By: Sarah Chaisson-Warner
Your goal is clear – you want to be a working screenwriter! You may have even already plotted out your pathway to success. But did you know there are a lot of different ways to break into the industry and become a professional screenwriter? You might think the only way to get there is to sell a spec script or to join a TV writers room, but there are so many other options you might consider to help you meet your career goals!
Commercials
Many screenwriters write and/or direct television commercials as a way to start or continue their entertainment careers. While writing for television commercials is significantly different from writing a short film or a feature film, there are still similarities that make feature and TV writers excellent candidates for taking on this work.
Most commercials are 15, 30 or 60 seconds long, and require a few important things to be successful, including a strong storyline, a tone that corresponds with the brand’s goals, and a call to action (the goal for the commercial – what does the client want the viewer to do?)
Writing for commercials can be an exciting creative experience – you’ll have the opportunity to join a team (typically comprised of a creative art director and a copywriter from the advertising agency.) Together, you’ll work with the client to determine their ultimate goal, and from there build the idea and content for the commercial. Once the material is ready, the advertising agency hires a director and a production company to oversee and film the commercial.
Several Shore Scripts writers and directors have written and directed commercials, including Brendan Beachman, winner of the Short Film Fund with his script, A WEDDING DAY. A graduate of Montana State University, he moved to Los Angeles in 2009 to pursue a career in film. He cut his teeth writing, directing, producing, editing, and sound designing hundreds of advertisements and is now a full-time commercial director with worldwide representation.
“There is a decent amount of crossover with commercial and film production,” he says. “I’ve used the connections I’ve made from that, and from many film festivals (from my short films) to create a network of trusted industry folk to reach out when we have something to read.” His ultimate dream, he says, is “a career composed of 60% film/tv and 40% commercials.”
Ghostwriting or Script Doctoring
Ghostwriting is the practice of creating content for someone else, who then is given the credit for having created the content. Many people think that ghostwriting only applies to books, but ghostwriters are used for a variety of media forms, including script writing.
In films and screenwriting, ghostwriters are often referred to as Script Doctors. Known for “punching up” a screenplay, these script doctors are often brought in to strengthen a script or add a certain dramatic or comedic element that might be missing in the current draft. Comedian Patton Oswalt shared that he also was a script doctor in Hollywood. For Oswalt, he was hired to “think up funny, off-screen jokes that people who aren’t on screen can yell over the unfunny, uninteresting action to make it a comedy.”
One of the more famous uses of a script doctor was Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia in the Star Wars franchise) for “Lethal Weapon 3.” Maybe less well-known is M. Night Shyamalan – even though he’s well-known for his work in the horror and suspense genre, he also served as a Script Doctor for the teen movie “She’s All That.”
While these examples demonstrate that anyone in Hollywood can be called upon to be a film’s script doctor, they are used frequently to improve a script undergoing edits and offer a fantastic opportunity for up-and-coming writers looking to advance their craft, while taking on a variety of projects.
Write-for-hire
Write-for-hire is different from ghostwriting in that you are hired by someone else to write a script for their use, but you remain the writer for credit purposes. Platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, Screenwriting Staffing, and others allow people to advertise for writers to create a specific story for them.
Sometimes, you may be hired to write a script from scratch, based on the client’s idea. Other times, you might be writing a script based on existing intellectual property, like a short story or a poem that the client owns. Production companies may ask writers to come in and pitch their take on a specific idea with the intention of hiring one of the writers who pitch. These can also be called Open Writing Assignments, or OWAs.
Writing-for-hire provides writers with an excellent opportunity to build their portfolio, take credit for their work, and gain critical experience working with clients. Write-for-hire jobs can also strengthen your ability to set goals, work on a deadline, and communicate proactively with the client.
Screenwriter Mark Fyers has worked with clients from several different countries as a writer-for-hire, creating features and short films for his clients. Each of his clients had an idea for a film script, but needed someone with the skills and creativity needed to take their idea and craft the story.
“These opportunities helped set me up for writing in someone else’s voice, as well as enabled me to expand into other writing fields such as consulting, script reading for production companies, mentoring, and proofreading, etc,” he says. “It was also helpful to see what can sell and what isn’t going to be marketable.”
While write-for-hire or OWA jobs can be a great opportunity, it’s important to know too that some listings don’t always mean the person or company will actually hire the writer for the job. Some listings are “speculative,” so be sure to inquire up front about the terms of the job, payment, and more. If you need additional support, consider working with a seasoned entertainment lawyer who can help you navigate the sometimes complicated parts of negotiating a write-for-hire gig.
Script Reader
Script reading is also an excellent entry point into the entertainment industry. Script readers (sometimes referred to as a story analyst or a script analyst) read scripts and offer a review or critique of them (often referred to as coverage).
If you’re reading for a contest or other writer-based service, you’ll provide coverage designed to help the writer improve their script by strengthening the plot, dialogue, characters arcs, and more. If you’re reading for a production company, your purpose is a bit different – the coverage is designed to help determine a script’s quality, marketability, and potential for production. (Interested in learning more about the difference between writer-focused and industry-based coverage? Click here.)
While script reader jobs can be difficult to find and break into, many writers interested in practicing and strengthening their coverage skills start by providing coverage on Coverfly’s X program. On Coverfly X, writers can post their script for free, and receive notes on their screenplay from other writers. Recipients of script notes can then “rate” their coverage, giving you an opportunity to build a reputation for quality coverage before applying for coveted reader positions.
Contest Entries
Submitting your script to contests is also a fantastic way to build your reputation and get noticed by the industry! Many contests provide prizes, including cash awards, mentorship, and industry connections for the winners.
Not all contests, though, are created equal. First, do your research. Does the contest have a track record of supporting writers and a history of success? Similarly, as you consider which contests to enter, think through what your career goals are, and what you might need to meet your goals. Are you new to the industry and don’t have a lot of personal connections? Consider a contest that will not only share your script among industry professionals, but actively work on your behalf to help you meet the right people at the right time. Shore Scripts’ contests are all about supporting new writers, helping them continue to develop their work and get the script in the right hands. (Want to know more about how our Writer Development Manager, Ajit Samra, works with writers? Click here.)
Or perhaps you’re a more established writer, but are looking to take your writing to the next level. In this case, consider entering contests that offer ongoing mentorship with an industry leader as part of the prize package. Our Short Film Fund (final deadline – October 31!) pairs the Grand Prize and Second Place Winner with Oscar-nominated producer Maria Gracia Turgeon. Our TV Pilot Contest has paired winners with Sean Charles from AMC Networks and Casting Director John Papsidera.
Whatever your goals are, entering your script into respected contests can help catapult your career. But don’t take our word for it – hear from over 100 alumni of Shore Scripts contests that have gained representation, optioned, sold, and had their screenplays produced.
Take the Next Step
Remember that each writer’s path into the industry will be unique, including yours! And while you might take the path of winning a prestigious contest and leveraging the results, or instead take on a series of write-for-hire jobs, each step taken that allows you to improve your craft is the right one. Keep writing, keep building your network, and be open to whatever possibilities the industry may offer.
