2. Script Development
Every time we watch the TV, us as the audience are embracing the work of a
screenwriter. Screen writing is all about being able to connect to people and
understand their emotions. According to Claudia Hunter Johnson in her book Crafting
Short Screenplays That Connect, the screen writers main purpose is to emotionally
connect to the audience.
‘The best screen plays - long or short - are written by those who know how
to connect - to themselves (their unique vision, material, process), to what
drama is, and most important, to others.’
I think it‟s very important that the scriptwriter is connected in what they are doing. It
helps them gain a better understanding of what they are writing and what sort of
person they are as a scriptwriter. If a writer isn‟t connecting to what they are writing,
they cannot expect the script readers on the other side to grasp the story either, which
means it‟ll be harder to get their script commissioned, when it arrives at that process.
The commissioners need to feel the story too.
3. Amy Dunkelberger explains in The Basics of Screenwriting:
‘As any screenwriter will tell you, the first few pages of a screenplay are
the most important - for both your audience and the people responsible
for producing your film. Script readers are an impatient lot, and if you
don't engage them right away, they will drop your script and move on to
the next.’
http://www.fathom.com/course/21701762/session4.html
Connecting
4. Idea Connection
Gathering ideas for scripts can be a hard and time consuming tasks. One of the best
ways to go about it is by just jotting every idea down that comes in to your head, and
reading through them. If you find one you like you can, elaborate on it to see how
deep the idea allows you to go as a writer. The link below takes you to a clip about a
woman who has been experiencing how to write and develop scripts. She talks about
emotional connections and feelings between characters. One example she uses is
that of a mother, father and child. She says that you don‟t know how they felt at the
time before you were born, but you now how they make you feel as a person when
they walk in to a room. It‟s things like this that really demonstrates the connections
that screenwriters can make, and how easy is seems to create a story just from that
one observation of a person.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ87MJMhBM0
5. Collaboration
As well as the connecting factor, there‟s also a stage of „collaboration‟. Once you
have submitted your script, your opening up your writing to other professionals
therefore involving them in the development process. This allows another opinion
to be shared, and are often see from a different point of view.
(Frensham Page 5)
This shows that even though it is your
own work, once it has been submitted to
a commissioning body, there becomes
more than you as the scriptwriter,
involved. Some can argue that this is a
bad thing as many people don‟t want any
interference with the work they have
done. Others would say this is a good
thing because it gives you more room for
expansion of ideas and there becomes
less pressure on one person if roles are
assigned.
6. Claudia Hunter Johnson also thinks it‟s important to collaborate and has come up
with 10 reasons why it is a good thing to write with other people.
Some of these are:
•Writing with a partner doubles your chance for success
•A writing workout partner helps you stay motivated, focused, and productive
in the face of countless rejections
•Two imaginations really are better than one – better brainstorming and
creative breakthroughs
•Collaboration not only improves mental health, it makes you a better writer -
and a better person
She uses these reasons because of her experiences and what she has learned
from writing with partners. They are very good reasons because it shows what
could become of a screen writer if they proceed this way, and what type of person
they could become.
Collaboration - Positive Factors
7. Shrek’s co-writer Ted Elliot also thinks that collaboration is useful:
‘As you struggle as writers perfect your craft, schlepping from studio to
studio trying to make that elusive sale or capture that dream assignment,
as you wend your way over the freeways that link Hollywood to Burbank,
and Beverly Hills to Century City, there is a final, overwhelming way in
which a writing partner can be beneficial. Two words: Carpool Lane.’
He is explaining that scriptwriting on your own can be a tiring, slow and tedious
challenge. Therefore writing with partners is a quicker, more interesting way.
Going back to Ted Elliot's‟ quote, he says “..Two words: Carpool Lane.”. It‟s
great that he uses such an example because it explains that writing with a
partner reduces the time it takes and gives the opportunity to bounce ideas off
each other, and it also takes the stress off the one person.
How Collaboration Is Useful
8. It doubles the
chance for success
because there is
going to be more
than one brain
involved, therefore
double the ideas.
Staying motivated
and focused is
important as you
don‟t want to lose
track of what you are
doing. So having
someone else to work
with will help you
strive on.
Two people
brainstorming
helps one other
expand on each
others ideas,
developing even
more.
Understanding and
working with other
people contributes
to becoming a
better person
yourself.
The point is you don‟t
have to be alone
when writing scripts
Carpool relates to being quick, efficient and
a better way to do things, which in this is
case is to co-write scripts rather than do it
on your own.
9. New Writers
As an aspiring screen writer, it‟s important to have confidence in yourself and in
your work. Producers like to see that people like this are making the effort, and
contacting different companies to ask about any upcoming series‟.
In the book How To.. Write for Television by William Smethurst. He talks about
being new to media and screen writing industry. Commissioners like originality
in your work, but also needs a clear structure in which to work from.
How To.. Write for Television by William Smethurst
A complete guide to writing and marketing TV scripts
Page 68 Step by step for the new writer.
10. Script Commissioning
Thousands of „proposals‟ are sent to television and network broadcasters all
the time, with ideas for new programmes. The proposals that you send out, are
the chances you receive to pitch your idea. These are then passed on to
commissioning editors. The commissioning editors are the people who pick the
strongest proposals and stories that they think have potential, and can be
developed further. An example of a commissioning body is the BBC writers
room.
11. The BBC Writers Room
The BBC Writers Room is an online submission site where it all starts basically.
Amateur writers can send their scripts into the writers room for different
sections of the media and hopefully get their work noticed.
The BBC does not accept any scripts that have been previously used by
shows/characters. Also samples, extracts, short stories, full series, poetry or
scripts from overseas cannot be accepted.
This is the quote that I got from the
BBC Writers Room website about
what sort of things they can accept.
It states the rules clearly so we can
understand.
They do not want a
full series of script,
just on episode/part.
E.g. 30 minutes long.
12. Script Submission
The process of script submission has 6 stages according to the BBC Writers
Room. They have brought together a „submissions flowchart‟ which shows the
stages at which things happen.
It seems very straight forward and once you get to stage 4, 5 and 6, this then
determines how much potential the script readers think you have. Not many
people actually make it to the final stage so its important that you put a lot of
thought into what your writing, don‟t copy anyone else, be original and unique
then you‟ve more chance of getting far.
‘Scripts that are championed by our readers are then assessed by the
Development Manager, who may meet with the writer, monitor their
development, recommend their work to other BBC producers and
departments, or place them on a development scheme. Only a small
number of scripts and writers progress to this stage.’
13. How To Pitch Your Script
According to Stephanie Palmer there are not any set rules to pitching a script.
It‟s important that you establish what you are going to say to see if the listener
engages into your script, and understand what you are trying to do. It‟s also
important not to oversell yourself while pitching, or explain too much.
14. Pitching Your Script
Pitching a script is probably the hardest task to do, in the hope that a script
commissioner will take you on. This is what all your planning has come down
to, so its really important to be as accurate as you can. Your pitching to a
potential client, and they need to see that you have thought out your script and
story, and that it all corresponds. It‟s their decision and you want to be
successful in providing them with a really good potential screenplay.
You need to remember how hard you worked to get to this position, and that if
you‟re not successful, treat it as a learning curve.
