28/11/13 Hayden Collins 13p1
Unit Title
Name: Hayden Collins
Project Title
‘Homelessness; World Project’
Research Question
What is the commissioning process for film scripts? How long is the
process? And how much does it normally cost to carry out?
Method of research
Web- http://www.thetakes.com/blog/2_types_of_scripts
http://www.creativeskillset.org/film/jobs/script/
http://seanmaguireblog.wordpress.com/2012/05/25/how-to-submitscripts-to-interested-parties-within-the-industry/
Books-
Research Findings:
http://www.thetakes.com/blog/2_types_of_scripts
http://www.creativeskillset.org/film/jobs/script/
http://seanmaguireblog.wordpress.com/2012/05/25/how-to-submitscripts-to-interested-parties-within-the-industry/
Within the media industry filmmakers need scripts and any body could
potentially write a script. However while anyone can write a script they
need to know how to get their work noticed, here is a few tips on how to
go about getting your scripts solicited/commissioned.
28/11/13 Hayden Collins 13p1
You need to make friends with the following people (not literally):
Agent: It is the job of the Agent is to ‘sell’ both the script and script
writer to an interested party, they don’t eat if your script and talents
are not sold because they take a percentage of the money that you
make from your script work.
Script Reader: This person’s job is quite self-explanatory, it is also a
script readers job to analyses the strengths and weaknesses then
provide a detailed report to the development executive. Their
opinion is highly valued by the development executive.
Script Editor: It is the job of the editor to provide a critical perspective
on a script as it is written and re-written. The editor will analyze the
script and provide feedback to writer on what works, doesn’t work,
and could be altered or change.
Development Executive: This person’s job is to work with researchers
to figure what is popular with the audiences and give ideas for
programing to take advantage of the changing formats and trends.
The executives will analyze scripts and determine whether the
script writer (that means YOU) is worth hiring or not.
Many screenwriters begin by creating their own scripts ‘on spec’
(Freelance) and sending them out to agents and producers, which may
purchase them for a set payment and offer employment for the duration of
the project. More experienced scriptwriters can merely pitch to an
executive producer through their agent and they will decide whether or
not to buy the rights to the idea, sometimes they will even hire the
screenwriter to finish the script. Screen writing has a very variable rate of
pay especially if they are producing ‘on spec’ scripts which can be hotly
contested for and sell for insane amounts of money. Recently the film Safe
House caused a bidding frenzy in Hollywood. Universal Pictures producer
Scott Stuber with a mid-six-figure offer won the script. Here is a link to the
article:
There are 2 ways for your script to get picked up by an interested party
and potentially turned into a film, they are:
1. Write an unsolicited script (i.e./ no-one asked you to write and no-ones
paying to write it.)
2. Get commissioned by a producer/production company to write the
script.
The unsolicited script is a completed final draft of a script that you get
someone who works in literacy/ a script agency to read. You need to be
28/11/13 Hayden Collins 13p1
approached by an agent who will offer to represent your script; the agent
will then sell your script to potential buyers. The problems you may
encounter include the fact that you are responsible for all your finances
and you are not going to get paid until a script is sold, assuming one ever
gets past the script reader.
You need to have some financial preparations like a job you can work
while trying to get your script solicited.
Another way to get noticed is to enter various competitions that are
available at film festivals and websites such as the BBC however you must
be on guard because you will have to pay to have your films submitted and
you could potentially get scammed out of your hard work. An example of a
very well known commissioning body is the Nicholl fellowships, which
were set up by the Academy of motion picture arts, and sciences (those
guys who run the Oscars) that hold competitions to aid young
screenwriters break into the film business.
The other route you could take is to get your script commissioned by
getting hired by a producer but you need have been ‘discovered’. In order
to get noticed you need to engage in the practice of networking which is
getting to know the right peoples in the right circles, this is made easier by
todays social technology like Facebook. However you would face the same
problems that unsolicited script writers would in regards to your personal
finances at least until you are discovered. When you are discovered and
you begin to get commissioned for scripts you will receive an advance
payment with the rest being paid when the first day of the film production
using your script begins. Another negative with commissioning is that you
are told what the story is going to be about by your producer and your
task is to work around their premise and you have less creative freedom.
When you have a script that has found its way into the hands of a potential
buyer the first challenge comes to light and that is getting past the reading
of the first 10-pages. Before a script reaches its final destination it must
first get past a script reader who will decide whether the script is worth
looking at by reading the first 10-pages. If your work succeeds in
impressing the reader it will move to the next stage, if not it’s game over
for that script. You will need to establish a lot of things in your script
within the first ten pages such as characters, settings and themes. The
script will need to be proof read before submission to check for grammar
and spelling errors otherwise the reader will not bother with your script if
it is full of spelling errors and poor grammar. You would to establish a
hook to pull the potential reader in like a plot twist or some backstory of
28/11/13 Hayden Collins 13p1
characters, their motivations, their actions and/or settings.
If the script is successfully submitted a new set of hurdles in the form of a
script reader who will read the entire script and they will write a detailed
report of your scripts strengths and weaknesses. After this is completed it
is sent to the boss man/woman, the Development Executive (Producer).
The Development Executive is tasked with knowing the audience and what
they want whether its mainstream blockbusters or indie hits.
If your script meets the approval of the Development Executive he/she
will want to get in contact with you or your agent in order to meet you and
discuss your ideas and how they could make them work in TV/film and
how money you’d like for your work. Afterwards the script is sent to a
team of writers and editors who will re-write your script for the Producers
and potential Director. Afterwards when the first day of filming begins
(assuming your script was commissioned) you receive a paycheck.
Some producers work independently and actively seek out scripts and
pitch them to interested studios who are willing to fund the project. An
example of this would be Matthew Vaughn who is a director and producer
famous for such films as “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels”, “Snatch”,
“Kick Ass” and ”Stardust”. After being rejected by every studio they
approached, Matthew Vaughn raised the budget at a dinner party and made
the movie independently. Vaughn ultimately sold the movie to Universal for
more than he had originally asked them for
Sometimes during filming the producer will call upon the aid or additional
screenwriters to re-write any scenes that they are unsatisfied with. case
and point “World war Z” producers have hired “Prometheus” screenwriter
Damon Lindelof to re-write sections of the upcoming zombie epic which
has now been delayed until June 2013 However during the filming process
the script (or at least parts of it) can become subject to what is called page
lock-down this mans that they cannot be re-shot or re-written
When scripts are submitted either as unsolicited or as commissioned you
must be prepared to have your ideas changed by the producer and editors.
Did you know that Robert Towne who is a famous script writer became so
frustrated with the production “Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of
the Apes” that he had his dog’s name credited as the script writer
(ironically the Dog was nominated for an Oscar). This is a taste of the
28/11/13 Hayden Collins 13p1
frustration a screenwriter can look forward to when their work is warped
beyond recognition into something completely different. You must be
prepared to accept changes to your script otherwise you could risk never
working in the industry again.
http://thestorydepartment.com/surviving-script-development/
Congratulations! After all that hard work and self-doubt you’ve finally had your
spec script optioned / been commissioned to write a treatment or script. It feels
like you’ve won the lottery. The euphoria is amazing, you feel like you’ve finally
made it in the industry and your TV show/feature film is going to be made!
by Hayley McKenzie
Being commissioned/optioned is a fantastic endorsement of you as a
writer and marks a huge step forward in the industry. What many writers
come to realize is that it is the beginning of a very different process and
one that requires just as much skill to navigate as breaking in did.
The development process in the film and television industry can feel like
its own special kind of hell and the often interminable months and often
years spent ‘in development’ can be utterly demoralizing. That euphoria of
having ‘made it’ begins to fade and gives way to despondency and a sense
of hopelessness as your fantastic film/TV show looks further away from
getting made than it did before you even typed ‘fade in’.
At this year’s London Screenwriters’ Festival I had the great pleasure of
being on a panel with Jason Taylor (Bad Hat Harry Productions), Rob
Sprackling (Gnomeo & Juliet) and Jed Mercurio (Line of Duty), discussing
what happens AFTER your script’s been optioned. What was clear was
how different writers approached this process depending upon what they
wanted to get out of it.
For Jed, having significant creative control over his projects was of
paramount importance and so collaborating with the right production
company was essential for him.
While Rob had ‘passion projects’ that he tries to protect through the
development process, he was sometimes happy to take the pay cheque
knowing that in doing so the chances of retaining creative control might
diminish.
That euphoria of having ‘made it’ begins to fade
What everyone agreed was that having your work commissioned or
optioned did not guarantee it being made but that at least it was now a
possibility. Every development process is unique but here are some of the
oft-encountered hurdles you might face and how you can overcome them:
Unpaid rewrites – As development budgets get smaller everyone is trying
28/11/13 Hayden Collins 13p1
to get more for less and, unhappily, that includes getting writers to do
more work for less money. How you respond to this depends upon how
much you want to avoid upsetting the apple cart, how you feel about the
changes you’re being asked to make, and whether you feel those asking for
the changes (i.e. the producer) are themselves putting in work for no
money.
While development can be poorly paid for writers (a £1 option agreement
is not uncommon), it’s often even more poorly paid for producers who
have to invest huge amounts of time trying to get your project off the
ground without any guarantee of any success or financial return. If you
think your producer is working hard for your project and you think the
changes will make the project better, it’s probably worth the effort. An
agent, if you have one, if often great at helping make this kind of judgment
call. If you don’t have representation, ask around for advice from the
writing community.
Script notes you don’t agree with – As a script editor my hope is always
that all the notes I give to a writer are met with a knowing smile as it
confirms problems they subconsciously knew were lurking in their script
but they just hadn’t be able to identify, unpick or solve. However, the
reality is that even brilliant script editors aren’t always right about every
note and as a writer you’ll develop an ability to spot the notes that might
change your script but aren’t necessarily making it better.
Then there are the notes that are good and will transform your script but
sadly transform it into precisely the kind of project you absolutely don’t
want it to be. There’s a great joke in ‘Only Fools and Horses’ in which
Trigger tells Del Boy he’s been looking after his granddad’s broom, he’s
“maintained it these 20 years. This old broom’s had 17 new heads and 14
new handles in its time”! Once you’ve been asked to change everything you
love about your project, is it really the project you love any more?
This is the time to make a choice – do you take the money and write the
script you’re being asked for (even if you hate it) or do you try to convince
the note-giver to have faith in your vision of the project? If you try but fail
to convince the note-giver then you may have to contemplate taking the
project back from the producer, if that’s contractually possible. I’ve seen
writers take each of these different routes and, as long as the decision is
made not in haste but after serious consideration of the consequences,
then it has always ended happily.
Every development process is unique.
Radio silence – This is something that annoys the heck out of everyone
working in development and it’s my pet hate. For writers, who are often at
the bottom of a very big chain, it can feel as if your producer (that same
one that promised you the earth when convincing you to let them option
your script for £1) has disappeared off the face of the earth.
28/11/13 Hayden Collins 13p1
It is perfectly reasonable for you to expect your producer to keep you up to
date on progress but not all producers do this as often as they should. If
you find yourself in this position, it doesn’t do any harm to give them a
nudge. I’m not talking stalking here, just friendly, polite ‘what news?’ ‘is
there anything you need me to do?’ kind of approaches.
Sometimes the radio silence is because they are just, temporarily, snowed
under on something else that’s suddenly taken off. The great thing about
option agreements is that they END and you can decide at the end of the
option period whether you want to renew with that producer.
Don’t be afraid to ask them what they’ve actually done to make your
project happen in the time they’ve had it. If you’re unhappy with the
answers then start looking elsewhere for someone who will be more
passionate about your project and actively do more to get it made.
Being fired from your own project – This is not uncommon in films but
is, thankfully, very rare in television. Whether or not you can be fired from
your own project very much depends upon the kind of contract you’ve
signed. While you (and your agent) will want to do everything you can to
avoid this outcome it isn’t the end of the world if it happens. While it’s
unheard of in authored television drama it is an all-too-frequent
occurrence in both feature films and continuing drama series. If it happens
to you, take heart from the fact that you’re not the first and won’t be the
last to suffer this fate and it doesn’t mean that others in the industry will
think any the worse of you in the future.
There are many elements within the development process, some of which
require more input from you, like honing the script, and others, which
require your patience, like your producer raising the finance/convincing, a
TV network commissioner.
The key is balancing being positive and pro-active whilst waiting for things
to happen without you. While everyone involved is (hopefully!) working
hard to make your project a reality, there is no guarantee your project will
move into production.
My advice is to keep yourself equally busy dreaming up the next brilliant
project that is going to wow the industry. Before you know it you could be
so in demand with projects shooting and in development that you’ll
wonder why you ever doubted your ability to do this amazing job.
- Hayley McKenzie
28/11/13 Hayden Collins 13p1
Transcript of length of commissioning process slide show
“Responsive, proactive and an open door to writers, BBC
writersoom is always looking at new ways to find and
champion talent for all BBC platforms. “This quote has been
taken from the BBCwriters room. The BBC have created an easy
way for screen writers to allow their work to gain credibility
and provide them with further development. This is an example
of how the BBC‟s commissioning process is done. From
researching into how the BBC commission scripts I have found
that in order for a script to be complete the script writer must
have a finished script around 30 pages long, equivalent to
30minutes as they find it easier to access. This is the script
writers role within the commissioning process according to the
BBC.
Channel 4 offer 12 screenwriters a chance “Writers will be
expected to write an original, pilot one-hour to gain an insight
to the industry and drama series or serial episode, and 2-3
page outline pitch for the series serial as a whole. Each writer
will be assigned experience what its like to write for a script
editor, who is currently working in the industry, to television
company. Guide them through this process. The writers will
meet with their script editors between the course weekends to
discuss how to approach each draft. Second draft scripts will
be sent to the script editor and two other writers on the
course, for workshop discussions at the second weekend.” In
order for a screenwriter to be eligible for the channel 4
„4talentextra‟ course they must have created their own one
28/11/13 Hayden Collins 13p1
hour pilot for a series or episode and perform a pitch. If
accepted the screenwriters role is to meet up with a script
editor working in the industry to discus their original script.
The second draft scripts are then sent off to the script editor
and two other writers where the screenwriter will be in further
discussion on how to develop their script.
“Attend an extensive weekend or week long writing course.
Fellow audiences are aspiring and establishing writers and key
industry professionals. Many writers get their first break
through meeting someone at a course “It is important for the
screen writer to attend a certain amount of time on writing
course. This gives them the chance to interact with other
aspiring writers and industry professions. This is important for
the screenwriter to do within the commissioning process assign
the media industry it is what you know but who you know.
This is good chance for screen writers to get their name and
idea out there.
“The all important moment will come when a script editor or
professional reader opens your script at the first page – and
instantly forms a judgment. This judgment will be based on the
style and presentation of your work. It will be a superficial
judgment and a work of quality will shine through the poorest
layout. But it makes sense to give a good impression; the
impression of a serious writer confident about his work. “The
screen writer needs to make sure that their work is looking
professional before handing it into a company as bad
presentation will make the reader loose interest before even
reading any of your work.
28/11/13 Hayden Collins 13p1
“New writers who telephone or write are usually asked to send in
an example of their previous work. If this is interesting they will
be asked to submit story ideas and/or write half a trial script. If
this is greeted with enthusiasm they will be commissioned to
write a single episode, and invited to their first script meeting.
“When screen writers who reach out to an organization by
either telephone or writing in the company will ask the writer
to send in previous work. The screenwriter then needs to think
about what sort of work the company will be looking for and
pick out their best work to sending.
Conclusion After gaining knowledge of the commissioning process
from there sources above i have found out their are many things the
screen writer has to do in order to write a script and submit it to an
organization. First of all to create a script you need to be very
creative and open minded to change as it is most likely going to be
changed slightly or hugely after submitting it to a company. In order
to finish a full script it is important forth screen writers to attend
writing courses to interact with other aspiring writers and industry
professions. I have found that organizations such as the BBC have
given aspiring writers an opportunity to have their work seen and
learn from the experience. In my opinion the BBC and Channel4
websites gave me a better understanding of the screen writers role in
the commissioning process as the books go in detail on what is
expected from screen writers and doesn’t talk much about the
commissioning process itself.
28/11/13 Hayden Collins 13p1
Further Research and Changes to the Research Plan:
Look at how long it takes to produce a script, with all processes
involved
Evaluation of Research Process and your findings