Occupations in the Industry

Once a project is approved, whether developed from an original idea or taken from an existing literary work, screenwriters will be brought in to turn that idea into a screenplay or a script for a television pilot (a sample episode of a proposed television series). Screenwriters work closely with producers and directors. Sometimes they prepare a treatment, a synopsis of the story and how a few scenes will play out, but no dialogue. Before filming or taping can begin, screenwriters will prepare a ?shooting script,? which has instructions pertaining to shots, camera angles, and lighting. Frequently, screenwriters make changes to reflect the directors? and producers? ideas and desires. The work, therefore, requires not only creativity, but also an ability to collaborate with others and to write and rewrite many versions of a script under pressure. Although the work of feature film screenwriters generally ends when shooting begins, writing for a television series usually continues throughout the television season with a new script required for every episode.