Screenwriting

Screenwriting Career Overview

Screenwriters are the professionals responsible for turning big screen movie and television ideas into reality, using the written word to create the characters, dialogue, and scripts that bring stories to life. Not only do screenwriters need to be excellent writers and storytellers, but they should also be well versed in movie and television production and have the ability to work well under pressure and with a wide variety of personality types, since a large portion of their time will be spent working on tight deadlines with demanding producers, directors, and actors on set.

Beyond that, screenwriters need to be able to take risks and handle criticism. The film and television industry is notoriously tough to break into, and any screenwriters hoping to excel should know well ahead of time that the path to success may well be rough.

Screenwriting Career Training & Education

Although there is no one correct path to becoming a screenwriter, a large majority of those start out in the field by enrolling in a film school or a creative writing program at an undergraduate or graduate institution. Through these programs, students will learn the basics of writing screenplays and scripts, and the ins and outs of movie and television production as a whole. Not only does attending film school help students improve their skills, but it also happens to be a great place to network and build the industry connections that are critical to a screenwriter's future success.

For those who may be entering the field later in life, many community colleges or online institutions offer night and weekend courses in screenwriting or television writing. These can be a great place to start for anyone who is looking for an introduction to the industry without jumping all the way in.

Screenwriter Career & Salary Outlook

Due to the fact that many screenwriters work as freelancers and independent contractors, annual earning statistics are scarce. A screenwriter's salary is based on how many deals he or she makes, and although top screenwriters writing blockbuster films can earn upwards of $2 million per picture, most screenwriters earn far less. According to a 2006 report by the Writer's Guide of America, mean earnings for all writers for television and screen was $40,000 in 2005, although those in the 75th percentile earned quite a bit more, averaging at $248,769 per year.

Once an independent screenwriter has struck a deal to sell a script, he or she is usually compensated in one of three ways: Either through an "option", which is the money a screenwriter will receive only if the purchaser eventually sells the script to a producer; a "guarantee", which is when a screenwriter gets paid a certain fee for selling the script, even if the movie itself is never made; and a "bonus", which is an extra payment the screenwriter receives depending on the size of the production budget or how much the film eventually grosses at the box office.

Despite keen competition for those hoping to enter the industry, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that job growth in the film and television industry is expected to increase greatly between through the year 2016, as "explosive increase in demand for programming needed to fill the rising number of cable and satellite television channels."

Characteristics of Successful Screenwriters

All screenwriters should be creative, talented, and have a great love of film and television. Beyond this, they should also enjoy observing the world—and the people in it—as most popular screenwriters report that they get many of their best ideas from watching human interaction. In addition, anyone hoping to survive in the industry should come prepared with a thick skin and be ready for criticism, as it is something those in the industry deal with on a daily basis.

Article Resources:

Writer's Guild of America, West
Bureau of Labor Statistics
UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television
WritersChannel.net
A tale of Hollywood e-Harmony, Los Angeles Times