Short films and writer’s assistants
I made a near-zero-budget short film to act as a calling card, a comedy entitled “Mr. Game Show.” It’s no “Terry Tate, Office Linebacker,” but I think it’s pretty funny and have gotten some good feedback on it.
One obstacle, however, is that I cannot submit it to film festivals because I don’t own rights to all the footage. So, my question: would you have any suggestions on how to get this so-called calling card “out there”?
Second, everyone’s heard of your writer’s assistants who have gone on to great success. I’ve also heard this is a great career path for television writing. Salary-wise, do these positions pay enough to be someone’s sole means of support? Or are they more like internships which pay little or nothing (aside from experience, opportunity)? In other words, would you also need a day/night job?
–Kevin
Sherman Oaks
One way to get people to see your short film is to get it mentioned on a website. So, well done.
I always applaud people with the zeal to make a short, rather that just fret about how they’re never going to get into the industry. Your short features a nice, straightforward idea, and makes smart use of today’s off-the-shelf editing technology. I hope you get good feedback from it, and hopefully some meetings.
Writer’s assistants don’t make spectacular amounts of money, but it certainly should be enough to keep a roof over your head. Obviously, you want to treat it as a learning experience, but it’s a job, too. If you’re working on a television show, you’d probably be making a fair amount of your money on overtime, because there are inevitably long hours involved. Working for a feature writer, the hours would probably more regular, because we’re so damn lazy.
Articles
August 18th, 2004 at 6:30 pm
After being an assistant to a talent manager for a year I tried to get a job as a writer’s assistant by calling everyone I knew and letting them know I was in the hunt. But nothing came of that. Then I tried cold calling assistants to agents with A list screenwriters and sending my resume along. But that resulted in nothing. So now I’m doing production work, which is a great film education, but I would much rather be an assistant, but only to a writer since there is only so much more to learn from being an assistant to another manager/agent/producer. So my question is, how do you land one of the few assistant positions that become available each year without already having an existing relationship? Or more simply, how do you even get your resume into the stack?
August 19th, 2004 at 12:11 pm
These are my confessions: My first two assistants were people who were already working in the production office (thus, I knew them), and the past three assistants have all come from the same graduate program I attended (Peter Stark at USC).
So, while I’ve always looked at resumes, I’ve never been open to resumes just falling on my desk. This fact is neither useful nor encouraging, but it’s the truth.
I think Dave did the right things when looking for an assistant job. Rawson got his job by approaching my agent after he spoke at a class, and Chad got his by emailing me while he was in Stark — I hired him two years later.
In Dave’s case, the timing may have been off for whatever reason. In the case of everyone I’ve hired, it’s been that I suddenly needed someone, and this was the best person around.
August 22nd, 2004 at 11:36 am
The truth IS out there! :) John, thanks for being candid and maintaining a great site. And of course, call me if you hear of any writer’s assistant openings!
September 22nd, 2004 at 1:21 pm
John,
I am currently working at a production company and a studio in two part-time positions. As a result, I have encountered a tremendous amount of material, much of which is, well, similar. It seems that the film industry is saturated with the same storylines–wild kids straight out of college, housewives going crazy in the suburbs, young women making it big in the city. I have very little interest in those topics. However, I have seen projects with certain plot elements that interest me. How detrimental is it to an aspiring writer to have a script that echoes some of the themes, or engages in some of the same activities, as films that are currently being put into production? Does it matter if you are trying to pitch to a different studio? I dont want to write a pretentious, hollow piece of dramatic writing just to avoid comparisons, or just to sound original, but I also dont want to be dismissed as derivative, or, even worse, formulaic.
Thanks,
Peyton
October 6th, 2004 at 3:02 pm
Hey John,
This is a great resource. Thanks.
I am not sure where to start, but I have always wanted to make a movie. I tell stories that grab people, and they usually want to know more about my writings. I know it might sound stupid, but I am interested in sharing my ideas with someone who would get inspired and ready to work on them. Would you please tell me how to do it without having to go through a lot of formalities?
Regards,
October 10th, 2004 at 9:29 pm
For Kevin…
I work in television production and know a lot of writers assistants and script supervisors personally. As far as salary goes, yes, you’ll be able to keep a roof over your head. You’ll probably be renting that roof but you shouldn’t need to work at Barnes and Noble on the weekends to make ends meet. If you have a family (like one of the writers assistants i work with currently does) it’ll be more of a stretch but it’s still doable. Overtime really does help things.
If you’re talking TV drama usually overtime isn’t a problem at all. The hours in comedy are a BIT more regular but you’ll still have many late night sessions as the writers go through drafts, punching up jokes, retooling the story at producers, studio or networks request (err i mean “suggestion”)…or the worst, a complete page 1 rewrite (if you’re a writers assistant and there isn’t a PA around, expect to be running to Starbucks at around 10pm for one of these nights).
The duties of writers assistants are actually more tedious and much less glamourous than they sound. We’re talking a lot of busy work (i’m talking about the staff writers writers assitant. not an individual writers own assitant). Still, there are some GREAT benefits.
One, if you want to be a writer you get to be close to successful writers (and the staff writer is almost always a young writer and in my experience is usually very approachable for advice and/or questions you may have). Being this close to writers is, in my opinion, an invaluable tool as far as connections, advice, etc… It’s also a great opportunity to be there for the nuts and bolts of the creative process.
You’re there either taking notes in the room as the writers pitch story lines (and if you think the politics or ‘vibe’ of the writers room isn’t an important part of being a staffed writer on a tv show, then you’re fooling yourself) seeing how ideas are conveyed and pitched, and what methods are most effective (which varies from room to room really). Or maybe you’re in charge of continuity, typing out the notes from the meeting and keeping track of pitches that work and don’t work (the 6th sense that serves many a writers assistant well), you get to work closely with the script supervisors (who are the people in charge of the script revisions usually…sometimes they’re just head writers assistants and other times they manage everything to do with the script (including taking notes in the room where the writers pitch) and the writers asst. is there to just serve ‘other needs’ (it varies from show to show)). But you DO get to be involed w/the script supervisors and they’re almost all aspiring writers themselves (always good contacts and friends to make). Lastly (and perhaps best of all) in your downtime you have ALL the tools at your disposal to work on your own stuff.
Anyhow, i hope that helps paint you a picture of what a writers assistant in TV is all about.
October 11th, 2004 at 7:46 am
Derek,
Thanks for all the info.
April 29th, 2005 at 1:58 pm
Hi There!
This one is actually for Chad…
I’ve just read your comments on being a feature writer’s assistant — thanks for the insight. As an aspiring writer, I think it would be a great opportunity to learn the ropes of the biz.
But I have a burning question. As a writer, I want to make sure that whatever job I take allows me enough free time to work on my scripts — the whole reason I recently moved to Los Angeles. So I’m just curious if you feel you have enough time in your life to work on your own projects. I do realize it differs depending on who you’re working for and how busy that boss is, but I’d appreciate any thoughts you have on this.
Cheers & thanks! Jules Hoffman Los Angeles, CA
May 1st, 2005 at 1:46 am
Jules,
Although I know your question was directed at Chad, i feel I can help you with your question. Apologies if i’m stepping on any feet.
The answer to your question is one that you indicated but also one that isn’t probably going to be very satisfactory. It absolutely depends on who you’re working for. I can’t speak completely accurately to the differences of being a writers assistant in features as opposed to tv but from what I understand (having only worked in tv and some smaller feature work) as far as being a writers assistant is concerned there isn’t much different.
If you’re on a busy desk and your boss is a real taskmaster then you’re not going to have much time. The good news is that most writers who are at the level of needing an assistant aren’t exactly spending 80 hours a week in the office in constant need of an assistant around to help them with every little thing…so the hours aren’t going to be that of a production assistant who CAN work those 80 hour weeks and have neither the energy, inclination or time to write.
IMO being a writers assistant is a great gig if you want to write. Not only are you making contacts in the and industry that you want to work in, but you’re also familiarizing yourself with the process and with what the writers role is in the particular medium you’re involved in (which to me is invaluable…learning things such as how to write to suit the needs of production and not just what you feel serves the story best or what seems the ‘coolest’ or whatever). The other good thing is that it’s often your responsibilty to aid the script department or maybe just your particular writer with distributing drafts of the screenplay, which means that oftentimes you can get a free copy of screenwriting software installed on your computer by the studio under the guise of ‘helpin the boss’. Oh and if your boss is cool and he/she reads your stuff and it’s impressive they can be a very helpful ally when you go out to try and get your own gig (and as small as hollywood is it’s rare that someone who’s a working screenwriter is more than a few people removed from the people who may potentially be giving you a job…so it’s always great to have an established person saying ‘oh Jules’ stuff is great!’
Also, most writers that i’ve known are perfectly aware and understand that their assistants want to be writers. So when things are slow, you can work on your own stuff at work. Can you spend 8 hours of office work doing that? no. And i’ve seen MANY an assistant not understand that they were an assistant first and a writer second so far as the boss is concerned so if you’re lucky enough to land one of these gigs don’t lose sight that your duties to your boss are what comes first (sorry if i’m coming off like i’m on a soapbox or anything).
I guess the short answer to your question is this: If you’re an individual writers assistant then you should have the time to write and the tools to write at work (even if you’re an assistant to a staff you should have the time but again it depends on how busy or high maintenance the desk is…some writers assistants i know are responsible for a LOT of stuff like travel, charity, set visits, multiple phones, awards submissions, parties, proof-reading, etc…). As for how much you can get done, it will depend largely on the vibe of the person you’re working for. The good news is that in the vast majority of the cases i’ve seen you’d have the time…and not just in your offtime, but at the office as well. In the writers offices i’ve worked in there are always a handful of people who are working on scripts, so your boss isn’t going to spit his latte all over his computer when he realizes that you’re a writer and are working on a script. Anyhow, I hope this helps. Good luck and keep writing!
May 1st, 2005 at 1:48 am
Jules,
Although I know your question was directed at Chad, i feel I can help you with your question. Apologies if i’m stepping on any feet.
The answer to your question is one that you indicated but also one that isn’t probably going to be very satisfactory. It absolutely depends on who you’re working for. I can’t speak completely accurately to the differences of being a writers assistant in features as opposed to tv but from what I understand (having only worked in tv and some smaller feature work) as far as being a writers assistant is concerned there isn’t much different.
If you’re on a busy desk and your boss is a real taskmaster then you’re not going to have much time. The good news is that most writers who are at the level of needing an assistant aren’t exactly spending 80 hours a week in the office in constant need of an assistant around to help them with every little thing…so the hours aren’t going to be that of a production assistant who CAN work those 80 hour weeks and have neither the energy, inclination or time to write.
IMO being a writers assistant is a great gig if you want to write. Not only are you making contacts in the and industry that you want to work in, but you’re also familiarizing yourself with the process and with what the writers role is in the particular medium you’re involved in (which to me is invaluable…learning things such as how to write to suit the needs of production and not just what you feel serves the story best or what seems the ‘coolest’ or whatever). The other good thing is that it’s often your responsibilty to aid the script department or maybe just your particular writer with distributing drafts of the screenplay, which means that oftentimes you can get a free copy of screenwriting software installed on your computer by the studio under the guise of ‘helpin the boss’. Oh and if your boss is cool and he/she reads your stuff and it’s impressive they can be a very helpful ally when you go out to try and get your own gig (and as small as hollywood is it’s rare that someone who’s a working screenwriter is more than a few people removed from the people who may potentially be giving you a job…so it’s always great to have an established person saying ‘oh Jules’ stuff is great!’
Also, most writers that i’ve known are perfectly aware and understand that their assistants want to be writers. So when things are slow, you can work on your own stuff at work. Can you spend 8 hours of office work doing that? no. And i’ve seen MANY an assistant not understand that they were an assistant first and a writer second so far as the boss is concerned so if you’re lucky enough to land one of these gigs don’t lose sight that your duties to your boss are what comes first (sorry if i’m coming off like i’m on a soapbox or anything).
I guess the short answer to your question is this: If you’re an individual writers assistant then you should have the time to write and the tools to write at work (even if you’re an assistant to a staff you should have the time but again it depends on how busy or high maintenance the desk is…some writers assistants i know are responsible for a LOT of stuff like travel, charity, set visits, multiple phones, awards submissions, parties, proof-reading, etc…). As for how much you can get done, it will depend largely on the vibe of the person you’re working for. The good news is that in the vast majority of the cases i’ve seen you’d have the time…and not just in your offtime, but at the office as well. In the writers offices i’ve worked in there are always a handful of people who are working on scripts, so your boss isn’t going to spit his latte all over his computer when he realizes that you’re a writer and are working on a script. Anyhow, I hope this helps. Good luck and keep writing!
March 16th, 2006 at 11:47 pm
Derek!
I just want to thank you (excuse my belated-ness!) for this incredibly thoughtful and helpful response to my question a while back (from May 1st!). I am currently looking for opportunities to be a writers assistant on a TV series so I will keep your words of wisdom in mind!
Cheers, Jules Hoffman LA, CA
June 14th, 2006 at 11:09 pm
Hi Derek and John!
First of all, thank you so much for taking the time to keep such a great website going. I’ve found answers to so many questions over the last year – I’m really grateful.
So after doing a hard-core jobhunt for Writer’s Assistant or Writer’s PA jobs this season, persistantly calling and following up with assistants, I haven’t landed a job yet (and most shows are saying they’re all staffed up). I’m hearing that taking an Office PA position is the only way to break in – but in most cases, it seems as if Office PA’s don’t spend any time in the writer’s room. For me, the idea behind taking this kind of job is networking with people who can possibly get my scripts to their agents. Considering that means less exposure to the writers, what do you think about taking a job at that level? Is it a good career strategy if I only want to work as an assistant for a couple of years at most?
Also, what’s your opinion on taking a job at that level vs. keeping a less time-consuming entertainment industry job and having the time to crank out a lot of new spec scripts and make money to support my writing habit (i.e. to pay for workshops and special networking events)? Is working at the lowest level of a scripted show worth the sacrifice?
Thank You!!!