Submitting a script

Every month we will put a call out to all members that would like to submit a script for consideration for the next shoot. Depending on your membership level, there may be a small charge for submitting your script. However, should your script be selected as the winner, any payment you made to submit the script will be deducted from your shoot fee.

The shoot fee for a scriptwriter is the same as a single shoot day fee. So, if your script is selected you will have to pay a fee before we go forward with the script development and making a film of your script. The amount you pay will depend on your level of membership. Below are a couple of examples:-

Why Does the Winning Script Have to Pay a Shoot Fee?

Because if your script is selected, you will get to work with a mentor to develop and flesh out your idea. You will be welcome on set for the shoot day but you will have no creative control unless invited to give your input. You will also receive a credit on the film as the scriptwriter.

NOTE: It is important to understand that by submitting your script to WeMakeFilms, you will assign the rights make a film and promote the said film. You will of course always be accredited as the scriptwriter.

How Does the Selection Process Work?

When you submit a script and pay your submission fee (if appropriate), it goes to our team to ensure it meets our selection criteria (please read below). If it passes this phase you will be notified that it has gone into the vote for selection. If none of the scripts pass this phase we will provide a script for the following shoot.

If we have multiple scripts that have passed the selection process, we will put the scripts out for a vote by the Enthusiasts and Obsessed members. If you have the required membership level you can vote for your own script, if you wish.

The winner of the vote will be notified and the script will be sent out to all the members for the roles to be taken up and it will then be used for the next film shoot.

The Selection Criteria

1. Please send us a “Final Draft” script or a PDF document in script format. If you have a problem with this, we can help.
2. The script should be longer than 2 minutes, but no longer that 10 minutes. This means, as a guide, your script should be no longer than 10 pages of properly formatted script.
3. It must not cause excessive offence.
4. It should not be overtly political, sexist, racial or religious.
5. It must not include any inappropriate nudity or sex scenes. Anything vaguely pornographic will not be accepted.
6. It must not promote or glamorise terrorist or illegal activity.
7. It must be original.
8. It should have a story story arc. Not just ramble on and come to no conclusion.
9. It should make us care about the characters (love or hate them).
10. Most important of all, it should make the audience feel something.

Things to Avoid in Your Script

• If your scripts contain any inappropriate, religious or political beliefs they will almost certainly be rejected.
• Avoid excessive profanity. The rule of thumb is if it is likely to offend, we won’t select it.
• Keep it below 10 minutes long, so that is 10 pages in script format. If it is longer than that it is unlikely that we will have time to shoot it in a weekend. So we would have to cut it down or reject it.
• Think about the costs. We have budgetary restrictions. So, if your script has a lot of cast or has to be set in an expensive setting, we are unlikely to select it.
• Think about the different scenes and angles. If a script has too many setups or locations, we are unlikely to select it to go into the vote.
• Think about any outside locations. If it’s going to be filmed in winter and there is a big outside scene, we are unlikely to choose it. However, we may choose to use it at a later time.
• Try to make it interesting or surprising in some way.