“Screenwriters find work is dwindling”

I’ve received a bunch of emails asking my reactions about this recent LA Times’ article. Some choice excerpts:

This week the Writers Guild of America, West reported that while earnings for screenwriters have bounced back to pre-strike levels, there is a lot less work going around: employment has fallen 11% in the last three years, with 226 fewer screenwriters working in 2009 than 2006, the year before the 100-day walkout and the lowest level in at least six years.

Indeed, the recession has given the movie studios a reason — or an excuse, depending on the perspective — to adjust in their favor how they employ screenwriters.

When screenwriters do get a shot at work, they are increasingly subject to “sweepstakes pitching,” in which as many as a dozen are pitted against one another, with producers picking the one they like best.

Or writers are often paid only for the first draft of the script in “one-step deals,” and no longer offered a fee for subsequent drafts, as in the past. Writers also are expected to produce elaborate outlines of the script before they are hired for the project, losing valuable time if they are not selected.

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To cut expenses further, studios have slashed spending on development — the industry’s equivalent of R&D — while scaling back the number of movies they release each year: the guild bestowed writers’ credits on 237 films last year, down from 299 in 2008.

With the closing of several independent distribution labels, studios have been purchasing fewer scripts in favor or adaptations of comic books, graphic novels, remakes and TV shows.

All of which has meant fewer jobs for rank-and-file writers, especially those who are trying to sell original scripts.

“Except for current A-list writers, the picture is as bleak as I’ve ever seen it,” said former Writers Guild President Dan Petrie Jr.

There are three issues raised in the article: (1) The number of screenwriting jobs; (2) One-step deals; (3) “Sweepstakes pitching.” Let me take them in order.

* The number of screenwriting jobs: Yes, they are down now, a reflection in large part — as the article points out — of Hollywood studios’ belt-tightening during the last two plus years. But screenwriting jobs and the number of movies produced always fluctuate from year to year. We are in a down cycle. Unless this proves to be a permanent retrenchment, which I doubt, then the numbers will inevitably go up again. Indeed it was only a few weeks ago, as noted in this post here, that studio execs were putting out the frenzied word to agents, “Get us original material!”

* One-step deals: This has been evolving for about a decade, so not a recent phenomenon tied to the present economic recession. And per the article, Warner Bros. is looking to discontinue one-step deals, so hopefully it’s not a perpetual studio practice.

* “Sweepstakes pitching”: This is nothing new. I can remember being put up for a sequel in which it turned out the studio brought in 25 writers to pitch. The ‘request’ for beat sheets, especially multiple versions, seems extreme, but the underlying concept of bringing in multiple sets of writers to pitch takes on an open writing assignment is S.O.P. for most studios.

In sum, yes, things would appear to be tight for screenwriters just now. While it’s possible this circumstance may be part of a permanent cut in script development and movie production, I strongly suspect it’s a temporary thing. Hollywood studios need to make movies to make money. Besides the costs for maintaining their respective distribution systems don’t just vanish when they don’t have a movie in the pipeline, so at some point, they simply have to make more movies to justify those institutional expenses.

Bottom line, being a screenwriter is extremely competitive. It is now, it always has been, and it always will be. That’s a fact.

Here’s another fact: Hollywood will always be on the lookout to buy great spec scripts. It may be only 50 per year. Or the market might heat up and the number of sales could top 100. No matter the number, each year some writers are going to break into the business by selling a spec script.

That’s either you. Or somebody else.

Re continuing to make money as a screenwriter once you break in? I’m reminded of that great quote from Levon Helm of The Band: “Music don’t owe anybody a living.”

Swap out “movies” for “music” and that pretty much says it all.

UPDATE: Funny how different reporters read the same numbers differently. Per LOTB, Dave McNary of Variety penned an article analyzing the WGA numbers. The title for his article? “Story Brightens for H’wood Scribes”:

Hollywood scribes saw a 12% rebound in earnings last year — recovering much of the 15.4% financial hit that they took in 2008 from the double whammy of the recession and the 100-day strike.

McNary does point out that the increase was fueled by TV writing in contrast to a decrease on the film side. But still, it’s good to remember the adage: “Number don’t lie… unless you make them.”

A question to all working screenwriters (employed or not): Is the current situation as bad as ever? Worse? Crazy bad? I don’t live in the Belly of the Beast anymore, so it would be helpful for GITS readers to get an L.A.-based take on things.