JOB ROLES IN FILM
& TELEVISION:
UNDERSTANDING
THE INDUSTRY
+ Documentary viewing
Working towards Know about the commissioning process for writing for television and video
U24 GC1:
Know about the ■ Commissioning:
commissioning – job roles within the commissioning process (commissioning
process for writing for editors, producers, directors, script editors, agents, writers);
television and video – commissioning bodies (corporations, independent production
companies, independent directors or producers, organisations,
competitions);
– the role of the writer throughout production (pre-production
planning, script editing, director or producer involvement,
shooting script production, page lock-down, adjustment during
shooting stage)
■ Working as a writer:
– agent representation;
– royalty payments;
– professional presentation;
– time management
■ Legal and ethical considerations:
– copyright;
– bias;
– censorship;
– watersheds;
– libel;
– Plagiarism.
THE
PRODUCTION
PROCESS
Documentary screening
Focus: what does the writer do and how do they work with others during the production process
(pre-production, production & post-production)?
Make notes about all of the roles, and skills needed, mentioned during the screening :
– Producer (& pitching, financing, contracts, budgeting & marketing)
– Director (& production process)
– Composer
– Editor
– Screenwriter
– Agents
(There’s quite a lot of information, so you’ll need a few sheets of paper).
ScreenSkills
(www.screenskills.com)
Research
■ Go to the ScreenSkills website and navigate to the Job Profiles
section:
– Careers> Job Profiles
■ Looking predominantly in the Film & TV Drama section (but do
look in Games and Animation too), read through the job profiles
for:
– Screenwriter (and script reader & script editor)
– Director
– Producer
– Development Producer (and development assistant)
There are some great links to articles, videos and case
studies throughout the profiles – take the time to access
them. Click on every link and dropdown.
■ Start constructing a timeline for the journey of the script – what
is the first step and what happens between that and a film
going into production?
Commissioning bodies
& methods
Commissioning bodies:
– Corporations
– Independent production companies
– Independent directors or producers
– Organisations
– Competitions
■ Find examples for each commissioning body and
identify the source of the idea / script.
■ Considering at the different commissioning bodies
above, what is the likely process for getting
commissioned?
Getting commissioned
Getting optioned or commissioned is difficult and a lot of writers
struggle to get their name recognised, some never get
commissioned or even get an opportunity to pitch. However, many
different avenues exist for new and first time writers.
Optioning means that a company or person wants to turn your story
into a product or they want to stop others from doing so. Therefore,
they will pay a certain sum to ‘hold’ your idea for a specified amount
of time, with the intention of getting it produced.
“You can get paid and have a good career from projects that never
get made […] Although nothing was being made, the experience
was good. The practice of doing it makes you learn”.
- Lee Hall (Inside Scriptwriting Seminar, June 2011)
Commissioning bodies
Depending on the commissioning body, processes and chances of success are different. For
example, if you enter a competition, the process in which your screenplay may be commissioned
is completely different to the process in which it may be commissioned if you send your script to
a major organisation.
Commissioning bodies exist in a range of forms and vary form large corporations to small
independent production companies. In the traditional route of ‘selling’ your product to a
production company, you would encounter one of the above.
Commissioning bodies
As detailed when looking at the different job roles in
the commissioning process, the development
producer’s duties include searching for new or
untapped talent, and being scouted by one may be a
foot in the door. Other major corporations, such as the
BBC, also offer a variety of opportunities to get your
work seen such as the BBC Writer’s Room, although
Sky and other TV channels also commission.
■ Go to the BBC Writers’ Room and have a good look
at their website — what do they do and what are
they looking for?
Commissioning bodies
If pitching to a smaller / independent production
company it may be beneficial to you if you are an
unknown writer as you will be cheaper to work with (for
the most part). Smaller production companies often do
their own script editing and also sometimes receive
financing from larger corporations to develop scripts in
return for revenue generated by the final product.
For example, when Stephen Moffat and Mark Gatiss
conceived the new look Sherlock (2010) they went to
the BBC to acquire funding even though it was Sue
Virtue’s (Stephen’s wife) independent production
company, Hartswood Films, that produced the series.
Commissioning bodies
Independent directors have an easier job of producing
their own screenplays in regards to the amount of power
that they have over the final product, however, getting
into the position in which you can afford to produce your
own screenplay is the tough part.
Directors like Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriquez, Jim
Jarmusch and Paul Thomas Anderson all write and direct
their own screenplays and also have involvement with
other directors. For example, aside from directing his own
screenplays, Tarantino has also written True Romance
(Tony Scott, 1993) and From Dusk ‘Til Dawn (Robert
Rodriquez, 1996). He also wrote and directed the two-
part episode Grave Danger for Television series CSI:
Crime Scene Investigation (2005).
Commissioning bodies
The same can be said for independent producers
because although they have the freedom / power to find
and finance a screenplay, all decisions made are then on
their heads and they are answerable to the financiers if
the finished product does not succeed, and that’s if they
get to that stage.
As we know, many more screenplays are commissioned
than are eventually made. Independent producers have a
huge array of responsibilities including getting the writer
on-board and often according to Sue Virtue “having to do
your own script editing” (Inside Independent TV
Production, July 2011).
Commissioning bodies
Organisations such as The Script Factory and ScreenSkills exist to aid and nurture
screenwriters and people that work with writers. They don’t finance screenplay
development but they do offer help in developing scripts and give advice to improving
work and getting it seen. Again, the BBC is another example of an organisation that
offer help and / or advice in screenwriting, through the BBC Writer’s Room.
In America and Britain, competitions often run to find new and exciting writers. The BBC
Writer’s Room usually has a list of a competitions that are running both in Britain and
internationally. Competitions run all the time and they are often a great way into gaining
some recognition. The Blue Cat screenplay competition is a fairly well-known writing
competition that is certainly worth exploring.
Commissioning bodies - summary
1. List 5 ways a script can go into production
– Give specific examples for each method
2. What is optioning?
– Read this article and then summarise optioning in 100 words
or less ( https://screencraft.org/2019/11/21/the-screenwriters-simple-guide-to-screenplay-options/ )
The Writer
We’ve now looked at the way a scrip emerges but we need to investigate the changes and
development that occur once a first draft has been produced, and how the writer then impacts /
implements those changes throughout the production process, and how they work with the other
members of the crew in order to do this.
This includes:
■ Script editing
■ Director and producer involvement (to suggest / impact changes)
■ Shooting script production
■ Page lock-down
■ Adjustments to the script during the shooting stage and during post.
Case study: Lee Hall
Lee Hall is an British writer who has found fame writing
for film, radio and the theatre.
Hall was born in Newcastle in 1966. He originally
studied science believing that he would pursue a career
in that field. However, after starting his studies, he
decided that route was not for him and he changed his
focus to English, with his sights set on becoming a
playwright.
Knowing that he wanted to follow his dream of writing
for the theatre, Hall studied English at Cambridge
because “they have more money to put on plays” and he
began ‘writing’ by adapting plays.
Hall on: writing for film
As of 2011, Hall had written between 30 and 40
screenplays; out of those, three were made into feature
films and he had his name taken off three others. In
the film industry, this is considered to be a good hit
rate.
Hall’s first screenplay to be adapted into a film was Billy
Elliot, the film of which was released in 2000 (Stephen
Daldry). Upon reflection of the writing process for Billy
Elliot Hall said, “I brainstormed ideas that were wholly
unconnected […] I wrote the script in about two weeks
but then spent four years trying to make it”.
Eventually, the director Daldry got the money together
to make the film, without him the screenplay may never
have made the transition to feature film.
Hall on: working with a film director
“The hardest part about being a writer is to get others to see the final product”.
Hall has taken his name off several projects after disagreements with directors
and producers, however, when I Luv You Jimmy Spud was released, Hall legally
could not remove his name. Jimmy Spud was commissioned after Hall had won
several awards for his radio play of the same name. After writing a script for a film
version, which passed through the hands of many directors, Hall finally secured a
director and funding for the film to be made. However, after a month of perfecting
his script, Hall then received another script from the director (which was not
good!) Hall then spoke to the producer who told him that he had to do what the
director said and after an unsuccessful ultimatum, Hall left the project.
“The writer has very little influence in film, not like in plays or in the theatre”.
Hall on: writing for the theatre
Hall says that it is more difficult to write for the theatre as, unlike in films there are no cuts,
therefore, the script is written differently. However, a plus side is that a writer in the theatre is
more respected than in film and no changes are made without their consent.
“When you’ve signed (the rights to your work) you have no control over what is then made”.
Hall has earned much more money working in theatre than he has writing for film.
“Writing for film is hard and honest”.
Hall on: scripting tips
“It is difficult to pitch and get commissioned at the moment”. This is due to several factors,
firstly a lot of series and programmes are ‘pre-commissioned’ meaning that a new series is
already in the pipeline. Also, until you have your first script written and optioned, you may
struggle to get your name out there.
A good pitch is really important and crucial to your chances of success. Hall believes in invited
audience readings and a “general discussion of the thing”. In the pitch there are two key words,
“hook” and “narrative”. Hall says that you must, “woo, engage and interest your audience”.
It’s not all doom and gloom however as you will get paid, even if you don’t see any of your scripts
turned into films. “You can get paid and have a good career from projects that never get made
[…] Although nothing was being made the experience was good. The practice of doing it makes
you learn”.
Hall on: scripting tips (cont’d).
Hall is a believer that inspiration from other texts is ok, just as
long as you don’t copy directly:
“I don’t know anyone who thinks that they are original.
It’s all a collage of ideas; copy, change and make it your own”.
“I used to get up and watch eight films a day to learn about
film format and language”.
“You can have a really good script and still fuck it up”.
Hall’s has collaborated with Richard Curtis on War Horse
(Steven Spielberg, 2011) and he also wrote and co-wrote
Victoria and Abdul (2017), Cats (2019) and Rocketman
(2019).
CHANGES
TO THE
SCRIPT
Script coverage
Coverage is a term used to describe an analysis of a screenplay during
script development, usually by a script reader. You can now submit
screenplays to independent script readers online who will carry out this
service for a small fee. It will be assessed, marked and graded according
to a set of guidelines.
Changes to the screenplay
It is a really difficult position to be in when changes to your script are
suggested; do you keep your artistic integrity and insist on your original work
being accepted or do you bite the bullet and make the changes in order to
build on your chances of getting commissioned?
Changes can be suggested or insisted upon for many reasons;
■ The narrative is too similar to another text (errors and omissions insurance)
■ The narrative is unworkable or absurd / plot holes?
■ Budgetary constraints.
Changes to the screenplay
Changes to a script can occur at various stages in the production
process;
■ Pre-production: the script readers and editors, director or producer
may suggest changes to make the script more viable
■ Production: difficulties in production, such as location, may impact on
the script and merit changes.
“Changes to the script are often motivated by budget” – Sue Virtue
Shooting script
Shooting scripts are different from
spec screenplays.
Read this article on the (brilliant) No
Film School website:
https://nofilmschool.com/shooting-script-example
Page lock-down
When a script goes into production, it will have been assigned page and scene numbers for ease
when shooting. If changes are made to the script during production, there are strict guidelines
on how those changes should be logged and distributed.
Page lock-down is vital if screenplays are to be filmed / produced effectively. Locking a page
down is the process in which any changes or revisions to the script are coded specifically and
sent out as individual pages as opposed to having to manually change the numbers on any
subsequent page or force members of the cast and crew to transfer large sections of
handwritten notes over and over.
For example, if a line of dialogue is removed from page 54, the original page 54 is removed and
page 54A is distributed and then, if more than one new page is needed, it would be 54B, 54C
etc. New pages are also printed in different colours to make them easier to identify.
Blocking a scene
Blocking a scene is simply working out the details of an actor’s moves in relation to the
camera.
Read this article from the New York Film Academy blog:
http://www.nyfa.edu/film-school-blog/the-5-stages-of-blocking-a-scene/#:~:text=Blocking%20a%20scene%20is%20simply,perfect%20harmony%20with%20each%20other
WORKING
AS A
WRITER
Working as a writer
We’ve touched upon some of these terms and processes, but let’s have a look in a bit
more detail:
■ agent representation
■ payment
■ professional presentation
■ time management.
Agents
Read the Script Angel article on how to get a screenwriting agent here:
https://scriptangel.com/how-to-get-a-screenwriting-agent/
Read the Script Angel article on UK screenwriting agents here:
https://scriptangel.com/screenwriting-agents-uk/
Look at Knight Hall, plus 2 more literary agents listed on Script Angel:
■ what are they looking for?
■ how do you approach them?
■ List 3 of their clients and look at their work.
What can screenwriters earn, and how?
Here is a great article from the Industrial Scripts website: https://industrialscripts.com/uk-screenwriters-pay/
Make notes on:
■ Against
■ Option
■ Guarantee / front-end
■ Step deal
■ Back-end
■ Bonuses
■ UK feature film (£750,000+ and £2m+) and TV pay (read the sections on film, the BBC, ITV,
Once you have read the article, have a quick look around their
site – do you remember we talked about script coverage?
Well, they offer it!
Professional
presentation
There are two areas to consider when looking at
professional presentation in relation to writers;
■ presentation of self
■ presentation of work
Presentation of self
– when pitching / interviewing for a job,
what are the key dos and don'ts?
Presentation of work
– complete the BFI screenplay format
worksheet
– when presenting / pitching, what is
important to consider, regarding the
materials?
Time management
Meeting deadlines, when commissioned, is essential to success as a writer, but how do
you do that? Also, how do you juggle working on multiple projects or avoiding writer’s
block? What happens if you don’t meet deadlines?
When creating your report, you will need to think about the relationship with the
producer / studio and how you can keep it positive and professional.
Read this article from Screencraft.org, regarding how to manage your time as a writer:
https://screencraft.org/2014/06/27/10-time-management-tips-busy-screenwriters/
Legal and ethical considerations
■ Copyright and plagiarism
– what is plagiarism?
– what is Copyright (UK) and how does it impact screenwriters?
■ Bias
– what is bias and is it OK for screenwriters to be biased?
■ Libel & defamation
– what is libel (defamation) and why is it important for screenwriters to be aware of it?
■ Watersheds, censorship and certification
– discuss the importance of target audience and placement when creating a script; is it always a top
priority? What might impact the significance.
Read these useful articles for specific examples:
https://variety.com/2005/biz/features/was-the-island-cloned-2-1117927239/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parts:_The_Clonus_Horror#Lawsuit
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/apr/28/climate-dangerous-documentary-planet-of-the-humans-michael-moore-taken-down
https://prowritingaid.com/art/755/7-legal-tips-for-writers.aspx