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Interested in Screenwriting
- Thread starter Reel
- Start date
There are a number of ways to start of a career as a screenwriter in the UK, here's a couple of examples of places you might look to send your work.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/
http://www.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk/scriptdev
As for whether you'd need to move to LA or where ever i couldn't really say, I live in the UK myself and have never been out of Europe. I suspect it would be much the same, you still need to produce good work and send it to people in the states just as you would need to here.
I brought a camera and got together with a few like-minded people to write and shoot some stuff but really i want to write films so if i ever do anything i feel is good enough i'd look to send it off to the UK film council or something. Its all about putting yourself out there and takign chances wherever you are in the world.
I do feel however that the genre of film you'd want to jump start your career may differ if you wanted to get it it funded/made whatever through UK organisations than perhaps some US ones.
British film organisations rarely seem to produce or back big budget action films for example so maybe you would want to look at sending a script overseas. I really couldn't comment on how you would go about that though i don't think the big US companies have information on where to send a script on the web for the public to see, i may be wrong though.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/
http://www.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk/scriptdev
As for whether you'd need to move to LA or where ever i couldn't really say, I live in the UK myself and have never been out of Europe. I suspect it would be much the same, you still need to produce good work and send it to people in the states just as you would need to here.
I brought a camera and got together with a few like-minded people to write and shoot some stuff but really i want to write films so if i ever do anything i feel is good enough i'd look to send it off to the UK film council or something. Its all about putting yourself out there and takign chances wherever you are in the world.
I do feel however that the genre of film you'd want to jump start your career may differ if you wanted to get it it funded/made whatever through UK organisations than perhaps some US ones.
British film organisations rarely seem to produce or back big budget action films for example so maybe you would want to look at sending a script overseas. I really couldn't comment on how you would go about that though i don't think the big US companies have information on where to send a script on the web for the public to see, i may be wrong though.
Is that American football, or UK football, Mr. Martell? 
NORTH DALLAS FORTY or BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM ???
NORTH DALLAS FORTY or BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM ???
With technology being what it is, I can't imagine you'd have to leave Europe to be a successful screenwriter in any capacity.
Assuming that's all you want to do.
Assuming that's all you want to do.
I meant Canadian football.
The thing is - it is very difficult to break in, and very difficult to stay in. It's not a job with a regular paycheck. You work your butt off, and maybe earn nothing. Last year there were 88 spec script sales out of, what? 75k screenplays?
So you have to love doing it.
- Bill
The thing is - it is very difficult to break in, and very difficult to stay in. It's not a job with a regular paycheck. You work your butt off, and maybe earn nothing. Last year there were 88 spec script sales out of, what? 75k screenplays?
So you have to love doing it.
- Bill
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well i d suggest you to take up a course in screen writing to understand the concept of writing ... Screen Writing is a Marvelous career .. the money is huge and fast fame in this world of glamor .... Asia is a good domain to experiment at the initial stages .... later the domain in this field is clear you can try for Hollywood.. coming to institution part .. why don't you try out for whistling Woods international.. one of the best in Asia ..
below is the link
http://www.whistlingwoods.net/main.asp
below is the link
http://www.whistlingwoods.net/main.asp
I'm not sure you NEED to take a course. If you've got material in your head already, all you really need is a book that can properly explain the structure and process of screenwriting, maybe even something that can give you an idea of the marketplace itself.
To be honest, I can't think of a specific title. I've got "The Screenwriter's Bible" and that's not too bad, but I'm sure there's something better out there.
As far as being successful goes, it's just a question of having the talent to come up with something good and the talent to work your ass off.
Not to mention a ton of luck along the way.
It's not impossible, but it does require a hefty level of dedication.
To be honest, I can't think of a specific title. I've got "The Screenwriter's Bible" and that's not too bad, but I'm sure there's something better out there.
As far as being successful goes, it's just a question of having the talent to come up with something good and the talent to work your ass off.
Not to mention a ton of luck along the way.
It's not impossible, but it does require a hefty level of dedication.
hey reel if you are interested in cinematography you have to get yourself trained .. India has many good colleges offering Film Making Course .. you can Try out for Whistling Woods International .. it is the best in Asia .. if you Do well In this Institute, you are on a roll as they maintain international standars so the chances of going abroad and making your career doubles up .
here is the link ..
http://www.whistlingwoods.net/main.asp
here is the link ..
http://www.whistlingwoods.net/main.asp
Naw, you don't have to move to America do be a good screenwriter. Just keep writing scripts, produce them, and try and get into the film circuit. From what I hear, Europe has a pretty good one anyway. Also, go and read other screenplays to try and get the format down and learn the basics like where the action, dialogue, headings, and such go and just fill in the blanks with your brilliant ideas.
Good luck to you.
Good luck to you.
Oh, man. Anyone who thinks screenwriting is a "fill in the blanks" activity is not committed to the craft. Sure, anyone can churn out cookie cutter crap, but if you want to be successful, take the time and learn the craft. There is no paint by numbers solution to successful screenwriting. The craft of filmmaking involves evoking emotions in the audience. The craft of the screenwriter is to evoke emotions in the reader. If you cannot generate the desired emotional responses in the reader, chances are it will never make it to the screen. Structure, format, character, plot, dialogue, etc. is maybe 50% of the process and are the "mechanics" of screenwriting. Evoking emotions with your words is the "craft". Learn both.
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If you put your mind and heart into to it anything in this world is possible. Some people will say negative things and that's only because they haven't reached it. Listen to the ones that have for a better feedback and positive people. If its in your heart then don't let anyone stop from what you want to do.
When I said fill in the blanks, I meant that the OP should know the formula and use it as best as they could for their story. I never meant that they should be cookie cutter or anything, just that the format is very important to penning a screenplay, just as it would be for poetry or novels. Knowing the format is one of the first steps to becoming a great writer (and having ideas of course).
Maybe I didn't make myself clear on my previous post, but I in no way, shape, or form condone cookie cutter, paint by numbers scripts.
But that was my point. Just because a script looks correct in all the mechanical aspects and has all the plot points and transitions on the the right pages does not mean it is a good script, and it does not mean you are a good writer. Learning the margins and setting them up in your word processor takes 10 minutes (or no time at all if you're using software that does it for you - I didn't have this luxury when I first started learning 20+ years ago). Learning the three act structure (a dying art even as admitted by Syd Field) is also pretty easy to do. Making it interesting, provocotive, visceral, engaging, realistic and a profound emotional roller coaster is not so easy to learn. That's the craft.
Screenwriting is like poker. You can learn the mechanics in a relatively short time, but to master the game takes a whole lot longer. And it's much more involved than "four of a kind beats a full house". And your odds of winning the main event are about the same, too, or perhaps worse. So you might as well take the time to learn the game the way the pros play it or else you're just more dead money at the table.
^^
Huh, never quite looked at it that way. I've only been writing for two years, but this does help. Thanks for sharing the info.
Huh, never quite looked at it that way. I've only been writing for two years, but this does help. Thanks for sharing the info.
One of the quotes in Karl Iglesias's book, "Writing for Emotional Impact", is from Earnest Hemmingway:
"When you first start writing, you never fail. You think it's wonderful. You think it's easy to write and you enjoy it very much, but you're thinking of yourself, not the reader. He doesn't enjoy it very much. Later, when you have learned to write for the reader, it's no longer easy to write."
I thought my first screenplay was incredible! But it only got marginal interest from the agencies. Most responses were just standard rejection letters. Others wanted something else. In retrospect, I wrote it for my dad. He was my principal audience. And he loved it. But he was the minority. A huge budget sci-fi action thriller from an unknown writer just didn't go over too well for some reason. Go figure. I didn't take into account that my target readers (not just screeners, but producers, directors, agents - anyone with the power to mark "recommend" on my script) get piles and piles of this stuff every day. The best way to get it to the top of the pile is to move them emotionally, make it stand out from the stack of formulaic drivel and leave a lasting "Wow!" impression. And every page must have it. From the very first line of your script, it must have emotional impact. Same is true for any form of writing. Grab them from the first line, hold them, slap them around emotionally, and dump them off at the last line exhausted from the emotional roller coaster on which you just threw them.
For independents, I firmly believe it is equally as important. What better way to get someone on board with your project and excited about it than to wow them with the script? If you're going to produce it yourself, it's not as important to nail the writing. But before I spent one dime on producing anything, I would make damn sure anyone who reads my script has some kind of emotional response even if it's negative. Those responses will tell me if it's worth the effort.
Good luck.
