Work Environment
This occupation is typically found in the following Career Sector(s):
Videos on the Web
- Screenwriter- from: Youtube Search
Most commonly reported Work Activities
- Thinking Creatively Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
- Interacting With Computers Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
- Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Organising, Planning, and Prioritising Work Developing specific goals and plans to prioritise, organise, and accomplish your work.
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Developing Objectives and Strategies Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
- Documenting/Recording Information Entering, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
- Communicating with Persons Outside Organisation Communicating with people outside the organisation, representing the organisation to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events Identifying information by categorising, estimating, recognising differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Working Life
The role of the screenwriter is to take a project from idea to the final draft of a screenplay, which is then the blueprint for filming.
Screenwriters can generate their own ideas or be hired to write a project which a producer or director has conceived.
Feature film and television projects usually go through several drafts as the story is honed (short films may only have two or three drafts). The screenwriter does each rewrite responding to notes and feedback from the producer, director, script editor, and development executives, as the project progresses.
Works with
- Producers
- Directors
- Script Editors
- Development Executives
Most commonly reported Work Tasks
- Write fiction or nonfiction prose, such as short stories, novels, biographies, articles, descriptive or critical analyses, and essays.
- Develop factors such as themes, plots, characterisations, psychological analyses, historical environments, action, and dialogue to create material.
- Prepare works in appropriate format for publication, and send them to publishers or producers.
- Revise written material to meet personal standards and to satisfy needs of clients, publishers, directors, or producers.
- Confer with clients, editors, publishers, or producers to discuss changes or revisions to written material.
- Choose subject matter and suitable form to express personal feelings and experiences or ideas, or to narrate stories or events.
- Conduct research to obtain factual information and authentic detail, using sources such as newspaper accounts, diaries, and interviews.
- Plan project arrangements or outlines, and organise material accordingly.
- Follow appropriate procedures to get copyrights for completed work.
- Attend book launches and publicity events, or conduct public readings.
Further Information
- Screenwriter- from: N.C.S. [UK]
Qualities - Screenwriter
Is this role right for me?
For this role, you need:
A sound understanding of the structure of stories on screen.
An ability to tell a story using images and sounds.
Excellent communication and listening skills.
An ability to collaborate creatively and respond to notes.
Wide frame of reference of cinema and television.
Interests - Screenwriter
This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:
Creative
Creative people are drawn to careers and activities that enable them to take responsibility for the design, layout or sensory impact of something (visual, auditory etc). They may be atrracted to the traditional artistic pursuits such as painting, sculpture, singing, or music. Or they may show more interest in design activities, such as architecture, animation, or craft areas, such as pottery and ceramics.
Creative people use their personal understanding of people and the world they live in to guide their work. Creative people like to work in unstructured workplaces, enjoy taking risks and prefer a minimum of routine.
Linguistic
The Linguistic's interests are usually focused on ideas and information exchange. They tend to like reading a lot, and enjoy discussion about what has been said. Some will want to write about their own ideas and may follow a path towards journalism, story writing or editing. Others will develop skills in other languages, perhaps finding work as a translator or interpreter. Most Linguistic types will enjoy the opportunity to teach or instruct people in a topic they are interested in.
Entry / Progression - Screenwriter
Education Route: Learning the art and technical skills of screenwriting through reading the many books available on the subject, taking courses in screenwriting, or taking an MA in screenwriting.
Career Path to Screenwriter: Writing a feature film or a sample episode of a television series on spec. Other routes include working in the development department of a production company or working as the writers’ assistant in the writers’ room.
Career Path from Screenwriter: In TV – Staff Writer, Story Editor, Executive Story Editor, Co-Producer, Showrunner. In Film – build a track record, studio rewrites, adaptations, franchise work. Established/Lead writer, Directing, Producing, Novel Writing.
Pay & Salary - Screenwriter
Salary Range (thousands per year)* €17k - €100k
As Screenwriting involves irregular work, incomes can vary greatly from script to script and year to year. TV series and advertisments may provide steady incomes, while movies and documenteries lead to big one off payments.
But most work comes with no guarantee of good renumeration and cheques will have to provide for the quiet periods between jobs.
Data Source(s):
Indeed/ Payscale.com/ IFTN/ Gov.ie/ DEASP
Last Updated: July, 2024
Labour Market Updates - Screenwriter
Note: The following information relates to occupations that include: Artists, Authors, writers and translators, Actors, entertainers and presenters, Dancers and choreographers, Musicians, Arts officers, producers and directors, Photographers, audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators, Graphic designers, Product, clothing and related designers.
This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2024).
Employment growth was almost on a par with the national average for this occupation; employment grew strongly between 2021 and 2022 but declined slightly thereafter. Based on the CSO Census data, over a quarter were graphic designers, with other key roles including actors, authors/writers, photographers, artists and arts officers.
Employment permits issued in 2023 were primarily for roles in animation, film and TV. Online job adverts (Eurostat/CEDEFOP) related mainly to graphic designers. At present, the data does not indicate that issues exist in sourcing skills for this occupation.
Useful Contacts - Screenwriter
-
Irish Writers Centre
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IFTN Irish film & Television network
- Irish Film and Television Network 32 Lower Leeson Street Dublin2
- (0) 1 905 3595
- [email protected]
- Click Here
-
Screen Ireland
