The role and the commissioning process of a writer                     

 

What is a scriptwriter?

 

A screenplay writer, screenwriter for short films and a scriptwriter are individuals who write scripts or screenplays for movies, Tv shows, advertisements and short films. Scriptwriters can also write scripts for comics, books and other forms of media. The primary objective of a scriptwriter is to turn a plot into a script with dialogues and line, essentially a scriptwriter puts life into the plot and story that they have been given. The role of a scriptwriter is a freelance position and doesn’t necessarily require qualifications however it is preferred by some directors and producers. Being a scriptwriter is challenging as it requires a lot of hard work, dedication as they have a lot of competition with other scriptwriters in the industry.

 

The role, the process of commissioning and a day in the life of a writer

 

Commission has several different meanings, but in this context it is the act of passing a responsibility to someone else, or a specialised individual to undertake the task and responsibility. When a writer is commissioned to write for a potential film or Tv show, they are given that responsibility and tasked to be creative and come up with innovative ideas that can please the producers and directors so that the script can be turned into a profitable production. The individuals involved in the process of commissioning a writer are; agents, script editors, directors, producers, commissioning editors, corporations and the writers themselves. The first job is for the writer to find an agent that would represent them to producers, directors and various filmmakers. Writers can directly contact directors and filmmakers however it is more beneficial if the writer does this through an agent.

 

Agents showcase the writer’s ideas, concepts and narratives to the concerned individuals such as the producer, director and investors. It’s extremely crucial that the film stakeholders see eye to eye with the writer otherwise this could bring up potential conflicts and issues in the process of producing a script. The next step is that readers are given multiple scripts and are tasked with giving their view, opinion and make the judgment on whether the script has potential or whether it should be scratched. After that the script editors come in, they are the people in the commissioning process who make adjustments and small or major changes to scripts that have approved by the readers for either films or a Tv show. The script editors job is to ensure that the script is good and should be used in the production, they also have to review aspects such as making sure they aren’t similar to other scripts to avoid legal and copyright issues.

 

This is when the directors come in, after the script has been approved by the script editor the director looks at the script and after giving his approval he transforms it into a sequence of recorded footage to form a feasible production. Primarily a director’s role is to oversee everything the production team is doing during the productions stage; such as the camera operators, editors, actors and directors of photography to make sure they are completing all tasks just as the director visualises and conceptualises it. The director then plans out his team on the process of producing and completing the film. After the planning is complete or in the process of it, that is when the producer comes in the next step as they are generally in charge and mange everything that happens with the specific media departments they work in. They manage and face issues that the director doesn’t face such as; legal, administrative and financial aspects of the production. They help the director in the project from start to finish and ensure all the required talent is hired to make the production as successful as possible.

 

Finally, the commissioning editors are called in as they are usually senior employees who work in through the commissioning process and are mainly responsible and tasked for selecting programme ideas from scripts written by writers that have been approved by readers and script editors. When they finally approve everything about the script and story they allocate a budget to the company which has come up with the idea so that it can be produced. Commissioning editors will also usually work within a specific genre in the media industry, this varies from dramas to entertainment and reality programmes. They overlook production once they have given the company the required funds to produce it.

 

All in all, the writer plays a crucial and vital part in the process of producing the script from pre-production all the way until post production. In the premature stages of production, they are tasked with coming up with all the storylines and plots that make the story what it is. The narratives that are broadcasted on Tv are heavily reliant on the writers especially when the productions are in the format of a series as it requires a lot of character development and concentration to plotlines. The writer has to ensure there are no potholes as even a subtle one could ruin the storyline for viewers. The writer has to be consistent with their creativity and continuously generate stories that appeal to the target market every week for a series.

 

Ultimately, the script editors edit scripts however the writers can also edit their own scripts as to how they want the production to be perceived. They are ultimately the ones who have the conceptualisation, the vision and are able to picture exactly what they want their programme or film to be depicted and shown as. The writer has constant contact and association with the producers and directs because they have to ensure that they have filmed and the actors hired are talented and reflect the portrayal the writer wishes to have. As soon as the writer is content with the script and has agreed its good enough to be filmed, a ‘page-lockdown’ happens. This means that ultimately no re-writes and edits can be made, it is the green light to go ahead with the filming and production process. The writer themselves can still however make a change if they feel the scene needs some modifications as not everything turns out exactly how they vision and view it at times.

 

Writers play a key role throughout the commissioning process as a whole and they are the starting point before anything happens as a production can’t be started without a story.