WHEN DID YOU JOIN THE WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA?

I believe I joined the Guild in 1983. By that time, I had been hired to re-write a low budget feature film for Filmways that was produced, and I had optioned a book manuscript to a film producer.

The three original scripts I wrote while trying to break in served as script samples as I pitched original stories to independent producers and production companies.

DO YOU HAVE OTHER JOBS NOW BESIDES WRITING?

To publicize my ebook, I've been doing a series of articles on innovative ways writers can market their creative writing. The articles are for Scr(I)pt Magazine, writeronline.com, The Writer Magazine, Creative Screenwriting.

I am also the content manager for the screenwriting/playwriting section of www.allthewritemoves.com.

DID YOU STUDY FILM IN COLLEGE?

My bachelor's degree is in dramatic literature (plays); then I enrolled in an MFA program in film and theatre arts.

My first job in the movie business was reading scripts for an agent and writing synopses for him. After a few months, I was drafting deal memos for him. I believe learning the business end of movie-making in this way helped to balance out my education, which was focused entirely on the creative side. Screenwriters need both strengths.

HOW DID YOU LEARN TO WRITE SCREENPLAYS?

Screenwriting is a job that you learn by doing. I believe my general theatre background - we had to learn acting and directing as well as writing - helped me think in three dimensions.

But each script is still a mystery - I never seem to know how or why it all comes together or doesn't. Like most things, you work on it each day, you dream about it each night; some days seem fruitful, some seem fruitless. What I learn from one script somehow doesn't seem to apply that directly to the next one, yet looking back it does.

I took acting classes along the way. It was easy to find one in LA. I would recommend this as a great experience for a writer; it helps with pitching stories and with deepening your sensibility toward character and gesture.

Writers must have performing skills; they are always pitching stories. Even after you sell a script, you still have to 'pitch' it again to the actors and the director and sometimes the crew as it moves toward production.

Also, getting your scenes read in an acting class is an additional benefit; it really helps with the polishing if you hear your scenes read by actors.

HOW WOULD A READER GET A COPY OF YOUR E-BOOK "HOW TO BREAK INTO THE SCREENWRITING BUSINESS"?

Thanks for asking. The book is available from my Web site: www.breakingin.net.

My book is part of a series of ebooks from DreamJobsToGo.com. These books are all written by authors who have established careers in their 'dream jobs' like screenwriting, TV producing, private detecting, photojournalism, etc.

The book series site is: www.DreamJobsToGo.com/?10398

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO WRITE AN E-BOOK?

Ever since I first downloaded an electronic book, I've wanted to write one. I believe this format is fabulous for nonfiction topics. You buy a 50-page book and you have access to a 5,000-page book because of the hotlinks.

In my case, the interactive aspect of the ebook helps propel the writer into the proactive frame of mind you need to sell anything to the movies.

Writers in all genres have to creative their own opportunities these days - even if you have an agent working for you.

SO MANY PEOPLE WANT TO BECOME SCREENWRITERS. HOW WOULD YOU GAUGE THEIR CHANCES?

I just read that an 82-year-old woman has written a play - an adaptation of "Great Expectations" (she was a teacher of Dickens for 60 years) - that's being produced at a first-class theatre. Isn't that inspiring?

You need juice to tackle this profession. Anybody who is 'gauging their chances' too carefully won't cut it, I'm afraid. I know that sounds harsh, but this business is not for sissies.

Don't let my attitude discourage anyone, though, because there are so many ways to get your writing on film. You don't have to move to Hollywood and chase after Kevin Costner and Julia Roberts to get your movie on film.

I agree with Merle Haggard's answer when they asked him what makes a great singer. He answered in one word, "Desire." His way of saying it made it sound like the word had six syllables and an orchestral accompaniment. Like any creative endeavor, that's what screenwriting takes - desire.

Writing well is only half the job; marketing your work is the other half. You need both talents. If you're missing one or the other, either learn how to develop it or find a writing partner who has it.

YOU SAY THE BEST WAY TO ATTRACT A BUYER IS FOR THE SCREENWRITER TO PUT TOGETHER A PACKAGE - A DIRECTOR, A STAR, AND A PRODUCER. ISN'T THAT THE PRODUCER'S JOB?

Yes, that is the producer's job. I believe I said that a script must 'attract' these package elements. I'll clarify this.

As you write and polish your script, remember this script does not stand alone like a novel. It must be your tool to attract a star, a successful director, and an accomplished producer in order to be made into a film.

So whether a producer submits the script to a star or you write to the star's company yourself and get permission to send your script, the script must contain the qualities that attract the star:

1) An interesting, well-developed character caught up in a compelling situation with potential for exciting conflict.

2) A character that takes action within the story which leads to the resolution of the conflict. (You'd be surprised how many aspiring writers forget this vital #2 'star quality.')

The script must also contain qualities that will attract a director: A compelling story that can be told visually. By this I don't mean plenty of special effects and stunning scenery. The story must unfold visually, the emotion conveyed visually, the danger represented visually and so on.

IF AN UNAGENTED SCREENWRITER WANTS TO GET A SCRIPT TO AN A-LIST ACTOR, WHAT METHODS SHOULD HE/SHE USE?

A-list actors are very well-protected individuals; it is extremely difficult and rare for an unproduced writer to penetrate this inner circle.

I have heard wild stories of writers who tried to get hired as the nanny to a star's children in order to get access to the star. And other stories of writers who forced their preschoolers to have play dates with the preschoolers of certain CAA or William Morris stars' agents in an attempt to gain access to the agent's client list.

I don't recommend either of those comical routes. The best way to get material to a star is by personal referral from a film professional that the star has worked with: an agent, producer, director, script reader or film executive. A writer increases his or her chances of getting this personal referral from these pros by developing their own professional credentials.

How do unproduced writers develop professional credentials? Winning a script competition. Attracting a well-respected agent with a great spec script. Trying to get an established producer who has worked with the star to read the script and recommend it. Writing a film short and selling it or making it.

When the star has their own production company, many writers will query this company and try to convince the executive in charge to read the script for the star. This works once in a while.

Work on that query letter; it's very important that you entice the person who reads it to say yes to reading your script. Do your research so you know what the star has already done, the new work that's about to be released, and learn (this is especially important) what they already have in development. Demonstrate how your script fits with them. My book has several other creative suggestions along these lines.

PLEASE TELL OUR READERS ABOUT THE COLLABORATIVE NATURE OF FILM. WHY ISN'T THE ARTISTRY OF THE INITIAL SCRIPT LEFT AS WRITTEN?

There are elements of storytelling that can't be conveyed completely in the script or it would be a thousand pages. A script can be transposed word for word into a film, and it would still be an intense collaboration of the various artists involved, not the writers work alone.

Even if no dialogue or action changes are made, the thousands of daily decisions made by the director, actors, set designers, cinematographer and camera men, sound editors, composers, etc., as they interpret the script contribute immensely to the finished film.

Some film pros consider a screenplay a blueprint for the movie. I believe it is much more than that. A great script will narrow down the choices the cast and crew make in production. Great scripts provide a voice, a special point of view, a well-developed theme which guides (sometimes unobtrusively) the decisions the others on the team make as they do their jobs. Great screenwriters lead the other creative elements to the right decisions, the more effective decisions, the decisions with impact. This is the script quality you want to aim for; this quality will attract that A-list director you want for your motion picture.

PLEASE NAME A FEW OF YOUR FAVORITE SCREENWRITING WEB SITES AND MAGAZINES.

I love your Web site; I think it's a great info connection and promo vehicle for writers.

For insider information on script sales, production deals, casting news: www.scriptsales.com

For producer credits, production details: Internet Movie Database - www.imdb.com

Movie zines: www.screenwritersutopia.com, www.nyscreenwriter.com, www.wordplayer.com

Magazines: "Scenario" - scripts of films currently released and penetrating interviews with the writers and directors involved...expensive but a great read.

"Script Magazine"

"Creative Screenwriting"

AT FIRST, THE SCREENPLAY FORMAT IS PUZZLING. THEN HOLDING TO THE RULES OF THE GENRE THROUGHOUT THE FIRST DRAFT, ESPECIALLY IN THE MIDDLE. THEN TAGLINES AND LOGLINES, SYNOPSES AND QUERIES. HOW LONG DO YOU THINK A TYPICAL LEARNING CURVE IS?

I just asked this question from a 30-year Hollywood veteran (nine produced movie credits, 50+ scriptwriting assignments). His answer was, "A lifetime."

Believe me, the-get-rich-quick-by-screenwriting syndrome is not a viable business model.

If writers are serious about establishing a career in screenwriting, they should give themselves a long stretch of time. Years.

It's not unreasonable to plan on spending three to five years just to get that first important screenwriting job or to sell a first original script. Terry Rossio, the writer of SHREK (the No. 1 hit of the summer) told me he and his partner (Ted Elliott) wrote 12 scripts before they even attempted to market one.

Once a writer creates their first opportunity - either a script sale or an assignment - then it will still take years to become a well-established pro.

The job is complex; it requires a variety of talents above and beyond writing talent: creative marketing ability, a talent for pitching stories, a flare for working with other people - many of them Divas, and of course the perseverance and stamina of a thoroughbred.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT USING INTERNET TO SELL SCREENPLAYS - POSTING LOGLINES, SYNOPSES, EVEN ENTIRE SCRIPTS?

There are two concerns about online posting: security and effectiveness.

Security first. Many writers are worried their material will be stolen by unscrupulous writers or producers. Writers must protect themselves from this by registering their scripts either with the Writer's Guild, the Copyright Office, or with an independent script registering entity.

I deal with how to do this in my book; it's simple and not that expensive. I believe the Guild registration costs $20 for non-members. I register with the Guild because I know they (and their team of lawyers) will back me up if there is a dispute. They will do this even if you aren't a Guild member, by the way, if you register with them.

Effectiveness. These script databases are a fairly new marketing tool. I just researched a very extensive article about these online script and story registries for www.writeronline.com, which will be the cover article for July. I interviewed many writers who have had some success with these services.

They have secured agent representation, sold or optioned film shorts and film scripts. Most of the services email you if a producer or agent is interested in reading your material, and the writer decides whether to release the script or manuscript to them.

I would suggest the writer research the agent or producer in one of the online databases before sending their material. Obviously, it's important to keep a detailed paper trail of those who see your original material.

WHAT ARE THE THREE TOP MISTAKES ASPIRING SCREENWRITERS MAKE IN THE WRITING?

1) Instead of writing something original, they piece together great scenes from popular movies (with small innovations to disguise the theft). This pilferage is a misguided attempt to write a 'commercial' movie or a substitute for digging deep and coming up with an effective, compelling story on their own.

2) Slavishly following the structural guidelines in one of the scriptwriting books by script gurus. This is not a potshot at any of the script gurus - the best of these gurus are brilliant teachers with many scintillating ideas. Many of them offer a very helpful system for focusing your thinking about storytelling.

However, I think aspiring writers can benefit from writing several scripts on their own, before they take on one of these strenuous scriptwriting systems. Experiment yourself; see where your story leads you.

On the rewrite or polish, you can check in with the gurus and see if their guidelines stimulate you somehow to improve your script.

3) Reading too many interviews like this one. As they say in the Big Leagues, "Just do it!"

YOU ENCOURAGE SCREENWRITERS TO NETWORK WITH OTHER SCREENWRITERS. WHY?

Writing is solitary; you need to create a network of current info flow like you get in a professional office setting.

Most screenwriters I know are pretty smart and interesting; hey, at the very least you'll have a lot in common. I know the business is competitive, but it's rarely a question of my script versus your script. Each project has its own chance of going forward.

Experienced writers make great professional referrals to agents and producers. The successful writers I know will help an aspiring writer if that writer has a great sample script.

There are thousands of roads into Hollywood, each writer starts out on a different one, we can learn from each other.

HOW CAN A SCREENWRITER WHO LIVES SOME PLACE BESIDES LOS ANGELES, NEW YORK, OR TORONTO BREAK IN? I wrote a whole book on this subject, so I can't really answer this very effectively in this format. Some suggestions I give regional writers are:

Enter those hundreds of script contests - winning or placing increases your visibility.

Apply for those fellowships.

Register your scripts into great online databases where the loglines and synopses will be exposed to industry pros.

Check out the film festivals that you can get to in your region - that's where the independent producers gather.

Resources for all of these suggestions are in my book.

Any writer who is serious about building a screenwriting career should spend some time each year in one of the film centers. Meet some of the insiders face to face. You don't have to move there, but go there as a business trip.

HOW DOES A SCREENWRITER KNOW WHEN THE SCRIPT IS READY TO SHOW?

I was working on a movie with an English crew, and they loved to tell stories. One of them had worked on location in India with David Lean (LAWRENCE OF ARABIA). LAWRENCE was playing at one of the local movie theatres - this was years, maybe decades after the original release.

Lean would stop in to watch the film at night after shooting, and he would go up to the projection booth and pound on it, demanding to get in. Each night there was one little cut he wanted make here or there. He did this so often, they had to put a padlock on the projection booth door.

And this was LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, one of the greatest pictures ever made, and Lean wanted to give his masterpiece one more little tweak. I admire that.

I believe it's helpful to writers to hear their work read aloud by actors before they send it to market. At the very least, this process will boost your own confidence in your work. At the best, it will motivate that last little tweak that it needs.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT SCREENWRITING AND BREAKING IN THAT YOU'D LIKE OUR READERS TO KNOW?

Well, now that you've asked, there is a lot of helpful stuff in my book...

IF THE READERS WOULD LIKE TO CONTACT YOU, WHERE SHOULD THEY WRITE?

screenwriter@breakingin.net

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

Thanks for the interview, Mary!