Colored pages are used in film and television to keep track of revisions to a script as it goes into production. Spec screenplays and screenplays in development won’t have colored pages. It’s generally only once the script is locked for scheduling and budgeting that colored pages are used. Revision order is tracked on the script’s […]
If someone gives me notes, feedback, or ideas during the development of my script, are they entitled to credit?
In short, no, that person is not inherently entitled to any credit, especially if his contribution was just notes or feedback. If that person came up with the idea for the screenplay, he is still not entitled to credit. Much in the way ideas are not copyrightable but screenplays are, it is the execution of […]
What is a one-step deal?
A one-step deal is a deal in which a studio hires a screenwriter to write a single draft of a screenplay, and all future work after the delivery of that draft is optional, at the discretion of the studio. These vary from more traditional two or three step deals, where the writer is guaranteed at […]
What is sweepstakes pitching?
Sweepstakes pitching (also know as a “bake-off”) is when a studio or producer brings in many different screenwriters to pitch on the same project before deciding which one to hire (“the winner”). In most cases, sweepstakes pitching occurs when the studio owns a licensed property — such as a character or board game — for […]
What screenplays should aspiring screenwriters read?
One of the best ways to figure out formatting, story, and other screenwriting questions is to read others’ screenplays. There is no set list of screenplays all aspiring screenwriters should read, but here is some general advice: * Read screenplays by well known and reputable writers, so you know you are leaning from good examples. […]
What is the television writer/producer pecking order?
Television seasons are written by writing staffs, not a single writer. Individual episodes will have a credited writer — the person who actually penned that particular script — but the plot of that episode and the season as a whole are constructed by a room full of a staff of writers (known as the “writers […]