Screenwriting

Hi Christina, My name is Simone Yehuda and my question is, if an Executive sends my logline to a possibly interested Producer, should there be some kind of written agreement involved? Thank you! simone.yehuda@gmail,com

Damilola Jabita, I think so too. The stories that feel uncomfortable to write usually come from a more honest place, and that’s what tends to stay with people.

Jason Green I know what it's like to be scared of being vulnerable. That's really beautiful...what you said

Banafsheh Esmailzadeh now I've gotta read it

I agree Ayesha Simra

Thank you Damilola Jabita, I’ll upload the latest complete version of Lunar Window soon, as I work on hopefully the definitive version haha. NR is still becoming something~

I'm feeling this as I rewrite Metal Garden as a screenplay; as a novel it was pretty easy to get into my characters' heads and play with form all I wanted (like to have a sentence in italics that doubled as a character thought and a critical reveal at the same time, not to mention some jokes only work when read, not heard)... sadly I have to sacrifice a lot of that in the screenplay version. Another thing as well is the amount of characters; it has several who may not show up often but are nonetheless critical to the story, and I genuinely can't bear to cut many of them (some subplots I can remove no problem, others would kinda make everything fall apart if I did). So it's a labour of love... very painful love... lol

I relate so much to that Banafsheh Esmailzadeh Is your book published on any platform?

It is not Damilola Jabita, nothing of mine has been published ^^; in fairness I do have to rewrite a big portion of it…

Justin Groats i value your opinion

Evan Phoenix yessss. we need more bl/gl in the industry

Raisa Tavares my kind of women

Dragan Lambic ugh. i love strong fls

Damilola, most of the scripts I've written have women as the lead characters...characters who show strength, independence, determination, and perseverance.

They're characters who won't let anyone else tell them: "You oughta be this...you oughta be that!"

Thanks so very much for posing the question!

hello Sandra Michelle I'll definitely keep that in mind

I’ve had moments like this too.

Sometimes it feels like the character pushes back — like they refuse to follow the version of the story we had in mind. And honestly, I think that tension is a good sign.

It usually means the character is starting to exist beyond control, with their own logic and emotional truth.

You're not arguing with your character. You're arguing with the work as you imagined it would be and the work as it is turning out to be. Let the work guide you. It will suck if you force it to be something it isn't.

thank you for that James Rovira

Ana Rodrigues a woman after my own heart

This really resonates with me.

I’m drawn to stories that don’t aim to comfort the audience, but instead reveal truth through emotional tension and moral conflict.

It’s a powerful reminder that sometimes uncertainty is exactly what makes a story feel honest.

You know, first of all, I really support you in being honest on your pages. I’m all for truth as well. I believe the audience has to believe in what you write above anything else.

And secondly, they need to understand that if the main character does something truly bad at the beginning, it’s not going to end well. I’ve even had some producers tell me that my endings were “bad” just because there was no happy ending. And I would respond: in this situation, a happy ending simply isn’t possible. The character has already done things that make it impossible for them to reach one.

Sometimes the only way out for that character—even if it includes death—is the natural consequence of their actions. And by the end of the film, the audience should understand that if someone makes those kinds of choices, a happy ending is not what awaits them.

That’s how I see it.

YES Ana Rodrigues Glad to find someone who shares the same view

that's just the thing Aleksandr Rozhnov not every ending has to have a happy ending. there's just some things you can't come back from. I wish more people understood that

Damilola Jabita I really like this way of looking at it, it feels very honest to how stories actually land emotionally.

Those quiet, almost invisible moments are usually the ones that stay with you the longest. The idea of building the entire story around that feeling instead of just plot is really powerful.

For me, it’s often a moment where two characters understand something without saying it, where the silence carries more weight than the dialogue.

Curious, do you ever find that “moment” changing as you keep developing the script?

yes Abhijeet Aade that's what keeps the twists coming

Hi Christina Pickworth ,

I’m César, a Spain-based screenwriter with six completed feature scripts in English and two series in development. My work sits between psychological drama, elevated genre, ethical sci-fi and dark comedy, often exploring characters confronting systems — technological, emotional, social or institutional.

I understand from your answers that UK reps need to see more than one strong script: a body of work, momentum, industry recognition, and a clear reason why the writer makes sense for the UK market.

My question is: for a European writer whose work is not UK-specific but is designed for international co-production and festival/indie spaces, what would make the approach to a UK agent feel relevant rather than premature?

Would you suggest leading with the most accessible project, or with the piece that best defines the writer’s voice?

Thank you!

Cesar Romero I think it will come down to why a particular co-production might work for them. Do they already have European funding/producer connections and is that a part of their business that they’re actively looking to build. If it is then they’re much more likely to be open to projects from European filmmakers, but it may not make sense for them to be the first producer on the project depending on their set-up, and you should also consider European producers looking to do UK co-pros. It’ll be mainly about how the financing can be achieved which will govern whether a project seems feasible I think, unless you find someone who loves the specific project for creative reasons/a personal connection to the story/material.

Abhijeet Aade lots of similar questions to this so do read through my other answers. One script is not enough, you need a strong slate, some industry recognition, buzz around you and building your own connections, plus momentum. Momentum is key!

Hi Christina!

I’m a 30-year old screenwriter who suffers from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and has been writing as a hobby for the past 10 years when I could. I recently quit my job as I felt I needed to give my dream of writing on real chance. In the past 4 months, I’ve written several drafts of 2 features and 1 pilot for a TV show and 1 short that I want to shoot myself. I’ve had 2 pitches with Stage32 (first one requested the script, second one graded very high but passed) and am waiting to hear back from the script request. I understand I am a bit limited with my condition and the fact that I’m stuck in northeast Ohio. But I was wondering if there’s anything else I could be doing to get my name out there? Finances are tough obviously since I quit my job but I try to pitch as much as I can to help get my ideas out there. Any advice on what else I can be doing would be great! Thanks!

Hello Everyone and Christina Pickworth. Thanks for setting aside some time to share your expertise in hopes I will take away some important insights after skim reading the thread a bit. A question that’s been stirring around in my mind has been: “at what point in a writer’s development do you personally consider a scriptwriter “market-ready” and what specific assets (scripts, IP, packaging) would you need to see to justify signing a scriptwriter?”

Do you love the story or don't you? Is the script in a good condition? If yes to both, can you be bothered because you have 100 others to read. Et cetera.

From my perspective, writing isn’t mathematical, it can’t really be broken down into fixed pieces or formulas. Any evaluation is inherently subjective and doesn’t truly reflect the real value of what’s been written.

That said, I do understand how you’re feeling. It simply sounds like this wasn’t the right person for your work, not a reflection of any lack on your part.

Happened to me 4 times from 4 different execs! Tried to explain it to Geoff Faugerolas, and he tried his best not to understand the point. I won't pitch here anymore, and I advised my students to pitch their stuff elsewhere.

Good news! Since I received such high scores, I decided to pitch my script to 5 more producers on Virtual Pitch Fest & this morning I received my second “YES” request to read my script!

That's great Wade Taylor ! Congratulations!

Interesting concept. There’s a strong hook in the idea of social media mechanics triggering supernatural consequences.

I do think the core idea is compelling, especially the contrast between digital validation and real human cost.

That said, it might benefit from simplifying the rules a bit. Right now there are several mechanics at play (likes, shares, memory loss, past consequences), and tightening that could make the concept feel more focused and internally consistent.

The most interesting part to me is the character — someone faking the supernatural for attention, only to be confronted by something real and personal. Leaning further into that emotional and moral conflict could make the story even stronger.

Kjell, thank you so much for this incredible feedback. Seriously means a lot coming from a Director/Screenwriter.

You're 100% right about tightening the rules. I got excited building the "social media curse" mechanics and overcomplicated it. Your note on focusing the "emotional and moral conflict" is the heart of it.

The core I want to protect: A guy who fakes ghosts for likes, meets a real ghost who forces him to feel every like as a human life. The guilt vs fame war.

Quick question: If I simplify to ONE rule - "Every like he gets, someone he loves loses 1 day of memory" - would that feel more focused + consistent?

Would love your thoughts. And thank you again for taking the time. This is why I posted on Stage32 :)

-Basha

David, fair point. Thank you.

Working on tightening the pitch. Appreciate you taking the time.

-Basha

Yes, I think simplifying it to a single rule definitely helps.

It feels stronger because it’s clear, emotionally direct, and much easier to build tension around. The personal cost — losing someone he loves in terms of memory — gives it a strong dramatic core, which I think is more effective than multiple overlapping mechanics.

That said, it really depends on the story structure you’re aiming for. Ultimately, the mechanic that creates the strongest dramatic conflict will also deliver the strongest emotional impact.

It might be worth exploring each variation a bit further before locking the final direction, just to see which one generates the most natural narrative tension.

Kjell :)

The more impossible the concept, the harder it is to sustain for feature length. The audience will start poking holes in the plot logic.

Are we to understand that some supernatural force is watching his YouTube views and likes go up? Is there a ghost sitting at a computer or holding a cell phone?

The Ring had similar technological issues to overcome. The ghost was of a girl who had power over electro-magnetism. So she could haunt a VHS tape. Some things don’t make a lot of sense when you think too hard— how does the ghost call you on the phone, how did she “film” the spooky content on the tape— but hopefully we’re too scared to notice.

I bring this up because if you make the rules too complicated, it will become less believable, not more. Make it about the core theme— what is the sin that the main character is being punished for? If it’s vanity, then killing or mindwiping his followers is enough. Now he must think about others before himself, and learn the lesson of empathy.