A screenwriter is hired for a negotiated fee to write or rewrite a script within a certain timeframe. The writer is guaranteed of payment if he/she fulfills the terms of the contract (and the employer honors the contract).

A work-for-hire generally consists of steps in which the writer receives a payment for each portion of the script that is delivered on schedule. Steps might include the beat sheet, treatment, first draft, producer’s draft, polish draft, etc.

Unfortunately, it is becoming more commonplace for studios to use “one step deals” in which the writer gets only one payment for one pass then is often asked to do extra drafts for free (usually to incorporate notes from the studio, the producer or talent). (also see Packaging a script) The WGA is trying to crack down on these abuses.

Work-for-Hire is generally only for experienced writers. A newcomer must be known for at least one quality spec script before being considered for work-for-hire jobs (see Spec Script).

A Work-for-Hire is also known as a writing assignment. The screenwriter is writing “on assignment” (with employer) as opposed to “on spec” (on their own).

The plot of a screenplay written out in prose form, generally in one to two pages. The story, specifically the action of the story; beginning, middle, and end; very clearly written and meticulously proofread.

The treatment should be very spare and straightforward — it should not contain extraneous emotional or cerebral content nor long excerpts of dialogue. I feel that it is crucial for a screenwriter to write a treatment of their story before they begin writing the actual script to see how it works on the page and how it is balanced to the four act structure, and then also after they’re finished to help market it. Many companies will require a one page treatment sent ahead of time for review before they accept the screenplay.

Also called a synopsis or pitch; not to be confused with a long-form 25 page treatment, or even longer scriptment (a phrase popularized by James Cameron) which includes blocked excerpts of dialogue and can be written moreso in a hybrid screenplay format.

It should also be noted that it is extremely difficult for unestablished writers to sell just a treatment without the accompanying screenplay. Employers want to see your unique concept executed on the screenplay page in your voice before they’ll buy just the idea and general structure in treatment form.

A waiver provided by a production company and signed by an un-repped writer who is making an unsolicited submission (see Unsolicited Submission). Protects the production company in the event they produce a film featuring a similar story as the writer’s screenplay and it produces a paper trail for the writer as a record of the submission.

The Submission Release Form is the way around the “no unsolicited submissions” rule if a production company really wants to read your script.

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 is to have a strong spec screenplay that will establish them by being an impressive writing sample or their first sale.

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 registration) and $22 in NY (10 years registration). It may be done online, via mail or in person at the offices in New York or Los Angeles. You should also copyright your work (see Copyright). Titles cannot be protected.

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, 20-30 words.

HERE is an article with more detail about my approach to query letters.

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 new screenwriters are for small sums of money; in most cases, a new writer should consider the track record of the producer (thus the likelihood of their script being sold and produced) as being more important than the price.

A sale is an outright purchase of a screenplay, but many sales listed in the trades contain the “guarantee/upfront” amount and the production bonus (e.g. $100,000 against $300,000). One sum is paid up front (usually in steps) and the remainder of the money is paid if and when the film either goes into active development or begins production. This is to insure the studio against overpaying for scripts that will just sit on their shelves, since they buy more material than they can actually make into films.

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, Liar), “Die Hard on a bus” (Speed), “Emma at an L.A. high school” (Clueless) or “Invasion of the Body Snatchers meets The Breakfast Club” (The Faculty). Very helpful with marketing because any one can quickly understand the idea (and hopefully get a sense of genre, tone, and theme) and will be inspired to read the script. But your concept, logline and pitch must be CLEAR. (See also cross-genre and The Big Idea)

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 about the protagonist and the throughline and it doesn’t explain the story logic that links those two concepts together.