Careers research
Screenwriter - Screenwriters work on the screenplays themselves, whether it be writing, developing or adapting them for film or TV. They work on very strict deadlines and work with the producers and directors to make multiple drafts, and during production can also make edits at the request of the actors and filmmakers. A lot of screenwriters are freelance and therefore can mostly work on what they want, however they are prone to being replaced by other screenwriters at the producer's/studio's discretion and if enough extra screenwriters are brought in they may gain less credit if any at all.
Screenwriters have a good understanding of what makes a screenplay great and are very creative, usually having seen loads of films and TV shows to know how to make an effective screenplay for a variety of genres and productions. They will usually work closely with the development producers and assistants, while being supervised by the script editor and any assistants. In TV, if episodes of a show have different writers each time the screenwriters will work with an outline made by a storyliner that gives an overview of the entire season or episode of the show so they know what to write about and avoid.
script reader - script readers usually work for a publicly-funded organisation and it's their job to write reports on a scripts development potential. Most readers reports are between 4-8 pages long, including a story breakdown and a suitability assessment. These include a logline, premise and synopsis, tone and genre analysis, at least a couple pages of strengths and weaknesses and the summary and final verdict.
script editor - Script editors review TV scripts for any continuity errors between scenes and episodes. They provide advice on the script to anyone else involved in that part of the production and in TV they act as a middle man for the script and production teams. They have the right to provide original opinions and concepts for episodes and scenes, especially if they are working in-house, however they can be freelance too.
director - The creative lead in a production. They will usually be in control of the creative vision all the way through the production process, from pre-production to the final cut being produced. The director will work under the producers and will work with a script, finished or otherwise and with a screenwriter, who can also be the director themself. Once a final draft has been made and funding has been acquired, the director will help appoint heads of department and choose actors. It is then the directors job to visualise the script in a physical form and work with the cast and crew to set up the scenes from the lighting and camera placement down to where and how an actor should be standing. The director then works with the editors and post-production people to create a directors cut, which is reviewed by the producers and financers before a final cut is agreed upon.
producer - The heart of a production, the producer is always the first involved in the film or drama and usually the last to finish as well. They control everything from the finances to the distribution, and have a big stake in the creative direction of the production, being the ones who make all the final decisions. They're the ones who come up with the story ideas or secure rights to a script. They are the deciding force behind the scale and budget of a production and are responsible for acquiring funding, whether it be through investors or a studio or both. They are responsible for keeping everyone happy and act as a middle man for a lot of people on and off set.
Development producer - Development producers read through stories and scripts to find one worth translating to film, and make sure they're ready enough to be commissioned for TV or film. They do this making notes on the script and asking screenwriters to do any potential rewrites to make it better. This is sometimes a lengthy job, and can take years to complete a screen worthy script. In TV, they're the ones who pitch ideas to the commissioners, usually using a combination of vocal presentations, written treatments briefly detailing the plot and a sizzle reel, which is a short demo tape made to show what the most exciting parts of the show could look like. Development producers are brought on by the broadcasters, screen agencies and production companies, and their job roles differ depending on what organisation they're employed by.
development assistant - Entry level film role. Helps the development producer reduce workload by reading potential material, usually taken from scripts, novels and blogs. They write reports and sit in on important meetings to gain experience.
Screenwriters have a good understanding of what makes a screenplay great and are very creative, usually having seen loads of films and TV shows to know how to make an effective screenplay for a variety of genres and productions. They will usually work closely with the development producers and assistants, while being supervised by the script editor and any assistants. In TV, if episodes of a show have different writers each time the screenwriters will work with an outline made by a storyliner that gives an overview of the entire season or episode of the show so they know what to write about and avoid.
script reader - script readers usually work for a publicly-funded organisation and it's their job to write reports on a scripts development potential. Most readers reports are between 4-8 pages long, including a story breakdown and a suitability assessment. These include a logline, premise and synopsis, tone and genre analysis, at least a couple pages of strengths and weaknesses and the summary and final verdict.
script editor - Script editors review TV scripts for any continuity errors between scenes and episodes. They provide advice on the script to anyone else involved in that part of the production and in TV they act as a middle man for the script and production teams. They have the right to provide original opinions and concepts for episodes and scenes, especially if they are working in-house, however they can be freelance too.
director - The creative lead in a production. They will usually be in control of the creative vision all the way through the production process, from pre-production to the final cut being produced. The director will work under the producers and will work with a script, finished or otherwise and with a screenwriter, who can also be the director themself. Once a final draft has been made and funding has been acquired, the director will help appoint heads of department and choose actors. It is then the directors job to visualise the script in a physical form and work with the cast and crew to set up the scenes from the lighting and camera placement down to where and how an actor should be standing. The director then works with the editors and post-production people to create a directors cut, which is reviewed by the producers and financers before a final cut is agreed upon.
producer - The heart of a production, the producer is always the first involved in the film or drama and usually the last to finish as well. They control everything from the finances to the distribution, and have a big stake in the creative direction of the production, being the ones who make all the final decisions. They're the ones who come up with the story ideas or secure rights to a script. They are the deciding force behind the scale and budget of a production and are responsible for acquiring funding, whether it be through investors or a studio or both. They are responsible for keeping everyone happy and act as a middle man for a lot of people on and off set.
Development producer - Development producers read through stories and scripts to find one worth translating to film, and make sure they're ready enough to be commissioned for TV or film. They do this making notes on the script and asking screenwriters to do any potential rewrites to make it better. This is sometimes a lengthy job, and can take years to complete a screen worthy script. In TV, they're the ones who pitch ideas to the commissioners, usually using a combination of vocal presentations, written treatments briefly detailing the plot and a sizzle reel, which is a short demo tape made to show what the most exciting parts of the show could look like. Development producers are brought on by the broadcasters, screen agencies and production companies, and their job roles differ depending on what organisation they're employed by.
development assistant - Entry level film role. Helps the development producer reduce workload by reading potential material, usually taken from scripts, novels and blogs. They write reports and sit in on important meetings to gain experience.
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