An option is an agreement that gives someone (usually a producer or a studio) the exclusive rights to buy something for a set amount of time and a pre-determined price. Options are common in the film and television industry, because they allow producers to control the rights to a piece of material without spending the […]
What is a “spec script?”
A “spec script” is a movie written on “speculation” — without a deal or sale already in place, and without being commissioned. A writer is not paid to write a spec. She does it on her own time with the hopes of selling it to a buyer, or to use as a writing sample. In […]
How many pages should each act of a screenplay be?
Unlike plays and television scripts, which explicitly indicate their act breaks, most feature screenplays don’t print act breaks anywhere in the script. But in everyday discussion, screenwriters generally talk about movies having three acts. SCREENWRITER Crap. I’m at page 38 but I’m nowhere near the end of the first act. or SCREENWRITER Boom! Page 90, […]
Is there a standard screenplay format?
Yes. There are slight variations based on the type of screenplay (i.e. feature, dramatic teleplay, multicamera sitcom, etc) and writer preference, but there is most definitely a standard screenplay format, which includes a standard font, spacing, indentations, and more. Examples of properly formatted screenplays can be found in the johnaugust.com library. Scriptwriting software such as […]
What does an outline look like?
Unlike screenplay formatting, there is no official standard. Generally, an outline provides a breakdown of how a story will play out. Outlines can take different forms based on many different factors including purpose, level of detail, method of creation, and writer preference. Some are incredibly detailed, listing every beat. Others give only very broad strokes. […]
What is scale?
“Scale” is the minimum a WGA signatory can pay a screenwriter — whether it’s purchasing a spec script or hiring a writer to work on a script. Each type of job (e.g original screenplay, outline, rewrite) has a set price. These rates are the subject of WGA negotiations, and change every year. In features, rates […]