Screenwriting : When to write for film and when to write for television? by Stefano Pavone

Do you really think the TV writers are treated any better than Film writers? You'll create a TV Pilot, TV Bible, get payed 30K once, if even that and you're done. Production studios promote or preach equal pay, diversity and all the rest and yet, each episode costs between 5-10 million, leading actors get paid about a million per episode, on average, which you will never make or even see. Your story will most likely be rewritten and adopted to whatever toxic political landscape is in place at that moment. So, if I were you I would continue to write and I would not get involved in either Film or TV, for now. Sorry for this depressing facts but it is what it is.

Smeg.

Why not give it a try? You can write both. Lot of established writers do that. What's to stop you from writing a pilot and if it happens to be the one that script that lands you a staff writing job, then go from there. You can always return to writing a feature film after your tv gig is done. Or during the TV off seasons.

Stefano, are you using Smeg as a slang, as a swear word.. You know you can simply write down Fool, Shit, Fuck or something else. What did you mean to say Smeg?

It's an insult from RED DWARF. Allegedly short for smegma.

Tony gets it. :)

So not Smeg appliances? ;)

About your question, Stefano, you seem to have already decided by your one-sided take you made above. So go for it. Write a pilot. Or maybe try to get your foot in the door on a series as an intern or as a PA. See what writing/producing for TV is really like. My understanding it can be both brutal and a lot of fun—the crazy stressful schedule, working with a team of writers, etc.

You don't get to write for TV outta blue...it's an industry job, working hours, wage, daily tasks...see if there's an job add and apply.

Beth Fox Heisinger Smeg appliances also. :)

They are two, completely different animals. With a film, you work at your own pace. Write when you want and, unless you've been commissioned to write a particular film, you have no deadline. When working on a daily show or weekly series, you are under the pressure to turn out your script "on demand". That's a lot of pressure, if you are working alone. I used to do a weekly series, that was on a local channel, called "Sinus City News", and there were two of us working together, to write segments. We were under pressure to write these segments, have them cast and ready to shoot every week.

After a time in the Writer's Room on a few series; I have my opinion. That may or may not be for you but I can only advise that you test it for yourself.

Ten years ago, this would have been a very different question, with a lot of different answers. But now... there are no commercial breaks in a Netflix series, there's a different "agenda" to contemplate, because classic Network TV is not what it used to be.

For me, personally, Film is easier. Especially scripts I write without any preconceived notion as to how or when or IF they will ever see the light of day. Those, I can just write for practice and for the fun of it. Only one out of five, say, has to be worth pitching, or pursuing. Whereas in a series or in a writer's room, if you only hit one out of five, yo got a problem.

my 2 cents.

I don't know why this hasn't been picked up or commented on already but you have a very negative perception of screenwriting for film Stefano Pavone and perhaps that's because some very unrealistic stuff is said about it. Choosing where you go right now based on this is insanity.

My experiences of writing for film on a professional level are some of the best in my life. I'm part of a small kind team where I'm highly respected and get to have a load of fun doing what I do. Nobody's writing over me, hacking up my stuff, or stealing credit. If you take a lot of what's written about being a working screenwriter on forums, it's made out to be a very brutal but a lot that's coming from people with no real experience. They're just relaying stuff they've heard, often from others trying to instil fear, or they believe having a servile mindset will help them get on the corporate ladder, or they are talking about a tiny subset of the business where people are put under the most pressure. My advice here is that you do you due-diligence on anyone telling you what it's like within the industry and consume what you can from the many real working screenwriters out there sharing their stories.

Also, this notion that breaking in to TV is going to be easier on you (something I see a lot) is completely illogical, especially if you live outside of a city where TV shows are frequently written. The most commonly produced area of filmmaking when it comes to new IP is indie film so that's where the vast majority of opportunities lie, especially if you want to have the most creative input and gain the most respect among peers.

Hope that makes some sense and help paints a more positive picture for you.

Yeah... as CJ pointed out above, Stefano, perhaps don’t believe or lean into rumored misinformation and/or cynicism. Talk to people in your interested field who have real-world experience who know the hard truths, the benefits, and the personal joy. Then decide from there. Is it a fit for you? Or as I said before go for it, and see where your path leads. Personally, film is where my interest lies. :)

Yeah C.J. & Beth; I picked up on the cynicism but I sense that in an awful amount of comments made by the coming-of-age next generation of film industry wannabes. I've realized that knowledge of the hard core truth does indeed come from experience; and that experience is past tense. It may or may not be appropriate to the present but I continue to believe it's worth paying attention to. A lot of young uns just don't want to pay attention.

This thread has been kicking around and I haven’t read it because it has TV in the title and I know nothing of TV writing. Having said that I did hear Tarantino say something the other day.

He said “No one is writing original spec scripts anymore. People are all fight to working on existing IP or going to work on TV”.

He went on to point out that he thinks the Spec is coming back as everyone is getting sick of the existing world. Audiences don’t know if something is existing IP. How many of you actually know who “Black Adam” is? (Yes someone will Google it and tell me”.

If you want to succeed you must be the best you that is possible. This is not a blood sport. Just a group of people focused on self improvement.

I've thought about this... I think I'm better in the film world (and maybe plays for theatre). :)

Whatever feels right for you at that moment. Your gut will let you know.

I agree with Nick Assunto - Stage32 Script Services Coordinator and will add that you should think about the specific story you want to tell and see where it belongs. You aren't restricted to writing in only one lane (I'm currently working on both a pilot and a feature)