The Business of Screenwriting
Two books to ease you into the business side of screenwriting
Want your script used in Hollywood but not exactly sure how to get it there? These two books will walk you through the business of how to become a successful screenwriter while giving you insider info into what goes on behind the silver screen.
Do you want to get paid to go to movies, attend plays, eat at restaurants, listen to music, read books, and meet celebrities? All of this is possible if you’re an entertainment writer, and Diana Saenger coaches you through becoming one in this book. It will have everyone around you saying, “I want your job!”
Author: Diana Saenger
Published by: Piccadilly Books
Release Date: Jul 2000
Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Everyone Wants My Job! reveals how to break into the field of entertainment writing. It has a plethora of tips on how to critically analyze movies, plays, videos, music, restaurants, and books and write intriguing articles.
"You will learn how to meet and effectively interview famous authors, movie stars, professional athletes, popular musicians, and other celebrities. Experience the thrill of rubbing elbows with celebrities and be welcome to exclusive banquets and gatherings reserved only for insiders through this exciting guide."
- Amazon
This book teaches you what resources that seem unrelated are actually helpful to have.
"Everyone Wants My Job" is chatty and informative, offering useful tips for breaking into the world of screenwriting. Professional critic Diana Saenger shares her recipe for success in this competitive field by including essential insight on analyzing films and other venues, celebrity interview do's and don'ts, techniques for marketing written work, and handling rejection. "Everyone Wants My Job" is a must-read for anyone considering becoming an entertainment writer.
If you’re specifically looking to be a Hollywood screenwriter, it’s helpful to have a grasp on how business works in Hollywood. This book will teach you what Hollywood deems as profitable and why, which can be useful for helping you craft a work that is more likely to get on the big screen.
Author: Edward Jay Epstein
Published by: Random House Trade Paperbacks
Release Date: Jan 2006
Buy the Book: Amazon | Indiebound | Barnes & Noble
"[The Big Picture is] an unprecedented, all-encompassing, and thoroughly entertaining account of the Hollywood business. Acclaimed writer Edward Jay Epstein reveals the real magic behind moviemaking: how the studios make their money.
Knowing the nuances of the Hollywood economy is helpful for aspiring Hollywood writers.
Epstein shows that in Hollywood, the only art that matters is the art of the deal: major films turn huge profits not from the movies themselves but through myriad other enterprises, from video-game spin-offs and soundtracks to fast-food tie-ins, and even theme-park rides. The studios may compete for stars and Oscars, but their corporate parents challenge one another in less glamorous markets such as cable, home video, and pay-TV."
Money, though, is only a small part of the Hollywood story; the social and political milieus–power, prestige, and status–tell the rest. Alongside its remarkable financial revelations and incisive profiles of the pioneers who helped build Hollywood, The Big Picture is filled with eye-opening insider stories. If you are interested in Hollywood today and the complex and fascinating way it has evolved in order to survive, you have’ t seen the big picture until you’ve read The Big Picture.
-Penguin Random House
This book is a comprehensive investigation and analysis of the business of movie-making, and its detail is on the far side meticulous. How profitable your work is may change where it is accepted. The Big Picture is a useful resource for helping make your work profitable and delivering it to the big screen.
The road to getting your script to the screen may be arduous, especially if you plan on taking your work all the way to Hollywood. You can prepare for the bumps and twists of your journey with these books, making the path to your dream job as smooth as possible as you expertly navigate the screenwriting industry.
