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HomePageSchmucks With Underwoods FAQ A Brief Introduction This page is here for one reason: so people who have experience writing screenplays professionally can write about things that people who don't have experience writing professionally often wonder about, and can do so in a place where said writing will remain easily accessable and free. If you're one of those people who knows what you're talking about, feel free to click the "edit" button and share a little knowledge. To start it off, we've put a few subject headings below, to give you an idea of how we'd like to see the page structured. If you read something on the message board that you think deserves to be on the FAQ page, let us know (schmuckswithunderwoods@gmail.com). This is, quite obviously, a work in progress, and, a wiki being what it is, will always remain so. We hope, eventually, it will provide good, free information for those who want it, though. Part One: The People You Meet and What They Do Agents Agents represent writers and their work to the film industry and negotiate deals for sales of said work or for writing services performed on assignment. For this, agents collect 10% of a writer's earnings. Reputable agents in the film industry are WGA signatories. If you aren't sure if an agent you're considering is a WGA signatory, you can check the agent list at the WGAw web site. Beware of:
Reputable agents make money by selling writers' work, not by charging writers various fees. Managers Unlike agents, managers are not governed by state labor laws, and so they cannot procure employment (get assignments) for writers. Managers can, however, submit completed works to producers, actors and directors; set up meetings; and sell completed screenplays. Managers may also act as producers of their clients' work, which can be both a benefit and a drawback. In general, managers are considered more hands-on and career-oriented while agents are considered more deal-oriented, but, like all generalizations, this might not apply to the person you are working with. Each agent and manager has his or her own way of doing things, and it's best to deal with individuals as individuals. As with agents, most reputable managers collect 10% of a writer's earnings. Beware of:
It should be noted, however, that while one should beware of managers who run their own writing competitions, there are many reputable management firms associated with writing competitions run by other organizations. For instance, Benderspink was associated with scr(i)pt magazine's Open Door screenwriting competition in 2005. Producers Though it's become an almost meaningless word, as "producer" credits are handed out like Chiclets at the Tijuana border, a producer, in the strictest sense, is someone who moves money and people into place, creating the right circumstances for a movie to happen. They will raise funding, hire crew, fire crew, arrange for distribution and more. A co-producer does the shitwork the producer should be doing but doesn't want to. A line producer oversees the production budget, and is usually on set day-to-day. An associate producer is anyone who is having sex with the director, star or the actual producer while credits are being dolled out. Directors A director guides the technical crew and the actors in the filming of a screenplay. Stars Stars are actors whose attachement to your screenplay can help get it made. Part Two: Boring Stuff That You Should Know Even Though It's Boring Binding Three hole punch the paper. Use a couple brass brads, one in the top hole and one in the bottom. Or, better yet, send a .pdf file to your agent, and have him or her take care of it -- what the hell are you paying that useless schlub for anyway? (Is "schlub" gender-specific?) But before you bind anything, you should make sure the script is in the right... Format Here's a brief example of what a script should look like from the Nicholl Fellowship web site. You'll notice a 12 point Courier font is being used. Any of the Courier fonts is fine. You'll also notice that the example has a 1 1/2 inch left margin and a 1/2 inch right margin (which we prefer to using a 1 inch margin on either side, as it gives the bound-edged text a little room to breathe). Character names are not centered on the page; they begin approximately 3 1/2 inches from the left edge of the paper. Dialogue, on the other hands, begins about 2 1/2 inches from the left, and extends for another 3 1/2 to 4 inches (we prefer 4). There are several programs for screenwriters, such as Final Draft or Movie Magic, that make formatting very easy, once you readjust their never-quite-right pre-set templates, but many scripts have been written using Microsoft Word. There is also, as an alternative to either expensive screenwriting programs or pain-in-the-ass Microsoft Word, free screenwriting software available, such as Celtx, which is a bit buggy, but gets the job done. The most important rule as far as format goes is this: just make it look like a screenplay. You'll know what they're supposed to look like by reading some, which you should do if you're gonna write one, anyway. Length Somewhere between 90 and 120 pages for live action. Somewhere between 80 and 90 for animation, but you don't really want to be writing a script for animation on spec, at least not in the hopes that it'll sell. Protecting Your Work While your work is technically copyrighted as soon as it's created, if copyright infringement occurs, having evidence for when a work was created is important, so you may want to register your screenplay with The Office of Copyright at the U.S. Library of Congress. There are several companies that will register your work for you, for as much as $150.00. Avoid them. The form is easy to fill out, and copyrighting costs $45.00 if you do it directly. Don't throw your money away. Another means of protecting your work is to register with the WGAw or the WGAe, which costs $20.00 for non-members or $10.00 for members and associates. Part Three: Breaking In What Does Hollywood Want? How Does One Get an Agent? There are any number of ways to get an agent, from a simple query letter, to a contest win bringing you to an agent's attention, or another writer referring you to his or her agent. Many beginning writers go the query letter route, simply sending a one page letter to a prospective agent, describing their project and themselves. This works almost never...but almost never is better than never. You can increase your chances by researching agents you query. The WGA web site, for instance, has a feature which allows you to "find a writer," which makes finding out who represents a writer whose work is similar to yours very easy. Should One Try to Write For the Market? |