A spec script is a screenplay written to be sold on the open market, as opposed to one commissioned by a studio or production company (see Work-for-Hire). No guarantee of payment. The greater risk of a spec script can pay off in a bigger sale. The only way for a new screenwriter to break in […]
The final draft of a screenplay before going into production. Has been given the final okay by the Director, the Producers and Executives and contains scene numbers and possibly camera cues and other visual references. As a spec screenwriter, you should not be concerned with shooting scripts or formatting your script to look like one. […]
All screenplays and written material should be registered with the Writer’s Guild of America West or East before submitting to anyone or any professional entity. Your work (anything written may be registered) will be sealed in an envelope (or digitally archived) and date stamped. For non-members, this service currently costs $20 in L.A. (five years […]
The submission draft. A screenplay written to be submitted to a production company. Should read well and flow; should not contain scene numbers or visual directions. A Reader’s script should feature a dynamic opening, short scenes, fast pacing and never exceed 120 pages in length (see Shooting Script). I suggest you keep it under 110 […]
I always suggest opening with a compliment — the “kill ’em with kindness” approach — that way you don’t just sound like you want something from them but you’re here to contribute something to their obviously stellar output. Plus, everyone likes a little ego stroke, especially in Hollywood. Open the letter by congratulating them on […]
A short letter to a professional company, via email, mail or fax, making them aware of you and your screenplay and “pitching” the story to them in the hopes they’ll request it. Three to five short paragraphs and one page maximum — must be very clear and meticulously proofread. Must include your logline: one sentence, […]
Attaching talent to your screenplay. I.e., getting an actor and/or a director to officially declare interest in the script to raise the chances of a sale and production. This is very difficult to do without representation (see Unsolicited Submission), and even more so to attach a “star” as their agents will refuse to look at […]
An Option is when a producer pays for the right to purchase a screenplay in a set period of time, essentially taking it off the market. In that period (e.g., 6 months, 1 year) they have the exclusive right to shop the script around, hoping to get it sold, financed, or produced. Most options to […]
Dear Screenwriters, I have been an Inktip member for years and I recommend it to every screenwriter I meet, coach or collaborate with. I know several writers who have found success by listing their scripts on Inktip. In fact, Inktip is the only site outside of my own that I’ve ever endorsed for the simple […]
After emerging from my sub-basement cryo-chamber as my alter-ego Telematic Dan, I covered the red carpet premiere of Mad Men Season 4 in Hollywood, CA at the Mann Chinese Theater 6 (in the same complex as the famous Grauman’s Chinese Theatre). For a round-up of the night, go here. One moment that stuck out was […]
Dear Screenwriter, you gotta be willing to kill your puppies. Here’s a quick rule that is deceptively simple, very powerful and utterly crucial. This is a rule none of us can escape. This applies to every scene in your script: If a SCENE does not:
Dan Calvisi interviews comedy writer, director, star Louis C.K. about his new show Louie on FX Networks. Louis C.K. discusses creative freedom, the differences between cable and major network comedy programming, writers’ rooms and how he got his start in television.
A while back, I was sent an advance copy of Tales from the Script: 50 Hollywood Screenwriters Share Their Stories and I can report that is a fantastic book that gives you the inside word from the best, most influential and most legendary screenwriters in the business. If you’re working on your first screenplay, have […]
There’s a reason why that anti-gravity hallway effect in Inception looks so amazing. It’s because that shit is real. No CGI. It’s a giant rig that rotates 360 degrees and it must have cost a fortune. It’s another example of how and why Christopher Nolan is this generation’s James Cameron. Like Cameron, Nolan insists on […]
Because this A-Team does not help people in trouble. They’re only out for revenge. This A-Team did not serve time in the same military unit and then escape from a prison camp, thus bonding them together for life. In fact… This A-Team doesn’t make any sense, whatsoever. And it just got pitied like a fool […]
Would you like to learn how to write a screenplay from a professional screenwriter and Script Doctor who has worked for major movie studios and is based in Los Angeles, California, Hollywood, the entertainment capital of the world? I can give you the TOOLS — the professional screenwriting how to — to write a great […]
A script or screenplay Logline states the story in one active sentence, focusing on the concept, main story engine, unique Protagonist and main conflict. Ideally in 25 words or less… A female FBI trainee must enlist the aid of a brilliant, imprisoned serial killer to catch another serial killer-at-large. A logline is NOT a tagline. […]
A unique premise easily understood in a single sentence. A high-concept screenplay often contains a “hook” that puts a twist on a classic situation or even another successful film. A concept that immediately sounds commercial that would attract big names and big box-office. E.g. “A superhero family” (The Incredibles), “A lawyer who can’t lie” (Liar, […]
Script Development is the process by which a written submission is developed into a final shooting script. The department in a studio that handles all written material: finding the material, evaluating it and recommending to buy it.
Combining two easily understood genres in a fresh mix. E.g., Science Fiction-Western, Horror-Comedy. The more unique your take the better, but you must be able to capture this mix CLEARLY in a logline so the reader understands your intended style, tone and the story. Just saying “Star Wars meets The Dark Knight” gives no specifics […]