SCREENWRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA

Nothing Great Is Ever Written... It's Rewritten.

So you finished your script. Bravo. You now have a blueprint of your film. A technically structured plan to move men, money, and materials in the filmmaking process. You now know firsthand how rigorous the screenwriting process can be. Let's face it, all truly great scripts are born through the same process... rewriting.

Remember, great scripts sell themselves. On the other hand, good scripts are extremely difficult to sell, and average scripts are absolutely impossible to sell.

Too many "great scripts" go undiscovered due to the Screenwriters inability to successfully market their vision. It's one thing to write that "great script", get it to all the right people, and then have it turned down. At least at that point, you had a shot, and probably learned a lot. More than likely, you learned you didn't really have that "great script" after all. Or, you had it, but it was such a mess technically, nobody would read it. Lessons all Screenwriters learn on their first attempt. That is, if you ever get anyone in the industry to read it. To spend all those hours writing the "great script" (we know how much work that is) and then fail because you didn't know how to approach the industry. Now, that's unconscionable.

Your approach strategy is everything. It begins with a polished, technically perfect, great reading script. Not a shooting script. Unless you're a proven Screenwriter/Director, nobody cares about your camera direction or feeble attempt at technical jargon. Don't bog down your script with such foolishness. Focus on great story telling, flawless story structure, and riveting dialogue. That will always move your script to the top of the food chain. Spec scripts should be a clean read. After your project is "green-lit" and moves into pre-production, you can convert it to a shooting/production script. That is, if you are going to Direct as well.

Before you show your script to anyone on your target list, make sure you first get coverage reads from fellow Screenwriters and/or a professional Coverage Analyst. This is foundational to your success. Don't rely on friends or family. You can't succeed as a professional Screenwriter unless you get professional feedback.

Hollywood story editors will tell you that around 90% of the scripts turned-down are turned-down for bad story structure. Don't fall into those numbers. Structure isn't just an important problem, it's the primary problem. Hopefully, you have a half-dozen professional Screenwriter friends to network with and read each others work. If not, make sure you order coverage/analysis through the SGA, or one of it's approved affiliates. If you're truly serious, you should think long and hard about joining the Screenwriters Guild of America, and becoming a part of the Screenwriter's community at large. From there, you can network with other members via the many SGA resources. If you can swing it, it's a good idea to always be the worst Screenwriter in your network. That way you can get coverage reads from better Screenwriters. Fellow Screenwriters will always be a priceless asset.

Coverage reads by seasoned Screenwriters will help you sharpen your technical and story structure skills to insure a properly formatted, "great reading script" for your approach. Your script must be formatted to accepted industry standards or it won't get read. Listen up. Make sure you have your script professionally covered by seasoned Screenwriters before you make your approach. And, the more coverage, the better. Be patient. If it takes a month or two to polish your script, it's well worth it. Remember, nothing great is ever written, only rewritten.

The first thing you need to decide is what type of Screenwriter you are? Is your objective to just write the script and sell it? Or, are you looking to stay aboard as the Director, and/or Producer, as well? Writing the "great script" is always the best approach to Directing, and ultimately Producing. Take a look at the opening credits of a feature film and you'll discover the majority of them are Directed by the Screenwriter. And, why not? It's their vision and blueprint of the film for goodness sakes. In fact, many of the great Directors will only direct their own screenplays.

When we use the term "Screenwriter" it's always inclusive of the Screenwriter/Director, Screenwriter/Producer and occasionally even the Screenwriter/Actor. Look at Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. How do you think they got the starring roles in "Good Will Hunting" at that point in their careers? They wrote the "great script". Great enough to win an Academy Award for Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen in 1997. Matt and Ben had both spent the vast majority of their young lives studying and preparing to be Actors. Nevertheless, either one of them could get a descent part in Hollywood. Frustrated, one day Matt told Ben they should write their own script and act in it themselves. He enthusiastically suggested Ben's character could pretty much play himself, and tell stories about his Uncle and their days growing up together on the east coast. Ben agreed and the next day when they met to begin writing, Ben asked Matt: "What part are you going to play?". Matt replied: "I'm going to play this genius guy". When you truly have the great script you can hold it hostage until you get what you want.

Targets are any Entertainment professionals, who by attaching themselves to your project, have the ability to take the proper steps in order to get your project "green-lit". Studios, Production Companies, Producers, Directors, Agents, Actors, Entertainment Attorneys, and Managers. These are your primary targets. Your personal approach will vary based upon your overall objective to either Write, Write/Direct, Write/Produce, Write/Act or some combination thereof.

We receive thousands of emails from around the world and the vast majority of them are all asking the same question, regardless of how it's stated: "How do I break through, how do I become successful?" The answer is; and will always be: Study, grow, research, and strive for self improvement with a relentless drive. Read books, read the trades, read great scripts, watch every film you can, and most important, write. This is the answer, and this is what it takes. Knowledge, hard-work, and talent. Talent being the least important.

Most aspiring Screenwriters never get out of the box.
Entrapped by their wrong teachings, or lack of knowledge,
they spend all their time chasing myths, and going round in circles.