How to Make Money Scriptwriting (Paperback)

~ Julian Friedmann (Author)
Key Phrases: principal photography payment, total guaranteed payment, total minimum payment, Society of Authors, European Union, James Park (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"'Friedmann knows what he is talking about, which he does in a witty and entertaining way, informing without patronising. Go and buy it.' - Film Review; A practical guide to the business that covers how you should deal with producers and agents a good read - Screenwriter Magazine"

Product Description

Many books deal with how to write better scripts, but this is the only one to tackle the business side of being a professional writer.Written by a leading literary agent, this is an indispensable insider's guide to the development process - from the original idea right through to production - it provides the reader with an easy-to-read handbook for:

• Identifying what audiences want and understanding their emotional needs
• Developing successful ideas for film and television drama
• Writing more effective treatments and step outlines
• Improving one's ability to pitch ideas and scripts
• Surviving 'development hell'
• Handling meetings to get what you want out of them
• Negotiating and understanding contracts
• Protecting ideas, treatments and scripts
• Establishing copyright for writers

Includes 'An A-Z of law and contracts and deal memos' and 'The Writers' Guild Minimum Terms Agreement'.

Product Details

• Paperback: 219 pages
• Publisher: Intellect Ltd; 2 Sub edition (January 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 184150002X
• ISBN-13: 978-1841500027
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,548,294 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inside track into the real script world, February 4, 2000

By	Thomas Spieker (Barcelona, Spain) - See all my reviews

This book has all the agents' secrets and tricks that writers do not usually know. I don't know why Julian Friedmann has given all his insider's knowledge to his competitors, but it is good that he has. He even tells you how to fire your agent and do it yourself!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Business of Screenwriting, February 4, 2009

By	geckospake (London, UK) - See all my reviews

London literary agent Julian Friedmann's book "How to Make Money Scriptwriting" focusses on the real world realities of making a career as a scriptwriter.

Topics range from getting an agent (or how to get by without one) to negotiating with producers, and a helpful explanation of some of the standard agreements. There is a relatively small amount of literary theory about the need for writing to have emotional impact on audiences and so on. I also found this section helpful, because it is portrayed as being borne out by the author's actual experience rather than anything more abstract. If you are reading this review, you probably will have already had your share of literary theory so you will know what I mean.

The ambit of the book is perhaps not quite as narrow as the title suggests, and I worry that its directness might put off more gentler souls. A less engaging but more accurate title might be something like "The Business of Screenwriting". That would be my only criticism, and it's not much of one.

Invest in your screenwriting career by purchasing this book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Every aspect of the script writing process under one cover, February 4, 2001

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Now in an updated and revised second edition, Julian Friedmann's How To Make Money Scriptwriting offers the aspiring scriptwriter with a "user friendly" guide to identifying what audiences want and understanding their emotional needs; developing ideas for film and television drama; writing successful treatments and step outlines; pitching ideas and scripts; handling development meetings; negotiating contracts; protecting ideas, treatments and scripts; and establishing copyright. A highly recommended and comprehensive introduction, How To Make Money Scriptwriting is a kind of "how to" course in every aspect of the script writing process under one cover.