Unit 19: Scriptwriting

Roles of a scriptwriter:
The role of a scriptwriter is to create stories in a format where they can be
put to production. The script writer creates stories, characters and
dialogue for screen or radio. They are usually freelance, as they can
guarantee themselves more creative freedom, but can be commissioned
by director or producer to create a screenplay around an idea, based off a
real story or based off another piece of work.
Key skills for working effectively as a writer:
According to Writersstore.com there are 6 most important habits. I will
give my own interpretations of their list:

A Driving reason to write: weather it is the love of writing itself or

the incentive to do a good job because of good pay, the writer
needs a good reason to write and be motivated.
High Standard of Excellence: the writer needs to have a high
expectation because if a script less than their usual standard is
produced then they will be judged upon it.
Trust of instincts: a writer knows what they can write well. This
means they will be able to create the best scripts they can by not
trying to create scripts popular with directors because they need to
be commissioned.
Writing regularly: in my research on this topic I have heard mixed
reports, while some find having deadlines motivating and good
practice for commissions, others prefer to be taken by inspiration
when they write.
Adapting to the game: Screenwriters need to be able to adapt and
be aware of changes and trends in the industry to stay relevant.
Evoking emotions: Screenwriters need to be able to evoke emotions
in their work for it to be an effective script.

The Scriptwriting process:

Creating your script:

To create a good script you first need an idea. A writer must write down
ideas for scripts when they come up with them. Then they must then
come up with a premise. This includes some world building and adding to
the general idea of the story. The writer then needs characters, to get
more of an understanding of the interactions that will be in the script. You
then need to outline your script. This is basically a rough copy, not the
final script but it will give good idea of the script. Then you need to writes
the scenes in then re draft the script. Then when you are finished with the
script it is time to try and get it produced.

When getting a script published you have 2 options.

Freelance: this is where you write scripts that you have come up with and
sell to producers. Some writers prefer this because you have full creative
freedom over your script and can choose if you want your film to be made
with a certain production company, for example if you dont like a
particular director then you can just not sell to them. It is your intellectual
property and you can do with it as you wish. When publishing freelance is
it easiest to get an agent to try and get your scripts published and
produced. They will make the connections you need and try and sell your
scripts for producers to make. This is almost impossible to do without an
agent, most TV shows do not even take mew writers for episodes
(www.Scriptmag.com).
Commissioned: This is where you have been paid to write a script. Some
writers prefer this because unlike writing freelanced you cannot be sure of
a payday. Also when you write a script for a producer you establish your
name with them, an agent can state your commissions and previous work.
This will put your name on the map as a more professional screenwriter.
Commissioning process:
To get a piece of work published and produced you need a team of people,
the first of which is an agent. They will take care of business transactions
and create a name for you.
Secondly you need a trusted script reader to evaluate your work, they will
point out your strengths and weaknesses so you can smooth them out.
Their opinion is very important.
The next person you will need is an editor. The script editor shows insight
into the script as it is drafted and written. They analyse the script and tell
the writer what worked and what did not.
The Freelance Script publishing process:
Once you have already written your script in your own time you will need
help. You will need to contact someone at a scripting agency to read your
work and get a script agent to represent yourself and your script. Then
your agent needs to find the right buyer for you script, and take his
percentage of the cut.

Writing for radio:

Writing for radio is different because it has scenes like any other, but they
can be either very short and fragmented or long and structured. Just as
one scene may have a large amount of dialogue another may just be a
crucial sound effect. With radio it is more important to have interesting
dialogue from the beginning as you have no colour or picture to keep an
audiences interest. It is attractive to writers because of its simplicity and
technical freedoms and that it can explore a character without worries of
how to fill the rest of the screen.

Example of a radio
script

Writing for factual film:

A factual film or documentary is a (usually educational) video that informs

viewers of a real life topic. So keeping this in mind the nature of this kind
of film is to educate then you must only tell detailed stories about
important and interesting people and / or events. Some films of this
nature try to persuade the viewer of a certain viewpoint, but it must be
kept in mind that many broadcasting networks will not allow a biased
viewpoint on their documentary.

This is an example of
a Factual film script.

Writing fictional film:

Writing for fictional film is what most screenwriters are used to. It has the
advantage of being the most popular and most profitable form of
screenwriting. Screenwriters need to be very imaginative and descriptive,
as they not only need to describe narration, dialogue, sound effects, music
and story, like the other two forms of writing but also need to include
camera movements, describe colour and setting and make everything
needed to turn an idea of a film into a reality.

This is an
example of a
fictional film

Legal considerations of a scriptwriter:

Copyright: copyright is when you can protect your intellectual property for
up to 25 years. Writers need to be careful when using scripts for
inspiration because it may fall under copyright law if your script is deemed
too close to another screen writers intellectual property.

Blasphemy: Writers need to make their content appropriate for their

audience. For Example in mostly Christian countries writers may want to
not show people saying Jesus or God.
Obscenity Law: In English Television obscenity cannot be broadcasted
before 9 PM. This means writers will have to be aware that they are
restricting their work to a certain target audience if they are to include
profanity. This is due to the watershed. Watersheds are the point of time
at which adult programs may be broadcast on TV (9 PM in England).
Programs that contain things such as violence, nudity and sexual
intercourse aren't allowed to be shown before watershed, and only
programs that are suitable for family viewing are allowed to be broadcast.
Libel: A screenwriter must write the truth about its' personal experience
and what it can prove. Libel can affect a fiction and a non-fiction writer.
Producing a professional script with information based on real life without
all partys consent is seen as libellous. If it was about a real person, it
must be made with care or that person will be harmed.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is when you take another persons intellectual
property for your own without their knowledge and consent. Writers can
protect their own intellectual property from plagiarism with a copyright for
up to 25 years.

Ethical considerations of a screen writer:

Censorship: Censorship is the act of content deemed inappropriate for
certain audiences and being restricted to that group of people. The
classifications are U, PG, 12A, 12, 15, 18 & R18. These classification
guidelines protect groups of people, for example children viewing content
that would be unsuitable for them. They have changed a lot with the
growth of cinema and home audiences and are liable to interpretation
from censorship board to censorship board in different countries.

Taste: a writer must make sure his work is in good taste otherwise it may
not be picked up by producers or publishers. Writers must be aware of
current happenings in the world such as terrorist attacks or natural
disasters that may be considered in bad taste to air happenings with a
similar feel on TV soon after such an event.

Intellectual copyright:
Intellectual copyright (also known as intellectual property) is a means
writers can use to protect their own work. The intellectual property act
(2014) uses framework from Section 88A of the Patents act (1977) to

protect the work of people that have come up with it from theft and
plagiarism. It protects names, the things you write and the things you
produce.
According to the crown website (gov.uk) R states Intellectual property is
something unique that you physically create. An idea alone is not
intellectual property. For example, an idea for a book doesnt count, but
the words youve written do. And you own intellectual property when
you created it (and it meets the requirements for copyright, a patent or a
design), have bought intellectual property rights from the creator or a
previous owner or have a brand that could be a trade mark eg a wellknown product name