Ten Things Smart Writers Do to Build a Screenwriting Career.
A successful screenwriting career depends on two main factors: perseverance and pure luck. Since we have no control over the latter, let us focus on the former, i.e. how best to Deck that works in your favor.
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The following list is in no particular order…
1. Follow the 10,000-hour rule.
At this point, most people are familiar with the theories of sociologist/author Malcolm GladwellThe 10,000 hour rule.
The 10,000 hour rule states:
In order for a person to master anything, he or she must devote at least 10,000 hours of practice, study, and application to the subject.
What does this mean for your screenwriting career? It’s simple: writers write. every day. Contrary to what you may think, this doesn’t mean you have to write 10,000 hours to sell a screenplay.
But here’s a handy guide and way to remember that if you want a career in screenwriting, you have to write a lot of.
you have to start writing multiple scripts. We’re not going to lie: your first few are going to suck. We mean, it’s so bad you wouldn’t even want your mother to see it, let alone a studio executive.
Let’s look at how to get yourself to the level that executives and producers are going to be you.
2. Move to Los Angeles.
While living in Hollywood is no longer absolutely necessary to launch a screenwriting career, it’s still highly recommended. But in summary, yes, you can start a writing career out of state or abroad. But it’s harder.
If you choose to stay away from Hollywood (or are forced to), remember that you will Need to travel to Los Angeles Quite frequently. This will be a meeting with all those in the industry who want to meet you face to face.
Here are 4 terrible reasons given by screenwriters for not moving to Los Angeles (and why you should ignore them). Moving here is definitely one of them this The best thing you can do to help your screenwriting career.
3. Break down the movie (mercilessly).
Watch as many movies as possible. Saw them many times. Study them. Break them down. Analyze them. In short, learn how to write a screenplay. Learn what’s great about their scenes and then apply it to your own.
For example, here are ten of the best screenwriting books to help you figure this out and help you understand the relationship between character and plot.
There is also the so-called Spielberg List It contains the titles of all the movies that Steven Spielberg requires people to have seen before working with him (although Snopes has proven that this fact is more myth than fact.)
Regardless, here’s an amazing list of cinema’s best. Check it out.
4. Read, read, read the script.
Forgive us for pointing out the obvious, but people who read the script! Many of the greatest screenplays have ever been published, including those by William Goldman, Robert Towne, and Quentin Tarantino.
Again, the internet is a very useful tool here, but we’ve made things easier for you by creating 50 of the best scripts for you to download and read.
We also recommend that you read the show Business Biography and Autobiography More familiar with the business and the people who help shape it.
5. Get representation.
In business, you are only as good as your manager and/or agent. period. The catch-22 is that many of them won’t represent you unless you don’t actually need them (i.e., when you already do).
Then again, it would be really hard to do it without them. So, how do you get a powerful representative in Hollywood to be interested in you and your work?
The days of finding representation through query letters are over, but some writers are still finding success this way.
You can try making targeted inquiries to agents and managers, we’ve created the ultimate guide to finding an agent or manager that you should definitely check out. However, most agents and managers obtain protection through…
6. The dirty word “Internet”.
Yes, screenwriters tend to be on the shy/introverted, downright antisocial side, but if this is you, you need to get over it. You have to get out there, touch the flesh, smile, be friendly and meet the right people to advance your career.
By “the right people” we mean those who have contact person and resource you do not know. Without these, it will be much more difficult to move up in Hollywood.
Try to think of it more as “social” and “helping people out” than networking.
7. Enter a screenwriting contest.
Another way to get representation is to be in the top 5 of some of the best screenwriting competitions. Every year, there seems to be a different writing competition or film festival born. The festival often hosts screenwriting competitions in connection with its film program.
The Best Screenplay competition has really made some writers’ careers. The most well-known of these is the Nicholl Fellowship, but others such as ScreenCraft also have a strong track record of helping writers transition professionally.
Some of the second level competitions include the Page Awards, Creative World Awards and the Austin Awards. film festival competition Influential ones include: Cinequest and the Atlanta Film Festival.
Check out our screenwriting calendar for updates on all competitions and scholarships throughout the year.
Bottom line: Get your work read and noticed by as many people as possible.
8. Join a writing group.
Another thing you should do in order to network is join (or form) a writers group. Gather a group (maximum 5 to 10) of smart, diverse-minded writers who meet weekly, biweekly, or monthly, read and criticism each other’s work.
Not only will this give you an objective perspective, but it will also allow you to maintain the discipline of writing regularly. However, it’s important to find the right team with the right chemistry, so don’t settle for less if the first team you find isn’t a good fit for you.
9. Consider going to film school.
You don’t have to take one of our 6 recommended screenwriting courses to become a screenwriter and/or filmmaker. Some of Hollywood’s biggest stars haven’t.
But if you want to chip in the way you like, stamp yourself with a voucher that makes you stand out, and Film school is the first step on your journey. Brand names do matter.
Admission to top schools: USC, UCLA, NYU, AFI, UT Austin, Northwestern University, and Columbia University (to name a few) is extremely competitive.
Most major colleges and universities now have some kind of film program, either as a liberal arts study or as a direct major. If you’re serious about screenwriting, learn it.
10. Never give up (unless you no longer have fun).
As we said at the beginning, success in show business (and indeed in most things) is a combination of perseverance and pure luck. If you want a successful screenwriting career, you have to keep swinging the bat and every pitch.
Chances are, not only will you end up connecting, you might even hit a bases-loaded home run. Most screenwriters (and actors, directors, producers, etc.) spend decades trying to “make it” before getting their big break.
If you choose show business as your life, then you have to give it your lifeoften at the expense of things that reasonable people who choose “normal” careers take for granted. But for the strong in heart, mind, and spirit, the rewards are not only great, but limitless.
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What steps have you taken to further your screenwriting career? Is there anything above that you disagree with? Or think we’ve missed out? Please leave your views in the comments section below.
Like this article? Read more about how to build a career as a screenwriter…
How to Sell a Screenplay: 6 of the Most Popular Sales Methods for New Writers
How to become a screenwriter: A professional guide to launching your career
How to Get a Screenwriter Agent and Manager in 10 Proven Steps
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