In this essay, I will be looking
into the process that a writer must go through in the film and television
industry when having their work commissioned. I will approach this by looking
at the commissioning process and the commissioning bodies that operate within
it. I will also be linking this through to the roles and responsibilities that
the writer has during the production process. Through this research, I hope to
gain a valuable insight and understanding of the process and how I would go
about having work commissioned if I were to try and fulfil my ambition to do
so.
Job Roles
within the Commissioning Process:
There are several job roles that
exist within the commissioning process as many different people play their part
in the work that gets made early on. The process begins with a writer who could
be either freelance or already be working for a producer or studio, 89% of
workers are freelance. Once they have a selection of work they will pitch their
ideas to different commissioning bodies until they spark someone’s interest.
However, work that gets commissioned does not always get made. Agents have the
role of quickening this process for the writer as they use their connections with
commissioning bodies and production companies to get the writer work. The final
decision of the approval of a proposal lies on the commissioning editor who may
change his mind at a later date due to an issue such as financial viability. A
producer is often the one who finds and finances a script allowing it to be
optioned or commissioned. They then work closely with the script editor and
together, they make sure the script is in order and appropriate to be made. When
it comes to what the product will look like when it makes the transition to
screen, the director is in charge of shooting the script and using their visual
creativeness.
Commissioning
Bodies:
Different commissioning bodies vary
in their forms and size ranging from small independent production companies to
major corporations such as the BBC. Some of these corporations offer other
prospects for getting your work seen such as the BBC Writer’s Room. However,
other corporations also commission. You may prefer to pitch to an independent
production company such as Bedlam Productions Ltd[1];
whilst they do sometimes get money from larger corporations, it helps to be a
new or unknown writer as you will be cheaper to work with.
Independent directors have more
power over the final product when producing their own screenplays. Directors
like Quentin Tarantino and Ricky Gervais have written and directed their own
screenplays. However, they also have involvement with other directors. For
example, when working in television, Ricky Gervais writes and directs with
Stephen Merchant. Independent Producers have the power to find and finance a
screenplay but they are answerable to the product’s financiers at the end of
the process. However they may not get that far as not all of the work that is
commissioned necessarily gets made.
Some organisations exist to offer
advice and help new or potential screenwriters in developing their writing and
getting it seen. Two good examples of these organisations is The Script Factory
and the aforementioned BBC Writer’s Room[2]. Some
of these organisations run competitions (both nationally and internationally)
to find prospective writers and offer them a chance of recognition. This would
usually result in the winner a prize such as an Option. When a screenplay is
optioned, it is bought by another individual entity for a fixed cost and
duration. During this time, the screenplay is exclusive meaning the writer
cannot sell it to anyone else, even if the work does not even progress into the
pre-production stage. However, once that duration has expired, the writer can
continue looking for interest in the work.
The Role of
the Writer throughout Production:
A writer is involved in the
pre-production planning, establishing exactly what creative promises need to be
achieved in the script. To avoid confusion, the screenplay will usually be page
locked at the start of this process meaning that even though additions and
deletions can still be made, scenes will still always fall on the same page. The
writer may then work with the producer and script editor to ensure that the
script is suitable for the target audience that they want the final product to
reach. The director and producer will offer advice to the screenwriter during
the script editing process. However, when
the script is making the transition to film, the director or producer may
sometimes still ask the writer for advice on certain aspects of the final
product. A good example of this is J.K. Rowling and the Harry Potter films
where she would stay heavily involved throughout the process to make sure that
the films stay true to the books’ vision. During the pre-production planning,
they will work with the director to create a shooting script for the production
process; the shooting scripts include movement and camera angles. They will
often stay involved with the process for when the director also requires script
adjustment during the shooting stage; this may be related to the story or even
the logistics of filming. Sometimes, difference in opinion can cause conflict
between the writer and the filmmakers. However, this will often be resolved
with a compromise which could possibly improve the overall final quality of the
media product.
Working as
a Writer:
If you have agent representation,
you have a better chance at getting your work seen by producers, whether they
be independent or already working for a large corporation. Agencies, such as
Knight Hall Agency Ltd, exist to help you get work as a writer. To get agent
representation, you need to send them your completed works and wait to hear
from them if they’re interested. Their contacts can help to get your work seen
by the right people. Royalty payments from sales will be a percentage of the
profit that is split amongst the writer, agent, producer etc. When working as a
writer, professional presentation is an important factor. This is in terms of
both the way that the script is presented and the actual pitch itself. With the
script, it is important to do it in a conventional format for the medium you
are writing it for such as television or film. A mastershot format is often
used so that the reader knows what is going on at all times. When it comes to
pitching the finished product to a commissioning editor, it is important to
have good presentational skills, making sure you are concise and understand
your work inside and out in case they have any questions. Preparation is
integral to the quality of your pitch and this even comes into your choice of
attire. You should dress smartly, however pitches are not necessarily totally
formal.
As with most jobs in the creative
media industry, there are budgets and deadlines that you need to be conscious
of and working towards. This is no different for screenwriters who need to meet
their deadlines and make changes swiftly during the pre-production and
production processes. If those deadlines are missed, legal action can be taken
to reclaim the money of any of the film’s investors. Other considerations that
you need to be aware of as a writer include legal and ethical issues. One of
the most obvious issues is with copyright and plagiarism. Plagiarising
someone’s work is using it as your own and in the very likely event that
someone picks up on it; you will be faced with legal action. Copyright is also
an issue. For example, if you’ve written a screenplay for a creative adaptation
for a novel without getting any of the necessary permissions or rights, you
will have a difficult time with being taken seriously by a commissioning
editor. You must also be careful about the messages that are contained within
your work. Anything that insults a group or individual could land you in a lot
of trouble in terms of controversy and legal issues due to libel and defamation
laws in place that prevent you from slandering specific groups, companies or
individuals. The problem stretches further when working for companies such as
the BBC who have an unbias policy meaning that you would have to meet that
policy in your work when it comes to matters such as politics. Otherwise your
work may not be valid for commissioning. You must also know who you are writing
for. You need to know how your work will be broadcast and the target audience
that it will be aimed at. This is due to censorship laws and the watershed,
regulated by companies such as the British Board for Film Classification who
can refuse to air a product if it is deemed inappropriate for audience members.
If you are writing for a television channel that is broadcasting before
watershed, then your work will need to reflect that with suitable content. For
example, Ofcom regulations state that no taboo language or intense amounts of
frightening material (such as gore) can be broadcast before the watershed
cut-off point.
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