it, which is called writing a script on spec (short for speculation). As an alternative, or in addition to writing spec scripts, many writers hire themselves out to work on various projects.
In the world of theater, the writer (known as the playwright) wields enormous power, sometimes equal to that of the director. A director rarely changes a script without the playwright’s approval, and the playwright may also be involved in casting and rehearsals.
In rare cases, a producer may actually start filming before the script is even finished. On television sets, writers may write (and rewrite) scripts right up until the time of taping (and then they may rewrite the scene afterwards for another take as well).
The Studios: The Ones That Make Everything Possible
Studios represent the business end of show business. Studios typically provide the following for a film or television project:
Financing to get a project started or completed
Sets and production facilities (such as cameras, editing equipment, and even food services)
Marketing and distribution to advertise a project
The following sections examine in greater detail two important tasks the studio does: financing a project and marketing and promoting a project.
Financing a project
Every film or television project needs money. Although a producer can raise money from a variety of sources — including individual investors — many projects eventually need the financial resources of a studio. (Occasionally, studios even collaborate with each other to share the costs and risks of a project, such as Twentieth Century Fox and Paramount Pictures did with Titanic. That way, if the project bombs completely, neither studio loses too much money as a result of diversifying their risks.)
Sometimes, big stars and directors may invest their own money into a project to ensure that the project gets made and to earn a bigger share of the profits. Kevin Costner invested his money to get Dances with Wolves completed, and George Lucas put in his own money to finish Star Wars.
Although studios have millions of dollars in resources, they can’t finance every possible project. Instead, they must selectively choose which projects they think will succeed and pass on those projects that they think won’t make money. (Of course, every studio has passed on projects that turned out to be blockbuster hits, which only goes to show you that nobody can predict who or what will hit it big tomorrow. Just ask the people at Universal Studios who thought Star Wars wasn’t worth financing.)
Marketing and distributing a project
After a studio has created a project, the next step is marketing and distributing. The premiere of every film involves advertising in magazines, on television, and in previews shown before currently running films. After a film is released, the studio may also pay for the principle actors to publicize the film on television and radio talk shows.
Through their marketing and financial power, studios can ensure that a film appears in as many theaters and Internet streaming sites as possible. Without the backing of a major studio, a film may appear in a few cities or in the smaller (and less profitable) independent theaters (although in rare cases, positive word of mouth can boost a film from the independent theater circuit to the wider mainstream theater market).
Besides marketing and distributing a project to theaters, studios may also market and distribute films to television and cable networks, foreign markets, and the home entertainment market.
If a film or TV show has any tie-ins (such as books, action figures, or video games), the studio may negotiate the licensing fees for these as well. In some cases, a film may make more money through foreign or television network distribution than they do during the initial run in theaters.
Casting Directors: The Gatekeepers
Casting directors may work directly for a single production company, or they may freelance and work for several production companies on a temporary basis. Casting directors do the following:
Audition actors
Choose several potential actors for each role
Casting directors use breakdown services that describe the roles that will be cast for their project. On occasion, they may have an open casting call, but for all intents and purposes, they’ll make their suggestions for talent that may fit the role. That’s where you can use websites like L.A. Casting to present your resume, photos, and clips to place yourself in front of the casting directors with the help of your agent representation or without an agent. Chapter 7 addresses this in greater detail.