SCREENWRITING (No-Bull): Hollywood, according to union minimum rules, pays approx. $100,000 (see below) for a Treatment and 2 Drafts (1st Draft & Final Draft) to hire a writer to write a script based off an idea they have or a book or real life story they optioned. QUESTION: So what do you think they’ll offer you when you come to them with the finished script that, for whatever reason, is absolutely perfect and they love? ANSWER: $100,000. Duh.

For specific amounts go to the website for the screenwriters union, called Writers Guild of America (www.WGA.org) and view (http://www.wga.org/uploadedFiles/writers_resources/contracts/min2014.pdf) what you will discover is that the exact pay ranges from $67,804 to $127,295… This is nice.

The $67,804 is for a Low-Budget movie (film under $1,200,000) and High-Budget is (film over $5,000,000) assumed as any movie costing more-than $5,000,000 but marketed as “just-under” $7-10 Million, or $10-12 Million, or $12-15 Million. Yep, all those budgets they market are “just-under“…

Back to facts.

If Low-Budget (under $1.2 Million) writer gets paid…

• TREATMENT… $30,721
• 1^st DRAFT… $26,700
• 2^nd DRAFT… $10,383

If High-Budget (over $5 Million) writer gets paid…

• TREATMENT… $50,874
• 1^st DRAFT…. $50,874
• 2^nd DRAFT… $25,547

The one and only secret to obtaining the $100,000 SALE ($67,804-$127,295) is to write the great script. Duh.

Obvious and simple to say, yet extremely difficult to do. But doable if you follow these steps.

And remember; Anyone can have an idea and use free formatting shareware (www.Celtx.com) or purchase formatting software (Final Draft 9.0, www.FinalDraft.com) and knock out 90-140 pages in 1-2 months. Not a big deal.

The big deal is to knock out 90-140 pages in 1-2 months, of course typed in the write format, that…

• Grabs the Reader on Line 4-6 of Page-1 (grabs readers attention)
• Grabs the Reader on Bottom Line of Page-1 (holds readers attention)
• First 8-12 Pages captivate the reader. (makes reader turn pages)
• Characters introduced have personality & uniqueness. (reader enjoys this)
• 2^nd ACT starts around Page 12, after an “UH-OH” & “OH-SHIT”. (reader is grabbed)
• Reader is now grabbed, hooked and reads entire script. (reader is satisfied)
• 2^nd ACT is a great roller-coaster ride. (reader is still hooked)
• 2^nd ACT establishes the 3 Sub-Plots. (reader is fascinated)
• All Characters are not 1-dimensional and have a sub-story. (readers is enthralled)
• 3^rd ACT starts page 70 (90 Page Script) or page 110 (140 Page Script) (reader is excited)
• 3^rd ACT brings 3 Sub-Plots and Primary Plot all together. (reader is kvelling)
• 3^rd ACT resolves itself. (reader is more than 100% satisfied)
• EPILOGUE, 1 page might be a bonus

Now… Get Real.

You keeping hearing Hollywood, all those celebrities and dudes, sitting on those $1,000 “Variety Entertainment Financing Summits” stating “We’re looking for great ideas” and you instantly get excited about your-idea-is-great.

Don’t get excited. Hollywood is not looking for great ideas… it is looking for Great Scripts. And if your script handles “A-M” above then you likely have the Great Script.

You grabbed the reader right away on page-1, you make him/her turn the page and read 9 more pages. The 10 pages are great he/she is now engrossed and then reads the entire script. Plus, you have dimensional characters, with unique dialogue, and 3 sub-plots which each resolve themselves and are all intertwined into the primary story that also resolves itself… You got a Fr*ckin’ Great Script.

Let’s assume the reader gives “good coverage” (two page book report to his/her superior), states “Must Read” and the superior reads the script and agrees “This is a Fr*ckin’ Great Script” you will now likely get an offer for Writers Guild minimum (Low-Budget) of $67,804. What the f*ck round-it-up to $75,000, with a paragraph in the offer that if the budget ever goes over $5 Million you will receive $127,295 or whatever writers guild minimum is at that date.

Voilla…You sold your script for about $100,000… give or take a little.

Hold on, Stop-The-Engines, I’d be remiss if, however, if I did not say that you “ain’t gonna get a check at one-time for that $100,000 or $67,804-$127,295″, at this moment from the slick Hollywood Buyer (aka: Development Executive), for he/she is not really buying your script he/she is really optioning it (first refusal right) for 2-4 years with likely only 10% down.

Bummer?

Don’t be bummed!

Stay tuned for in another NO-BULL BLOG I will show you how to negotiate a bigger Purchase Price for your Option Agreement then if you really took that first $100K offer with $10K down.

*** NO-BULL ***