How do you find non-union writing gigs?

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  • How do you find non-union writing gigs?

    I would be delighted to qualify for the WGA, but in the meantime where does one find decent non-union writing gigs (i.e., from non-WGA signatories)?

    I've had a handful of these so far, via Mandy's, Craig's, and here on DDP, but are there other/better sources out there?

    99% of the gigs on the sources listed seem to be:

    1) from people looking for writers to write up their "great idea" or "true life story" for free and then "share the profits 50/50,"

    2) from prodcos with no credits looking to buy all rights to a script (plus rewrite services) for $1000,

    3) from filmmakers with no credits who want someone to write features for $500-1000...

    So it's hard to find the rare gig that's actually worthwhile.

    Someone on another thread posted that he had a buddy who made a living writing non-union scripts, so I'm wondering how this is possible -- especially when half of WGA members don't make any money from screenwriting in a given year.
    "People who work in Hollywood are the ones who didn't quit." -- Lawrence Kasdan

    Please visit my website and blog: www.lauridonahue.com.

  • #2
    Re: How do you find non-union writing gigs?

    I know of two people with online presences that have done what you're talking about. One's been doing it for a long time, the other had a movie come out in 2011, and although he's talked about other sales, I don't see anything else in production.

    In both cases, I believe they've made their sales by writing specs and submitting them to companies that make straight to DVD or cable movies. But those scripts are those kind of movies. If you're not writing those, not sure how to run down those jobs.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: How do you find non-union writing gigs?

      You're welcome.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: How do you find non-union writing gigs?

        Change your name to William Goldman (or Jeff Lowell).and put an ad in Craigslist with "Writer looking for work"...

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: How do you find non-union writing gigs?

          Originally posted by LauriD View Post
          99% of the gigs on the sources listed seem to be:

          1) from people looking for writers to write up their "great idea" or "true life story" for free and then "share the profits 50/50,"

          2) from prodcos with no credits looking to buy all rights to a script (plus rewrite services) for $1000,

          3) from filmmakers with no credits who want someone to write features for $500-1000...

          So it's hard to find the rare gig that's actually worthwhile.
          .

          That's pretty much it these days.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: How do you find non-union writing gigs?

            Originally posted by JeffLowell View Post
            You're welcome.
            Belated thanks. I neglected to subscribe to my own thread and missed the response.
            "People who work in Hollywood are the ones who didn't quit." -- Lawrence Kasdan

            Please visit my website and blog: www.lauridonahue.com.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: How do you find non-union writing gigs?

              Originally posted by LauriD View Post
              Belated thanks. I neglected to subscribe to my own thread and missed the response.
              For non union gigs, or other independent gigs (even if they are union) often the writer is also the director and/or producer.

              That helps . As for how they make these connections, many of the people I've met recently had day jobs in the film business, or lived in Los Angeles or New York (or some other filmmaking hub). Or were members of various film groups and organizations.

              Its really hard to do something like this from the internet alone.
              Check out my videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/NyFilmmaker32/videos

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: How do you find non-union writing gigs?

                A) General note: In a business where there are many many many more people applying for a job than there are jobs, places like Craig's List & Mandy & anywhere else that is passive is a problem for two reasons:

                1) It's passive.

                2) Any company that is looking for a script there needs to be treated with a bit of suspicion - with so many people fighting for a job, why are they having trouble hiring?

                Sometimes the "trouble hiring" is the same as those Ink Tip companies that have so many specifics that they can't just find that stuff on the street. They want a completed screenplay about an African American rodeo star and a female Samoan ballet dancer who fall in love that takes place in Mainland China and can pass the censors and is written by a Canadian. Okay, I get why those requests are out there - how do you find that script?

                But usually it's some other issue... like your list on 3.

                B) How To Find Producers? So the way you get non-WGA writing jobs is the same way you get WGA writing jobs - your manager finds them for you or you track down companies and query them. How do you know which ones are non-WGA? Why would that matter?

                There's a lot of competition for *all* screenwriting jobs. So this won't be any easier than a sig job. Because almost every film made is SAG, and many non-WGA gigs are DGA; mangers and probably some agents will try to get their new writer clients into these gigs. So you are up against all of those writers. You need something that will knock their socks off.

                C) Writing On Budget. Add to that - your sample has to show that you know how to write on a budget. That means limited locations, limited cast, maximum production value. Six locations and 15 roles. No crowds. No kids. No weather. Nothing you can't figure out how to do yourself. If the producer asks how you expect them to do this special effect for $1.98, you need to be able to walk them through it and make sure it costs $1.97. (you may think I'm joking about $1.98...) They need to be able to read your spec and know they can make the movie for a price, but the film will *look* like it was much more expensive. That is not easy.

                In fact, it's probably more difficult than writing when budget doesn't matter. You not only have to keep things exciting with a limited cast and a handful of locations, the script needs to carry the film. Any other screenplay can have okay dialogue that a good actor can improve with their performance. Your script needs to have dialogue that is good or great to begin with - you can not depend on an actor to improve it with performance... in fact, your dialogue still has to work if the actor is a freakin' black hole and has negative charisma and gives a crappy performance. You can't have dialogue that an actor carries, you need dialogue that can carry a bland actor. Do you think a wrestler or ex-pop star is gonna *add* to your dialogue? They're more likely to *subtract* from it. So you need to start with great stuff to end up with okay stuff by the time they get done with it. And they'll be reading your sample spec for this.

                D) Fewer Jobs Than Ever Before. Less Money. When I was writing cable movies, HBO made 36 films a year, their sister Cinemax made 36 originals a year, Showtime made about the same (maybe more - they had different themes), USA Net made *52* films a year, Lifetime made 48 a year, etc. The budgets on these films ranged from $1.2 to $3m for the non-event flicks (stuff I wrote). Event flicks were usually a big name director or star with a pet project, and they'd pay a bundle. Now HBO makes *no* non-event films, and neither does anyone else. Those jobs no longer exist.

                What does exist are Sy Fy and Lifetime (and some Hallmarks). Lifetime went from $1.5m a film to $750k a film - and the producer used to own everything except TV after Lifetime had their run. Now the producer owns *nothing*. Lifetime buys *all rights* including foreign... for that $750k movie. Sy Fy is about the same. So there is less money, and they expect the same film... and now the producer is going to take their cut from the initial budget instead of the back end sales. So that $750k movie is probably really $250k once you take out the star salaries and the producer's cut. That is the new reality for TV/cable movies.

                So there are more writers fighting over fewer jobs for less money. And the producers expect a script they can shoot for $250k that looks like $2m.

                E) Return To Indie. The other thing that has happened is a return to true indie filmmaking. Because the middle has dropped out of the business and films end up being huge summer tentpoles or little indie films, the companies that used to make midrange films have vanished. Now most distribs let other people make the films on their own dime and then watch thousands of them and pick the 5-10 best ones. So we're seeing more films written-directed-produced-funded by the same person for pocket change (those Craig's List adverts are the folks who have figured out they can't write and want *you* to write for them for $1k), and then a distrib picks up the movie. So the new model for low budget stuff is Do It Yourself.

                But the one-step answer to your question is: just e-query producers.

                - Bill
                Free Script Tips:
                http://www.scriptsecrets.net

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: How do you find non-union writing gigs?

                  I almost got the chance to work on the dialogue of an independently-produced pilot for one of the three big pay-cable networks. The money didn't through.
                  "A screenwriter is much like being a fire hydrant with a bunch of dogs lined up around it.- -Frank Miller

                  "A real writer doesn't just want to write; a real writer has to write." -Alan Moore

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: How do you find non-union writing gigs?

                    Originally posted by wcmartell View Post

                    C) Writing On Budget. Add to that - your sample has to show that you know how to write on a budget. That means limited locations, limited cast, maximum production value. Six locations and 15 roles. No crowds. No kids. No weather. Nothing you can't figure out how to do yourself. If the producer asks how you expect them to do this special effect for $1.98, you need to be able to walk them through it and make sure it costs $1.97. (you may think I'm joking about $1.98...) They need to be able to read your spec and know they can make the movie for a price, but the film will *look* like it was much more expensive. That is not easy.

                    E) Return To Indie. The other thing that has happened is a return to true indie filmmaking. Because the middle has dropped out of the business and films end up being huge summer tentpoles or little indie films, the companies that used to make midrange films have vanished. Now most distribs let other people make the films on their own dime and then watch thousands of them and pick the 5-10 best ones. So we're seeing more films written-directed-produced-funded by the same person for pocket change (those Craig's List adverts are the folks who have figured out they can't write and want *you* to write for them for $1k), and then a distrib picks up the movie. So the new model for low budget stuff is Do It Yourself.
                    C and E are my life.

                    I've paid attention to the happenings in the film industry both in Vancouver and Hollywood over the past few years and came to one conclusion:

                    Do it yourself indies are the only way to go. (for me, anyway)

                    Nobody has any money these days and if they do, they ain't parting with it easily. And they especially ain't parting with it to take a chance on a relative unknown, not when there are more experienced writers with a proven track record who are broke and hungry enough to take the low pay.

                    Part of the reason I became a producer is so that one day, I can hire myself to write... Lol! Sad, but oh so true.
                    il faut d'abord durer

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: How do you find non-union writing gigs?

                      Originally posted by wcmartell View Post
                      A) General note: In a business where there are many many many more people applying for a job than there are jobs, places like Craig's List & Mandy & anywhere else that is passive is a problem for two reasons:

                      1) It's passive.

                      2) Any company that is looking for a script there needs to be treated with a bit of suspicion - with so many people fighting for a job, why are they having trouble hiring?

                      Sometimes the "trouble hiring" is the same as those Ink Tip companies that have so many specifics that they can't just find that stuff on the street. They want a completed screenplay about an African American rodeo star and a female Samoan ballet dancer who fall in love that takes place in Mainland China and can pass the censors and is written by a Canadian. Okay, I get why those requests are out there - how do you find that script?

                      But usually it's some other issue... like your list on 3.

                      B) How To Find Producers? So the way you get non-WGA writing jobs is the same way you get WGA writing jobs - your manager finds them for you or you track down companies and query them. How do you know which ones are non-WGA? Why would that matter?

                      There's a lot of competition for *all* screenwriting jobs. So this won't be any easier than a sig job. Because almost every film made is SAG, and many non-WGA gigs are DGA; mangers and probably some agents will try to get their new writer clients into these gigs. So you are up against all of those writers. You need something that will knock their socks off.

                      C) Writing On Budget. Add to that - your sample has to show that you know how to write on a budget. That means limited locations, limited cast, maximum production value. Six locations and 15 roles. No crowds. No kids. No weather. Nothing you can't figure out how to do yourself. If the producer asks how you expect them to do this special effect for $1.98, you need to be able to walk them through it and make sure it costs $1.97. (you may think I'm joking about $1.98...) They need to be able to read your spec and know they can make the movie for a price, but the film will *look* like it was much more expensive. That is not easy.

                      In fact, it's probably more difficult than writing when budget doesn't matter. You not only have to keep things exciting with a limited cast and a handful of locations, the script needs to carry the film. Any other screenplay can have okay dialogue that a good actor can improve with their performance. Your script needs to have dialogue that is good or great to begin with - you can not depend on an actor to improve it with performance... in fact, your dialogue still has to work if the actor is a freakin' black hole and has negative charisma and gives a crappy performance. You can't have dialogue that an actor carries, you need dialogue that can carry a bland actor. Do you think a wrestler or ex-pop star is gonna *add* to your dialogue? They're more likely to *subtract* from it. So you need to start with great stuff to end up with okay stuff by the time they get done with it. And they'll be reading your sample spec for this.

                      D) Fewer Jobs Than Ever Before. Less Money. When I was writing cable movies, HBO made 36 films a year, their sister Cinemax made 36 originals a year, Showtime made about the same (maybe more - they had different themes), USA Net made *52* films a year, Lifetime made 48 a year, etc. The budgets on these films ranged from $1.2 to $3m for the non-event flicks (stuff I wrote). Event flicks were usually a big name director or star with a pet project, and they'd pay a bundle. Now HBO makes *no* non-event films, and neither does anyone else. Those jobs no longer exist.

                      What does exist are Sy Fy and Lifetime (and some Hallmarks). Lifetime went from $1.5m a film to $750k a film - and the producer used to own everything except TV after Lifetime had their run. Now the producer owns *nothing*. Lifetime buys *all rights* including foreign... for that $750k movie. Sy Fy is about the same. So there is less money, and they expect the same film... and now the producer is going to take their cut from the initial budget instead of the back end sales. So that $750k movie is probably really $250k once you take out the star salaries and the producer's cut. That is the new reality for TV/cable movies.

                      So there are more writers fighting over fewer jobs for less money. And the producers expect a script they can shoot for $250k that looks like $2m.

                      E) Return To Indie. The other thing that has happened is a return to true indie filmmaking. Because the middle has dropped out of the business and films end up being huge summer tentpoles or little indie films, the companies that used to make midrange films have vanished. Now most distribs let other people make the films on their own dime and then watch thousands of them and pick the 5-10 best ones. So we're seeing more films written-directed-produced-funded by the same person for pocket change (those Craig's List adverts are the folks who have figured out they can't write and want *you* to write for them for $1k), and then a distrib picks up the movie. So the new model for low budget stuff is Do It Yourself.

                      But the one-step answer to your question is: just e-query producers.

                      - Bill
                      Nice rundown of the playing field.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: How do you find non-union writing gigs?

                        Originally posted by LMPurves View Post
                        C and E are my life.

                        I've paid attention to the happenings in the film industry both in Vancouver and Hollywood over the past few years and came to one conclusion:

                        Do it yourself indies are the only way to go. (for me, anyway)

                        Nobody has any money these days and if they do, they ain't parting with it easily. And they especially ain't parting with it to take a chance on a relative unknown, not when there are more experienced writers with a proven track record who are broke and hungry enough to take the low pay.

                        Part of the reason I became a producer is so that one day, I can hire myself to write... Lol! Sad, but oh so true.

                        And they expect everything to be done on spec. And/or to buy a feature-length script for $100.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: How do you find non-union writing gigs?

                          Originally posted by LMPurves View Post
                          C and E are my life.

                          I've paid attention to the happenings in the film industry both in Vancouver and Hollywood over the past few years and came to one conclusion:

                          Do it yourself indies are the only way to go. (for me, anyway)

                          Nobody has any money these days and if they do, they ain't parting with it easily. And they especially ain't parting with it to take a chance on a relative unknown, not when there are more experienced writers with a proven track record who are broke and hungry enough to take the low pay.

                          Part of the reason I became a producer is so that one day, I can hire myself to write... Lol! Sad, but oh so true.

                          Cameras and other equipment have never been cheaper. Produce good content and promote it. Some web series have become huge hits on YouTube, Vimeo, etc., and even they can lead to other work of funding. I've know people who make enough money to make a living this way.
                          Check out my videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/NyFilmmaker32/videos

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: How do you find non-union writing gigs?

                            Originally posted by wcmartell View Post
                            A) General note:
                            Sometimes the "trouble hiring" is the same as those Ink Tip companies that have so many specifics that they can't just find that stuff on the street. They want a completed screenplay about an African American rodeo star and a female Samoan ballet dancer who fall in love that takes place in Mainland China and can pass the censors and is written by a Canadian. Okay, I get why those requests are out there - how do you find that script?
                            Oh, and it has to be done in one location with no more than three actors, with a total production budget of $5,000.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: How do you find non-union writing gigs?

                              Originally posted by BurOak View Post
                              Oh, and it has to be done in one location with no more than three actors, with a total production budget of $5,000.
                              AND it has to be "high concept" or at least "edgy."
                              "People who work in Hollywood are the ones who didn't quit." -- Lawrence Kasdan

                              Please visit my website and blog: www.lauridonahue.com.

                              Comment

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