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Marketability

So what’s this thing called marketability and do I need to worry about it as I write?As a script consultant this is a question I’ve been asked by writers many times and it’s a good one. The answer is yes, and um, well, no. How’s that for confusing? I’ll try to clarify…Marketability (or commerciality) is a term used to describe a...
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I Love Being a Writer

It’s no secret that when it comes to sitting down to actually doing the writing, we writers excel at procrastination. If, anywhere within a five mile radius of the computer, we happen to notice an unsharpened pencil, a window, a refrigerator, a phone, unopened mail, a magazine, something needing dusting, the TV remote, a ladybug...
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Writing The Perfect Hallmark Holiday Romantic Comedy Movie

  • Mark Sevi
  • .June 20, 2022
Writing The Perfect Hallmark Holiday Romantic Comedy MovieHoliday films screened during major holidays are as sure as horror films screening at Halloween. Mark Sevi spoke with mega-producer Carol Baum about how screenwriters can best position themselves to sell their screenplays into this market which consistently looks for this...
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8 Keys to Writing a Marketable Script

1. ONE GENRE TO RULE THEM ALL I recently sat through a webinar where writers were given the opportunity to pitch their concepts. One lady stuck out to me because she described her project as a suspense, thriller, and comedy, with horror elements. She then went on to pitch her story, which I didn’t comprehend at all, because I wa...
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Just Write The !&*>^% Script Without The Tricks! (Part 2)

  • Mark Sevi
  • .May 18, 2022
This entry is part 2 of 2 in the series Narrative Tricks:1) MontagesA montage basically compresses time. That’s why it exists and that’s the only reason it should be put into any script.A character needs to learn a skill like in The Karate Kid and the training montages give us the impression of months of training in a few minute...
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Just Write The !&*>^% Script Without The Tricks! (Part 1)

  • Mark Sevi
  • .May 16, 2022
This entry is part 1 of 2 in the series Narrative Tricks:I don’t like storytelling “tricks.” By that I mean voice over, fantasy sequences, flashbacks, dreams, montages, or unnecessary or arbitrary non-linear structure. Sure, there are times when all those techniques are appropriate but we rely on them far too often especially th...
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“There Will Always Be A Market For A Script We Can’t Put Down”

  • Seth Renshaw
  • .February 10, 2022
Seth Renshaw worked in PR, media sales and then with CAA’s Marketing department before transitioning to film and television with David Dobkin’s Big Kid Pictures at Warner Bros.  He is currently the Director of Development at Benaroya Pictures, a writer of various pilots and features – and always looking for the next great movie ...
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That Scene In Your Screenplay Sucks

  • Mark Sevi
  • .January 5, 2022
The number one failure for most non-pro screenwriters (and for some pro writers) is as fundamental as FADE IN: It’s the scene. Flabby, flaccid, forgettable, feckless… yeah a lot of F-words – because most screenwriters just deliver either a clichéd presentation or do only one thing in a scene and then move on. Your screenwriting ...
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Why Your Outline Could KilI Your Screenplay

  • Mark David Gerson
  • .November 30, 2021
Your outline could be killing your screenplay. That’s right, the tool everyone says you must have in order to start work on a successful screenplay could be doing the opposite.Why? Because outlines force you to plan like an engineer not craft like a storyteller. Outlines drive you into linear thinking when the most memorable cha...
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Let’s Talk About Subtext In Screenwriting

Subtext – n. The underlying personality of a dramatic character as implied or indicated by a script or text. An inner world. A place glimpsed peripherally. Overtones.In screenwriting, subtext is implicit (intimated) versus explicit (stated) – a different layer of intention and depth. Using it expands your toolbox allowing you to...
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Jen Grisanti: Why You Need to Write for Yourself and Not for the Market

  • Brianne Hogan
  • .October 11, 2021
When it comes to sitting down to write a script, so many writers are concerned with what the market wants rather than on the story they want to tell. Obviously, writers want their scripts to sell; however, writing for the market means creating a screenplay that comes from a more calculated approach rather than a creative and emo...
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Dedicated Talent Manager Markus Linecker On Working With His Screenwriter

  • Markus Linecker
  • .September 30, 2021
“A Negotiated Exchange Of Ideas.” Dedicated Talent Manager Markus Linecker On Working With His Screenwriter Clients:Boasting an impressive array of clients, Markus Linecker, Head Of Film & TV Development at Dedicated Talent Management, met with Creative Screenwriting Magazine to discuss how screenwriters can best attract and wor...
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Are You Ready To Enter The Screenwriting Marketplace?

  • Alexander Robb
  • .June 16, 2021
Every screenwriter has toiled for years on their film and TV scripts. They’ve written, got screenplay feedback and rewritten their scripts. You may have even attracted the interest of a literary agent or manager who’ve helped your polish scripts. You question whether your work is ready to be circulated to film industry professio...
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Here’s Your Number One Job As A Screenwriter – Embrace The “M” Word

  • Mark Sevi
  • .May 19, 2021
Contributor Mark Sevi is back with another article on how to boost your screenwriting career. Do you want to get ahead? Hook your audience? Take them on a journey and keep them invested in your screenplay? Then read on.What is job number one for any writer, I ask my students at the beginning of each of my ‘Intro to Scriptwriting...
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Just Write The !&*>^% Script Without The Tricks! (Part 2)

This entry is part 2 of 2 in the series Narrative Tricks. We continue with the second and final part of our series on misusing narrative tricks in your screenwriting. Your screenplay should work just as well without them.1) MontagesA montage basically compresses time. That’s why it exists and that’s the only reason it should be ...
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Getting Your Screenplay Moments Right

“Moments. Give the audience half a dozen moments they can remember, and they’ll leave the theatre happy.” – Actress Rosalind Russell“I heard you laugh in the right places. I heard you moved in the right places, and that’s all movies are about — moments and if you do them right – sometimes there are moments that you will never, e...
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“Writing Is In The Rewrite” Says HBO Story Analyst Mark Chandley

  • February 17, 2019
Mark Chandley reads a lot of scripts – good ones – bad ones – and everything in between. As a story analyst for HBO and other organizations, as well as a writer’s assistant for A-list film and TV writer Roger Wolfson, Mark spoke with Creative Screenwriting Magazine about what makes a good script analyst.What’s the difference bet...
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Are You Ready To Enter The Screenwriting Marketplace?

  • November 8, 2018
Every screenwriter has toiled for years on their film and TV scripts. They’ve written, got screenplay feedback and rewritten their scripts. You may have even attracted the interest of a literary agent or manager who’ve helped your polish scripts. You question whether your work is ready to be circulated to film industry professio...
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How to Format a Script for the Spec Market

If you’re confused by how to format a script, you’re in the right place. The following post contains excerpts from our book, “Master Screenplay Format: A Clear Guide On How To Format a Screenplay For The Spec Market.”The overall message of the book when it comes to your movie script format is to stay as clear and consistent as p...
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