The Commissioning Process

Being a screenwriter is a difficult career to get into, like a lot of the media industry, however there are different ways a screenwriter can get work. Firstly you can go on websites such as ScreenwritingGoldmine and the ISA (International Screenwriters Association) and go on Writing Gigs, this is where producers advertise for a writer, they have a description of what they want (e.g. 5-15 pages) and where they are based; you can get in that way or you can get into the industry, such as being a runner or assistant and show you are a hard worker, make connections and get noticed, hopefully the producers or directors will notice you and you’ll be able to hand your script over to them and that may start your career off. The contract a screenwriter has is until the film or show has been shown in cinemas or aired, the directors and producers often keep them close to set so they can write any changes to the script without difficulty. The employers expect a very high standard of work, they won’t settle for a good or alright script, it has to be great and grab their attention to be able to sell which is why writers take a long time to write as they are constantly redrafting and making it perfect and to the employers standard. It is important for screenwriters to go to as many film and media events as possible to make contacts and network as this is key to becoming a screenwriter: getting your name out. As well as attending events, writers could have a blog online, or a page where they can practice writing and get their work out there, people who are interested can view this and this is getting onto another platform which is important.

To start the commissioning process you start with the writer, first time writers need to research how to write a screenplay as this can be the deciding factor of whether the script is good enough to be produced or not. The writer who has an idea, begins to write the script completely self-financed (spec screenplay), they then sell it onto a production company using an agent; agents help get your work out there as they know the target audience and who to contact as establishing this will increase your chances of having the work and script published. On the other hand a producer could come to a screenwriter and ask then to write a screenplay based on their idea, normally based on a literature piece or a past/current show. The script length varies depending on whether it’s a television show, feature or full film is and what genres they are, television show comedies tend to be short but drama shows tend to be longer. Feature films tend to be between 95 and 125 pages long whereas in Hollywood they tend to be 117, scripts should be a certain weight (certain number of pages) otherwise they will dismiss it.

The commissioning editor looks at the script and assesses whether it is good enough to commission or if it is what they are looking for, many people such as the BBC receive many scripts and so there is a process; you send in your script in a certain window and then hear back via email almost a year after you’ve submitted, this gives them time to sift through the submissions and pick out the ones they want to help produce. The producer is then hired to produce the screenplay and make it become a reality. Producers go to many meetings to establish connections and put executives/directors in contact with screenwriters, for example, if the producer reads a script about war and then the executive wants a film about wars, the producer can show him the script and hopefully he will buy it, putting the screenwriter and executive producer in contact. There’s many different types of directors, some do it independently and buy the script themselves, hire directors and actors however this is very costly so many pair up with other, more established producers, sell it to studios who can get it through the commissioning process system. The most important thing for a producer to be able to do is network and make contacts with as many people in the industry as they can.

After this the script editor is hired to edit the script to adapt to what in reality can be produced and shown, cutting out unnecessary speech and characters. They want the script to be what the writer had envisioned but also still fitting the requirements of the producer and financiers. Script editors read through the script and analyse what could be changed, e.g. if a character needs more description or something which could make the scene more interesting; the script editor and writer stay in constant contact to try optimise the script. Next is the shooting script which is a version of the screenplay which is ready for motion picture, usually the scenes are assigned numbers and these numbers provide a convenient way for the various production departments to reference individual scenes.  Page lock-down is the final script which is often before pre-production however this doesn’t mean it won’t be changed during the production of the film; the cast and directors sit down for a script run through. Pre-production planning plans and assesses what will happen in the production of the screenplay, for example risk assessments, recce’s, agreements and contracts, finances, schedules of what you are going to film, when,  what location and what cast and crew you need as well as much more paperwork. The pre-production process usually takes between 2 and 5 months to complete as it is so detailed and precise. A lot of screenplays are developed but never produced, this is because the script has many people to go through, e.g. Script Readers, Producers, Development Executives, Script Editors, and the Directors of the screenplay, the script is altered and sometimes the screenplay is quite different to what the screenwriter had produced. The timescale of a film from beginning to end could take up to two years to make depending on the complexity of it whereas television programmes take a shorter amount of time, for example shows like Eastenders can make 4 episodes in 9 days however the majority of shows take longer. The actual writing process of a script could take months to years, some even decades, it depends on the writer and how much they want to perfect the script however it depends on the commissioning employer as to how long you have to write depending on what it is, this could be anywhere from 3 weeks to 6 months.

In Hollywood and across the USA to be able to submit a script to a media production company you need to have an agent or be a member of The Writers Guild of America although each agency has its own submission rules. On the other hand, in the Jordan in the Middle East, they don’t insist on script approval. In Asia, Japans Agency for cultural affairs gives support to features in three categories – features, documentaries and animation which replaces the previous funding system, which had a separate strand for international co-productions.

There are many legal and ethical considerations writers have to take into account, firstly source material, they can’t copy or use any part of someone else’s script, and the idea has to be completely original. However they get inspiration from different stories and materials, such as the news, literature or a current show, taking the story plot (like Faust) many different stories can be created and they can all be different. To stop other writers copyrighting their work, writers can submit their final script in to be registered where you will receive a certificate with a serial number and the date it was registered, this helps stop copyright as you can prove it was yours through Chain of Title, this way no one can plagiarise your work and if they do, you can sue them and prove it was your own work. You can’t copyright an idea however as many people have the same and these ideas often disperse into a variety of different storylines however once you start writing a script, you own it and have a right for it to be copyrighted.

Writers need to plan what they are going to write and make sure their idea is right for who they are submitting it to and ensuring that they can envision what they are writing, on a television channel or in a cinema and where it could fit into the current market as timing is everything. The writers need to understand the target audience and why they would be interested in the programme or film. The writers also need to see how it could develop on other platforms such as the internet and thoroughly research the idea to make sure there aren’t others like it and its original. They need to have an idea of what the characters will look like and who they will be portrayed by and lastly ensure the proposal is clear and sellable.

 

Bibliography:

Scriptshadow, BBC Writers room, Skillset, British Writers Guild, Wikipedia, artofmanliness ‘so you want my job’ series and screendaily.