by Craig Medlin

Created on: September 02, 2008

This brief step-by-step tutorial will allow you to get your script read and made into a movie in a relatively short amount of time.

STEP NUMBER 1: Print out your completed script.
STEP NUMBER 2: Take your completed script to your father/mother.
STEP NUMBER 3: Tell your father/mother to read your completed script.
STEP NUMBER 4: Pick up a camera, and start making your movie.

Ok, so maybe that wasn't the kind of tutorial you were looking for, but if your reading this, it's unlikely that you're about to walk into a Hollywood studio and get your screenplay made into a summer blockbuster. I'm not trying to instill doubt or crush your biggest dreams; I'm just trying to get you to acknowledge the truth. Your movie, however, can be made. With a little work, and maybe even some luck, your screenplay can be made into a motion picture that wins the audience award at Sundance.

First and foremost, it is important to understand that this trek you are about to partake on will not be easy. It will require patience, perseverance, and dedication. That being said, you can not quit your day-job and believe that you are about to head out and become the next Diablo Cody; for those who don't know, Cody won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay on her first ever script "Juno." Not that that is not a possibility, it is just highly unlikely. Before you begin walking down the road to success, you have to answer a few questions.

~Is your script in the proper, industry standard, format?
~Has your script been registered with the USCO (United States Copyright Office) or another organization that establishes the completion date of your work?
~Have you rewritten your script?
~Is it the best it can be?

If you answered no to any of those questions, you should look into changing your answer to a yes. Although the majority of those are not completely necessary (only proper formatting is absolutely required) they will certainly help you out in the long run. I won't get into details here, for there are other topics that cover those, but the benefits outweigh the time and effort it can cost you later.

After you have a completed, industry format script, the easiest and most efficient way to get your script read is through well-respected competitions. Reputable competitions include the annual Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, which are sponsored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Yes, the same guys that hold the Academy Awards every year). If you enter your screenplay in various competitions and place highly enough, you often have the opportunity of transmitting your contact information to various producers and agents who may indeed be interested in you. This can expedite the process of getting your script made into an actual movie.

On the other hand, however, if you are not trying to get your story stolen' by a major film studio and corrupted by the minds of money driven directors, you can opt to make the film yourself or entrust it to a fresh and talented young mind to make as an independent film. If your script is good enough and has a strong story there is no reason you cannot or should not get it made. The process that goes into making a movie is long and tedious, but find someone willing to put your ideas onto film, be it actual or digital, and you can have yourself something to cherish for a lifetime. Be smart about it. Books can be written on this topic and a few hundred words isn't really enough to explain the process that gets your script made into a movie, but I hope that this article helped get you started. Good luck!

Learn more about this author, Craig Medlin.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.