There's a big difference between writing a screenplay and writing a novel...
When writing a novel, that is the final product that the public will purchase and read. But nobody is going to pay to read your screenplay. Unless it gets financed, produced, and distributed, nobody is going to hear your message.
However, so many screenwriting gurus and educators seem to ignore the process that actually transports your words from the page to the screen.
For all the well-intentioned messaging about the craft of screenwriting, if there is no mention of finance, production, distribution, or marketing then you are only getting half the story.
It’s not magic. It’s a business like any other.
If you expect investors to spend millions of dollars to produce your work, and audiences to pay $15 to go and see it at the cinema, then you’d better know what they’re looking for.
As a screenwriter, you need to be aware of how the filmmaking process works, and how content gets from your head to an audience's eyes. Knowing how content gets financed allows you to understand what producers and investors need from a screenplay - and enables you to tailor your talents to give them what they want!
All this stuff is so important for screenwriters to understand before they ever write a single word on the page!
Too many screenwriters shoot in the dark when they sit down to write, and then wonder why their screenplays never get optioned or produced.
Don’t waste months or even years writing about something that nobody wants to see. Otherwise, no matter how good your script is, it will probably never get made. This essential knowledge will help you to choose the right kind of subject matter to write about, and the right way to do it.
This is the number one reason that I see talented screenwriters struggling to make it in this industry. Unfortunately, a lot of screenwriting advice focuses far too much on simply writing a “good” script without giving enough thought as to what kind of content distributors and audiences are really looking for.
Learning how films and TV shows get made gives you the best chance of having your screenplay picked up to be financed and produced!
When you write a screenplay, you're not writing in isolation. You have many practical considerations to take into account that will determine how successful it will be.
This might seem like a constraint, something that stops you from expressing yourself. In fact, the opposite is true. If you embrace this process, it will make you a better and more efficient writer.
You're part of a bigger process. Stop thinking of yourself as "just" a screenwriter, and start seeing yourself as a "filmmaker"! Get to know the industry that you're trying to break into, and watch how it changes your focus.
All great screenwriters know how content gets financed and produced, and they adapt their work accordingly to give themselves the best chance of success.
Not sure where to start? Check out some of the other articles on our website!
This is the stuff they don't teach you at film school… and frankly, I’m not sure why.
Ricky Margolis has over 15 years' experience in the entertainment industry, and has been involved in the finance, development, production, and/or distribution of over 30 titles.
To check out all the books in our series "How The Hell... Do I Get My Film Financed?" on film & TV finance and production, please click here.
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