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Hiring a screenwriter? Need to know how and where to find the best candidates? Here is a comprehensive guide to finding the best screenwriters. Read on!

How to hire a screenwriter?

A screenwriter or a scriptwriter is a professional engaged in writing scripts or screenplays for televisions, feature films, commercials, short telefilms or YouTube films, video games, and any other visual medium. Preparing the dialogue, the story, and curating the characters form a part of their responsibilities.

“How to find a screenwriter or hire a screenwriter?”

Screenwriters need to possess creative and innovative skills in articulating the characters in sync with the plot and the dialogue. In this article, we will extensively touch upon the vital qualities, qualifications that need to be verified, and the interview questions that need to be asked while hiring a scriptwriter.

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Hiring market for screenwriters

The job outlook or opportunities of a screenwriter is a mixed bag. On one hand, some companies are hiring freelance screenplay writers more and more to meet the ever-increasing demand of the television channels, cable markets, and online video media.

Whereas certain television companies, media channels, and production houses are focused more on visual and special effects rather than the scripts. However, considering both the strengths and hurdles, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 6 % growth in the job opportunities for screenplay writers.

The prediction has been made from the year 2010 till 2021 and is slow compared to the other occupations. According to the studies and surveys conducted by the BLS, the average salary of a professional screenwriter is about USD 45K per annum.

Experienced and skilled script writers can earn up to USD 100K to USD 600K in a year, which is quite high. Few freelance screenplay writers charge a royalty from the revenue earned by the film house or media channel, instead of a fixed salary.

The charges are essentially determined by the Writer’s Guild of America in the US. For hiring a screenwriter, it is good to connect with the Association of Author’s Representatives in the US. The Association assists in communicating with agents for screenwriting services.

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Top 15 recent job titles for screenwriters

Below is a summary of the most recently trending job titles of screenwriters,

1. Television Writers

Entrusted with the responsibility of writing scripts or screenplays for TV shows, TV news or media channels, TV commercials, TV serials, or Telefilms. The salaries of Television writers are quite lucrative. At an experience level of 7 to 10 years, the salary is about USD 96K per year whereas above 10 years it may rise up to USD 158K per year.

2. Short Story Writers

Create short stories with word limits ranging between 7500 to 10,000 words. These stories are used to create short plays in television, social media video channels or even a movie and are fictional in nature. At an experience level of 5 to 9 years, the salary is usually at an average of 62K in a year.

3. Speechwriters

Speechwriters are recruited to prepare speeches that will eventually be delivered by a different person. Senior government officials or executives of a company often require the services of speechwriters. Even for religious, social, and cultural events, speechwriters are hired. The average salary per year is approximately USD 75K for an experience level of more than 6 years.

4. Advertising Copywriters

Responsible for editing or amending scripts used in advertisements or marketing campaigns. They also look into audio or video scripts that accompany the advertisements. The average salary is USD 48K per year and almost 80% of advertising copywriters earn between USD 35K and USD 65K per annum.

5. Screenplay Editors

Screenplay editors play a vital role in rectifying the scripts and screenplays written. They can be recruited in TV, film production houses, social media channels, etc. expert in transforming the scripts to be more professional and alluring to the audience. The average salary is almost USD 55K in a year; with more than 10 years of experienced professionals more than USD 77K per annum and less than 10 years earning USD 40K per annum.

6. Lyricists

Writing the lyrics of a song in a movie, video, or even in audio is the key responsibility of lyricists. They need to possess knowledge of music for creating the appropriate verses and also know-how on musical instruments and software. The entry-level salary is almost USD 20K in a year that increases to about USD 55K with experience.

7. Radio Script Writers

Create scripts for radio related to news, plays, talk shows, announcements, etc. Their tasks are a bit different than in a TV, movie, or video clip. They need to ensure the audience is engaged without even observing visually live in front. The salary is usually USD 52K per year for an experience level of 5 to 9 years.

8. Staff Writer

Employed to research on a particular topic or subject related to any news article, movie or book reviews, any breaking reports, etc. They normally do not work as an independent freelance writer but as a screenwriter for a periodical, newspaper, magazines, etc. The annual salary is almost USD 47K.

9. Program Writer

Assists developers of any technical work related to coding or programming to create technical documents, references, user manuals, etc. The salary is approximately USD 52K per year.

10. Playwrights

Professionals engaged in writing scripts or dialogues for theatrical plays. With a high school degree, the salary of playwrights is almost USD 77K per annum.

11. Story Editor

Entrusted with the responsibility of editing the stories written for movies, or screenplays. The person needs to scrutiny each segment and sub-section of the story for accuracy and correctness. The yearly salary is almost USD 52K.

12. Executive Story Editor

Monitors and guides a team of story writers and editors for finalizing the scripts for the stories required for starting the production and film work. The annual salary is about USD 65K for an experience level of more than 10 years.

13. Production Assistants

You can hire entry-level or less experienced screenwriters as production assistants who are aspiring to gain on-the-job training. They assist the production team in scriptwriting, editing, etc. The annual salary with 2 to 3 years of experience is almost USD 32K.

14. Producer

Responsible for producing films, tasks involving overseeing scripting, editing, financing, directing, etc. The starting salary of a producer is about USD 30K per annum and with experience, it can rise up to USD 115K per year.

15. Executive Producer

Producers report to the executive producer. It is the highest rank in a film production house, overseeing if the projects are appropriately financed. The salary is as high as USD 125K in a year for experience above 15 years. Starting salary is normally USD 78K per annum.

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Qualifications to look for in screenwriters

For hiring screenwriters, you need not seek any special educational qualification. But it is good to verify if the candidate has gone through any special course related to screenplay if you are looking for an experienced and highly qualified freelance screenwriter. The academic degrees to check are listed below,

1. Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, English, Communication or related field
2. Master’s Degree in screenplay or script writing
3. Doctor’s Degree or Ph.D. in screenplay or script writing

The best colleges and universities offering degrees related to screenwriting are illustrated below.

1. Northwestern University located in Evanston in Illinois. The tuition fees are almost USD 27K per year
2. The University of Southern California at Los Angeles, CA. The yearly cost of the courses is almost USD 36K per annum
3. University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. The annual fees of the university is USD 26K approximately per year
4. Stanford University in California. The yearly tuition fees are almost USD 17K.
5. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The tuition fees are USD 11K per annum
6. Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem in North Carolina. The annual fees are almost USD 27K.
7. Cornell University at Ithaca in New York. The net annual fees are USD 29K
8. The University of Georgia at Athens. Students are expected to pay a fee of USD 16K approximately per annum
9. The University of Florida in Gainesville. The fee structure is less about USD 11K per year.
10. Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. The tuition fees are almost USD 22K in a year

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Skills to look for in screenwriters

Verifying the skills of screenwriters for hire is essential and vital in attaining success in talk shows, speeches, plays, movies, etc. Let us try to understand the key skills that need to be checked while hiring a screenplay ghostwriter or general freelance screenwriter.

1. Viewing the story, speech, or any manuscript, as per the mindset of the targeted audience.
2. Compilation of the scripts or the stories with meaningful context to the subject instead of writing sequence after sequence monotonously
3. Confident in expressing the story or the script as per the domain or topic of interest; ability to impress the leadership with the content
4. Powerful skills of collaborating with the different stakeholders of the organization such as directors, producers, media channel directors, etc.
5. Awareness and knowledge on the industry domain or the storyline concept to be in sync with the subject
6. Understand the objectives, expectations, and guidelines to deliver the scripts and screenplays accordingly
7. Excellent verbal and written communication skills to engage well with internal and external stakeholders
8. Ability to work independently since most of the organizations look for a freelance screenwriter
9. Continual learning capabilities on the trending technologies and concepts on screenwriting
10. Flexible in adapting to requirement changes and even timing as per the various time zones
11. Consistency in performance without major deviations in progress curve

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Certifications to look for in screenwriters

Be it script writing services or hiring a freelance script writer, it is advisable to check additional certifications obtained by the candidate. It provides assurance of the candidate’s focused knowledge on the subject. Here are the certifications enlisted to verify, while hiring a screenwriter,

1. Screenwriting Certificate offered by the London Film Academy for a total duration of 2 weeks. It can be obtained either online more or by attending the course from the campus
2. Online Screenwriting courses provided by the New York Film Academy for a duration of 15 weeks. There are 7 courses to select and apply to.
3. Screenwriting courses from Udemy like Screenwriting 101, Learn to Write Movies, Screenwriting and Storytelling Blueprint, etc.
4. Screenwriting for Beginners offered by Screenwriters University. There is no fixed duration of the course, it is self-paced.
5. Masterclass conducted by Oscar winner screenwriter, Aaron Sorkin from the US. The total duration is almost 3 and a half hours with PDF documents and newsletters.

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Rate per hour of screenwriters

As per the study and analysis performed by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average rate per hour of screenwriters is almost USD 28.50 in the US. The other prominent job websites have recorded the hourly rate of script writers for hire is said to range between USD 30 and USD 56.

An entry level screenwriter for hire is offered an hourly rate of USD 20 to USD 25. Variations have been observed in the hourly rates of different job titles of screenwriting. For film script writers the hourly rate ranges between USD 28 and USD 48.

The hourly rate of a television screenwriter ranges between USD 25 and USD 35. Whereas the hourly rate of a commercial scriptwriter varies between USD 30 and USD 50. In the UK too there is not much variation in the hourly rates as of the US.

The average rate per hour ranges between USD 25 and USD 35. In Australia, the average hourly rate is also almost the same varying between USD 25 and USD 30. In India, the hourly rates are much cheaper ranging between USD 10 and USD 15. The Asian countries are also favorable in terms of offering screenwriters at a much affordable hourly rate.

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Top 10 job boards to find best screenwriters

Are you worried, “How to find a screenwriter?” Here is the solution for your query. The top 10 job boards where you find a screenwriter suited for your organization.

1. Indeed – The popular job website containing profiles of a huge pool of screenwriter screenplay writers

2. unremot.com – Enables you to gain access into a global workforce to hire a scriptwriter within minutes of search, collaborating through video calls, messaging, and chats

3. Balance Careers – You can get yourself listed on the website, allowing potential candidates to apply for the screen writer job roles in your company

4. Screenskills – A dedicated job website to find a scriptwriter for TV, social media platforms, media channels, film production houses, etc.

5. Upwork – One of the largest job boards to answer your question, “I need a screenwriter” – in contract, full time or part-time mode of employment

6. LinkedIn – One of the biggest professional networking websites connecting companies and interested candidates, ideal for recruiting freelance screenplay writers for hire.

7. Glassdoor – A prominent job website to look for freelance profiles as per your preferred roles and job description

8. Freelancer – Freelancer offers you the best opportunities to hire screenwriter by posting job opportunities or scanning through the registered profiles.

9. Screenwritingstaffing – A popular website to find screenwriters from agencies as well as freelance professionals.

10. SimplyHired – A similar popular website to post job opportunities or search through the profiles of up and coming screenwriters

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Top 10 companies hiring screenwriters and salaries offered

In this section, we will discuss the top 10 companies in the US hiring screenwriters. Almost the majority of the companies offer an entry-level salary of about USD 30K per annum which increases at a constant rate with the increase in experience and skill set.

1. NBC Universal, a media and entertainment company.
2. T-Mobile, a telecommunications company.
3. Hearst, a media and information company.
4. Filmless, a company specializing in producing professional videos, at Santa Monica, California
5. Valkyrie Enterprises at Virginia Beach, a defense contractor company
6. Ford Audio-Video at Oklahoma City, expertise in designing, installing, renting, and servicing sound, video, and lighting, networking, and security system
7. Creative Circle, a global consulting firm in New York
8. EventDone, an event planning company, located in Woodbridge in Virginia.
9. Sesame Workshop, specializing in producing enormous programs for children’s education. It is located in New York
10. Nexstar Media Group Inc., one of the largest television and media companies in the US, is located in Irving, Texas.

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Top 10 interview questions for screenwriters

Listing and asking the proper interview questions while you hire a script writer, is crucial. To aid you, we have enlisted the top 10 interview questions you can ask and the expected answers from the candidates.

1. What are your preferred styles in screenplay writing?

Rationale: To understand whether the style and expertise of the screenwriter is in sync with your preferred roles and requirements

Expected Answer: Check if the candidate mentions comedy, fiction, lifestyle, travel, etc. and you need to twine that to your requirements for hiring the person.

2. How do you start with your script: the scenes or the structure?

Rationale: To verify the expertise of the candidate in understanding the basic concepts of screenwriting.

Expected Answer: The candidate must focus on the structure first and then the scenes, to be considered for recruitment.

3. Where do you position yourself 5 years after in screenwriting?

Rationale: To validate whether the candidate is aspirational in pursuing his or her career in screenwriting.

Expected Answer: If the screenwriter mentions being a producer or an executive producer, then you can rest assured about the potential of the candidate.

4. Briefly explain the important aspects to consider while framing a character of a script?

Rationale: The question will assist you to judge whether the candidate is aware of the features that are required to be present while building a character for a story or a script.

Expected Answer: The candidate must speak about the script or story objectives, outcome, purpose, and expectations to define the character.

5. Which tools have you used for screenwriting?

Rationale: To check the expertise of the candidate in using tools for scriptwriting or screenwriting.

Expected Answer: The expected answers can be StudioBinder, WriterDuet, Scrivener, Final Draft 10. Magic Movie Screenwriter, Celtx, etc.

6. Provide a subject and ask to create a short storyline for the same?

Rationale: This is an important question to judge the instant thinking power of the candidate as well as innovative mindset.

Expected Answer: Ensure the candidate derives the structure, the characters, and the scenes in sequence to come up with the storyline.

7. Elaborate the steps to be adopted for being a successful screenwriter

Rationale: A valid question to understand whether the candidate is aware of the educations or learnings required to excel in screenwriting.

Expected Answer: The candidate must specify the academic qualifications, learning courses, and certifications related to screenwriting.

8. Which genre or domain you have worked as a screenwriter in your past experiences?

Rationale: To judge the expertise and the experience level of the candidate and whether the person is fit for the role requirements of your organization.

Expected Answer: The candidate must specify the domain or genre related to talking show topics, type of movies, video or audio content, etc. You may also ask for examples for further verification.

9. Have your script or screenplay ever undergone changes during the filming process and how have you handled the situation?

Rationale: A mandatory question to check whether the candidate is able to adapt to changes as screenwriting may undergo substantial modifications.

Expected Answer: The candidate must mention past experiences with examples to answer the question. The answer is always “Yes” with further elaborations.

10. What steps do you adopt to ensure your screenplay or script to “First Time Right”?

Rationale: The question will help you to evaluate the candidate’s credibility in achieving the near to perfection content.

Expected Answer: In this question too, the candidate must focus on his or her past experiences with examples of achievements.