Screenwriting : Screenwriting Jobs by Deion Higginbotham

lemme know too when someone knows how to get paid to write movies.

LOL Dan, this board would NOT be what it is without your input!

I think you have to get to know a producer before they will hire you. I never asked for a an assignment or a job working on screenplays but I did get a few.

Nobody is going to hire you just to write a movie. If you show up with a couple of red-hot scripts, they may bring you on board to do some rewrites & polish. If you are looking for a steady 9:00 to dark steady writing gig, look into a TV writer's job. (it ain't no fun, but it'll pay the bills.)

One can be writing for the rest of their life with zero results. Best thing to do is write it, then shoot it. Then maybe you can get some exposure at film festivals.

Appreciate all the feedback

Doug, I got hired "just to write a movie." In fact I've been hired to write four so far. Delirium (Shameless plug, releasing in November) Blue Holes (hired by Robert J Wilson- got paid but it was never produced) Project Exposure for David Ranes (Southpaw) who is seeking funding for production and Blackout - one I am starting a treatment for to be produced by Michael Mendelsohn (just produced Hangman starring Al Pacino) The only spec script I've written was Dead Wake which is doing well in film festivals and contests.

Lisa, I stand corrected - since you know the secret handshake, why not share it with Dejon along with the rest of us?

I have also been hired to write a few but I am not going to do anymore of them.

I believe we can create assignments for ourself, and I haven't written for me in 3 years. I found an actor who was doin' it. Wrote a short for him. He took me with him to New Mexico for acting gigs. On set, I pitched projects I felt were right for heavy-hitters there. We're delivering MAD MOUNTAIN MASSACRE to our connects in December.

I got my first assignment adapting a novel from a producer on a site similar to this one. I got my second one from another producer that wanted me to adapt a novel. I got three since then. Two are in development the third one I told the producer to go find another screenwriter. I believe one thing that maybe helped me get assignments was the fact that I made some contacts and had experience doing adaptations but who knows. I never ask anyone why they hired me because they might start wondering the same thing:)

That's great, Lisa. Can you help Deion with some insight on how your got those assignments? It will help a lot of people here.

Hi, Deion! Fellow SF-based writer here... Would love to connect to see how we can collaborate... I'll send you an invitation. : )

I've been very fortunate. I started as a writer for a small magazine and had the chance to interview Andy Cheng about his days with Jackie Chan and his work as his stunt double. We stayed in touch and about 4 years after that interview, after directing a couple of films, he found himself in need of a new screenwriter to help him out with a rewrite. I had played around with screenwriting but never had anyone to pitch to out here and didn't take myself seriously enough to pursue it seriously until he asked me to give it a go with his script. I handed in my version and didn't hear from him for a while and when I finally did I told him I enjoyed working on it and if he liked my work I'd be happy to have another go at it. He said almost verbatim, "You can do as many as you like for me, as long as you still enjoy it. You're my partner!" I wrote a few with him which we still hope to get made, but one day he was golfing with Johnny Martin who, at the time had an idea for a horror movie but needed a writer. Andy suggested me. Since Johnny didn't know who I was and I had nothing produced yet and Andy did (End Game was writen and Directed by Andy) he asked Andy to work on the first draft with me to make sure I understood what he wanted. Johnny was very happy with me and Andy was able to back out and let me take over before Johnny had even sent notes on the first draft. I took over from then on, worked on that version, a rewrite/reshoot when it went from found footage to multi camera. Johnny in turn gave my name to Robert J Wilson who hired me after reading one of my spec scripts that I used as a sample. Johnny Martin went on to have me write Project Exposure which eventually David Ranes worked on rewriting with me after deciding he wanted to produce it. More recently, Johnny after working with Producer Michael Mendelsohn on a few films, suggested me when Michael told him about an idea he wanted to have written made into an action film. That's the latest one that I just handed in the treatment for. Yes you can say I had a foot in the door but if I was no good, that door would have slammed on my toes a long time ago. I pride myself in being able to work with and for a variety of people and being easy to work with. If I was no good, Andy would never have suggested I write for Johnny Martin and Johnny in turn would not put his reputation on the line by saying"This is my writer, she's good. You won't be sorry," to the people who he suggested me to. The only person who didn't hire me after such a suggestion, was Daniel Saedek. He was looking for a more experienced comedy writer for a film with Eddie Griffin (which incidentally I'm not sure one was ever found to his satisfaction!) So how does anyone else get jobs like that? Have talent, make connections, network, and be agreeable to work with. That's not to say I never disagree with anyone, but I pick my battles. Someone I wrote for asked me to put hippy dialog in a script that took place in 1963. I told him (nicely), no then gave him a video to watch of American Bandstand from the era. However when a client asked me to add a scene where Hooter Girls are included in a scene in another restaurant (product placement!) I said, "you got it." because I knew this was a direct to video, jiggle-vision for the hormone driven audience. (and I'm kinda happy it wasn't made...I got paid! )