production logistics in action, we just wrapped a romance film where the interiors were shot in Boston, MA but the exteriors were shot in Santa Clarita, CA (just north of Los Angeles). Can you imagine that it made more financial sense to fly cast and crew from the East coast to the West coast due to locations expenses? These are the kinds of things producers are noodling through as they read scripts (and you must remember that as a screenwriter, you’re now writing for the producer and not just the audience).
The way to balance this is to keep your exteriors simple. Avoid crowds and/or crowded places. A city street is fine, but have it take place right outside the building or location of interest (e.g., the doorway of a business or apartment building of the on-screen talent). Calm and quiet exteriors are great (tranquil environments that feel relaxing also work for film crews). Can you see how these calm and targeted locations are far more production friendly than crowded stadiums, amusement parks, street festivals? Producers cringe when they see complicated locations—and you don’t want them cringing when reading your script!
Rule #6 – Be Consistent with Scene Headers
Incorrectly formatting your scene headers might not seem like a big deal, but it is a giveaway of a novice. Add in a typo or two and you might as well not even write the script!
The scene header refers to the “INT./EXT. – LOCATION NAME – DAY/NIGHT” text at the start of every scene. Be consistent with your location names. For example, “Jill’s Office” should always be called “Jill’s Office”; it cannot be “Jill’s Office” for some pages and “Office Building” for other pages (depending on how you felt when writing). That’s because the script is a blueprint that several crew departments use to organize the production; consistent scene headers allow more clear organization. On that same token, never assume readers will simply ‘know’ that Jill’s Office is an interior; write it clearly whether this scene is an interior or an exterior. And just to add to that point, never use words like ‘later’ or ‘continuous’ (even if Jill is in her office and we dissolve to Jill still at her desk hours later); write out the full scene header each and every time. Added to this, always write every scene header with a clear ‘day’ or ‘night’ because this has a major impact on lighting equipment (recall that above I mentioned to avoid sunrise and sunset). Crews can fake the soft orange hues of sunrise and sunset but they need to know that the sun is present; a simple ‘day’ or ‘night’ is all you need.
Be clear and consistent with your scene headers and producers will know you’re a writer who ‘gets it’ (which is what puts your script above the competition).
Genres to Focus On
Here are three specific romance genres that tend to gain more interest from distributors, networks and production companies:
- Christmas Romances;
- Royal Romances – especially when it’s a commoner girl who discovers her love interest is a prince travelling incognito; and
- Tween Girl Romances – family safe and ‘first love’ kind of films; add in a splash of ‘magic’ and then you’ve really got something fun.
What About Valentine’s Day?
No. Avoid Valentine’s Day. Contrary to the obvious ‘love’ connection the holiday provides, February is a dull month for advertising and therefore holds limited interest for distributors. If you’re going to pick a Holiday aim for Christmas; the Christmas season provides 8-10 weeks of programming slots for a variety of platforms and broadcasters. With 172 Christmas themed films produced in North America in 2022, this season is ripe for screenwriting opportunities.
Final Comments
- You will need screenwriting software (Final Draft is the most commonly used). Although you’ll submit your scripts as .pdf files for review, production teams will always require a .fdx file format from a screenwriting software to schedule, revise and share amongst a variety of team members.
- Save the Cat! by the late Blake Snyder is the best common sense screenwriting book regarding structure, pacing and mechanics. You can skip most of the others. And you certainly don’t need to spend any cash on advanced writing courses. Also, this books is so popular you can likely get it from your public library for free (even if abroad).
- The hardest hurdle comes after you’ve written your screenplay. Just as there are rules for writing in a way that showcases you ‘get it’, there are unwritten rules about reaching out to media professionals. But don’t think you need an agent or manager for this process; you and you alone can initiate that process (but that’s an article for another day).
Now go get writing!
March 1, 2023
3 Must-Haves for Your Sample TV Spec Script
Television staff writers hold some of the most coveted (and highest paid) writing positions in Hollywood. And your first step toward ‘breaking in’ and becoming one of these elite writers begins with crafting a top-notch sample TV spec script.
In articles I’ve written about Feature-Length screenwriting, I’ve constantly remarked how new writers should avoid Comedy and Drama like the plague. However when it comes to writing your Sample TV Spec Script, the exact opposite is true! Comedy and Drama are the only two genres you should consider and all others (e.g., action, horror) should be completely avoided.
Let’s dive in:
MUST-HAVE #1: THE RIGHT KIND OF GENRE
If you want to showcase your Comedy writing skills, then you’ll need to focus on the thirty-minute episode format (either for a live-studio audience as seen in Two and Half Men, or the alternative ‘staged’ versions as seen in Louie and Girls. If you would rather work on the dramatic side, then put your emphasis on the scripted one-hour dramas found on Network TV.
Hop online and get sample scripts from existing programs similar to yours to make sure your formatting is in sync. For example, live-studio sitcom formatting is completely different than traditional script formatting. Also TV generally requires ‘Act’ breaks for commercials.
Want to be creative and blend genres to create a ‘coming-of-age dramedy’? Don’t do it! Choose Comedy OR Drama and move on.
MUST-HAVE #2: A READY TO GO PORTFOLIO
You will need a minimum of two (ideally three) sample TV spec scripts before you’re ready to present yourself to Hollywood as a TV writer. And unlike the old days, these sample scripts should not be from existing series. You need to ‘invent’ two fully fleshed out TV series (and write one script for each). You don’t have to write a Series Bible unless it helps you, but you might want to consider outlining 3-4 additional episodes for each series to give a sample of what a full season might look like.
You should NOT try to ‘showcase your skills’ by writing one sitcom-comedy and one hour-long drama… As a writer you must choose either Comedy OR Drama and invent two unique series from the same genre.
Won’t you get a reputation as only being a ‘comedy’ writer or ‘dramatic’ writer?
YES!
And having that reputation is a good thing. In TV, executives and showrunners are thinking long-running seasons with multiple episodes… Being able to remain consistent with genre type and tone will really showcase this as a strength for your writing skills.
MUST-HAVE #3: PROOF OF 'EPISODIC OUTPUT'
When choosing your series ‘ideas’ don’t get too wrapped up in the beginning, middle and end story mentality. You will first need to create an overarching ‘concept’ that has the ongoing ability to generate endless story possibilities. To do this, keep your ideas big and open-ended. For example, think Breaking Bad’s big & open concept of a cancer patient cooking and dealing meth to pay his medical bills. It is not a plot line you’re after here, but rather a ‘filter’ to keep ideas on track while offering countless ways to mishmash conflicting characters and episodic plotlines together.
Second, when it comes to your sample TV spec script, focus on fully-realized 3-dimensional characters; pay careful attention to ensure your characters are able to both augment and conflict with one another simultaneously. Remember, its characters that drive long-running TV series; by taking these fleshed out characters and placing them into your big & open ‘concept’ filter, you will have a series capable of season-after-season of strong episodic output.
From here, you can begin pulling individual ‘segments’ from either the overarching ‘concept’ or from the individual lives of your fleshed out characters and build episodes around them—this allows each episode to have its own unique beginning, middle and end without altering the strength or direction of the entire series.
The ability to continually create fresh ideas from pre-existing frameworks is absolutely crucial in the landscape of TV writing (writers are constantly forced into creating new and unique ‘episodes’ for seemingly exhausted programs that have been on the air for several years). If your Sample TV Spec Scripts can showcase this ability, your work will stand head and shoulders above the competition and get taken seriously by Agents, Executives and Key Decision-Makers.
Scott Kirkpatrick
Introduction to Media Distribution: Film, Television, and New Media
Writing for the Green Light: How to Make Your Script the One Hollywood Notices
In articles I’ve written about Feature-Length screenwriting, I’ve constantly remarked how new writers should avoid Comedy and Drama like the plague. However when it comes to writing your Sample TV Spec Script, the exact opposite is true! Comedy and Drama are the only two genres you should consider and all others (e.g., action, horror) should be completely avoided.
Let’s dive in:
MUST-HAVE #1: THE RIGHT KIND OF GENRE
If you want to showcase your Comedy writing skills, then you’ll need to focus on the thirty-minute episode format (either for a live-studio audience as seen in Two and Half Men, or the alternative ‘staged’ versions as seen in Louie and Girls. If you would rather work on the dramatic side, then put your emphasis on the scripted one-hour dramas found on Network TV.
Hop online and get sample scripts from existing programs similar to yours to make sure your formatting is in sync. For example, live-studio sitcom formatting is completely different than traditional script formatting. Also TV generally requires ‘Act’ breaks for commercials.
Want to be creative and blend genres to create a ‘coming-of-age dramedy’? Don’t do it! Choose Comedy OR Drama and move on.
MUST-HAVE #2: A READY TO GO PORTFOLIO
You will need a minimum of two (ideally three) sample TV spec scripts before you’re ready to present yourself to Hollywood as a TV writer. And unlike the old days, these sample scripts should not be from existing series. You need to ‘invent’ two fully fleshed out TV series (and write one script for each). You don’t have to write a Series Bible unless it helps you, but you might want to consider outlining 3-4 additional episodes for each series to give a sample of what a full season might look like.
You should NOT try to ‘showcase your skills’ by writing one sitcom-comedy and one hour-long drama… As a writer you must choose either Comedy OR Drama and invent two unique series from the same genre.
Won’t you get a reputation as only being a ‘comedy’ writer or ‘dramatic’ writer?
YES!
And having that reputation is a good thing. In TV, executives and showrunners are thinking long-running seasons with multiple episodes… Being able to remain consistent with genre type and tone will really showcase this as a strength for your writing skills.
MUST-HAVE #3: PROOF OF 'EPISODIC OUTPUT'
When choosing your series ‘ideas’ don’t get too wrapped up in the beginning, middle and end story mentality. You will first need to create an overarching ‘concept’ that has the ongoing ability to generate endless story possibilities. To do this, keep your ideas big and open-ended. For example, think Breaking Bad’s big & open concept of a cancer patient cooking and dealing meth to pay his medical bills. It is not a plot line you’re after here, but rather a ‘filter’ to keep ideas on track while offering countless ways to mishmash conflicting characters and episodic plotlines together.
Second, when it comes to your sample TV spec script, focus on fully-realized 3-dimensional characters; pay careful attention to ensure your characters are able to both augment and conflict with one another simultaneously. Remember, its characters that drive long-running TV series; by taking these fleshed out characters and placing them into your big & open ‘concept’ filter, you will have a series capable of season-after-season of strong episodic output.
From here, you can begin pulling individual ‘segments’ from either the overarching ‘concept’ or from the individual lives of your fleshed out characters and build episodes around them—this allows each episode to have its own unique beginning, middle and end without altering the strength or direction of the entire series.
The ability to continually create fresh ideas from pre-existing frameworks is absolutely crucial in the landscape of TV writing (writers are constantly forced into creating new and unique ‘episodes’ for seemingly exhausted programs that have been on the air for several years). If your Sample TV Spec Scripts can showcase this ability, your work will stand head and shoulders above the competition and get taken seriously by Agents, Executives and Key Decision-Makers.
Scott Kirkpatrick
Introduction to Media Distribution: Film, Television, and New Media
Writing for the Green Light: How to Make Your Script the One Hollywood Notices
How to SELL a Script without an Agent
Very few screenwriting books offer tactics on how to sell a screenplay without an agent. But if you're seeking to write something that will add that first professional credit to your IMDB page, put money in your pocket, and help kick-start your career you can do this all on your own. Here are four tips to help get you there and also provide you the right frame of mind for success.
TIP #1: YOUR SPEC SCRIPT ISN’T FOR SALE -- Many writers think their job is to pound the pavement to sell their spec script. In reality, your spec script exists so that you can sell your talent for writing. The likelihood of your spec script being purchased (as is) and produced into a major studio film is slim to nil at best. The purpose of your spec script is to showcase your talent for writing and show that these producers can trust you to write something in line with market demand. This is usually a writer-for-hire type gig, where you flesh out a treatment or first draft of their projects; but you generally receive this first 'break' based upon the strength of your spec script(s).
TIP #2: YOUR “PAID” SCREENWRITING GIG -- When you’re looking to sell a screenplay without an agent, it’s all about the buyer, not you. Far too many writers enter board rooms ready to pitch their stories and ideas, yet they have very little understanding of what decision-makers on the other side of the table look for (and what background those individuals have). A little research on the company and its key executives will reveal a great deal of insight into how you’ll formulate your pitch. A memorized pitch (without this info) that you’ve rehearsed in the mirror doesn’t help. You need to understand the mandate of the company. What are their goals and objectives? What language do they use to describe the content they need? Once you know what these executives are looking to buy, you can present yourself as an experienced writer capable of making their goals a reality… Someone who can deliver a script on time matches what a company needs, essentially being a “writer-for-hire.”
TIP #3: DON’T REACH OUT TOO EARLY -- Take time and build your arsenal before reaching out. When you attempt to sell a screenplay without an agent, you need to prove that you’re a writing machine…It would be best if you made your writing arsenal to a minimum threshold before you can approach Hollywood execs. Ideally, you will need three completed feature-length scripts and at least ten fully fleshed-out (logline, treatment with precise beats, etc.) ideas that are ready to go. Pitching one script isn’t enough; you need back-ups that prove talent and consistency. Even better, most of these scripts should be the same – or very similar – genres. You will get typecast as a particular type of writer, and that’s precisely the point! Writers who get ‘known’ for delivering a certain kind of script are the ones whose names are top-of-mind. These producers and production companies need specific types of scripts written. Having your name top-of-mind of a Hollywood exec is how you get work.
TIP #4: THIS BUSINESS IS LIKE DATING -- A guy walking up to a girl in a bar and asking, “you wanna get married today?” has about the same chances of success as blindly emailing a spec script and asking, “Are there any projects you want me to write?” Hollywood is a business of relationships, and these relationships take time to build. Execs will hire new writers, but they need to vet them out first and know they can truly trust them with a project. Hollywood execs are very busy people. They need answers to their problems and don’t like to waste time dealing with people who aren’t providing solutions. To land a paid screenwriting gig without an agent, you also need to become good at pitching, building relationships, and creating hype around your talents. All this follows the same code of conduct as the dating ritual. Come off too strong and aggressive, and you won’t get too far… Call too many times (and too soon after a pitch meeting), and you’ll see the other side go silent.
SELL A SCREENPLAY WITHOUT AN AGENT? -- Producers, production companies, and distribution entities are actively looking for new screenplays as you’re reading this. These companies have money, and they are ready to invest. And if you find the right person and have the type of material they are looking for, it is possible to sell a screenplay without an agent. Just make sure to avoid standardized dramas, comedies, and horror titles. Instead, you’ll want to go for content that works in the independent space, which is where most new writers will find their first breaks. In conclusion, the only thing preventing you from engaging with people who could buy your work and gaining traction in your career is simply knowing how to approach them. For more information on these screenwriting tactics, please check out my books “Writing for the Green Light” or “Mastering the Pitch”.
Go kick-start your career today!
Scott Kirkpatrick
Mastering the Pitch: How to Effectively Pitch Your Ideas to Hollywood
Writing for the Green Light: How to Make Your Script the One Hollywood Notices
Introduction to Media Distribution: Film, Television, and New Media
TIP #1: YOUR SPEC SCRIPT ISN’T FOR SALE -- Many writers think their job is to pound the pavement to sell their spec script. In reality, your spec script exists so that you can sell your talent for writing. The likelihood of your spec script being purchased (as is) and produced into a major studio film is slim to nil at best. The purpose of your spec script is to showcase your talent for writing and show that these producers can trust you to write something in line with market demand. This is usually a writer-for-hire type gig, where you flesh out a treatment or first draft of their projects; but you generally receive this first 'break' based upon the strength of your spec script(s).
TIP #2: YOUR “PAID” SCREENWRITING GIG -- When you’re looking to sell a screenplay without an agent, it’s all about the buyer, not you. Far too many writers enter board rooms ready to pitch their stories and ideas, yet they have very little understanding of what decision-makers on the other side of the table look for (and what background those individuals have). A little research on the company and its key executives will reveal a great deal of insight into how you’ll formulate your pitch. A memorized pitch (without this info) that you’ve rehearsed in the mirror doesn’t help. You need to understand the mandate of the company. What are their goals and objectives? What language do they use to describe the content they need? Once you know what these executives are looking to buy, you can present yourself as an experienced writer capable of making their goals a reality… Someone who can deliver a script on time matches what a company needs, essentially being a “writer-for-hire.”
TIP #3: DON’T REACH OUT TOO EARLY -- Take time and build your arsenal before reaching out. When you attempt to sell a screenplay without an agent, you need to prove that you’re a writing machine…It would be best if you made your writing arsenal to a minimum threshold before you can approach Hollywood execs. Ideally, you will need three completed feature-length scripts and at least ten fully fleshed-out (logline, treatment with precise beats, etc.) ideas that are ready to go. Pitching one script isn’t enough; you need back-ups that prove talent and consistency. Even better, most of these scripts should be the same – or very similar – genres. You will get typecast as a particular type of writer, and that’s precisely the point! Writers who get ‘known’ for delivering a certain kind of script are the ones whose names are top-of-mind. These producers and production companies need specific types of scripts written. Having your name top-of-mind of a Hollywood exec is how you get work.
TIP #4: THIS BUSINESS IS LIKE DATING -- A guy walking up to a girl in a bar and asking, “you wanna get married today?” has about the same chances of success as blindly emailing a spec script and asking, “Are there any projects you want me to write?” Hollywood is a business of relationships, and these relationships take time to build. Execs will hire new writers, but they need to vet them out first and know they can truly trust them with a project. Hollywood execs are very busy people. They need answers to their problems and don’t like to waste time dealing with people who aren’t providing solutions. To land a paid screenwriting gig without an agent, you also need to become good at pitching, building relationships, and creating hype around your talents. All this follows the same code of conduct as the dating ritual. Come off too strong and aggressive, and you won’t get too far… Call too many times (and too soon after a pitch meeting), and you’ll see the other side go silent.
SELL A SCREENPLAY WITHOUT AN AGENT? -- Producers, production companies, and distribution entities are actively looking for new screenplays as you’re reading this. These companies have money, and they are ready to invest. And if you find the right person and have the type of material they are looking for, it is possible to sell a screenplay without an agent. Just make sure to avoid standardized dramas, comedies, and horror titles. Instead, you’ll want to go for content that works in the independent space, which is where most new writers will find their first breaks. In conclusion, the only thing preventing you from engaging with people who could buy your work and gaining traction in your career is simply knowing how to approach them. For more information on these screenwriting tactics, please check out my books “Writing for the Green Light” or “Mastering the Pitch”.
Go kick-start your career today!
Scott Kirkpatrick
Mastering the Pitch: How to Effectively Pitch Your Ideas to Hollywood
Writing for the Green Light: How to Make Your Script the One Hollywood Notices
Introduction to Media Distribution: Film, Television, and New Media
