Breaking In: Tales from the Screenwriting Trenches is a no-nonsense, boots-on-the-ground exploration of how writers REALLY go from emerging to professional in today’s highly saturated and competitive screenwriting space. With a focus on writers who have gotten representation and broken into the TV or feature film space after the critical 2008 WGA strike and financial market collapse, the reader will learn from tangible examples of how success was achieved via hard work and specific methodology.
This book includes interviews from writers who wrote major studio releases (The Boy Next Door), staffed on television shows (American Crime, NCIS New Orleans, Sleepy Hollow), sold specs and television shows, placed in competitions, and were accepted to prestigious network and studio writing programs. These interviews are presented as Screenwriter Spotlights throughout the book and are supported by insight from top-selling agents and managers (including those who have sold scripts and pilots, had their writers named to prestigious lists such as The Black List and The Hit List) as well as working industry executives. Together, these anecdotes, learnings and perceptions, tied in with the author's extensive experience in and knowledge of the industry, will inform the reader about how the industry REALLY works, what it expects from both working and emerging writers, as well as what next steps the writer should engage in, in order to move their screenwriting career forward.
Table of Contents
Dedication
Special Thanks
Introduction
Screenwriter Spotlight #1: Erin Cardillo
Chapter 1: Understanding the Industry
Section 1.1: Profession Evolved: Screenwriting Through the Ages
Section 1.2: The Industry Today
Section 1.3: Becoming a Screenwriter in Today’s Industry
Screenwriter Spotlight #2: Kirk Moore
Chapter 2: So… How Do You Break In?
Section 2.1: General Insights from Agents, Managers and Executives
Section 2.2: Reverse Engineering Your Break
Section 2.3: Luck Favors the Prepared:
Section 2.4: Your Personal Narrative
Screenwriter Spotlight #3: Marissa Jo Cerar
Chapter 3: Your Craft
Section 3.1: The Importance of Craft
Section 3.2: Screenwriting Advice from Industry Professionals
Section 3.3: But… Is it Ready?
Section 3.4: Decoding the Voice
Screenwriter Spotlight #4: Terrell Lawrence
Chapter 4: Getting Representation
Section 4.1: Agent, Manager, or Both?
Section 4.2: What Managers and Agents Look For
Section 4.3: Attracting Representation
Section 4.4: The Writer/Rep Relationship
Section 4.5: Representatives on Representation
Section 4.6: Positioning Yourself for Representation
Screenwriter Spotlight #5: Eric Koenig
Chapter 5: Winning a Screenwriting Competition
Section 5.1: Screenwriting Competitions as Vetting Avenues
Section 5.2: The Screenwriting Competitions that Matter
Section 5.3: But are They Worth It? Industry Perspective
Section 5.5: Making the Most of Your Win
Screenwriter Spotlight #6: Greta Heinemann
Chapter 6: Acceptance Into a TV Writing Program
Section 6.1: Overview: Television Writing Program
Section 6.2: Television Writing Programs - Requirements
Section 6.3: Television Writing Programs - The Industry Perspective
Section 6.4: What You Can Do Right Now To Position Yourself For a TV Writing Program
Screenwriter Spotlight #7: Chandus Jackson
Chapter 7: Receiving a Feature Writing Fellowship or Lab Placement
Section 7.1: Breaking down the Feature Fellowships
Section 7.2: The Best of the Best: Labs and Fellowships
Section 7.3: Positioning Yourself for a Feature Writing Fellowship or Lab
Screenwriter Spotlight #8: Melissa London Hilfers
Chapter 8: Selling a Spec Screenplay
Section 8.1: How Does Today’s Spec Market WorK?
Section 8.2: Getting a Spec Out to Market
Section 8.3: The Anatomy of a Spec Sale
Section 8.4: When a Spec Doesn’t Sell - Measuring Success
Section 8.5: The Prestige Lists
Section 8.6: Positioning Yourself for the Spec Market
Screenwriter Spotlight #9: Moises Zamora
Chapter 9: Television: Getting Staffed
Section 9.1: Today’s Television Landscape
Section 9.2: The Hierarchy of The Room
Section 9.3: Getting into The Room
Section 9.4: Working Your Way Up: The Benefits
Section 9.5: The Room: Compensation
Section 9.6: Positioning Yourself for Television Staffing
Screenwriter Spotlight #10: Joe Webb
Chapter 10: Selling Your Television Pilot
Section 10.1: Bypassing the Room: Become a Television Content Creator
Section 10.2: Construction Your Show
Section 10.3: Pilot Pitch Meetings
Section 10.4: The Anatomy of Setting Up A Pilot
Section 10.5: Selling a Pilot: Financial Expectations
Screenwriter Spotlight #11: Barbara Curry
Chapter 11: General Meetings & Writing Assignments
Section 11.1: General Meetings
Section 11.2: The Road to Writing Assignments
Section 11.3: Developing Your Take
Screenwriter Spotlight #12: Diarra Kilpatrick
Chapter 12: Breaking In the Unconventional Way
Section 12.1: Query Letters, The Black List, Live & Online Pitch Opportunities
Section 12.2: Web Series and Short Film
Section 12.3: Other Avenues for Recognition: Novels, Plays and Other Supplemental Materials
Screenwriter Spotlight #13: Tawnya Bhattacharya & Ali Laventhol
Chapter 13: Everything You Can Do For Your Screenwriting Career Today
Section 13.1: Preparing Yourself for the Industry
Section 13.2: Writing Partnerships
Section 13.3: Every Screenplay is a Brick: The 3-Step Approach
Section 13.4: Networking & Your Screenwriting Community
Section 13.5: Your Industry Education
Screenwriter Spotlight #14: Isaac Gonzales
Chapter 14: The Kitchen Sink - Insights, Guidance and Advice from the Industry
Section 14.1: General Advice from Industry Professionals
Section 14.2: Mistakes Writers Should Avoid
Section 14.3: Living in Los Angeles
Section 14.4: Overnight Successes and How Long Building a Screenwriting Career REALLY takes
Section 14.5: Jeff Portnoy’s 5 Things Every Writer Should Know
Screenwriter Spotlight #15: Danny Tolli
Chapter 15: Final Thoughts
Section 15.1: Advice for Working Writers
Section 15.2: Lee’s Final Thoughts
Screenwriter Spotlight #16: Michael Perri
Biography
Lee Zahavi Jessup, author of Getting It Write: An Insider's Guide To A Screenwriting Career, is a highly sought after screenwriting career coach with 20+ years of industry experience. Lee’s clients include writers working in film and television, participants in the prestigious television writing programs, contest winners and many more. An invited speaker at the WGA, NBC, UCLA and countless screenwriting conferences, Lee is a contributor for Script Magazine and has been interviewed by many screenwriting-centric television shows, web shows and podcasts.
"With Lee Jessup’s incredible and informative new book, you will learn the mastery of becoming a working writer with longevity. Lee shows you the value of understanding the current state of the industry, the benefits of screenwriting competitions and fellowships, the paths to staffing on television and selling pilots, and the stories of those who are where you want to be."
—Jen Grisanti, Story/Career Consultant, Writing Instructor for NBC, International Speaker
"How do I love Lee Jessup? Let me count the ways. With Breaking In: Tales from the Screenwriting Trenches, Lee once again brings her ‘no BS’ approach coupled with a wealth of timely, actionable information designed to help you fearlessly navigate the business of screenwriting. This is cut-through-the-fat, get-after-it advice that will have you on the path to building a screenwriting career."
—Rich "RB" Botto, Founder of Stage 32, Screenwriter, The End Game
