Vol 1 | Issue 16 | ISSN 2979-8744 (online)
"How do you actually get a screenplay made?" It's probably the question I've been asked more than any other over the past few months.
It's also one of the hardest to answer because there isn't one route. My first funded short came through a competition. My second came through regional funding. They had different budgets, different producers, different pathways, and taught me completely different lessons.
So here's everything I know.
Why do I need to get things made? I’m a writer!
This newsletter is born from the uncomfortable truth: writers have to do more than write.
Aside from getting to see what the inside of your head looks like translated into real life… it is quite important that you can demonstrate the impact of your work.
What do I mean by that?
A producer/director is looking for a writer. You pop up and you’ve an idea that is original, fresh, well written.
But.
How does the producer/director know that what you have to offer is something their audiences will respond well to?
How can they be sure your work translates and isn’t just a wonderfully written story on the page?
They need to see it. They need to be confident in your work so they can sell it.
Not only that, but potential funders will want to know what experience you’ve had with production teams. This is the same for television and film, and to some extent, audio and stage productions to.
Can you demonstrate you:
can take notes from various stakeholders?
understand department priorities?
know the difference between writing for a budget of under £500 or £5,000 or £50k or £500k or £5m?
can work with different stakeholders?
meet deadlines?
None of this is applicable if the extent of your writing has been sitting a foot away from the FinalDraft screen.
No matter what level you are in your writing career, all film making is a risk. Not just financially, but reputationally. If an agent puts you forward; you become an extension of their judgement, to a producer; their taste and understanding of the industry, and to a director; their ability to spot a great story.
Top tip: This is why rejection is so frequent. All the stars have to be aligned.
A few weeks ago, I shared the concentric circles of my career plan, and recently I talked about knowing when you’re ready to go for the opportunities at your level.
Without these grassroots experiences, I could never have the conversations I’m having now around productions with the budgets on the table.
It comes back to the Ferrari every time. I started out with a 20yr old hatch back. I moved onto a 10 year old SUV, now I’m browsing the brand new 4x4s.
The mistake we often make is looking at someone driving the Ferrari and thinking we need the Ferrari to start. We don’t. We need to prove we can handle the car we’re currently driving.
Making your work look its best
There are a few writers, myself included, who have worried over whether shooting it yourself on your iPhone, or getting a bunch of students to do it, or even some guy you met down the pub who was wearing a Jaws tee and a baseball cap and swears it’s his lifelong ambition to be the next Christopher Nolan, is they might shoot it badly and make your work look bad.
Is this really possible? Yes, there is a high risk of this. But there are things you can do to mitigate for less experienced filmmakers:
Make your short really short – There’s no need to over complicate things by trying to shoot a proof of concept, or a 20 min masterpiece. Three to five minutes is more than enough.
Keep it simple – Small cast, simple premise, one location, easy to follow.
Good dialogue is easier to perform authentically. Spend time on this. There are lots of am-dram actors who have the skills if access to professional actors is difficult.
Be adaptable – Knowing is not doing. Your script may feel like it has to be made exactly as it is on the page, but when you come to look at how other departments work, you may realise that some things need to be more fluid.
Keep a timeline tight – This one also requires some adaptability. If lots of people are involved, keeping these logistics tight will mean things don’t stray into taking forever, but you do need to be mindful that paid work comes first.
Plan. Plan. And Plan again – Failure to prepare is preparing to fail. The more efficient you can make the process, the more success and scope for adapting in a crisis you’ll have.
Be prepared to muck in. And be kind – Try to remember that everyone will come out of the process with something they can be proud of that they will want to showcase as a representation of their skills too.
Don’t micromanage – Remember, you’re not likely to be the expert in the room, learn together.
If in doubt, ask the WGGB for advice around IP, rights, and distribution (this means festivals) – it may be your script, but it’s not only your work once it’s made.
Bake a cake – a crew marches on their stomachs, feed them well and they’ll feel loved.
And if making it myself feels like Mission Impossible with the colourful array of barriers that can befall us?
Your options are still broad. You could seek funding, privately:
Crowdsource – not for the faint hearted. Requires deep commitment to the campaign and a solid plan. Strongly advise looking at the ones that are attracting the money you’re aiming for and seeing what and how they’re doing it. Anything less would be a fruitless task.
A sugar daddy – I jest. I certainly am not encouraging this. But Edgar Jones approached his local independent paper in Somerset for £11k to make his first feature. And they backed it. Don’t ask, don’t get.
Regional Film Offices – very often are providing or know about regionally specific funding for shorts, even features. Though be prepared to work to a strict brief. My second short, Brick by Brick, was funded this way, and though it was a long process, I enjoyed every minute.
Competitions – my first short was funded by CenterFrame. I was awarded £5k to make a five-minute short, Like Buses. Do your research – don’t pay over the odds for competitions, look at what they’ve funded before, speak to some previous winners.
National Lottery / BFI – I feel this needs its own newsletter. This is much harder than it looks. For your first short, you could be punching slightly.
Fund it yourself – If you’re thinking about putting your own money in, set a hard budget and if you can, bring in a really good producer who will prioritise spending your money on the screen (as in what you will see).
Students – now be cautious here. Students do not equal free labour any more than you do for being early in your career. Make sure it’s mutual. Lots of Uni’s though look for short easy scripts for their acting or film making students to perform. But approach with caution – this is less about you and more about them, so make contact first, find out what they look for, and write for them. Not for you.
All of the above is MUCH easier when you collaborate, share the load, lean into each other’s skill sets.
Task for the week: Speak to your regional film office about coffee mornings, short film nights, networking drinks, film festivals; places you could go to meet filmmakers in your area.
You’ve written these scripts for a reason, don’t let them just ping pong around inboxes, let them live.
Did I answer the question? Let me know if I missed anything!
Helen
Next up… Funding… What you might need to know about BFI funding before you apply
© Helen Tompson 2026 | Feel free to share this newsletter with other writers. If you'd like to reproduce or quote larger sections, just drop me a message first.