![]() If you see the word “and” between the names of two or three different screenwriters in a credit, it refers to two or three different writers who are attached to the project during separate drafts. ![]() “Created by” credits are given per episode, whereas “Developed by” credits are only given to writers for the episodes they have explicitly contributed material to. A writer is entitled to a “Created by” credit if they have developed a significant part of the story, format, and teleplay. In TV, under a crediting structure known as ‘separated rights’, you can also get "Created by" and "Developed by" credits. Also, “Written by” cannot be shared by more than two writers. This credit doesn’t apply when there is "source material of a story nature” (aka adaptations or any screenplay with source material) but it does apply to a script based on, or inspired by, biographies, newspapers, or articles. Usually, if one writer is entitled to both a “Story by” and a “Screenplay by” credit, they receive the all encompassing “Written by” credit. But this credit only comes from arbitration, which we’ll get to in a minute. Screen Story byĪ writer is entitled to a “Screen Story by” credit if they contributed ideas to a story and allowed other writers to use those ideas as a jumping off point for the actual screenplay. When it comes to feature films “screenplays” and “scripts” are interchangeable, but television scripts are always called scripts. What’s the difference between a screenplay and a script? “Screenplay by” can only be shared by three writers or three teams of writers (think of when you’ve watched the closing credits of a big blockbuster movie and the over-crowded writing credits section scrolled by - those were probably the names of a writing team). If you wrote actual drafts or scenes that are included in the final version of a movie, then this is the credit for you. ![]() That new writer would get the “Screenplay by” credit, and the original writer (despite having written a complete script) is entitled to share a “Story by” credit with the new writer. ![]() Or a writer might get this credit if someone else is hired to do a page one rewrite of their original screenplay. So, a writer could be credited with the “story” for a movie, but not the “screenplay,” if they wrote a treatment but not the final script. It differs from a script or screenplay only in that the action and dialog usually isn’t written out. “Story” refers to the plot, the characters, the settings and tone. That’s almost true, but there’s a bit more to it. Most people think, “Story by” refers to whoever came up with the original idea for the script. Here’s what each writing credit means and why it matters to your career… Story By So how do you know which type of credit you should get? ![]() The more produced writing credits you have the better your resume looks, credits can help you get into the WGA, and different credits affect how much you make on residuals. It might all look like semantics but there are differences between these credits and, for a screenwriter trying to make it in Hollywood, writing credits matter. “Screenplay by”, “Written by”, “Story by”, “Created by” - chances are you’ve seen these different writing credits on screenplays and in movies and TV. ![]()
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