Playwriting: The Process

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From his own personal experiences, from a news story, from history.

A plot outline. It is used by the playwright to develop the plays internal structure.

Writing the dialogue is one of the last steps in the script development process.

Most Broadway and off-Broadway scripts. A few screenplays, such as Joe Eszterhas' Basic Instinct (1992), which was bought by TriStar for three million dollars, are also written on spec.

Almost all television scripts, many movies, and the book, or dialogue, for most musicals.

Most playwrights market their work through an agency. Some send their work directly to a regional or educational theatre. Scripts sent to a Broadway producer, or a film studio, will normally be returned unopened and unread.

Because of the difficulty in getting a script mounted, some playwrights will produce their own work. They will rent a small theatre, put a couple small ads in the paper and count on good reviews and "word of mouth" to draw an audience. Budgets for these independent, non-union shows range from six to twelve thousand dollars. Charging ten to fifteen dollars a seat, the playwright, with a little bit of luck, may break even. The writer is hoping that good reviews will lead to a major production and publication. The chance of this happening is better than winning the lottery-- but not much better.

The agent's job is to bring a new play to the attention of a producer.

He earns his ten percent when the script is first optioned, and then produced. The agent will not earn his income until the author's work is presented to a paying audience.

Between 4,500 and 5,000 television and screenplays are produced each year. Nearly five times that number of scripts are registered yearly with The Dramatists Guild, the union representing the playwright.

The play should have a small cast (for example: 3 men, 2 women), contain a little humor, require a single set, and use contemporary, non-period costumes.

The author. The producer of a first class commercial production does not purchase the play, only the exclusive performance rights for a limited amount of time.

In October 1998 the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Clinton extending the maximum copyright period for works written before January 1, 1978 from 75 to 95 years. Those works written before 1922 which have passed into the public domain will stay in the public domain. A work created in 1923 will remain under copyright for 95 years, are till January 1, 2019. Scripts developed after January 1, 1978 are under copyright for the life of the author plus 70 years.

All rights. These include the right of publication, performance, adaption, and translation.

When a studio or production company purchases a screenplay from the writer, they buy the entire property, including the copyright.

When a script is no longer under copyright, it is said to be in the public domain-- owned by the public. American plays written before 1922 are in the public domain and can be performed, adapted, copied, etc. without receiving permission from the playwright.

The money paid to the author (or copyright holder) for permission to perform their work. The royalty fee for a commercial production of a play is a percentage, usually between 5 and 7 percent, of the box office gross. The fee for a non-commercial production is determined by the playwright's agent.

The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. The royalty for three performances of a Neil Simon comedy, such as The Odd Couple (1965) will probably be under $300. The royalty for three performances of a popular "Broadway" musical, such as Oklahoma!, (1943) Beauty and the Beast (1994) or Miss Saigon (1991) will probably be between $1800 and $2400. A play usually has only one author, a musical may have as many as five.

Anytime a work is presented before an audience. An audience is anyone watching the show who is not directly involved in the production.

Performing a copyrighted work without first receiving a "license" (permission) from the playwright (or owner). The Copyright Act (Title 17 of the U.S. Code) provides for a statutory fine of $ 50,000.00 for the first infringement or performance. The presenter may also be sued for damages by the author or the copyright holder.

Through stories printed in local and regional newspapers.