Hello All, First off, I have no ability to write a screenplay... I applaud all of you who can, your amazing, this industry would not exist without a good story. With that being said, I have a wonderful story (in my head) that I feel could be a good movie.... how do I go about getting someone to work with me on writing it? This story has been rattling around in my head for a couple of years now and I feel it really needs to be told.
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You can pick up a few books on screenwriting. Learn the basics. Then ask someone to write it with you if you don't feel as though you can do it yourself.
Hey Lara, first off (and I am going to try to speak / write like Alan F. Horn) know your discipline on the ability of yourself. You see Lara, there is no need to applaud anybody unless (I would suggest) if you are applauding your own ability in screenwriting ;). You see as a tricky writer that I am, that is me... what I mean to say is you are you... and also what I mean to say is if you can write what you wrote above... you can write a screenplay... my suggestion is that, write one word (guidance) headers for every ten minutes and work accordingly around this as you fill in the ten minutes. Don't be overwhelmed Lara, just do it and soon you will see a screenplay... just remember the first time you learned how to cook. Mwah :) xx p.s. that ended up sounding more like me than Alan F. Horn ;) x
O'Neil, read books. It's not the only way you'll get better but I don't see how it could hurt a new writer.
I'd say if you have a really good story idea, it's worth learning the art of screenwriting. I never would've dreamt I'd be screenwriting one day.
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Everyone has an idea. Screenwriters have hundreds of ideas and have studied and practiced the craft enough to execute those ideas. So the problem always is: a writer would have to give up the time they would spend writing one of their ideas, that is close to their heart, to write your idea. What's in it for them? I've mentioned this here before, I have a 100 Idea Theory, where I come up with 100 good ideas and then search for the best among them to take to script. When you have 100 ideas to choose from, you can really be picky about which one you take the time to write. You can see the flaws in the other ideas in a way you could never see them if you only had one idea that you loved. When you have come up with a bunch of good ideas that you love? You can be selective and brutally honest. I'm not saying that your idea isn't great, but it's only one idea... and who knows how it stacks up to that idea of mine I would have to set aside to write yours. So the argument that we usually hear, "By my idea is great!" may not be enough to sway us. Everyone else is giving you good advice: if you want to get that idea out there, just write it. PS: Be warned: unless you are making your own film, a screenplay is usually just a job application for an assignment. Which means you have to love the writing part.
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You can always hire a screenwriter at a small time level that has some skills. I was recently hired to write a script for a gentleman. He had a good story idea but knew nothing about screenwriting... a civilian, if you will. He paid me what I was worth at this point in my career—or lack thereof :-) and I made him part of the process and he really enjoyed it, and the final product as well.
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And if you do this, you will then have a script attached to you, that you have all the rights to. Might be valuable, being an actor and all.
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Thank you all! This is very valuable advice!!
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Learn to write, or pay money to hire a writer. I do this work for clients, and so do many others. As Bill said, lots of people have ideas. Sharing your idea is not sufficient compensation for the time it takes a writer to write, given that the odds of ever selling a script are tiny. Thousands of people every year advertise online with similar "offers" -- "I've got a great idea -- will you write the script for me... for free?" I've collected a few hundred examples here: http://studios.amazon.com/discussions/Tx25246NR3P78Z5
As I am reading all of this I can't help but feel that some think I was asking for free help? Please don't misunderstand my question. I understand your time is valuable as writers. I would never ask for free help. I generally wanted some advise on how one begins.... thank you again for all of your help... it is indeed valuable.
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I assure you that my comment was not geared toward making you feel that way, and I am sure that not everyone else on here was either. I just wanted to let you knnow that there are writers out there that are more than willing to take a small fee and write your story for you :-)
Good comments. If curious, check out: https://www.youtube.com/user/fastscreenplay
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Lara. You received a lot of good comments. On top of those, I'll put what I'd suggest you consider in the form of a question. Assuming you found a writer, worked out a deal, wrote the script which turned out well, what are you going to do with it? That is, are you producing? Are you seeking to become a screenwriter yourself? What is your personal goal in relation to that script? Because in my view, you'll be much better off if you have one. I have people outside the film biz, friends, who come to me from time to time with 'I have this great idea for a movie.'. And they're willing to tell that idea to me for 'just a piece of the action' when the script sells. What they don't realize is what's involved in getting to the great script based on that great idea and then, possibly equally or even more difficult, selling or producing the script. To be clear, please don't think I'm knocking your original question. I'm not. It's a good question. But I think you have to figure out how you plan, in particular, to involve yourself in the film business with the completed script and make that clear to any writer with whom you propose to work.