Breaking In: Tales from the Screenwriting Trenches / Edition 1

by Lee Jessup

Overview

Breaking In: Tales from the Screenwriting Trenches is a no-nonsense, boots-on-the-ground exploration of how writers REALLY go from emerging to professional in today’s highly saturated and competitive screenwriting space. With a focus on writers who have gotten representation and broken into the TV or feature film space after the critical 2008 WGA strike and financial market collapse, the reader will learn from tangible examples of how success was achieved via hard work and specific methodology.

This book includes interviews from writers who wrote major studio releases (The Boy Next Door), staffed on television shows (American Crime, NCIS New Orleans, Sleepy Hollow), sold specs and television shows, placed in competitions, and were accepted to prestigious network and studio writing programs. These interviews are presented as Screenwriter Spotlights throughout the book and are supported by insight from top-selling agents and managers (including those who have sold scripts and pilots, had their writers named to prestigious lists such as The Black List and The Hit List) as well as working industry executives. Together, these anecdotes, learnings and perceptions, tied in with the author's extensive experience in and knowledge of the industry, will inform the reader about how the industry REALLY works, what it expects from both working and emerging writers, as well as what next steps the writer should engage in, in order to move their screenwriting career forward.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781138679122
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	02/27/2017
Series:	500 Tips Series
Pages:	340
Sales rank:	740,570
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Lee Zahavi Jessup, author of Getting It Write: An Insider's Guide To A Screenwriting Career, is a highly sought after screenwriting career coach with 20+ years of industry experience. Lee’s clients include writers working in film and television, participants in the prestigious television writing programs, contest winners and many more. An invited speaker at the WGA, NBC, UCLA and countless screenwriting conferences, Lee is a contributor for Script Magazine and has been interviewed by many screenwriting-centric television shows, web shows and podcasts.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Dedication

Special Thanks

Introduction

Screenwriter Spotlight #1: Erin Cardillo

Chapter 1: Understanding the Industry

Section 1.1: Profession Evolved: Screenwriting Through the Ages

Section 1.2: The Industry Today

Section 1.3: Becoming a Screenwriter in Today’s Industry

Screenwriter Spotlight #2: Kirk Moore

Chapter 2: So… How Do You Break In?

Section 2.1: General Insights from Agents, Managers and Executives

Section 2.2: Reverse Engineering Your Break

Section 2.3: Luck Favors the Prepared:

Section 2.4: Your Personal Narrative

Screenwriter Spotlight #3: Marissa Jo Cerar

Chapter 3: Your Craft

Section 3.1: The Importance of Craft

Section 3.2: Screenwriting Advice from Industry Professionals

Section 3.3: But… Is it Ready?

Section 3.4: Decoding the Voice

Screenwriter Spotlight #4: Terrell Lawrence

Chapter 4: Getting Representation

Section 4.1: Agent, Manager, or Both?

Section 4.2: What Managers and Agents Look For

Section 4.3: Attracting Representation

Section 4.4: The Writer/Rep Relationship

Section 4.5: Representatives on Representation

Section 4.6: Positioning Yourself for Representation

Screenwriter Spotlight #5: Eric Koenig

Chapter 5: Winning a Screenwriting Competition

Section 5.1: Screenwriting Competitions as Vetting Avenues

Section 5.2: The Screenwriting Competitions that Matter

Section 5.3: But are They Worth It? Industry Perspective

Section 5.5: Making the Most of Your Win

Screenwriter Spotlight #6: Greta Heinemann

Chapter 6: Acceptance Into a TV Writing Program

Section 6.1: Overview: Television Writing Program

Section 6.2: Television Writing Programs - Requirements

Section 6.3: Television Writing Programs - The Industry Perspective

Section 6.4: What You Can Do Right Now To Position Yourself For a TV Writing Program

Screenwriter Spotlight #7: Chandus Jackson

Chapter 7: Receiving a Feature Writing Fellowship or Lab Placement

Section 7.1: Breaking down the Feature Fellowships

Section 7.2: The Best of the Best: Labs and Fellowships

Section 7.3: Positioning Yourself for a Feature Writing Fellowship or Lab

Screenwriter Spotlight #8: Melissa London Hilfers

Chapter 8: Selling a Spec Screenplay

Section 8.1: How Does Today’s Spec Market WorK?

Section 8.2: Getting a Spec Out to Market

Section 8.3: The Anatomy of a Spec Sale

Section 8.4: When a Spec Doesn’t Sell - Measuring Success

Section 8.5: The Prestige Lists

Section 8.6: Positioning Yourself for the Spec Market

Screenwriter Spotlight #9: Moises Zamora

Chapter 9: Television: Getting Staffed

Section 9.1: Today’s Television Landscape

Section 9.2: The Hierarchy of The Room

Section 9.3: Getting into The Room

Section 9.4: Working Your Way Up: The Benefits

Section 9.5: The Room: Compensation

Section 9.6: Positioning Yourself for Television Staffing

Screenwriter Spotlight #10: Joe Webb

Chapter 10: Selling Your Television Pilot

Section 10.1: Bypassing the Room: Become a Television Content Creator

Section 10.2: Construction Your Show

Section 10.3: Pilot Pitch Meetings

Section 10.4: The Anatomy of Setting Up A Pilot

Section 10.5: Selling a Pilot: Financial Expectations

Screenwriter Spotlight #11: Barbara Curry

Chapter 11: General Meetings & Writing Assignments

Section 11.1: General Meetings

Section 11.2: The Road to Writing Assignments

Section 11.3: Developing Your Take

Screenwriter Spotlight #12: Diarra Kilpatrick

Chapter 12: Breaking In the Unconventional Way

Section 12.1: Query Letters, The Black List, Live & Online Pitch Opportunities

Section 12.2: Web Series and Short Film

Section 12.3: Other Avenues for Recognition: Novels, Plays and Other Supplemental Materials

Screenwriter Spotlight #13: Tawnya Bhattacharya & Ali Laventhol

Chapter 13: Everything You Can Do For Your Screenwriting Career Today

Section 13.1: Preparing Yourself for the Industry

Section 13.2: Writing Partnerships

Section 13.3: Every Screenplay is a Brick: The 3-Step Approach

Section 13.4: Networking & Your Screenwriting Community

Section 13.5: Your Industry Education

Screenwriter Spotlight #14: Isaac Gonzales

Chapter 14: The Kitchen Sink - Insights, Guidance and Advice from the Industry

Section 14.1: General Advice from Industry Professionals

Section 14.2: Mistakes Writers Should Avoid

Section 14.3: Living in Los Angeles

Section 14.4: Overnight Successes and How Long Building a Screenwriting Career REALLY takes

Section 14.5: Jeff Portnoy’s 5 Things Every Writer Should Know

Screenwriter Spotlight #15: Danny Tolli

Chapter 15: Final Thoughts

Section 15.1: Advice for Working Writers

Section 15.2: Lee’s Final Thoughts

Screenwriter Spotlight #16: Michael Perri

Editorial Reviews

"With Lee Jessup’s incredible and informative new book, you will learn the mastery of becoming a working writer with longevity. Lee shows you the value of understanding the current state of the industry, the benefits of screenwriting competitions and fellowships, the paths to staffing on television and selling pilots, and the stories of those who are where you want to be."

—Jen Grisanti, Story/Career Consultant, Writing Instructor for NBC, International Speaker

"How do I love Lee Jessup? Let me count the ways. With Breaking In: Tales from the Screenwriting Trenches, Lee once again brings her ‘no BS’ approach coupled with a wealth of timely, actionable information designed to help you fearlessly navigate the business of screenwriting. This is cut-through-the-fat, get-after-it advice that will have you on the path to building a screenwriting career."

—Rich "RB" Botto, Founder of Stage 32, Screenwriter, The End Game

From the Publisher