Essential Screenwriter Role in Film: A New Perspective
The film industry is one of the glamorous fields in the world. The scene is normally synonymous with dazzling actresses, charismatic actors and enigmatic directors. The screenwriter, however, is the strong rope that ties everything and everyone together.
Screenwriting jobs require the writer to be in front of the production from the beginning and to not leave until the final edit of the film has been made. Yet the job itself is not glamorous, can be learned in courses and requires creativity, skill, talent and education more than looks.
At Quilltowers, our in-house screenwriters are well trained and experienced. However, we do share a little from our experience to our readers through our blogs. You are welcome.
Before learning about screenwriting softwares or looking for screenwriting jobs, it is important to first learn the exact roles of a screenwriter. What is expected from a screenwriter or a film writer? This job can be divided into three parts – the pre-production roles, the production roles and the post-production roles.
Pre-production Roles of A Screenwriter
- Concept Creation: Creating a concept or the idea of a film happens in different ways. The client may contact the screenwriter with a rough draft of the story or the writer themselves may be the ones to generate the concept. Once the concept has been agreed on, a treatment is created. The treatment contains a summary of the plot, a draft of the characters in the script and their characterisation and the story itself. Characterisation is one of the most complicated parts of screenwriting. Creating strong, round and well rounded characters with backstories and motivations take a long time and a lot of skill from the writer.
- First Draft: The first draft is the first submission done by the writer to the client. The first draft will contain the characters, dialogue and actions. Corrections are made to this first draft and it is further refined. When the corrections are made, another submission is sent to the client. When all the parties are satisfied, the final draft is written.
- Final Draft: This is the script that is considered the last form of submission from the screenwriter. The final draft may be sent to experienced writers for review before it is sent out to the Producers. When it is approved, the screenplay can start. For some writers, this may be where their role ends.
- Screenplay: A screenplay is a film script that has been treated for shooting. It contains details on camera movements, director’s notes and character movements. The screenwriter who wrote the script may be hired for the screenplay, the Director may do it or an experienced writer may do this on behalf of the studio.
- Casting Consultation: The client may decide to involve the screenwriter in casting since they understand the characters. When this is done, the casts are given the date for the start of production.
Production Roles of a Screenwriter
- Attendance of Rehearsals and Production Meetings: The screenwriter can be expected to attend the shooting rhearsals of the production. Production meetings are also done with writers in order to ensure character consistency and to make sure that changes agreed by the crew can be incorporated into the script.
- Script Continuity: During shoots, the screenwriter is expected to make sure that the casts follow the characterisation in the script and that important lines are not mixed up. Directors keep the screenwriter close in this instance to make sure that the creative vision matches the script.
Post-Production Roles of a Screenwriter
- Editing: The writer’s role may continue to the editing of the films. This is done to ensure consistency with the script and to match scenes more effectively.
- Publicity and Marketing: If the writer is well known for instance, they may be hired to go on publicity tours with the cast. This may involve going to shows, events, premiere or attending marketing programs. Even if they are not famous, the marketing team may decide to lean into their story for marketing.
The role of the screenwriter is a holistic one that covers all the process of filmmaking. If you need further help on this topic,do not hesitate to contact us. For you, we are always here.
