Screenwriter

Entry Requirements:

You can get into this job through:

• a university course
• a college course
• applying directly
• specialist courses run by private training providers

University

You could do a degree or postgraduate qualification to improve your job prospects, though this is not essential. Useful subjects include:

• creative writing
• English
• media and communications
• film studies
• journalism
• psychology

You should aim to get as much experience of reading other people's and writing your own scripts, alongside your studies.

Your university careers service can give advice on societies, work experience, internship and year placement opportunities that will help you build your creative network and develop your skills.

Entry requirements:

• 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
• a degree in any subject for a postgraduate course

College

When you're starting out you may find it useful to take a college course to help develop your skills and understand dramatic structure and production.

Courses are available in:

• creative writing
• scriptwriting
• creative and digital media

Adult education centres, colleges and universities sometimes run short courses in writing for screen.

Entry requirements:

Entry requirements:

DirectApplication

If you want to get directly into this job, you may have an advantage if you have writing and storytelling experience from another field like journalism, advertising copywriting or acting.

You'll normally start by coming up with your own screenplays and ideas, and trying to sell them to agents and producers. Once you've had some work accepted and started to build a professional reputation, producers might then commission you to produce scripts for them.

OtherRoutes

You could take short courses in screenwriting run by film schools, regional screen agencies and private training providers.

Required Skills:

Digital skills : to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Skills:

• knowledge of English language
• excellent written communication skills
• persistence and determination
• excellent verbal communication skills
• the ability to use your initiative
• the ability to come up with new ways of doing things
• ambition and a desire to succeed
• knowledge of media production and communication
• thinking and reasoning skills
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• the ability to read English
• the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
• active listening skills
• the ability to think clearly using logic and reasoning
• the ability to learn through your work
• knowledge of psychology
• administration skills
• the ability to sell products and services
• concentration skills
• the ability to work well with your hands

What you'll do:

Screenwriters write the stories for feature films, TV programmes and computer games.

In this role you could:

• come up with themes and ideas
• research background material
• develop plots and characters
• lay out the screenplay to an agreed format
• prepare short summaries of your ideas
• sell your ideas or ‘pitch' to producers
• get feedback on your work from producers or script editors
• rewrite the script before arriving at an agreed version
• network with agents and producers
• handle your own tax and accounts, if freelance

Location : You could work in an office, from home, at a film studio, at a TV studio or on a film set.

Salary:

Starter : variable
Experienced : variable

These figures are a guide

Working hours:

37 - 39 hours variable

Working Pattern is freelance / self-employed managing your own hours

Career Path:

Most screenwriters are freelance so to develop your career you'll need to network widely in the industry.

You could combine screenwriting with other forms of writing work, teaching, lecturing or editing.