Want to be a Screenwriter? Perhaps you should first try Craft Services? Why being on set will set up your story.

Written By Jennifer C Clark

I don't try to pretend to understand or assume role as a mentor in regards to how to be a Screenwriter, as I am only finding my way, myself. But, as I reflect on the experience I have had when first entering the entertainment industry, I look fondly upon my stint as wannabe Actor and realize just how much of an advantage I actually have in appreciating and respecting the Working Set.

As I've come to know other screenwriters throughout my journey for representation and, above all, furthering the development of my craft, as storyteller, I've come to find that most screenwriters tend to distance themselves from the element of a Working set. We either regard ourselves an addition to a pre-formed machine or are so far removed we feel like bystanders of a magical parade, when really without fully appreciating our own skills, we don't realize our place, and our place is vital. We are a part of the crew, we are right hand to our Director, we are the muse in which Actors draw their inspiration and we are the foundation for a Producer to invest their time and money to see the movie come to light. We are the story.

So why are we, at times, inadvertently dismissive to our role on set? From what I can gather it's because many of us have never been on set. That's not to say that a good screenwriter MUST be an Actor first or try Directing or producing, but it doesn't hurt if you are or have been. Such advantage lies in one word. Etiquette.

For many years I was awarded cutting room floor parts and extra work in Film, Television and Commercials and, despite size of the budget in each production or caliber of stars that I shared space with, one thing remained clear. Respect your team and respect the clock.

Everything in a film production is time sensitive and costs a bundle when time is missed or misused. You have the Director coordinating with their AD and DOP whether the shot has the light you need and are playing their own beat the clock with mother nature, should the scene rely on an external setting, you have Actors taking second, third or fourth takes because they may have missed a line, or the set picked up noise or chatter because extras were bantering back and forth, rather than miming, meanwhile a light bulb bursts and a camera won't work ARGGGHHH! How is that your responsibility as writer, you might ask? You wrote the scene.

The Director and crew are meeting the needs of your script, your scene heading that confirmed how much time and money will be needed to set up that scene with one simple line...

EXT.   CENTRAL PARK   DAWN

Everything we write equates to funding, time and the execution of the Working Set for that day, that week, that month or, if writing an epic, a year! It's common sense, duh! As if we don't know that, well you’d be surprised to hear that some writer’s just don’t or can’t really understand just how important these elements are, not only in actual production, but also are one of the determining factors to funding and employing you as writer

Through my journey as burgeoning screenwriter I have learned, by those who know way more than me, that a well-trained screenwriter knows their structure. They know one page equates to one minute of screen time, so that's why we need to make each page, each minute count, and more than that, make it easy for the Director and your crew to honor your story with their vision.

 As you write, if you take into consideration exactly what it's going to cost your production team to bring your story to life, you’ll not only learn much needed brevity, but also will be appealing as adaptable and conscientious to all you will work with.

 Being on set as an extra, an Actor or Craft service operator will allow you to truly understand what that entails.

I didn't become a superstar. No director saw me on set, pretending to drink coffee, and declare that I am the next big thing, but what I did gain was respect and the importance of collaboration. You don't need to be a star to know that you, as Screenwriter, shine the light for all who may be one. Just make sure that when the time comes for you to light the torch, think about those lighting the wick .