One of the most important jobs in all of movies and TV is the screenwriter. The best films and TV shows come from great screenplays.
Do you want to be a screenwriter? This article will show you the steps you need to take to become one.
How To Become A Screenwriter
In this article, we’re going to show you how to become a screenwriter in Atlanta so that your storytelling can make it to the big and small screen.
AtlantaFi.com enlisted an expert, Tequoia Urbina, an Atlanta-based screenwriter and producer to help us break down the steps. She said she’s been doing video production since age 12 and has worked on various projects throughout her career.
“I create stories with strong female protagonists and diverse characters,” she said. “I believe in weaving current events and global issues that will provoke discourse and inspire change.”
If you want to do the same and become a screenwriter in Atlanta, here is a step-by-step process to make it happen:
1. Get The Skills, Education & Know-How
If you’re serious about becoming a screenwriter, you’ll want to devote the time, energy (and money) it takes to go to school for it.
Urbina attended a performing and visual arts magnet school in Savannah, Georgia from the sixth through 11th grade. She then went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in film from Georgia State University in downtown Atlanta.
She then earned her M.S. in Communications from Northeastern University.
Once you graduate or have amassed the experience you think you need to be successful in screenwriting, it’s time to start coming up with a project to write.
2. Write Your Project
Make sure your storytelling skills express something you think is either sellable or you’re passionate about. Also, make sure you stick with a genre you’ve researched and are able to do well.
Urbina said the #1 way to make your project a success is to make it unique.
“BE ORIGINAL, the more unique your script, the more difficult to steal.”
3. Make Connections / Network
Your work is going to stand on its own merits, but it always helps to make some helpful connections along the way. Urbina said you should use your social media accounts to try to reach people that can help your project take off.
“I use social media platforms to make industry connections,” she said. “I have found LinkedIn to be the most effective platform for connecting with people in the industry and forming businesses relationships. I also highly recommend joining industry groups and attending local networking events.”
4. Get Your Screenplay Seen
Now that you have this awesome screenplay, you may be wondering how the right person will read it. This is where you find ways to get it out there.
“The best way to have screenplays read is to submit them to competitions,” Urbina said. “I advise that you use recognized sites like Blacklist and Coverfly for details on legitimate contests.”
Of course, you can always go the DIY route to get your film before the masses. Here’s what Urbina said about that:
“If you have a budget, film your project and promote it on social media.”
Urbina said that many contests offer critique on submissions for an extra fee. “It is a great way to get objective feedback on your scripts and possibly the attention of industry professionals.”
If you follow these steps, you will have a great chance of becoming a successful screenwriting career in Atlanta. But don’t think it happens overnight.
Urbina said the process can be long or relatively short, depending on many factors. “There is no specific time frame. All contests have their own processing rate.”
#1 Thing To Remember As You Submit Screenplays
Urbina said the #1 thing you can do is protect your original work.
“The best advice that I can offer is to always copyright your work before submitting or sharing,” she said. “Also, don’t be afraid to send off your work for fear of someone stealing your idea. Yes, it is a risk but it is worth it if it lands in the right hands.”
Atlanta has become a movie mecca in recent years and Georgia has been a favorite location for TV productions since the state instituted generous tax breaks for film companies that agree to shoot locally. Projects from CBS, NBC, HBO, BET and more are slated to shoot in the metro area in 2018-19 and the foreseeable future.
