Screenwriters or scenarists or scriptwriters are people who write the screenplays from which films Film encompasses individual motion pictures, the field of film as an art form, and the motion picture industry. Films are produced by recording images from the world with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or special effects and television programs A television program , television programme (in most Commonwealth countries and Ireland) ), or television show (USA/UK) is something that people watch on television. It may be a one-off broadcast or part of a periodically recurring television series are made.

Most screenwriters start their careers writing on speculation. That means they write without being hired or paid for it. When such a script is sold, it is called a "spec-script". Only a handful of spec-scripts are produced every year.[citation needed]

Many of them also work as "script doctors A script doctor is a skilled screenwriter called in to assist a film project by rewriting parts of the screenplay to improve dialogue, pacing and other elements. Script doctors are usually uncredited, so it is usually difficult to tell who has been involved", attempting to change scripts to suit directors A film director, movie director, or filmmaker is a person who directs the making of a film. A film director visualizes the script, controlling a film's artistic and dramatic aspects, while guiding the technical crew and actors in the fulfillment of his or her vision or studios A movie studio is, in the established sense of the term, a company that distributes films. Literally, however, the term denotes a controlled environment for the making of a motion picture. This environment may be interior (sound stage), exterior (backlot), or both. In general parlance, the term is synonymous with "major film production; for instance, studio management may have a complaint that the motivations of the characters are unclear or that the dialogue is weak.

Script-doctoring can be quite lucrative, especially for the better known writers. David Mamet David Alan Mamet is an American author, essayist, playwright, screenwriter and film director. His works are known for their clever, terse, sometimes vulgar dialogue and arcane stylized phrasing, as well as for his exploration of masculinity. He received Tony Award nominations for Glengarry Glen Ross (1984) and Speed-the-Plow (1988), as well as the and John Sayles John Thomas Sayles is an American independent film director and screenwriter who frequently plays small roles in his own and other indie films, for instance, fund the movies they direct themselves, usually from their own screenplays, by writing and doctoring scripts for others. In fact, some writers make very profitable careers out of the script doctoring food chain, being the ninth or tenth writer to work on a piece; in many cases, working on projects that never see exposure to an audience of any size.

A few screenwriters have also found work by selling a treatment (approximately 10-30 pages) or synopsis (usually 1-2 pages), of their screenplay even if it isn't completed yet. This is, however, extremely rare.

One of the most important elements in bringing an idea to fruition for a studio to produce is attaching the right screenwriter to the project. Often projects are sold to studios who then assign their own preferred screenwriters to complete the script or write the final draft.

Most professional screenwriters are unionized A trade union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas and working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members (rank and file members) and negotiates labor contracts (Collective bargaining) with employers. This may include the and are represented by organizations such as the Writers Guild of America, East Writers Guild of America, East is a labor union representing writers of television and film and employees of television and radio news. The 2006 membership of the guild was 3,770. The WGA is final arbiter on awarding writing credit for projects under its join.

See also

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Film crew A film crew is a group of people hired by a production company for the purpose of producing a film or motion picture. Crew are distinguished from cast, the actors who appear in front of the camera or provide voices for characters in the film. Crew are also separate from producers, those who own a portion of either the film company or the film's
Pre-production Pre-production is the process of preparing all the elements involved in a film, play, or other performance and production Filmmaking is the process of making a film, from an initial story idea or commission through scriptwriting, shooting, editing and finally distribution to an audience. Typically it involves a large number of people and can take anywhere between a few months to several years to complete. Filmmaking takes place all over the world in a huge range of Producer A film producer or movie producer is someone who creates the scenes and conditions for making movies. The producer initiates, co-ordinates, supervises and controls matters such as fund-raising, hiring key personnel and arranging for distributors. The producer is involved throughout all phases of the film-making process from development to · Unit production manager A Unit Production Manager is an executive who is responsible for the administration of a film · Production coordinator Theatrical production management is a sub-division of stagecraft. The production management team is responsible for realizing the visions of the producer and the director or choreographer within constraints of technical possibility. This involves coordinating the operations of various production sub-disciplines (scenic, wardrobe, lighting, sound, · Line producer A line producer is a key member of the production team for a motion picture. Typically, a line producer manages the budget of a motion picture. Alternatively, or in addition, they may manage the day to day physical aspects of the film production, serving a role similar to the unit production manager · Director A film director, movie director, or filmmaker is a person who directs the making of a film. A film director visualizes the script, controlling a film's artistic and dramatic aspects, while guiding the technical crew and actors in the fulfillment of his or her vision · First assistant director An assistant director is a person who helps the filmmaker in the making of a movie or television show. The duties of an AD include setting the shooting schedule, tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking the arrival of cast and crew, maintaining order on the set, · Second assistant director An assistant director is a person who helps the filmmaker in the making of a movie or television show. The duties of an AD include setting the shooting schedule, tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking the arrival of cast and crew, maintaining order on the set, · Casting director In the performing arts, casting is a vital pre-production process for selecting a cast (a meaning of the word recorded since 1631) of actors, dancers, singers, models and other talent for a live or recorded performance · Screenwriter · Production assistant A production assistant, also known as a PA, is a job title used in filmmaking and television for a person responsible for various aspects of a production. The job of a PA can vary greatly depending on the budget and specific requirements of a production as well as whether or not the production is unionized · Script supervisor A script supervisor or continuity is a member of a film crew responsible for maintaining the film's internal continuity and for marking the production unit's daily progress in shooting the film's screenplay. On early films, the job of script supervisor was performed by an individual credited as the "continuity clerk" or "script girl, · Script coordinator On a television series the script coordinator is responsible for liasing between the writing and production departments. The writers deliver the first draft of a script to the script coordinator who prepares it for the production team and handles any clearance issues. Clearance refers to the need to check the script for potential legal problems · Location manager
Production design Production designer Production designer is a term used in the movie and television industries to refer to the person responsible for the overall look of a filmed event such as films, TV programs, music videos or adverts. Production designers have one of the key creative roles in the creation of motion pictures and television. Working directly with the director and
Art Art director The term art director is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games · Set designer Scenic design is the creation of theatrical, as well as film or television scenery. Scenic designers have traditionally come from a variety of artistic backgrounds, but nowadays, generally speaking, they are trained professionals, often with M.F.A. degrees in theatre arts · Illustrator An illustrator is a graphic artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text. The illustration may be intended to clarify complicated concepts or objects that are difficult to describe textually, or the illustration may be intended for entertainment, as in
Sets Set decorator A set decorator is in charge of the set dressing on a film set, which includes the furnishings, wallpaper, lighting fixtures, and many of the other objects that will be seen in the film. Props and set dressing often overlap, but are provided by different departments. Props are defined as items which are handled directly by actors, and discussions
Hair and make-up Make-up artist A make-up artist or MUA is an artist who creates makeup and prosthetics for theatrical, television, film, fashion, magazines and other similar productions including all aspects of the modeling world. In some cases, the title of Make-up Artist can also encompass the responsibilities of hair styling. Awards given for this profession in the · Hairdresser A barber is someone whose occupation is to cut any type of hair, give shaves, and trim beards. In previous times, barbers also performed surgery and dentistry. In more recent times, with the development of safety razors and the decreasing prevalence of beards, most barbers primarily cut hair. Some hairdressers consider the term derogatory
Wardrobe Costume designer A costume designer is a person whose responsibility is to design costumes for a film or stage production. He or she is considered part of the "production team", alongside the director, scenic and lighting designers as well as the sound designer. The costume designer might also collaborate with a hair/wig master or a makeup designer. In
Props Props master The property master is an artistic and organizational employee in a film, television or theatrical production who is responsible for purchasing, acquiring and/or manufacturing any props needed for a production. The property master also works with other members of the production managing the physical appearance of the stage or set, for example they
Photography Cinematographer/Director of photography A cinematographer is one photographing with a motion picture camera . The title is generally equivalent to director of photography (DP or DoP), used to designate a chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image. The term cinematographer has been a point of
Camera Camera operator A camera operator is a person that operates a film or video camera for the purpose of recording motion to film, video, or a computer storage medium. Camera operators serving in an official capacity in the process of filmmaking may be known variously as a camera operator, cameraman, television camera operator, video camera operator, or videographer, · First assistant camera · Second assistant camera A clapper loader, second assistant camera or simply loader, is part of a film crew, whose main functions are that of loading the raw film stock into camera magazines, operating the clapperboard (slate) at the beginning of each take, marking the actors as necessary, and maintaining all records and paperwork for the camera department. The name " · Steadicam operator A Steadicam is a stabilizing mount for a motion picture camera, which mechanically isolates the operator's movement from the camera, allowing a very smooth shot even when the operator is moving quickly over an uneven surface. Informally, the word may also be used to refer to the combination of the mount and camera
Lighting Gaffer A gaffer in the motion picture industry is the head of the electrical department, responsible for the execution of the lighting plan for a production. In British English the term gaffer is long established as meaning an old man, or the foreman of a squad of workmen. The term was also used to describe men who adjusted lighting in English theatre · Best boy (electrical) In a film crew there are two kinds of best boy: best boy electric and best boy grip. In the simplest forms, they are assistants to their department heads, the gaffer and the key grip, respectively · Lighting technician Lighting technicians are involved with rigging and controlling electric lights for art and entertainment venues or in video, television, or film production. In a theater production, lighting technicians work under the lighting designer and master electrician. In video, television, and film productions, lighting technicians work under the direction
Grip Key grip In American and Canadian film-making, the key grip is the chief grip on the set. Like a foreman, the key grip directs a crew of grips, some with specialized skills such as dolly grips, crane operators, camera car operators, etc. The key grip is sometimes credited as the first company grip · Best boy (grip) In a film crew there are two kinds of best boy: best boy electric and best boy grip. In the simplest forms, they are assistants to their department heads, the gaffer and the key grip, respectively · Dolly grip In cinematography, the dolly grip is the individual who operates the camera dolly. He places, levels, and moves the dolly track, then pushes and pulls the dolly and usually a camera operator and camera assistant as riders. If the dolly has a moveable vertical axis, such as a hydraulic arm, then the dolly grip also operates the "boom". If · Grip In the U.S. and Canada, grips are lighting and rigging technicians in the film and video industries. They make up their own department on a film set and are led by a key grip. Grips have two main functions. The first is to work closely with the camera department, especially if the camera is mounted to a dolly, crane or other unusual position. Some
Sound and music Director of audiography The Director of Audiography , Sound Director (SD), Audio Director (AuD), or Director of Sound (DoS) is the designer and manager responsible for all audio aspects of filmmaking. The position's responsibilities range from sound conceptualization, design, planning and initial budgeting in pre-production, through recording and scheduling in production,/Sound designer Sound design is a conceptually creative/technical field. It covers all non-compositional elements of a film, a play, a music performance or recording, computer game software or any other multimedia project. A person who practices the art of sound design is known as a Sound Designer
Production sound Production sound mixer A production sound mixer, location sound recordist, location sound engineer or simply sound mixer is the member of a film crew responsible for recording all sound and sound effects on set during the photography of a motion picture, for later inclusion in the finished product, or for reference to be used by the sound designer, sound effects editors, · Boom operator A boom operator is an assistant of the production sound mixer. The principal responsibility of the boom operator is microphone placement, sometimes using a "fishpole" with a microphone attached to the end and sometimes, when the situation permits, using a "boom" which is a special piece of equipment that the operator stands on · Utility sound technician A utility sound technician, or simply utility or cableperson is an assistant to both the production sound mixer and the boom operator on a film set. Although sometimes the utility pulls cable, he or she is more than just a cableperson. The utility is a jack of all trades and often acts as a second boom operator or second mixer when either of the
Sound editing Dialogue editor · Sound editor · Foley artist
Music Sound editor · Re-recording mixer · Music supervisor · Composer
Post-production
Editorial Film editor · Colorist
Visual effects Visual effects supervisor · Compositor · Matte painter
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What education is needed to be a screenwriter?
Q. im interesting in writing stories for movies...so screenwriter or movie writer..whatever u call it. what education do i need? do i need a degree? what classes help?
Asked by kburgess1984 - Sat Nov 8 19:27:51 2008 - - 1 Answers - 0 Comments

A. if your in highschool, english theatre creative writing all the other stuff, then you might want to try improv or stand up comedy, or even acting to get a sense just find all of the things that you think would be related, and ask a workshop teacher or something for connections and ask them if you want a more specific answer
Answered by tyler2832 - Mon Nov 10 18:11:29 2008

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