Free Work? 4 Tips for Screenwriters to Avoid being Taken Advantage of

Unfortunately, working “on spec” has become the norm in Hollywood. And it pisses me off. I’m not talking about writing a spec script that you own, I’m talking about producers and production companies requesting free work from you while dangling the carrot of a paid gig.

In television some folks refer to it as a writer’s “Bake Off”. Which means a producer or production company invites multiple writers to pitch their “take” on a piece of IP. Those 2, 3 (or sometimes many more) writers each work hard to come up with a thoughtful, prepared pitch, but there’s no guarantee they’ll win the job. That’s a lot of free work. And, as I said, it pisses me off.

The WGA has been pushing to stop this practice for years (like with their outreach campaign, 'No Writing Left Behind'), but even with initiatives like this, free work still happens.

Here are 4 tips to help you ‘tactfully’ avoid being taken advantage of if you are asked to write for free:

1. Do a background check

Before agreeing to pitch on a project, do a bit of digging. Ask your reps to find out how many other writers are up for the gig. If it’s a “bake-off” and there are 5-10 other writers all pitching on the same thing, do the math to determine if this project is a good use of your time and energy. In an ideal world, you would find out you’re one of only a handful of writers in the mix. Which means taking the time to put together a take has a much higher chance of leading to a gig. Also, always ask for a preliminary meeting before fully diving into your take. You can use this meeting to get a better sense of what the executives are looking for, as well as suss out if you even like the project enough to put in the work. If you do choose to go ahead and pitch…

2. Give them just enough

When you pitch your take, the goal is to get them excited. So, give the producers enough material that they can picture your idea and get a good sense of who you are as a writer. But don’t give away every last detail. Walking them through a dynamic outline that includes the hook, midpoint, and the ending is great - that way they know you’re the person to write it. But don’t give them every interesting story beat and character moment. That’s the juicy stuff that makes a script special. Think of the pitch as a “taste” of what you would do, so they know they love it and want more. But save the full 5 course meal until they’ve hired you.

3. No pages left behind

Don’t give them pages on their IP. The important phrase here is “their IP”. They own it, you don’t. So, let’s say six writers pitch on a project, and all six writers leave pages with the producers to be considered for the gig. That equals six documents they can review, and pick and choose ideas from for the final project. Like a ‘creativity buffet’. They probably wouldn’t outright 'steal’ your work, but they could definitely ‘be inspired by' your pages and then truly believe it’s their idea. Not everyone does this at all, but it happens sometimes. Also, if they choose not to hire you, then you can’t use those pages for anything else (not even a writing sample). So, if they want pages from you, make sure they first commit to hiring you.

4. Remember, you can always say no

Contrary to all the hype about AI, Hollywood executives and producers NEED screenwriters. It’s very hard to write a great script. Which makes your creativity, time and energy all highly valuable commodities. So, don’t give that value away for free to companies that can (and should) be paying for it. I’m not saying to never write on spec - but make sure the spec scripts you write are on ideas that you own. If you find yourself in a “Writer’s Bake Off” situation, or any pitching process where you feel like you’re being taken advantage, chances are you’re probably right. So remember, you can always just say no, and put your energy into projects that better honor your worth and serve your career.

What are your thoughts on “Writers Bake Off’s”? Let me know @CaroleKirsch!

For more industry info and tips check out these additional resources:

For the ultimate guide to pitching a TV show that sells, check out my e-book, The Ultimate Guide to a Killer Pitch

To learn how to create your “personal logline” read my free e-book, Tell Your Story in 60 Seconds.

For my in-depth video course on breaking into the business go to: Carole Kirschner’s Hollywood Boot Camp.

And you can find my book, Hollywood Game Plan on Amazon or at Michael Wiese Productions (MWP).