If screenwriting is your hobby and you have no intention of making it a career then good for you, but if you have dreams of working on set with some of Hollywood's big players then you need to treat it like a business. Let me ask you this: if you were setting up business as a store selling dvd's you'd buy stock, right? You'd pay to have the shop look good, and you'd pay to advertise the business? So why, WHY do so many people think that they do not have to invest in a screenwriting business? When you break it down the investment you need to make is much less than for most businesses, and yes there's a lot of information on the internet but have you found any websites that offer free businesses?
How much you need to spend will vary depending on many things like location, technical specs, knowledge, ambition and maybe even ability. The first thing you should look at is classes, I know you've read a website that tells you all you need to know, but I guarantee that a good screenwriting class will change your mind. Some of the best classes online are run by www.screenwritingU.com, in my opinion you should be looking at paying up to $1000 for a six month class that takes you through every angle of screenwriting, and if you want to justify it just think of the poor bastard who has to read hundreds of scripts everyday being overjoyed by your good script. The next thing you need is a network... but how do you get a network? Easy, go online and do some research, some writers are part of many writer groups, others only join one(btw screenwritingU's pro series alumni is amongst the best groups in the business).BTW with networks you only get out what you put in, so if you help out an become and active member then you will benefit, if however you simply join and then sit back waiting for help, you'll be waiting a long time!
So far I've suggested you spend $1000 – much cheaper than setting up most businesses! We still have more investing to do though. Heres the question, did Picasso use water paints? Did Da Vinci? No artists use professional tools and equipment so if you are serious about writing for a career then you need to invest in professional software. I know that there are freeware screenwriting softwares out there, and I've used them they feel good, until you use the real thing! Also the industry doesn't like them so in the end they'll cause you more trouble than good, so but yourself one of the professional programs, I recommend Final Draft simply because that's the one I use but there's also Movie Magic. The software will cost you between $100 - $200, shop around and get a good deal.
Now we've spent about $1200 – not bad for a business that we hope will make us lots of money. Now look at your computer... this is the point where lots of people will moan about Apple users thinking that Apple are the best... simply put, they are! Unpopular I know but of all the screenwriters/filmmakers/editors that I know I'd say that 80% use Apple computers, the rest will eventually move to Apple, so you may as well just make the move now... it will make you seem professional! So lets look at the cheapest way to do it, a base macbook will set you back £999 (but I suggest the macbook pro $1399) which may seem like a lot of money but trust me it's worth it.
Now our total spending is $2099(with a base macbook), not bad for a start up company but we haven't looked at advertising. Why would you advertise that you're a screenwriter? How would you do it? Should you take an ad out in The Hollywood Reporter? No, but there are a couple of very good websites that offer access to Hollywood execs, people like www.virtualpitchfest.com or www.inktip.com, when you have a script that is ready to send out (and I mean READY) you should look at trying these services, particularly virtualpitchfest because they guarantee a response. How much should you spend? Well lets take it easy and round off our total spend to $2500 ... now before you start saying that I'm crazy think about how much you would spend if you were starting up any other business.
The other expenses I could include are things like a desk, rather than working at the kitchen table. A hard drive to back up your work and a lot of note books and pens! We won't take into consideration the amount of coffee that writers drink or in the case of some tequila! Basically my point is that screenwriting is not a game, it's a very serious business and if you want to make it to the top of any business then you have to make investments, the great thing about screenwriting is that the investment is small and it's in YOU and if you're going to invest in anyone then surely you'd invest in yourself!!
Write on!
Dave The Screenwriter
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