We talk about films often, and we are always discussing the final product, the finished filmed and edited version. But people rarely think about how this film came about.
The most important aspect in this industry is the writers. Where would we be without that initial idea of a story. We couldn’t get to the filming process without the storyboard and script of what we see on TV.
I’m currently majoring in screenwriting at SUNY Purchase College and am very passionate about it.
Some people hear screenwriting and don’t really know what it is that we do. But to break it down simply: Everything you see on the screen, the way characters act, and what characters say are all in the script of a television show or movie.
Generally, if you are making a feature length script, it should be close to 130 pages.
In film, generally one page of a script is equal to about a minute on film. So 130 pages comes out to about two hours, more or less.
Screenwriting has a specific format, although many writers have their own minute twists to it.
The format I learned was from Syd Field’s screenwriter’s guide. It’s a fairly easy format to follow, and they are pretty strict about format in the industry.
The format is specific because it makes it very easy to read and differentiate between different scenes, character dialogue, and direction/action. The script is formatted in this specific way so the director can easily read it.
The downfall with screenwriting is that you often write a story and have a very clear image for it – BUT the vision is not up to you, that is the director’s choice. Once you’ve been in the industry for long enough, then you can be like the great Martin Scorsese or Quentin Tarantino, who both write and direct their own films.
I feel that screenwriting is the most important part of the movie making process, and is often undermined and forgotten. But how could we have films without the initial writer?! 
Film Frenzies 
