How to Sell a Movie Script?

Question

I am an aspiring movie maker and want to study at the New York Film Academy in New York as oppose to any of there numerous other bases.I am poor and at present cannot afford there 40 thousand dollar program. I cannot obtain a visa to work in the USA because I am Eighteen and thus unskilled labour. So I am working on scripts with the hope that I sell them to fund my education. I am working on a low budget comedy that I would be set to star in and most likely produce with the NYFA team. If one of my scripts was to be sold by joining the writers guild etc how much could I expect to earn and would it be a one off fee? I realise this is a broad question but I need rough estimates and help

Answer 1

Script writing is a densely competetive business. You can't get into the WGA until you have sold some scripts, and it's hard to sell scripts if you aren't in the WGA. And even if you sell a script, chances are the first thing you sell will be the option rather than the script itself, which means you won't get that $40,000 you're hoping for.

If your first goal is the money to get the education, don't bank on finding it through selling a script. You could invest years in the process and never have a dime to show for it. If you really want to go to the NYFA, get a skill and save some money. You could get an educational visa and go into debt to pay for your training, but I don't recommend it. But one thing I can tell you for sure: if you bank on selling a script to pay for your training, you'll probably be an old, old student when the time finally comes.

Answer 2

Oh, dear! Let me tell you . . . my husband is in the business as a TV writer/story editor. He's also written several feature length films. He's been well known in the business for 20+ years and he still has to work to get his stuff sold. He has a well known agent, a resume you wouldn't believe, and he still has trouble sometimes.

This is not an easy business to break into! If you are only 18, then I am going to presume you have not gone ahead with higher education. If you want to be a writer, you really need to do that first - even at a local college or university. New York Film Academy should be your long term goal after you've honed your writing skills.

Good Luck!

Answer 3

The first poster is correct. This is one tough business! The chances you will sell scripts in order to fund your education is so unlikely, I would look for another angle.