The Commissioning Process

Job roles within the commissioning process:

Commissioning editors identify books or media products to publish in order to build up a publisher's list. They commission work by finding authors or responding to book proposals. They also ensure authors deliver typescripts to specification and on time. The role is most associated with book publishing. In magazine publishing, commissioning editors commission writers to produce articles and features. An initial entrant is likely to be recruited into a more junior position, such as editorial assistant, which may then lead on to a career as a commissioning editor.

Producers are either employed by a production company or are independent. Producers plan and coordinate various aspects of film production, such as selecting script, coordinating writing, directing and editing, and arranging financing. The main producer sometimes will appoint executive producers, line producers or unit production managers who represent the main producer's interests.

The director gives direction to the cast and crew and creates an overall vision through which a film eventually becomes realised. Directors need to be able to mediate differences in creative visions and stay in the boundaries of the film's budget. Some film directors start as screenwriters, cinematographers, film editors or actors. Other film directors have attended a film school. Some directors write their own screenplays or collaborate on screenplays with long-standing writing partners. Some directors edit or appear in their films, or compose the music score for their films.

A script editor is a member of the production team. The script editor has many responsibilities including finding new script writers, developing storyline and series ideas with writers, ensuring that scripts are suitable for production. The script editor will work closely with the writer at each draft of their script, giving the writer feedback on the quality of their work, suggesting improvements that can be made whilst. Unlike the writers, script editors will usually be full-time members of the production team, working closely with the producer.

The agent who represents writers and their written works to publishers, theatrical producers, film producers and film studios, and assists in the sale and deal negotiation of the same. Literary agents most often represent novelists, screenwriters and non-fiction writers. They are paid a fixed percentage (usually twenty percent on foreign sales and ten to fifteen percent for domestic sales) of the proceeds of sales they negotiate on behalf of their clients.

Commissioning bodies:

A legal entity that is separate and distinct from its owners. Corporations enjoy most of the rights and responsibilities that an individual possesses; that is, a corporation has the right to enter into contracts, loan and borrow money, sue and be sued, hire employees, own assets and pay taxes.

Production companies are often either owned or under contract with a media conglomerate, film studio, entertainment company, or Motion Picture Company, who act as the production company's partner or parent company. This has become known as the "studio system". They can also be mainstream, independent or completely independent. Hat Trick Productions is a British independent production company that produces television programmes, mainly specialising in comedy. Hat Trick is one of the UK's most successful independent production companies - their output immediately identified with popular and award-winning programming, light entertainment and drama, and now also emerging into digital media. Programmes have been nominated for every major award in the industry and the company has won more awards for its comedy and entertainment output than any other producer in the history of British broadcasting, except for the BBC.

An Independent director (also sometimes known as an outside director) is a member of a board of directors who does not have a material or pecuniary relationship with company or related persons, except sitting fees. Independent Directors do not own shares in the company. if an independent producer/ director wanted the film to become a bigger film, you would find an agent so they could hopefully provide meetings with a distributor if the film was potentially a profitable move.

The role of the writer throughout production:

Pre-production is the process of fixing elements involved in a film, play, or other performance. In filmmaking and video production, pre-production formally begins once a project has been given the green light. At this stage, finalising preparations for production go into effect. During pre-production, the script is broken down into individual scenes storyboards and all the locations, props, cast members, costumes, special effects and visual effects are identified. An extremely detailed schedule is produced and arrangements are made for the necessary elements to be available to the film-makers at the appropriate times.

The script editor has many responsibilities including finding script writers, series ideas with writers, ensuring that scripts are suitable for production and developing the storylines. The script editor will work closely with the writer at each draft of their script, giving the writer feedback, suggesting improvements that can be made whilst also ensuring that practical issues like show continuity and correct running time are adhered to. Script editors will usually be full-time members of the production team, working closely with the producer unlike the writer.

A producer has control over the majority of the project, this will include the script and it’s many rewrites. The writer will have to work closely with the producer to achieve something that will do well when it comes to bringing the studio a profit. The writer will also have to work with the director to bring a screenplay into a visual story for an audience that will obviously have to be enjoyable to watch.

The shooting script is more elaborate, precise, overwritten version of the screenplay. The shooting script is not written by the screenwriter. It is written by the director alongside his cinematographer, while both discuss their ideas and shot plan desired for the movie. The shooting script is normally broken into shots, featuring precise cinematography terminology such as close-ups, dolly in, overexposed. The idea here is to inform the crew what is going on.

Once this stage occurs, there will be no more rewrites or edits, the script will be published and handed to the department. If any scenes do need to be rewritten and changed, locking the pages allows this to be easily tracked, so it keeps the revised and unrevised pages separate which will show the difference between the original script and the changes.

Working as a writer:

An agent is someone who looks after the sales and the work load of a client. They are more popular among actors, actresses, screen writers.  The amount of pay the agent receives is all dependent on how much the client and the agents agree how much the fixed percentage is, which ranges between 10-25%. The agent will negotiate the sale to publishers, theatrical producers and film producers. Some well know publishing companies will not accept clients unless they have an agent to represent them. Having a well-known and more experienced agent, is a big advantage as they will already have contacts to send on the work. For an example if a company wanted a writer for a programme they will go to agents to find one, who would take a profit of the payment the writer would receive for the job.

Royalty payments are the payment a writer will receive from the use of the scripts or the sales of books and films. For example for each book sold, the writer can receive a percentage of the payment this is known as royalty. Royalty payments are split between the writer, agents and the producers and such. Payments and salaries that writers will receive vary wildly

Censorship is what something may be considered to be harmful, rude, or inappropriate towards others. Libel is when someone is responsible for something. These two apply to writer as for example if the writer decided to add an offensive line to their script then the writer would be to blame. Copy right is very important for writers and especially freelance writers, as it is potentially protection for your future. It is a way for the work of a creator, such as an artist or author to stop other people copying, distributing their work. However certain rules apply such as the work must be and original idea and unless other agreement is made the writer holds on to the copy right.