How Much Money Do Screenwriters REALLY Earn? SCREENWRITING TIPS
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- čas přidán 21. 12. 2018
- It's the Voldemort question. The subject that no one in the film industry dares talk about, at least not on the record.
In this film, I lift the lid on screenwriting money, and break down professional screenwriters into FOUR distinct economic classes:
1. The A-List Aristocrat Writer - $650,000 - $ many millions per year.
2. The Middle Class Writer - $150,000 - $650,000 a year.
3. The Blue Collar Writer - $1000 - $150,000 a year.
4. The “No Collar” Writer - $0 a year.
Who is SCRIPTFELLA?
I'm a veteran screenwriter, story consultant, film & TV lecturer. I've been optioned or commissioned by over 30 US and UK studios and production companies including: Universal Studios, Working Title, Bold Films, Scott Free, BBC and ITV. Recent produced credits include the award-winning Bram Fischer (2017) and the not-so-award winning Hard Target 2 (2016)...
If you're a screenwriter or filmmaker, and you'd like me to help you tell your story, head over to www.scriptfella.com/consultin...
Or email me on scriptfella@gmail.com and let's have a chat. - Krátké a kreslené filmy
I friken love this video. I subscribed immediately. I've been on this quest to understand this crazy business of screenwriting for the past several months because like you said in one of your replies to someone on this thread, NO ONE TALKS ABOUT IT. There's 101 books and videos on "The Craft of Screenwriting", "What Mistakes Screenwriters Make in Story", "Pay For Script Consultations", "Pay To Go To Pitch Fests", blah, blah, blah, blah. There are all these gimmicks to break into the business but your video is the most realest, down to earth, speaking from experience, bare bones, no bullshit video I've seen about the business of being a screenwriter and what to expect when you do break in. I can't tell you how much I appreciate you sharing this and I'm looking forward to seeing more. Peace and Blessings to you.
Moe, I'm delighted that you got some value from my film and your feedback is much appreciated - if you have any screenwriting buddies on Facebook etc who might find the content useful, please share. And if you want to run any screenwriting questions past me - about the craft or biz - fire away. Very best Dominic
@@Scriptfella Will do. Thank you for your response. I will definitely be sharing this in my FB groups.
Right!!!!!+
Sold a script for 38k then wrote 4 different endings for 1000 each ending. We had a tv actress to play the lead lined up. It was never made . After taxes I had 31k put a down payment on a house. The script sits on the living room table with other books as a decoration or conversation piece. I love my house.
House before Audi every time, Stephen...
Is your script published, I’d like to read it and also who bought your script?
Love to read you script or hear more about how you made it work
Congrats! I hope I become you one day!
Thanks for posting this. 99.5% of working screenwriters make less over the course of their careers than a trashman, nurse's aide or police officer. And if they don't work a "day job" at some point in their life, they'll be lucky to get minimal social security when they retire.
Sadly this is the truth for many working class blue collar screenwriters . Follow your passion, follow your story. And work that side hustle...
Brutal. Potentially heartbreaking. But true. Thanks for your honesty. That couldn't have been easy. I'll take being a blue collar.
Thanks Danny, glad you dug it.
I write because stories and characters pester me until I do. I have no illusion of "Malibu" money. I'm disabled. $20K would double my income.
I hear you, Henry. When I was younger,. I was on a false crusade to earn a ton of money and sell a spec for big dollars. But in the process I lost sight of the most important goal for any writer - to tell a good story that as you say, "pesters me" to distraction AND plays to my strengths as a writer.
I’m in high school and trying to make money through writing books and scripts. This opened my eyes and probably saved me from buying a million cookies once I got a big deal.
Amazing video. Keep it up!
Thanks bananz glad you dug my vid
Nice to find some down to earth advice with the added touch of integrity and transparency.
Glad you dug the video, Ben, thank you
I have been into the real world since I was 16. I have been working at my current job for 21 years and freelance for 9 years. What motivates me every day is never work retail ever again. But you never depend on job for your salary because you could lose it at anytime. Always have a side hustle no matter what even if it’s not screenwriting.
Wait, screenwriters are paid????
hahahaha
The low down - just the facts, ma'am! Love the brutal honesty - so refreshing in this day and age.
"so I went out and bought two Audi's" I do t know why but that was funny with the clip after😂
The "Trading Places" clip, and then the "I bought two Audi's" clip...had me CRYING ! lol. Good stuff mate !
Real talk! Thank you so much. Favorite channel on screenwriting on CZcams.
Thanks Jon, good to have you here. D
Loving the full transparency Scriptfella, more hard earned wisdom please!
Thanks, Damian. I sense that 2019 could get interesting on many fronts...
Thanks for being so honest in this. Very thought provoking. A lot of good advice for people thinking about a career like me.
Loved this! Amazing! Can't wait to watch the rest of them!
Cheers Patrick, are you a screenwriter?
I like what I am hearing! The in's and out's as well as the do"s and do not's are valuable information at this point in my life as a screenwriter. After, struggling for the past almost three years after graduating with a degree majoring in screenwriting - I'm still trying! New talent want's a chances too! I think it could change the constant re-makes we all know about. Start bringing in new talent at whatever percentage you choose to reawaken our audience placing them at the edge of their seats wanting more. This is where I stand! Peace!
This is brilliant advice. Thank you for the insight. I saw your video on Facebook which led me here. I’m glad I cane.
Thanks for dropping in Tamz - I’m pleased you liked the vid
Once more a great video. You speak very well Sir. I mostly create for feature films and have been hearing more and more that writing for TV is the way for people that don't want or can't have "side hustles". Looking forward to the video on contracts, deals, and negotiation tactics you mention on this one. Cheers from a creative producer from Brazil!
I really enjoyed watching this. Thank you for your honesty.
Omg!!! As an up and coming writer this was literally everything I needed to know coming into the game. I've been writing and now working on 3 scripts. Just trying to figure out the first steps. Thank you for your honesty! You have a new subscriber!
The Lovely Val C thanks v pleased to welcome you to scriptfella .
Great video. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the sound advice! I now realize that I might need to stop spending so much time on my screenplay and pursue something else. My screenplay is about my professional musician father, so I really didn't care if I made a million bucks for it, just as long as it got produced...in order to honor my late father.
Thank you for the dose of reality, mate!
Holy sh*t you wrote Bram Fischer? I loved that movie. The perspective of telling the story of the man that stood beside Nelson Mandela instead of Nelson Mandela himself was so refreshing. I had the pleasure of being at a talk Jean van der Velde gave shortly after it was released.
Brilliant! One of the best videos I've seen this year. Thanks so much!
Cheers, Jeff - I'm very pleased to hear you enjoyed my vid. Any questions, do fire away..
@@Scriptfella Do you think that edgy, backlash-inducing comedy films could get made today? I want to push it to the edge, just not off the cliff. 'It' being my career.
This is so fantastically useful. I'm a screenwriting teacher and will pass this on. Thanks for being so generous and honest. Love what you are doing.
Thanks mate - where do you teach?
I teach at Grub Street in Boston. It's a non-profit for writers. I also teach a High School film program
Thank you for creating these videos, I also attended your seminar at LSWF2021. Really great content!
Such great content! Very underrated channel but so happy it exists.
Thanks Charles. Welcome to Scriptfella.
I've seen your channel before and even started this video before. Not that I gave up my job or anything, but I wish I'd stuck with it the whole through. So much straight talk, it hurts. Cheers!
I know it's been 4 years since this was posted, but I only just came across it and have to say thanks for providing such an earnest insight into screenwriting as a profession.
Very enlightening video, Dominic. Thank you very much.
You're welcome, Beatriz. I'm v. pleased you enjoyed it.
This is what I love about the internet: people being able to share valuable advice and experience. The bottom line is don't quit your day job unless you're an A-lister and you've already bought the house, the cars, everything else you want and can live off what you got in the bank.
Thank you for the honest and transparent info. People don't need to give up on their dreams and stop their creativity, but just be smart about it.
I started following your channel last week. I think I comsumed thousands of such videos already but you seem to open our eyes in a whole new way, especially your videos that deal directly with the craft.
I want to aim for Blacklist and prepare for it. Will go through you for sure - but I'm scared:) I'll make a killer draft first and contact you for a later draft.
God help us all
Hard facts and good advice!
Great content and info. Suscribed!
Truly honest advice and knowledge. Thank you for this.
Glad you enjoyed it.
Thank you for sharing your experience and wisdom.
You're welcome C10, I'm pleased you found the vid of use.
This was great thank you so much
I'd love to see you make a detailed video about the writer's strike, exactly what it entailed and ways in which the industry changed as a result.
awesome video, sir.
Such eye opening thank you so much from Rome Italy
You’re welcome my friend, sending my best wishes back from rainy Winchester, England
I love how honest you are in these.
Thanks Holly, just subbed to your channel.
@@Scriptfella Thanks! I subbed to you too.
Wow fantastic FANTASTIC!!!!
Deep, thought-provoking and brutally honest. Thank you :)
Hi Amanda, thank you, it's good to hear you enjoyed the vid. best D
@@Scriptfella it's refreshing to hear the truth these days...especially in this medium.
I think I'll keep my job as an educator. I will pursue screenwriting as I have stories to tell, but I need to eat.
Thanks for the info. Wish more writers where as transparent. It only helps the market. Thanks alot. Definitely subscribed.
Thanks Ele Zeta, very pleased to have you onboard as a regular. I have a lot more content in the pipeline....
And most writers earn nothing at all for the rest of their lives as they don't sell anything. There is big competition in this area. You better be a good writer to sell anything even once.
Too true, Jurij!
Better have something good and at least be an actor to get your shit read.
How am I just finding this channel now? Thank you for this.
Great to have you onboard Chris Cook welcome to scriptfella. Very best Dominic
This is a great video!! i have been literally hoovering all your vids today!!
I have a question. What is a first look deal andis it worth anything? I've been hearing this thrown around of late both in the UK and LA and I would love you to go into it a little if you wouldn't mind. Is there anything i should be weary of before getting into a first look deal with a studio for instance?
Thank you!
Wow, sobering but good. Thanks Dominic. This video is 5 yrs. old and probably even more relevant (?).
mad respect!
Dom, I'm about as far from an aspiring screenwriter as you could possibly get, but your content is great to watch - I guess as it should be given your tradecraft. Eddie Murphy makes a very timely intervention in this episode and I guess appearing on this CZcams channel was his big break. Keep up the good work, fella
Hey Liam, great to see you around these parts. And thanks for the big up - it means a lot coming from you.
Established writers have a lot of overhead. 300k is barely anything if you have an agent and manager. Agent gets 10% manager gets 20% there goes 30% of your money.
Calculate the enormous income tax (300k puts you in a high income bracket) and the 15% self employment tax if you’re writing freelance, there goes almost more than half of your money before you even touch it.
So that 300k is merely 150k after all the bs. And most writers don’t even get that as a lump sum. They’ll usually get a percentage of it first, then some after the outline, another payment after the first draft and the remaining once the notes are applied to the script.
So, for a baby writer who gets a 100k offer for a script, absolutely have to do a side hustle to keep the bills in check.
If only you continuously work for a couple years without a gap and get paid 500k+ a year, then yeah. You could just relax and not do anything until the next cool project comes along.
But for a five figure or low six figure writer, those numbers are pretty much the poverty level.
Dude, this video is two years old already? Where have you been all my life?
if you tell yourself you’ll never become that 1. screenwriter then of course you never will be that!! shoot for the stars
More story times please😁
I just subscribe in your channel! I’m a profissional actress and writer. And I need to start to make money! Because this I come to this video. I need to change my life ASAP! Thank you for sharing it your honestly 👏🏽
Welcome to Scriptfella, Bruna
Thank the stars i constantly search information to learn even on topics i searched before.
You're in America, I haven't even approached the door. I south of you Fella in Trinidad. Of my many stories two screenplays are CRIMINAL ELEMENT & DEVIL TRIAL - sent to Netflix, queried agents. My earlier sentence pretty much says it all.
I if ever approached with a deal had no intention of leaving my state employment and my mind is wired to spend conservatively - you reinforce it.
Great video and channel - Magic :)
Thanks for subbing magic pencil !
@@Scriptfella I run a small animation studio in London and we are trying to create our first feature film, this information is so useful as when we were looking for script writers the budgets were very different from one writer to another. This does explain why.
Magic Pencil - Art for Kids your first animated movie sounds really exciting.
Ps maybe bear in mind that an experienced writer may want more than 2.5 percent if your budget is very low
Brilliant insights.
matthewakian2 cheers Matthew - great to have you onboard.
@@Scriptfella Good to see a fellow Brit doing this. I found this video via a link on the SimplyScripts.com website.
I enjoyed this. I definitely want to be A-list.
This is AMAZING!! Thank you.
Cheers Duane, v pleased you found the vid helpful. If you have any questions, fire away.
@@Scriptfella right now I'm trying to process it all for market. I'm going to watch this a few times and take notes.
I've created an online writer's room to write a 55 minutes film. I'd like to chat about writer's rooms if you have time.
@@dennyduane I don't have a huge experience of writers' rooms perse - although I worked in a writing partnership/team for 17 years.
@@Scriptfella How did you do that was it split50/50? How did you solve disagreements between you two? Did you present together or separately?
@@dennyduane your questions are 100% valid and, I think, require a whole video to answer. Thanks for inspiring me. D
Terry Rossio co-wrote. Ted Elliott mostly has Pirates of the Caribbean. John August is a genius. Craig Mazin has several classics. But both are MIA now. Time for a new A list class of screenwriters to come out. I wonder if it's happening already.
this video mean a lot to me, can you go in depth on how to become an A list writer, it is hard work, luck, network? i need to know because all im good at is writing stories
Chris, I think it's a combination of being extremely talented, lucky and being good in the room/savvy about the business (50% of the work Hollywood screenwriters do is "in the room" pitching ideas and discussing story beats with directors and execs). Statistically, we have a better chance of becoming top NFL stars than A List writers. It really is that difficult to achieve. I recommend you concentrate on writing your stories and let them be your guiding light rather than make the mistake I made - which was to follow the Malibu Money...
90% of screenwriters earn $0. 5% earn $500-$10,000 a year. 4% earn enough to live on. 1% make lifechanging money.
Same thing I always said---you need a side hustle!
Wow.. you’re a straight shooter! Thank you so much for sharing this amazing video. I have a book and I would like to turn it into a screenplay. Would you be interested? Looking forward hearing from you.
Hi AK Studio Films - sorry I missed your comment/question.If you'd like to run a project past me, please email the materials to scriptfella@gmail.com thanks Dominic
Do you have to work with other writers (like in one big room of writers) or do you work solo when creating the script?
Do you receive bit by bit of your play check while doing a creative project or do you get the complete playcheck after the project is done or do you get the playcheck before the project starts?
Lucky for me I was sensible enough to keep my day job as a teacher while working on screenplays. I haven't sold any but I was hired to write a few for peanuts with an Asian production company. Just flat fees, a few thousand bucks, paid only if the movie got made. Lucky for me the first two got made. Then I wrote three more for the same company, same deal. And guess what? They didn't get made so I wasn't paid. And it hurt more because these weren't my ideas or stories. These were given to me to flesh out, fix, re-write, etc. basically garbage that needed a loving hand to make them production ready. And one of them was really good, which several people connected told me. But they couldn't get the money to shoot it. The other two I did my best to fix up but the distributor, a major studio, had its readers go through them and we got the thumbs down. And I was pissed because one of them was just a first draft I had sent the director and to this day I suspect he never even read it, just fired it off to the studio. I was shocked when I heard they got coverage back because I was expecting notes and a re-write. Nope. Sent off the first draft and it got shit canned by the readers.
Ok I’ll just write as a side hustle and keep focusing on acting
Thanks for the honesty, looking forward to more. I did read that it is almost impossible to break into the USA market without living there, for the reasons you mentioned, travelling there, meals, events etc, so is there a squeeze in the UK? What do you think about approaching the BBC who nurture their writers? I'm in the enviable position of living on a small pension (I 'retired' in 2009) so I don't need to put my basic living expenses on the line, but it does mean i cannot afford to stay in hotels and travel across the country at the drop of a hat (unless I go into debt).
Hi Avalina - I'm glad you got some value out of my video. Screenwriting money is a tricky topic and nobody really talks about it...In answer to your question, unless you are writing US-centric specs, I would recommend you try and break in to your local film and TV industry if possible, where you can operate without racking up huge costs. The UK TV market, in particular, is in rude health, and many UK producers are teaming up with the likes of Amazon and Netflix to make content that is being seen by a global audience. If you write a hit UK show, you will get noticed Stateside.
Hi Avalina - with regard to approaching the BBC, easily your best bet - actually, probably your only bet - is to put scripts into their Writersroom. It runs twice a year - once for drama, once for comedy - and is open now (December 2018) for drama. The other thing you might consider is coming to the London Screenwriters' Festival, though that's not running in 2019; next one is spring 2020. Hope something here helps! Liz
Great advice, Liz. I think I read somewhere that the BBC are obliged to have an open submissions policy to UK writers. It may even be part of their public service and licence fee obligations. Subbing a script via Writers Room is a great way in - and they do read everything
@@Scriptfella Thanks! You're right about their contractual obligations, but the way it works is that they read the first 10 pages of everything (they call this 'the first sift'), and if you get through that there are various other stages, up to getting an interview. Pass that and they will put you on all kinds of initiatives and such. This is the way it worked since Paul Ashton - who used to pretty much run it - left to go to Creative England. I got through all the way to the top when he was there, but there was no structure in place so all I really got was an interview with him and a chat with another Drama exec. But one thing I did discover the hard way is that they're looking for what I can only call 'trajectory' - they track people's progress and if they don't like your second thing better than the first, they'll just dump you. (Yep - they didn't like the second thing I sent them as much; I think this would have been okay if Paul (whom I'd been taught by on a course previously anyway) had stayed in post. But he didn't and I'm basically back at the bottom of the pile. And I've never managed to write anything else they like. It is very subjective.
Liz thank you for sharing your experience with the BBC Writers Room. This is actionable, hard intel and very useful. I'll pass it on and quote you when anyone asks me about the Writers Room program. To confirm - they only read the first 10 pages?
Please answer me this question then!.......what would you say the link is between earnings and script quality then?.......reason I ask is I’m polishing my second script while my first is in the two main Hollywood script writing competitions this year and they are both potentially huge money spinners for myself and the industry...........however as a consumer of film I can see that the general level of script and films coming out of Hollywood is poor. So it begs the question are decent scripts valued highly or can they be overlooked regardless of quality if you are new to the industry with few contacts??
I'm approaching my 40yo.
I'm arabic, i was since my childhood obsessed with cinema.
Recently I started working on some screenplay, for things and ideas i wish i can saw as movies, let's say new perspective.
But screenwriting is for me a hobby, I never considered it as a job.
And if i m1nage once to see one of my writing as a good and well liked movie.
I'll say: " yes i did it"
Money came last for me.
It's the passion and the ambition that guides me.
Sorry for the bad english, and thanks for ur honsty sir.
What films have you written or helped on?
The part I hate is the snobbery of readers, Assistants and Execs that if the THEME and the WOW factor and the Point of the Story don't happen in the first five sentences of the script, they are not going to read the script. They keep scaling back form the first 10 pages to the just the first page. Then just the first moment. So the Screenwriter has to HARM and FORCE the story out of shape into something silly because no one in Hollywood can stand to read more than half a page of a script. It's ridiculous. If a film begins with a character's status quo life for 10 minutes, how can the first page possible include all the wow factor that will boggle reader's minds. At least World Cinema doesn't have this ridiculous problem of harming story for the sake of being read.
I’m originality’s I come up with Unique subtitles I come up with the people in the sky when I was 13 and they turned it in the hundred I come up with Unique subtitles and stories it comes naturally to me I so happy to find out I have hidden talent? I valuable in someone eyes !hahaha which’s he will never get a freebie again?because he stolen from a lucky charms?i don’t have a degree and I have MR
Just write your screenplay as a book featuring a character and scale that. You own and control the IP, etc.
Hi...how much does a concept writer make?
You got enough material there to write a good script :)
You may well be right Josselin - this story has got ambition, greed and hubris all over it...
Even though i believe my movie idea hits as 1 in a million idea is what propels me to study writing and make it a reality. I've learned many things. I've started from john truby to other story writing materials. But realizing how the nature of reality in world of film, plus i am from other country, decreases my interest on venturing out there.
I know this video is old but like, can you be a dropout but still be a screenwriter?
Hii sir
I am Ajay from India
I have written a Hollywood movie, it's like a action and thriller movie. I just wrote this movie to KEANU REEVES because, I am big fan of him just because of his looks, acting, John Wick and The Matrix movie. Can you help me to sell my film script to KEANU REEVES
What about writing for eastern markets like China/India?
Hello - I don't have any knowledge about the Chinese or Indian markets for screenwriting, although I'd love to work in China.
Have you found info. on the eastern markets?
I mean to be honest if you're a female screenwriter especially an unknown one you would not make a lot, if you don't know anyone in the film industry your script want get sold. Most people talk about the good of becoming a screenwriter, but they never talk about the bad. Most writers go two years without work when a tv show gets cancelled. What I am going to do is not leave my day job because screenwriting isn't guaranteed. It's not a real job.
TOO FUNNY! AS THE WAY YOU PUT IT. You are a good writer, whether you have a malibu mansion or not.
hi anyone can share the link of the part 2 screenwriter salary mentioned in this video? Thanks
czcams.com/video/CQo4UUNJI-M/video.html
@@Scriptfella Sir thank you so much!
I also want to sell my screenplay but I don't know how 😢
Hello Laissa - I suggest you watch my video 7 strategies to break into Hollywood
What about teaching? Academy of Art University needs really good screenwriting teachers and there ONLINE platform is excellent. You can teach from your home. I was a student there, an online student, in the BFA program called WRI. It is an excellent program for teachers with experience and you have some pretty gifted students. Also, they have a program for Vets returning from combat with incredible stories, think "CHERRY." ScriptFella are you still in LOS ANGELES?
Hi Mark - I’m a visiting film and tv lecturer at various universities and I’d love to do more teaching/ consulting.
Mark Oflahavan I’m back in the Uk at the moment
@@Scriptfella I am going to your gmail account in about an hour and will send you contact info for the WRI program at the Academy of Art University located in downtown San Francisco. Pixar hires from this University. The VA (Veterans Administration) backs this school. I'll send you info in about an hour. Have a good evening.
ok i did not recognize any of the A list screenwriter.
Hi Chris - here's a breakdown on some of the screenwriters I reference and the films they have written. Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio (Shrek, National Treasure, Pirates of the Caribbean franchise) Terry Rossio sold his Deja Vu spec for $5million see. www.wescreenplay.com/blog/the-most-expensive-screenplays-ever-sold/ Craig Mazin (The Hangover 2, Identity Thief) John August (Go, Big Fish Charlie's Angels) I probably could have chosen some even bigger hitters to illustrate the A List aristocracy - Steven Zaillian, Shane Black, Ronald Bass. And of course the biggest money these days is in TV rather than film, where writers like Shonda are earning 30-100 million on a hit show.
The 'ear' without the 'wallet' is not a good combination.
I have great story's script in my mind
I want to sell them
Help .
What about talent?
.
I guess you should live below your mean and when money finally comes you buy money generating assets so you have some financial freedom that you need to continue writing.
100 percent, Nocturne.
I hope no one watched this video and became discouraged. Keep dreaming & shooting for the stars.
Currently, I’ve earned £20 from screenwriting
Ya' bare your heart and two thumbs down. The hell this world coming to? Look at this way, you could have bought the self-driving Telsa???
I'm guessing Equal Pay doesn't apply here. Maybe we're not WOKE enough.
Can a person be a writer on an independent level without working for a company?
Yes. It's all independent films. You write, find your own crew and film it yourself.