Ever since the beginning of moving pictures there has been a need for writers. Screen writers not only determine what comes out of the mouths of actors and actresses they also determine how a film should flow. The director takes a screenwriter's directions and modifies them to fit his idea of how the picture should move and work but it is the starting point from which he works.
A screen writer that wants to get noticed is up against some stiff competition. There are a few websites that can help an unknown screenwriter get his work noticed by posing loglines. Some of the most well known sites are:
Some allow you to post for free and others charge a minimal fee ranging from $20 to $40. This is a small price to pay when you consider the cost and time involved in traveling to Hollywood . Check out the scripts sold and writers gaining representation section of InkTip to see how valuable these services can be.
Keep in mind that it is usually the independent filmmakers that use these sites and that will take a chance on a novice writer. Big studios don't usually take that risk nor do they search these sites or pay attention to screenwriters' contests. But the film industry is changing, with the advent of the Internet, the distance to Hollywood has shrunk.
In order to even get your foot in Hollywood 's front door you need representation. An agent or literary manager must be retained before a major studio will even look at your material. They use these agents to sift and filter through the screenplays to find the diamond among the chunks of coal. These agents might troll the websites listed above to find talent and considering it a great filter tool. They agree that the easiest genre to sell is high concept comedy or action and the hardest as period pieces or drama.
Another option is Project Greenlight a contest started by two childhood friends who tried to break into acting for years and finally gave up and wrote and starred in their own screen play, going on to win an Oscar for Best Screenplay. You might recognize their names, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. This true story was their inspiration to come up with a way that aspiring writers could get the jumpstart their careers needed.